Cerebrovascular permeability in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at various ages was histologically studied using horseradish peroxidase as a tracer and such was related to the cerebrovascular lesions in the animals. An increase in permeability was demonstrated in the brain of SHR, particularly in those animals with an extremely high blood pressure. Increased cerebrovascular permeability occurred in some animals without any organic vascular change or severe parenchymal changes, although edema was present. Histologically, the SHR brain with an increase in permeability showed mild focal edema, rarefaction of tissue and necrosis with cyst formation. Thus a transitional progress was evident. Localization of the increase in permeability corresponded well with the predilection sites of cerebrovascular lesions in SHR. Constrictions and dilatations of intracerebral arterioles and small arteries were also demonstrated by the peroxidase method, and the dilated arterial walls did reveal a darker staining. From these results it is strongly suggested that certain cerebrovascular lesions, especially necrosis with cyst formation in SHR are sequelae of the increased cerebrovascular permeability caused by a chronic hypertensive state.