ABSTRACT
In extracellular DC-coupled electrical recordings, the hallmark of SD is a large, sudden drop of ground-referenced voltage, indicating the synchronous depolarization of a neuronal population. This chapter deals with personal findings on anoxic depolarization, illustrates the use of brain slices in investigating hypoxia and DC-coupled sustained potentials. The relationship between anoxic depolarization (AD) duration and permanent damage was initially studied using the drug chlorpromazine. The pathophysiology of AD, as well as of Spreading depression, is largely unknown. Such knowledge would be important in order to unveil possible ways of preventing AD, thus protecting the brain during hypoxia and ischemia. Anoxic depolarization appears to be a major factor of permanent damage in neuronal hypoxia. The damage induced by AD depends in a very critical way on the duration of AD itself — below a certain AD duration no damage is observed permanent damage occurs.
