title: Potassium-selective microelectrode revealed difference in threshold potassium concentration for cortical spreading depression in female and male rat brain.
abstract: It has been found with potassium-selective microelectrodes that the threshold extracellular concentration of potassium [K(+)](e) for eliciting fast spreading depression from the site of administration 1.5mm away is 80% lower in the rat female cortex (8.0 ± 0.6 mM) than in the male cortex (14.4 ± 0.4mM). The rate of the first slow phase of [K(+)](e) rise before reaching the threshold and speed of SD propagation were similar for both sexes as well as the rise of the second active fast phase of the [K(+)](e) increase. Lower [K(+)](e) threshold in females can facilitate the rapid K(+) release from the nerve tissue cells that may cause a cerebrovascular vasodilatation and the attack of migraine pain.
authors.affiliation: Third Surgical Department, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Svatopluk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adámek
authors.forename: František
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vyskočil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008839:Microelectrodes; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium