Fig 5.

Rolipram treatment decreased cortical contusions. Rats received vehicle (5% DMSO in saline) or rolipram i.p. 30 min prior to moderate parasagittal FPI. After TBI, the animals received vehicle or rolipram for 3 days and were then perfused for analysis at 30 min after their final injection. The brains were sectioned and stained with H&E, and the cortical contusion area was imaged. Representative sections at bregma level -5.8 mm are shown (A). Cortical contusion volume (B) and contusion areas at specific bregma levels (C) were quantified by stereology. The epicenter of the injury was at -3.8 mm bregma. The lower dose of rolipram, 0.3 mg/kg, significantly reduced total cortical contusion volume (n=6, *p<0.05) as compared to vehicle-treated animals and contusion area near the epicenter of the injury (bregma -3.3 mm, *p<0.05) as well as in the penumbra (bregma -6.8 mm, **p<0.01) as compared to vehicle-treated animals (n=9). Although the higher dose of 3.0 mg/kg rolipram reduced contusion volume as compared to vehicle-treated animals, this was not statistically significant (n=8). Data represent mean ± SEM.