Background: Clinical assessment reveals that patients after surgery of
cardiopulmonary bypass or coronary bypass experience
postoperative cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate whether
resuscitation after a
hemorrhagic shock (HS) and/or mild
cerebral ischemia caused by a unilateral common carotid artery occlusion (UCCAO) can cause
brain injury and concomitant neurological dysfunction, and explore the potential mechanisms. Methods: Blood withdrawal (6 mL/100 g
body weight) for 60 min through the right jugular vein
catheter-induced an HS. Immediately after the termination of HS, we reinfused the initially shed blood volumes to restore and maintain the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) to the original value during the 30-min
resuscitation. A cooling water blanket used to induce whole body cooling for 30 min after the end of
resuscitation. Results: An UCCAO caused a slight
cerebral ischemia (cerebral blood flow [CBF] 70%) without
hypotension (MABP 85 mmHg), systemic
inflammation, multiple organs
injuries, or neurological injury. An HS caused a moderate
cerebral ischemia (52% of the original CBF levels), a moderate
hypotension (MABP downed to 22 mmHg), systemic
inflammation, and peripheral organs
injuries. However, combined an UCCAO and an HS caused a severe
cerebral ischemia (18% of the original CBF levels), a moderate
hypotension (MABP downed to 17 mmHg), systemic
inflammation, peripheral organs damage, and neurological injury, which can be attenuated by whole body cooling. Conclusions: When combined with an HS, an UCCAO is associated with ischemic neuronal injury in the ipsilateral hemisphere of adult rat brain, which can be attenuated by
therapeutic hypothermia. A
resuscitation from an HS regards as a reperfusion insult which may induce neurological injury in patients with an UCCAO disease.