Table 3.
Experimental models of stroke modeling lacunar infarcts.
| Mechanism | Techniques | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasoconstriction of perforating arteries | Endothelin-1, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and L-NAME | Strong vasoconstrictive action that affects several microvessels | Small subcortical infarcts | Multiple vessels affected at once | Horie, 2008 [119] Capone, 2011 [120] Cipolla, 2013 [135] Cui, 2013 [122] |
| Embolism | Microspheres, microthrombi injection, atheroemboli, black beads, preformed clots, and silicone rubber cylinders | Injection of different materials in the carotid to produce micro-occlusions by lodging in brain vessels | Multiple subcortical infarcts | Mostly cortical infarcts, mechanism not related to SVD | Rapp, 2003 [123] Wang, 2012 [124] Silasi, 2015 [125] |
| Spontaneous lesions | High salt, spontaneous in SHRSP, surgical narrowing of the aorta, and genetic mutations in the renin-angiotensin system |
Mice breeds with an increased risk of stroke, genetically or surgically induced | Mechanism consistent with hypertensive SVD | Difficult to track lesion location and timing | Hainsworth, 2008 [130] Bailey, 2009 [6] Mencl, 2013 [131] |
| Perforating artery occlusion | Surgery (pial vessel disruption model), sodium laurate thrombosis, and photothrombosis |
Endothelium damage and thrombosis, using toxic substances or surgical models | Accurate localization of the lesions | Strokes larger than lacunar infarcts | Walz, 2017 [126] Wen, 2019 [127] |
| Transient large vessel occlusion | Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion | Repeated transient large vessel occlusion, followed by reperfusion | Mechanism reflects the hypoperfusion in SVD | Lesions are not related to small vessel pathology | Choi, 2018 [128] Kwon, 2015 [129] |
| Genetic models | CADASIL mouse models, COL4A1/2 mouse models | Studies in mice with rare genetic disorders which make them prone to SVD | Mechanism related to genetic SVD etiology | Not enough brain affection | Ayata, 2010 [132] Joutel, 2011 [133] Ruchoux, 2003 [134] |
CADASIL: cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy; COL4A1/2: collagen type 4 alpha 1 chain gene; L-NAME: N-nitro-L-arginine methylester; SHRSP: spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats; SVD: small vessel disease.