Ischemia Reduces Blood-to-Brain Glucose Transport in the Gerbil

The effect of carotid occlusion on cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain plasma volume for sucrose (V^pl_suc), and unidirectional transport of glucose from blood to brain was measured in four regions of gerbil brain. Unilateral common carotid artery occlusion caused a variable decrease in CBF to the ipsilateral cerebral cortex and basal ganglia, with no change in CBF to the contralateral structures, cerebellum, or brainstem. One hour of bilateral carotid artery occlusion reduced flow to near zero in the cerebral cortex and to 30% of control in the basal ganglia, while increasing CBF to the cerebellum and brainstem. There was a significant decrease in the V^pl_suc of the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia after 1 h of ischemia, perhaps due to compression of the intravascular space by edema fluid. Blood-to-brain glucose transport, 1 min after release from 1 h of bilateral carotid occlusion, was decreased in the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia, but not in the cerebellum or brainstem. These data indicate that 1 h of complete or incomplete ischemia reduces the rate of unidirectional glucose transport from blood to brain.