Interhemispheric asymmetry of the cerebral amino acid pool in rat with subtotal cerebral ischaemia

The pathogenetic mechanisms of ischaemic stroke are complex and have not been fully studied, including the role of interhemispheric asymmetry in the brain’s biochemical organization.

Study objective. To study the levels of free amino acids (AA) and their derivatives in the cerebral cortex of rats with subtotal cerebral ischaemia.

Materials and methods. Subtotal cerebral ischaemia was modelled in 6 rats in the experimental group by ligation of both carotid arteries for 2 hours. Six rats with sham surgeries served as the control. The levels of AA and their derivatives was analysed in perchlorate tissue extract using reversed-phase chromatography.

Results. Subtotal cerebral ischaemia was accompanied by changes in the AA pool, with differences found between the cortex of the left and right hemispheres. Glutamate, threonine, taurine, tyrosine, tryptophan and α-aminoadipic acid levels decreased in the left frontal lobe cortex, and ornithine levels increased. Asparagine, serine and phenylalanine levels decreased in the right frontal lobe cortex.

Conclusion. The nature of changes in the AA levels in the left and right halves of the cerebral cortex indicates interhemispheric asymmetry of amino acid imbalance, which develops in cerebral ischaemia.