Functional ablation by spreading depression: possible use in human stereotactic neurosurgery.

Spreading depression (SD) of EEG activity was elicited by microinjection (5 microliter) of 5% potassium chloride into the caudate nucleus (n = 7) or hippocampus (n = 3) during stereotactic brain surgery in patients with focal epilepsy. An electrode-cannula assembly for eliciting and recording the slow potential waves of SD is described. The parameters of SD in human brain are similar to those in lower mammals. Functional ablation by SD can be used as a diagnostic tool in neurosurgery.