N-Palmitoylethanolamine Prevents the Run-down of Amplitudes in Cortical Spreading Depression Possibly Implicating Proinflammatory Cytokine Release Journal Article


Authors: Richter, F.; Koulen, P.; Kaja, S.
Article Title: N-Palmitoylethanolamine Prevents the Run-down of Amplitudes in Cortical Spreading Depression Possibly Implicating Proinflammatory Cytokine Release
Abstract: Cortical spreading depression (CSD), a wave of neuronal depolarization in the cerebral cortex following traumatic brain injury or cerebral ischemia, significantly aggravates brain damage. Here, we tested whether N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), a substance that effectively reduces lesion volumes and neurological deficits after ischemic stroke, influences CSD. CSD was elicited chemically in adult rats and occurrence, amplitude, duration and propagation velocity of CSD was determined prior to and for 6 hours after intraperitoneal injection of PEA. The chosen systemic administration of PEA stabilized the amplitude of CSD for at least four hours and prevented the run-down of amplitudes that is typically observed and was also seen in untreated controls. The propagation velocity of the CSD waves was unaltered indicating stable neuronal excitability. The stabilization of CSD amplitudes by PEA indicates that inhibition or prevention of CSD does not underlie PEA's profound neuroprotective effect. Rather, PEA likely inhibits proinflammatory cytokine release thereby preventing the run-down of CSD amplitudes. This contribution of PEA to the maintenance of neuronal excitability in healthy tissue during CSD potentially adds to neuroprotection outside a damaged area, while other mechanisms control PEA-mediated neuroprotection in damaged tissue resulting from traumatic brain injury or cerebral ischemia.
Journal Title: Scientific reports
Volume: 6
ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
Publisher: Unknown  
Journal Place: England
Date Published: 2016
Start Page: 23481
Language: ENG
DOI/URL:
Notes: LR: 20161019; GR: P01 AG022550/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States; GR: P01 AG027956/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States; GR: AG010485/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States; GR: AG022550/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States; GR: P01 AG010485/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 EY022774/EY/NEI NIH HHS/United States; GR: EY022774/EY/NEI NIH HHS/United States; GR: RR022570/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States; GR: S10 RR027093/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States; GR: S10 RR022570/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States; GR: RR027093/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States; JID: 101563288; OID: NLM: PMC4804239; 2015/09/30 [received]; 2016/03/08 [accepted]; epublish
LUC Authors
  1. Simon Kaja
    39 Kaja
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