BACKGROUND: It has become generally accepted that measuring N-acetyI-L-aspartic acid through the use of 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) could be used to evaluate neuronal injury. OBJECTIVE: To study metabolic changes of N-acetyl-L-aspanic acid surrounding the acute cerebral ischcmia area following vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment using 1H-MRS imaging, and to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of VEGE.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomly controlled animal study, according to one-factor analysis of variance, was performed at the Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences from August 2003 to December 2005.MATERIALS: Twelve healthy, adult, Sprague Dawley rats were used to establish an ischemia/reperfusion model through the use of middle cerebral artery occlusion. The 4.7T superconducting nuclear magnetic resonance meter was provided by Brucker Company. VEGF164 was purchased from Shenzhen Jingmei Bioengineering Co., Ltd. Titus ancsthesia machine was purchased from Draeger Medical AG & Co. KG.METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into model control (n = 6) and VEGF-injected (n = 6) groups. All animals received 60-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion and 24-hour repcrfusion. Lateral cerebral ventricle injection was performed by stereotaxic technique at respective time points. The VEGF group received 0. 1 μ g/μ L VEGF (5 μL), and the model group received the same amount of normal saline, once daily for 3 days.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolic changes of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid and lactic acid following cerebral ischemia and reperfusion were detected using 1H-MRS, and the ischemic volume was measured.RESULTS: Twelve rats were included in the final analysis. =H-MRS results revealed that the ischemic volume increased in the control group compared with prior to injection (P < 0.01). In the control group, the level of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid decreased significantly at 7 days after injection (P < 0.01), while lactic acid concentrations increased (P < 0.05). In the VEGF group, the level of N-acetyI-L-aspartic acid decreased slightly, as well as lactic acid concentrations (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: By means of 1H-MRS, results demonstrated that lactic acid and N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid concentrations decreased following treatment with VEGE These results suggest that VEGF can provide prompt and safe neuroprotection following ischemic stroke.