Neurological deficit following cortical stroke in rats with functional hemispheric asymmetry

: We evaluated the effect of "sidedness" of focal stroke induced by pial blood vessel devascularization in sensorimotor cortex of right or left hemisphere on neurological deficit in rats. Animals were preliminary examined for paw preference (hemispheric "dominance") by means of food reaching test. Data of cylinder-test, vibrissae-elicited forelimb placing test and swimming task (forepaw inhibition test) were assessed to monitor functional deficit weekly for 8 weeks after stroke. No difference between rats with right or left cortical damage was observed during the experiment. Rats with ischemia in "dominant" hemisphere performed significantly better than those with "nondominant" hemisphere lesion. The revealed effect of functional brain asymmetry on the neurological rehabilitation after stroke should be considered in design of preclinical investigation of new therapeutic approaches to stroke.