Abstract #1347

Aging and Hypertension Increase the Susceptibility of Brain Tissue to Ischemic Injury: Animal Brain MR Imaging Study

MeiYu Yeh¹, Tsong-Hai Lee², Ho-Ling Liu^3,4

¹Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University,, Kwei-Shan , Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; ²Stroke Section, Department of Neurology and Stroke Center,, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-Shan , Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; ³Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; ⁴MRI Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kwei-Shan , Taoyuan, Taiwan

Age is the most important non-modifiable risk factor for stroke and it is estimated that the stroke rate is doubled each 10 years after age 55. Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI and PWI, respectively) can provide a simple and feasible method to investigate the ischemic brain tissue at risk for infarction in the acute stage of stroke. Our study suggests that the reason for aging and hypertension to be the most significant risk factors for stroke is possible that they may increase the susceptibility of normal brain tissue to ischemic injury by influencing the cerebral diffusion and perfusion.