spreading depolarization

American

[spred-ing dee-poh-luh-rahy-zey-shuhn] / ˈsprɛd ɪŋ diˌpoʊ lə raɪˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

Pathology.

a wave of injury killing many neurons in the brain, spreading outward from the site of a stroke or other brain trauma as an increasing number of neurons release their glutamine.

Etymology

Origin of spreading depolarization

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The action potential travels down the axon as voltage-gated ion channels are opened by the spreading depolarization.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023