Effect of cardiac arrest on brain weight and the permeability of the blood-brain and blood-spinal cord barrier to albumin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Life Sci. 1999;65(20):2127-34. doi: 10.1016/s0024-3205(99)00477-4.

Abstract

Time-dependent changes in brain and spinal cord were studied in mice in a cardiac arrest model. A transient decrease in body weight and a prolonged decrease in brain weight occurred after arrest whereas spinal cord weight was unchanged. The permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to I131-albumin and I131 tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) showed maximal, non-significant increases on day 5 after cardiac arrest, but the permeability of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) to both materials was unchanged with time. We conclude that selective weight loss occurs in the brain after cardiac arrest with the integrity of the BBB and BSCB remaining intact to serum proteins and minimal alteration in the blood to CNS transport of TNF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Albumins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier*
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Capillary Permeability
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Heart Arrest / complications*
  • Heart Arrest / pathology
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / etiology
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / metabolism*
  • Ischemic Attack, Transient / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Organ Size
  • Spinal Cord / blood supply*
  • Spinal Cord / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Weight Loss

Substances

  • Albumins
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha