Spreading depression and peri-infarct depolarisation: Waves of depolarisation cycle around and enlarge ischemic brain lesions

Waves of depolarization have often been observed in experimental stroke models. They periodically propagate across cerebral cortex, and the number of waves correlates with infarct size. Similar depolarizations have now been found in stroke patients. The waves cycle around ischemic foci suggesting that not only periodicity of appearance but also extent of progressive brain injury is related to cyclic propagation of depolarisations.