Long period changes of hippocampal diffusion kurtosis imaging and its correlation with cognitive dysfunction after incomplete cerebral ischemia–reperfusion in rats.

This study aims to summarize the changes of functional diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters in the bilateral hippocampal CA1 region of the hemorrhagic shock reperfusion (HSR) model of rats and their correlation with cognitive dysfunction. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (9–10 weeks of age, weighing 350–400 g) were randomized into the HSR group (n = 30) and the sham-operated group (Sham) (n = 30). Rats in the HSR group and the Sham group were subdivided into five time points (1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks) for examination. Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) was performed. Cognitive dysfunction was analyzed by the Morris Water Maze. The correlation between the DKI parameters and cognitive dysfunction was analyzed by the Spearman correlation. In the HSR group, the values of axial kurtosis (Ka), radial kurtosis (Kr), and mean kurtosis (MK) in the bilateral hippocampal CA1 of rats at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the surgery were significantly higher. The rats in the HSR group had significantly longer escape latency than in the Sham group. The rats in the HSR group had significantly shorter time and shorter distance in target quadrant than those in the Sham group. The escape latency had positive correlation with MK, Ka, and Kr. The distance and the time in target quadrant had negative correlation with MK, Ka, and Kr. The parameters get from the DKI could accurately evaluate the abnormal blood perfusion and microstructure changes in hippocampal CA1 area of the incomplete cerebral ischemia reperfusion rats induced by HSR. MK, Ka, and Kr values could reflect the decreased learning and memory ability in HSR rat model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]