2.3 Neurological score evaluation
The mice that expired shortly after MCAO/R were excluded. Evaluations were conducted 24 hours post-reperfusion, immediately prior to brain tissue sampling. The Modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS)36,37 was employed to assess the severity of nerve injury models in all experimental animals. The degree of neurological deficits was graded on a scale from 0 to 18, with higher scores indicating greater damage.