In Situ Brain Perfusion Technique

Many techniques have been developed to study transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). One that offers particular advantage is the in situ brain perfusion technique. The primary objective of the in situ brain perfusion technique is to take over the circulation to the brain via direct infusion of artificial blood, plasma, or saline into the heart or major vessels leading to the brain, such as the carotid arteries (1 –4 ). The solute of interest is mixed into the perfusion medium at a known concentration and delivered to the brain via the perfusion fluid for a defined interval. At preselected times, the perfusion is stopped and the amount of solute in brain is determined. From these measurements, the kinetics of brain uptake are analyzed and appropriate transport or permeability constants calculated (5 ).