Lasting effects of acute dehydration and post-weaning undernourishment on cortical spreading depression in adult rats

Summary Acute dehydration (D) early in life made adult rats less susceptible to cortical spreading depression (SD) than control (C) rats. Post weaning undernourished (U) rats tended to be more susceptible than controls. The association of D and U (DU group) made rats more susceptible to SD than U-rats. It is suggested that this association gives rise to a more complex pathological state than that which would result from the summation of the effects of its components.This work was supported by the Brazilian agencies CNPq and CAPES and by the Federal University of Pernambuco. The suggestions of Dr. T. P. Hicks, which contributed to improve the English text, are very much appreciated.