Cortical spreading depression as a target for anti-migraine agents

Abstract
Spreading depression (SD) is a slowly propagating wave of neuronal and glial depolarization lasting a few minutes, that can develop within the cerebral cortex or other brain areas after electrical, mechanical or chemical depolarizing stimulations. Cortical SD (CSD) is considered the neurophysiological correlate of migraine aura. It is characterized by massive increases in both extracellular K+ and glutamate, as well as rises in intracellular Na+ and Ca2+. These ionic shifts produce slow direct current (DC) potential shifts that can be recorded extracellularly. Moreover, CSD is associated with changes in cortical parenchymal blood flow.