BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke, featuring high incidence, morbidity, and mortality, is one of the three major diseases troubling human beings. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of early high-protein diet on neurofunctional recovery in rats with ischemic stroke as well as their cerebral infarct areas and molecular expressions of oxidative stress.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The middle cerebral artery occlusion model (MCAO) was established, and 48 adult, male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats of clean grade aged seven to eight months (250–280 g body weight) were randomized into four groups: the MCAO group with high-protein diet (MH), the MCAO group with standard-protein diet (MS), the sham group with high-protein diet (SH), and the sham group with standard-protein diet (SS). High-protein diet intervention started on the first day of the surgery, and the rats’ body weights and their neurological deficit scores were measured on each postoperative day while the scores of motors coordination and balance ability were recorded every other day. In addition, their cerebral infant areas and the molecular expressions of oxidative stress injuries were detected as well.

RESULTS: Compared to the MS group, the rats in the MH group gained faster weight growth (p<0.05), presented significantly lower neurological impairment scores (p<0.05), remarkably improved motor coordination and balance ability (p<0.05) as well as showed smaller cerebral infarct areas (p<0.05), increased expression of SOD (superoxide dismutase), and reduced expressions of MDA (malondialdehyde) and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase). However, there was no significant difference between the SS group and the SH group (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Early high-protein diet facilitates the recovery of body weights and neurological functions as well the reduction of the cerebral infarct areas of rats, thus alleviating ischemic stroke-caused oxidative stress injuries.

Keywords: Diet, Stroke