Figure 1
Age-related differences in body weight and asymmetry in posture/sensorimotor performance after unilateral Et-1-induced occlusion of MCA in conscious rats. A: Changes in body weight versus pre-Et-1 weight. The ischemic rats (Yi, n=26 and Mi, n=22) loose more weight compared with the sham rats (Ys, n=9 and Ms, n=7), and the Mi rats loose more weight than the Yi rats. B: PHR test. The asymmetry in Yi and Mi rats was greater (the contralateral scores are smaller than the ipsilateral ones) than that in Ys and Ms rats. No difference between the asymmetry in both ischemic age groups was found. C: LP test. Asymmetry in Yi and Mi animals was greater than that in Ys and Ms, correspondingly. The Mi rats showed greater asymmetry than the Yi rats during the acute phase. D: LUA test. The difference in asymmetry between Mi and Yi rats was significant during the whole experiment. E: ATR test - latency. The difference between the Mi and Yi rats was significant only during the chronic phase of ischemia. F: ATR test - first removal of the adhesive tape from the ipsilateral forepaw (number in % from all removals). The Yi rats recovered at D14, while the Mi rats showed an increase in the asymmetry by that time. On the abscissa: T0- before Et-1 or saline, H1 - 1 hour, H4 - 4 hour, D1 - one day, D3 - 3 days, D7 - 7 days, and D14 - 14 days after Et-1 or saline. Means ± SEM are presented. Values at T0 were calculated for all Y rats (Yi and Ys, n = 35) and for all M rats (Mi and Ms, n = 29). Significant difference at P<0.05 (Mann-Whitney U): + Yi vs. Ys, # Mi vs. Ms, * Yi vs. Mi.