title: Alterations in the microenvironment during spreading depression associated with epileptiform activity in the immature neocortex.
abstract: Local changes in extracellular ion concentrations were measured with ion-sensitive microelectrodes in slices of mature (greater than 40 days of age) or immature (16-30 days of age) rat neocortex maintained in vitro. Repetitive stimulation resulted in increases in extracellular potassium ([K+]o) to levels of 8.85 +/- 2.1 mM in slices from adult animals and 12.77 +/- 1.8 mM in slices from immature animals. During exposure to picrotoxin, maximum levels were 11.3 +/- 2.6 and 14.8 +/- 2.5 mM in the mature and immature groups, respectively. Picrotoxin (50 microM) induced spontaneous bursts of repetitive spiking, followed by a slow, negative field potential, associated with spreading depression (SD), in slices from immature animals. [K+]o levels increased to 10.2 +/- 3.9 mM during repetitive spike discharges and reached 30.3 +/- 18.5 mM during SDs. Variations in the size of the extracellular space (ES) were examined during SD. The ES was found to reversibly decrease by 39 +/- 4.5%. Clusters of repetitive spikes were associated with 0.1-0.2 mM decreases in [Ca2+]o, whereas 1.12 +/- 0.06 mM decreases were observed during SDs. Decreases in [Na+]o and [Cl-]o of 56 +/- 10 mM and 41 +/- 9 mM, respectively, were observed during SDs suggesting that a net transmembrane movement of water occurred during SDs. These results indicate that changes in [K+]o associated with epileptiform activity in the immature nervous system are quantitatively different from those observed in the mature brain. These large increases in [K+]o may contribute to the prolonged nature of epileptiform discharges in the developing nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hablitz
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heinemann
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011188:Potassium