Transneuronal Degeneration of Thalamic Nuclei following Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rats

Figure 5

Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) on day 1 and day 14 after MCAo. (a, b) Day 1. (c, d) Day 14. (a, c) Images of the brain regions supplied by the MCA. The red box designates the putamen on the damaged side. The blue box designates the putamen on the control side. (b, d) Images of brain areas not supplied by the MCA. The red box designates the thalamic nuclei on the damaged side. The blue box designates the thalamic nuclei on the control side. Damaged areas stained positive for GFAP in the 1-day group. GFAP was expressed in the putamen, but not in the thalamus, indicating that neurons in the thalamic regions were not affected at 1 day after surgery. Damaged areas remained positive for GFAP in the 14-day group, though additional staining was also observed in the thalamic region, indicating that transneuronal degeneration and subsequent increases in GFAP expression occurred in the thalamus despite not being directly supplied by the MCA. MCA: middle cerebral artery.

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