In view of the numerous failures of clinical trials aimed at improving stroke therapy, the role and potential benefit of experimentally modeling focal cerebral ischemia in rodents has been debated. When methods of systematic review and metaanalyis are applied, however, it turns out that experimental models actually faithfully predicted the negative outcomes of clinical trials. In addition, thrombolysis and neuroprotection by hypothermia, first described in animal models, are key examples of treatment modalities that have made it successfully into clinical practice. In Rodent Models of Stroke, an international consortium of authors aims at critically addressing the issues on a very practical level, from choosing the model and outcome measures, designing the experiment, conducting and analyzing it, to reporting it in a scientific publication. The structure and content of the book reflect both the authors' longstanding expertise in experimental and clinical stroke research and their roles in training the scientific community in the tools of the trade. As a volume in the successful Neuromethods series, the chapters provide authoritative reviews of the most commonly used, well-honed approaches in the field today. Stimulating and easy-to-use, Rodent Models of Stroke will help its readers understand the limitations and the opportunities of modeling stroke in rodents and enable them to conduct experiments which will not only improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of this devastating disorder but also serve as the basis for developing new highly effective treatments.

Provides hands-on guidance to most relevant stroke models in rodents Comprehensive guide to non-invasive imaging in rodent stroke research (MRI, optical, nuclear medicine) Covers all relevant techniques to document outcome, including the little documented topic of post-stroke behavioral analysis in the mouse Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt
From Bedside to Bench: How Clinical Reality Should Instruct Stroke Modeling.- How to Avoid Bumping into the Translational Roadblock.- Modeling Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rodents: Introduction and Overview.- Focal Cerebral Ischemia in the Mouse and Rat Using the Intraluminal SutureFilament Model.- Focal Ischemia Models: Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Induced by Electrocoagulation, Occluding Devices, and Endothelin-1.- Rodent Models of Thromboembolic Stroke.- Photochemical and Endothelin Models of Focal Brain Ischemia.- Housing in an Enriched Environment: A Tool to Study Functional Recovery After Experimental Stroke.- Modeling Risk Factors and Confounding Effects in Stroke.- Effect of Anesthesia in Stroke Models.- Noninvasive Brain Imaging in Small Animal Stroke Models: MRI and PET.- Non-invasive Optical Imaging in Small Animal Models of Stroke.- Behavioral Testing in Mouse Models of Stroke.- Behavioral Testing in Rodent Models of Stroke.- Histology and Infarct Volume Determination.- Ethics of Modeling of Cerebral Ischemia in Small Animals.- Quality Control and Standard Operating Procedures.- Statistics in Experimental Stroke Research: From Sample Size Calculation to Data Description and Significance Testing.- Complexities, Confounders, and Challenges in Experimental Stroke Research: A Checklist for Researchers and Reviewers.