title: The use of cortical spreading depression for studying the brain actions of antioxidants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We review the main adverse effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mammalian organism, introducing the reader on the worldwide problem of the ROS neurophysiological impact on the developing and the adult brain, and discussing the neuroprotective action  of antioxidant molecules.
  
  
  METHODS
  We briefly present the electrophysiological phenomenon designated as 'cortical spreading depression' (CSD), as a parameter of normal brain functioning. We highlight recent electrophysiological advances obtained in experimental  studies from our laboratory and from others, showing how to investigate the ROS effects on the brain by using the CSD phenomenon.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under conditions such as aging, ROS production by photo-activation of dye molecules and ethanol consumption, we describe the effects,  on CSD, of treating animals with (1) antioxidants and (2) with antioxidant-deficient diets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current understanding of how ROS affect brain electrophysiological activity and the possible interaction between these ROS effects and those effects of altered nutritional  status of the organism are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50670901 Recife, PE, Brazil. rc.guedes@terra.com.br
authors.forename: R C A
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Guedes
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abadie-Guedes
authors.forename: Ranilson de Souza
authors.initials: Rde S
authors.lastname: Bezerra
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013181:Cortical Spreading Depression / Q000187:drug effects*; D004032:Diet; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species