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Part of the book series: Advances in Neurosurgery ((NEURO,volume 13))

Abstract

Increased concentrations of free fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid (AA), have been found in brain tissue under several conditions, such as ischemia (9), severe hypoxia (5) or hypoglycemia (1), cold injury (4), and seizures (8). In addition, release of AA into edema fluid sampled from perifocal brain areas surrounding a cold lesion has been detected (7). AA or its products obviously influence membrane function of parenchymal cells since they may induce cytotoxic edema (3). Electron microscopic investigations have shown lesions of endothelial cells of cerebral vessels exposed to AA (6). Therefore, AA and its metabolites may act as mediators of secondary brain damage, i.e., vasogenic edema. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the effects of AA on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the caliber of extraparenchymal cerebral arteries and veins when superfusing the cortical surface.

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© 1985 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Wahl, M., Unterberg, A., Baethmann, A. (1985). Effects of Arachidonic Acid on Blood-Brain Barrier Function. In: Dietz, H., Brock, M., Klinger, M. (eds) Extra-Intracranial Vascular Anastomoses Microsurgery at the Edge of the Tentorium. Advances in Neurosurgery, vol 13. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70603-5_50

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70603-5_50

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-15615-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-70603-5

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