Measurements of BOLD/CBV ratio show altered fMRI hemodynamics during stroke recovery in rats.

Brain responses to external stimuli after permanent and transient ischemic insults have been documented using cerebral blood volume weighted (CBVw) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in correlation with tissue damage and neurological recovery. Here, we extend our previous studies of stroke recovery in rat models of focal cerebral ischemia by comparing blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) changes. Responses to forepaw stimulation were measured in normal rats (n=5) and stroke rats subjected to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (n=6).