Cortical spreading depression

[5][6][7][8] CSD can be induced by hypoxic conditions and facilitates neuronal death in energy-compromised tissue.

[11] Neuroscientists use the term cortical spreading depression to represent at least one of the following cortical processes:[citation needed] The scintillating scotoma of migraine in humans may be related to the neurophysiologic phenomenon termed the spreading depression of Leão.

[13] Increased extracellular potassium ion concentration and excitatory glutamate contribute to the initiation and propagation of cortical spreading depression, which is the underlying cause of migraine aura.

[14] Chronic daily administration of migraine prophylactic drugs (topiramate, valproate, propranolol, amitriptyline, and methysergide) dose-dependently suppressed frequency of CSD induced by continuous cortical application of 1 M KCl solution.

[citation needed] The folded structure of the cerebral cortex is capable of irregular and complex CSD propagation patterns.

Animation of cortical spreading depression
Cortical spreading depression seen using intrinsic optical signal imaging in gyrencephalic brain. Speed 50x. [ 1 ]
Hemodynamic changes observed after MCA occlusion in IOS. The video has a speed of 50x to better appreciate the SDs through human eye. Pictures are dynamically subtracted to a reference picture 40 s before. First we see the initial area of change at the exact moment where the left MCAs are occluded. The area is highlighted with a white line. Later we appreciate the signal produced by SDs. [ 2 ]