BACKGROUND: Temporal cortex is related to human and animal's learning and memory capability, it not only accepts the casting fibers of auditory sense, but also closely connects with many brain areas where are related to spatial cognition.OBJECTIVE: To observe the improving effect of thrombolytic capsule on spatial cognitive capability of rats with lateral temporal cortical infarction DESIGN: Completely randomized controlled study SETTING: Department of Neurology, the 175th Hospital of Chinese PLA;Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Chinese PLA; Institute of Psychology of Chinese Academy of Science MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at Brain Function Laboratory of Institute of Psychology of Chinese Academy of Science from August 1998 to February 1999, 28 SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups,namely brain stroke group with 10 rats, treatment group with 10 rats and sham operation group with 8 rats.METHODS: Brain infarction model was established on SD rats by using three-dimensional directional photochemistry induction. Rats were anaesthetized with hydrochloride and intravenously injected of rose pink solution in dosage of 20 mg/kg from tail vein. Then incision was made on the left temporal scalp to expose temporal bone, cold photosource with the guidance of optical fiber was used for directional illumination for 20 minutes in area of 2 mm2. Twenty minutes later, rats in treatment group were given intraperitoneal injection of thrombolytic capsule physiological saline of 40 g/L in dosage of 200 mg/kg, which replaced by the same volume of physiological saline in brain stroke group. Rats in sham-operation group received the same operative lamination and injected with the same volume of physiological saline from tail vein and intraperitoneal cavity.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Achievement of Morris water labyrinth(edge type scored 1, randomize type of 2, trend type of 3 and straight-line type of 4).age response time: it was shortened in treatment group and sham operation group than brain infarction group [ on 1st day: 58,50,65 s; 2nd day: 24,27,46 s; 3rd day: 14,17,20 s; 4th day: 11,9,15 s, (P ＜ 0.01 )], but it was similar ing strategy grades: on the 1st day, scores were slightly higher in treatment group and sham operation group than infarction group, but were instable (F=1.167, P ＞ 0.05). On the 2nd day, it was higher in sham operation group than brain stroke group[2.9,2.3, (F=5.5 ,P ＜ 0.05)], but it was similar between treatment group and infarction group[2.6,2.3 scores, (F=3.34,P ＞ 0.05)]. on the 3rd and 4th day, it was higher in treatment group than infarction group [ 3.5,2.7 minutes; 3.7,3.3 minutes, (F=8.92, 14, P ＞ 0.05)]and similar between treatment group and sham operation group(P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Rat response time was reduced by thrombolytic capsule during the early time of cerebral infarction, changing searching tactics gradually from randomized and edge type to tendency type and straight line type, suggesting thrombolytic capsule can improve the post-ischemia cognitive function, raise training record of cerebral infarctional rats.