Nissl staining showing the neuroprotective effect of CQ on the pyramidal cells in the gerbil hippocampal CA1 region.

<p>(<b>A</b>) The number of surviving neurons with round and palely stained nuclei in the CA1 region was increased in CQ-treated gerbils, compared with vehicle-treated controls, at day 1, 3 and 7 post-ischemia. Arrows indicate the dark shrunken damaged neurons. Scale bars = 25 µm. (<b>B</b>) Cell densities were represented on the graphs by counting surviving cells per field under a light microscope, and a significant increase in the numbers of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 were observed in CQ-treated gerbils at day 1, 3 and 7 post-ischemia. ** <i>p</i><0.01 (n = 6).