Spreading depression: investigating this complex system

Presents two manipulations done on the perfusion solution during the propagation of the spreading depression waves in the in-vitro chicken retina. For the first time, the electrophysiological and optical signals were acquired simultaneously. Comparing both of them, the authors show the relationship of the characteristic slow potential shift to the brightness profile and to the propagation velocity. By applying barium and barbiturate to the perfusing solution it was possible to demonstrate that the electrical and optical waves are nor directly correlated.