Abstract #0943

Rowland I, Vejby Sgaard L, Simonsen H, Brandt C, Paulson O

The aims of this study were to follow the evolution of experimental meningitis in a rat model and to identify critical events in the disease process using MR imaging methods. Clinical and motor scores were obtained and compared with the size of the ventricles. Over time the ventricles gradually increased in size and this expansion was closely associated with deterioration in clinical and motor scores. The results suggest that expansion of the ventricles leads to compression, reduced perfusion and damage to cortical tissue and is a critical component of the disease process.