The ultrastructural responses of cerebral tissue following temporary periods (½, 1, 2, 3, or 4 hour) of right, middle cerebral artery, (MCA) occlusion were studied acutely after a 3 day or 7 day interval following the removal of the MCA clip. Cortical and basal ganglia tissues for each ischemic duration were compared at 3 post-occlusive periods (acute, 3 days, 7 days).
With the short periods of ischemic insult (½, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hour), the temporal and insular cortex contained no greater changes in the 7 day group than in the 3 day group.
The basal ganglia were more susceptible to MCA occlusion as indicated by more marked cytological changes and/or necrosis in all intervals of ischemia.