Abstract #1458

Ding G, Jiang Q, Li L, Zhang Z, Panda S, Ewing J, Chopp M, Zhang L

The combined rt-PA and atorvastatin treatment at 4h after the embolic MCAo significantly reduced microvascular perfusion deficits compared with the control animals. In the combination treated rats, MRA and CBF images show MCA recanalization and recovery of CBF, respectively, which match the cerebral microvascular patency data obtained from fluorescence microscopy. This may be attributed to atorvastatin, which increases the efficacy of fibrinolytic therapy with rt-PA and protects microvessels downstream of the occluded MCA from secondary occlusion. The MRI maps reflect the enhanced tissue perfusion or the reduction of ischemic lesion after the combination treatment with rt-PA and atorvastatin.