Effects of riluzole on the evolution of focal cerebral ischemia: a magnetic resonance imaging study

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of riluzole on the lesion induced by a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Riluzole at 4 or 8 mg/kg i.v. significantly reduced the cortical ischemic brain damage. With the most effective dose of 8 mg/kg, the time evolution of the lesion was assessed by T-2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) repeated on the same animals after MCAO. MRI obtained at 24, 48, and 72 hours after MCAO showed a progressive increase of the ischemic lesion, except in the cortex of the riluzole-treated rats (8 mg/kg i.v.). Furthermore, there was no difference between lesion volumes as measured by MRI or by histology. This study indicates that MRI may be a valuable method to quantify in vivo the neuroprotective profile of a drug.