Effects of clonidine on anxiety-like behaviors of rats subjected to chronic hypoperfusional cerebral ischemia

Aim To investigate the effect of clonidine on anxiety-like behaviors of rats subjected to chronic hy- popeffusional cerebral ischemia. Methods Chronic hypopeffusional cerebral ischemia was established by perma- nent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion （two-vessel occlusion, 2VO）. Three weeks after 2VO, rats were given clonidine （0.05 mg·kg^-1, i. p. ） for 14 days. Behavioural experiments including elevated plus maze （EPM） and open field test （OFT） were applied to evaluate anxiey-like behaviour after four-week ischemia. Re- suits 2VO rats significantly spent less time in open arm of EPM and more time in peripheral region of OFT com- pared with sham rats. Clonidine notably increased open arm time in EPM and prolonged time spent in center region in OFT of 2VO rats. Conlusion Chronic hypopeffusional cerebral ischemia caused anxiety-like behaviors of rats and clonidine showed an important role in improving anxiety-like behaviors in 2VO rats.