Cortical Anoxic Spreading Depolarization During Cardiac Arrest is Associated with Remote Effects on Peripheral Blood Pressure and Postresuscitation Neurological Outcome.

Background: Spreading depolarizations (SDs) are self-propagating waves of neuronal and glial depolarizations often seen in neurological conditions in both humans and animal models. Because SD is thought to worsen neurological injury, the role of SD in a variety of cerebral insults has garnered significant investigation. Anoxic SD is a type of SD that occurs because of anoxia or asphyxia.

Blocking Mitochondrial Zn Accumulation after Ischemia Reduces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Neuronal Injury.

Zn is an important contributor to ischemic brain injury, and recent studies support the hypothesis that mitochondria are key sites of its injurious effects. In murine hippocampal slices (both sexes) subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD), we found that Zn accumulation and its entry into mitochondria precedes and contributes to the induction of acute neuronal death. In addition, if the ischemic episode is short (and sublethal), there is ongoing Zn accumulation in CA1 mitochondria after OGD that may contribute to their delayed dysfunction.

Overnight Caloric Restriction Prior to Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation Leads to Improved Survival and Neurological Outcome in a Rodent Model.

While interest toward caloric restriction (CR) in various models of brain injury has increased in recent decades, studies have predominantly focused on the benefits of chronic or intermittent CR. The effects of ultra-short, including overnight, CR on acute ischemic brain injury are not well studied. Here, we show that overnight caloric restriction (75% over 14 h) prior to asphyxial cardiac arrest and resuscitation (CA) improves survival and neurological recovery as measured by, behavioral testing on neurological deficit scores, faster recovery of quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) burst suppression ratio, and complete prevention of neurodegeneration in multiple regions of the brain.