Effect of 5-minute ischemia on regional pH and energy state of the gerbil brain: relation to selective vulnerability of the hippocampus

Adult male gerbils were submitted to 5-minute cerebral ischemia by bilateral carotid artery occlusion. At the end of ischemia and at various recirculation times ranging from 15 to 120 minutes, brains were frozen in situ and the regional distribution of ATP, glucose, and tissue pH was studied on coronal cryostat sections by bioluminescent and fluoroscopic techniques. During ischemia ATP was completely depleted, glucose decreased to less than 10% of control, and regional tissue pH decreased from 7.04-7.09 to about 6.0. After the beginning of recirculation tissue pH and the regional content of metabolites exhibited a triphasic course. After 15 minutes pH returned to or even above normal, and ATP- and glucose-induced bioluminescence normalized. However, there was a secondary deterioration of both tissue acidosis and the metabolic state after 30 minutes. After longer recirculation times changes again improved and returned to normal within 2 hours. These changes were similar in all brain regions with the exception of the CA1 sector of the hippocampus, where the transient normalization of tissue pH was absent after 15 minutes of recirculation. This finding is in line with the previously observed microcirculatory insufficiency of this area and demonstrates that the CA1 sector of the hippocampus suffers more pronounced postischemic acidosis than other less vulnerable regions of the brain.