Leão's cortical spreading depression : From experimental artifact to physiological principle

• Published in: Neurology Vol. 65; no. 9; pp. 1455 - 1459
• Main Authors: TEIVE, H. A. G, KOWACS, P. A, MARANHAO FILHO, P, PIOVESAN, E. J, WERNECK, L. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 08-11-2005
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain Ischemia - physiopathology; Brazil; Cerebral Cortex - physiology; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Cortical Spreading Depression - physiology; Epilepsy - physiopathology; History, 20th Century; Humans; Leao; Medical sciences; Migraine with Aura - history; Migraine with Aura - physiopathology; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Neurophysiology - history; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Brazil; Spreading depression; Nervous system diseases; Artefact
• ISSN: 0028-3878; 1526-632X
• DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000183281.12779.cd

Cortical spreading depression was described in 1943 by Aristides Leão, a Brazilian neurophysiologist. Initially considered to be a mysterious event as it was discovered serendipitously, its nature has become progressively better known. Cortical spreading depression is now accepted as the mechanism underlying migraine aura and has became known as either Leão's spreading depression or cortical spreading depression. Recent studies have suggested a role for Leão's cortical spreading depression in the pathogenesis and symptomatology of neurologic disorders such as transient global amnesia, head injury, and cerebrovascular diseases.