Influence of Aging on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability and Free Radical Formation Following Experimental Brain Cold Injury

Summary.  The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of experimental cold brain injury on blood-brain barrier integrity, on brain oedema formation, and on lipid peroxidation and to compare the results between the aged and young rats. Cold brain injury was used to create a standard model of brain trauma in old and young rats. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier was analyzed by Evans blue method. The values of cerebral water content were calculated by using the fresh and dry weights of the cerebral hemispheres. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring the tissue content of malonyl dialdehyde.  Blood-brain barrier was destroyed significantly in young and old rats, but it was more severe in old rats. Accordingly, cerebral water content was increased in both groups, however this increase was significantly more prominent in old rats. No significant difference was found on malonyl dialdehyde levels between young and old rats.  The blood-brain barrier was more easily disrupted in old rats, and this was supposed to be the basic event causing more secondary damage.