Functional Ultrasound Imaging Uncovers Vascular Connectivity and Dynamics in Awake Mice During Hyperacute Stroke Phase.

Acute ischemic stroke models often rely on anesthesia, which alters neurovascular coupling and limits real-time functional assessment. We tested the hypothesis that an awake mouse model of thromboembolic stroke, combined with multimodal imaging, would reveal very early cerebrovascular dynamics and connectivity changes predictive of final lesion outcomes.