2005•Zhongguo Yike Daxue xuebaoRequires access
Histopathological changes of the brain and its mechanism in liver cirrhosis model of rats
Hongyan Liu, Jingyan Wang, Wei Wang, Pei Liu
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Abstract
Objective: To study the histopathological changes of the brain and its mechanism in liver cirrhosis model of rats. Methods: The liver cirrhosis models of rats were made by injecting carbon tetrachloride into the abdominal cavity for 12 weeks. The thickness of the cortex was measured by computer scanning in 16 liver cirrhosis models of rats and 9 normal rats. The apoptosis of brain cells in liver cirrhosis models was detected by TUNEL staining. Results: The level of blood ammonia in liver cirrhosis models of rats was much higher than that in normal rats \[231.80±24.17 (SD) μmmol/L vs. 48.70 ± 5.87 μmmol/L, P0.05\]. The thickness of cortex in liver cirrhosis models of rats was lower than those in normal rats (215.03 ± 14.94 μm vs. 248.35 ± 19.82 μm, P0.01). The apoptosis index of brain cells in liver cirrhosis models of rats was larger than that in normal rats (0.29± 0.11 vs. 0.03 ± 0.02, P0.05). The apoptosis index of brain cells correlated positively to the level of blood ammonia. Conclusion: Ammonia may induce the histopathological changes of the brain in rats with liver cirrhosis and the apoptosis of brain cells may be the foundation of these changes.