The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of DHEA on hindlimb muscles(soleus, plantaris and gastrocnemius) in a focal brain ischemia model rat.

Twenty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: CINS(cerebral ischemia + normal saline), CIDH(cerebral ischemia + DHEA), or SHNS(sham + normal saline). Both the CINS and CIDH groups underwent a transient right middle cerebral artery occlusion operation. In the SHNS group, a sham operation was done. 0.34mmol/kg DHEA was administered daily by an intraperitoneal injection for 7days.

The muscle weight, muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the Type I muscle fiber of soleus and Type II muscle fiber of plantaris and gastrocnemius, myofibrillar protein content of gastrocnemius, and muscle strength in the CINS group decreased compared with the SHNS group. The muscle weight, muscle fiber cross-sectional area of the Type II muscle fiber of plantaris and gastrocnemius, myofibrillar protein content of soleus, and muscle strength in the CIDH group increased compared with the CINS group.

It was identified that muscle atrophy could be induced during 7 days after a cerebral infarction, and DHEA administration during the early stages of a cerebral infarction might attenuate muscle atrophy.