title: Effect of cervical spinal cord electrical stimulation on nitric oxide levels in brain and dermal tissues: an evaluation using by real-time nitric oxide measurement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nitric oxide synthesized from L: -arginine via the nitric oxide synthase enzyme family is the main regulatory molecule in many physiological systems. The level of nitric oxide can now be measured in tissues by a direct real-time amperometric method. The effect of electrical stimulation of the upper cervical spine on the arteries that supply the brain and upper extremities has been established by experimental studies, and thus it has begun to be used in clinical practice to increase blood flow in the brain and the peripheral vascular system. The mechanism of this effect is still a subject of research. This is the first report of real-time nitric oxide measurement in living brain and dermal tissue during electrical stimulation of the upper cervical spine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the amperometric method, nitric oxide levels in frontal subcortical and front foot skin were measured before, during and after electrical stimulation of the upper cervical spine in three groups of rabbits that received infusions of saline solution, 7-aminoguanidine or atropine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By electrical stimulation, tissue nitric oxide levels increased significantly and remained increased during stimulation in the brain and skin. The nitric oxide levels dropped back to normal value 1 min after stimulation was turned off.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results we obtained have showed that real-time nitric oxide could also be measured by an amperometric method in living tissues like brain. The effect of stimulation on nitric oxide levels of living tissues disappears immediately when the stimulation is turned off.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ünal
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Ozüm
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Balaban
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Özdemir
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soydan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006146:Guanidines; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001285:Atropine; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C004479:pimagedine