Prolonged induction of neuronal NOS expression and activity following cortical spreading depression (SD): Implications for SD- and NO-mediated neuroprotection

Abstract

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is associated with various short- and long-term physiological and neurochemical changes and has been shown to confer an increased susceptibility to accompanying ischemic injury or provide protection against a subsequent experimental ischemia. Nitric oxide is involved in the processes of ischemic injury and under certain conditions mediates cellular protection. To investigate the possibility that CSD-induced alterations in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and activity occur and might be associated with the time-dependent enhancement or prevention by CSD of ischemic damage, this study examined the spatiotemporal changes in nNOS expression and activity ..