Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAo) Model

A total of 32 rats were used in this study. Twenty Sprague Dawley male rats (weighing 250 to 300 g; Janvier Labs, Genest Saint Isle, France) underwent transient focal cerebral ischemia surgery at day (D) 0, as described by Moisan et al.⁴ Briefly, after isolating the right carotid arterial tree, a commercially available silicon rubber–coated monofilament (diameter 0.37 mm; Doccol Corporation, Redlands, CA, USA) was advanced from the lumen of the external carotid artery into the internal carotid artery, up to 5 mm beyond the external skull base. After 90 min of occlusion, rats were reanaesthetized and the thread was removed. A further 12 rats underwent the same surgery without occlusion (sham group).