Objectives: To determine whether cumulative brain damage produced adjacent to a minor stroke that is followed by a mild transient ischemia is detectable with MRI and histology, and whether acute or chronic recovery between insults influences this damage.
Materials and methods: A minor photothrombotic (PT) stroke was followed acutely (1-2 days) or chronically (7 days) by a mild transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). MRI was performed after each insult, followed by final histology.
Results: The initial PT produced small hyperintense T2 and DW infarct lesions and peri-lesion regions of scattered necrosis and modestly increased T2. Following tMCAO, in a slice and a region adjacent to the PT, a region of T2 augmentation was observed when recovery between insults was acute but not chronic. Within the PT slice, a modest region of exacerbated T2 change proximate to the PT was also observed in the chronic group. Corresponding histological changes within regions of augmented T2 included increased vacuolation and cell death.
Conclusion: Within regions adjacent to an experimental minor stroke, a recurrence of a mild transient cerebral ischemia augmented T2 above increases produced by tMCAO alone, reflecting increased damage in this region. Exacerbation appeared broader with acute versus chronic recovery between insults.
Keywords: Animals; Cell death; Ischemic attack; Magnetic resonance imaging; Stroke; Transient.