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Unique profile of spreading depression in a primate model
Chiaki Yokota1, Yuji Kuge, Yasuhiro Hasegawa
1Department of Pathogenesis, Research Institute, Osaka, Japan. cyokota@ri.ncvc.go.jp
Summary
Spreading depression (SD) in primates is rare and accompanied by hyperemia, not hypoperfusion. This challenges the established role of SD in human conditions like stroke and migraine.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cerebrovascular Physiology
Background:
- Spreading depression (SD) is implicated in human pathologies like ischemic brain injury and migraine aura.
- Previous studies in nonprimates linked SD to spreading hypoperfusion, considered an epiphenomenon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of SD in nonhuman primates.
- To determine if SD in primates exhibits similar cerebral blood flow changes as observed in nonprimate models.
Main Methods:
- Applied potassium chloride to the cerebral cortex of cynomolgus monkeys.
- Monitored cerebral blood flow (CBF) using positron emission tomography (PET).
- Recorded direct-current (DC) shifts with microelectrodes.
Main Results:
- SD was infrequently observed in only one of nine monkeys.
- SD waves propagated at 4 mm/min with a 20 mV amplitude.
- Focal hyperemia, not hypoperfusion, accompanied the rare SD events.
- Spreading or persistent hypoperfusion was not detected.
Conclusions:
- SD in primates has unique characteristics, differing from nonprimate models.
- The role of SD in human stroke and migraine may not directly translate from nonprimate animal studies.
- Further research is needed to understand primate SD and its implications for human neurological diseases.