FIGURE 2.

Transcranial sonography (TCS) images and qualification of substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SNH) after unilateral stereotactic surgery following treatment with nitidine. The rats were pretreated with nitidine (2.5 mg/kg, once daily) or sterile saline for 2 days before surgery and 15 days after surgery. (A) The TCS images showed that the SNH area in the midbrain plane of the nitidine-treated group (4, 5) was significantly smaller than that in the saline-treated group (2, 3), while only a scatter echo matching the shape of the needle emerged in the vehicle group (1). Area 2 = 4.211 cm², area 3 = 3.336 cm². (B) Statistical result of the maximum SNH areas in different groups (t-test). P = 0.0069, t = 3.776, df = 7, F = 1.821. (C) Statistical results of the mean gray values of substantia nigra (SN) area. Vehicle group: t-test. P = 0.0052, t = 2.915, df = 52, F = 1.086. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)/saline group: t-test. P < 0.0001, t = 10.25, df = 52, F = 5.769. 6-OHDA/nitidine: t-test. P < 0.0001, t = 11.25, df = 130, F = 7.791. Comparison between contralateral sides: one-way ANOVA. P = 0.2051, F = 1.606. Comparison between ipsilateral sides: one-way ANOVA. P < 0.0001, F = 11.43. (D) Correlation analysis of mean gray values of SN areas and the maximum SNH area. P = 0.0010, r = 0.7612, R² = 0.5794, F = 17.9. *Comparison between contralateral and ipsilateral from a single group. ^#Comparison between different groups. ns P > 0.05, ^#P < 0.05, ^####P < 0.0001, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.