Relationship between Stroke-related Behavior and Plasma Norepinephrine Concentration in Stroke-prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Previous study(1) has indicated that behavioral changes occur at the onset of cerebral accidents in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). In the SHRSP stroke cases (SHRSP-stroke) in this study, the plasma norepinephrine concentration and blood pressure levels were higher than those in Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and stroke free SHRSP (SHRSP-control). These findings suggest that the increase in plasma norepinephrine level is at least in part associated with the blood pressure rise and behavioral changes in the SHRSP-stroke cases.