Inter-relation between hemodynamic, metabolic, ionic and electrical activities during ischemia and reperfusion in the...

The aim of this study was to examine the inter-relation between the hemodynamic events, energy metabolism, extracellular potassium and electrical activity during the acute phase of transient ischemia in the gerbil brain. It has already been shown that partial ischemia in the gerbil brain causes changes in the blood flow, oxygen tension, electrical activity and potassium ion efflux. However, the description of the event during brain recovery from transient ischemia is not documented. In order to enable a better understanding of the pathophysiology during the ischemia as well as during reperfusion, we used the multiparametric assembly system. This system enables simultaneous and continuous monitoring of CBF, intra-mitochondrial NADH, extracellular potassium, DC potential and ECoG. Twenty anesthetized gerbils underwent reversible carotid artery occlusion procedure for 3-4 min. While monitoring the various parameters until complete recovery was reached, we found high correlation between the CBF and the NADH during occlusion as well as during the reperfusion period. However, CBF at the reperfusion period increased above the basal level while NADH returned to base line without an undershoot, suggesting that the mitochondrial need for oxygen necessary for the production of ATP is not the only factor influencing CBF during reperfusion. Furthermore, NADH returned to its normal level before extracellular potassium ion levels recovered to the baseline. This may suggest that ATP was no longer the limiting factor and ion pump activity became the factor determining and affecting the recovery processes.