Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Stimulation Inhibits Cortical Spreading Depression

Abstract

Cortical spreading depression (CSD), which is closely correlated with migraine aura, cerebral ischemia, seizure, and brain injury, is a spreading wave of neuronal and glial depolarization. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation (PUS) inhibits CSD by modulating neural activity and hemodynamics. Behavioral test, intrinsic signal optical imaging and western blot analysis were used for evaluating the inhibition effect of PUS on CSD in rat. We found that: 1) 30 min of PUS can significantly improve motor activity of rat with CSD. 2) Both 30 s and 30 min of PUS can significantly reduce count and propagation speed of CSD in rat and the inhibitory effect was enhanced with increase of ultrasound intensity. 3) 30 min of PUS significantly enhanced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein in brain tissue with CSD. These results suggest that PUS has the potential to treat brain disorders associated with CSD.

Keywords: behavioral test; cortical spreading depression; intrinsic signal optical imaging; pulsed ultrasound stimulation; western blot.