The effect of age, sex and strains on the performance and outcome in animal models of stroke.pdf

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and the majority of cerebral stroke is caused by occlusion

of cerebral circulation, which eventually leads to brain infarction. Although stroke occurs mainly in the aged

population, most animal models for experimental stroke in vivo almost universally rely on young-adult rodents

for the evaluation of neuropathological, neurological, or behavioral outcomes after stroke due to their greater

availability, lower cost, and fewer health problems. However, it is well established that aged animals differ from

young animals in terms of physiology, neurochemistry, and behavior. Stroke-induced changes are more pronounced

with advancing age. Therefore, the overlooked role of age in animal models of stroke could have an

impact on data quality and hinder the translation of rodent models to humans. In addition to aging, other factors

also influence functional performance after ischemic stroke. In this article, we summarize the differences between

young and aged animals, the impact of age, sex and animal strains on performance and outcome in animal

models of stroke and emphasize age as a key factor in preclinical stroke studies.