The increase in extracellular potassium concentration in the ischemic brain in relation to the preischemic functional activity and cerebral metabolic rate.

The course of ischemic increase of extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]e) was studied in rat cerebral cortex with potassium selective microelectrodes and correlated to the preischemic functional and metabolic state. Complete cerebral ischemia was induced in artificially ventilated rats by cardiac arrest. Seven different functional states including conditions with cerebral hypermetabolism (seizures, amphetamine intoxication, hyperthermia) and hypometabolism (barbiturate anesthesia, hypothermia) were chosen in order to cover a wide range of cerebral metabolic rates (CMRO2 : 28.7--2.4 ml O2/(100 g)/min). The ischemic increase of [K+]e was delayed in conditions with low CMRO2 and accelerated in conditions with high CMRO2; the time interval to the terminal steep rise in extracellular potassium concentration varied within the extremes of 35 +/- 5 and 365 +/- 12 sec (means +/- S.E.M.), the control state (N2O-analgesia) being 116 +/- 5 sec. In groups with high CMRO2 electrocortical activity ceased within 15 sec and in groups with low CMRO2 within 22 sec. The rates of the ischemic [K+]e increase, measured as rate of change in the potassium electrode potential (mV/sec), remained high in conditions with high preischemic CMRO2 and low in conditions with low CMRO2, indicating a remaining influence of the preischemic metabolism on membrane ion permeability. These results support previous metabolic data indicating that the rate of consumption of high energy phosphates during ischemia mirrors the preischemic cerebral metabolic rate. Phenobarbital anesthesia did not change the initial rate of [K+]e increase but reduced the rate of [K+]e increase later during ischemia, suggesting a special effect of barbiturates on partly depolarized membranes.