fig. 4

Knocking down cortical α2-Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase lowered the CSD threshold. Intracortical injection of α2-Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase shRNA-coding plasmids to the occipital cortex led to a 50% decrease in α2-Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase mRNA level as detected by qRT-PCR (left, p = 0.07, unpaired t-test) and reduced the CSD induction threshold (right) as assessed with varying concentrations of KCl (from 0.050 to 0,175 M) 6 (clear symbols) or 24 h (filled symbols) after injection compared to the blank plasmid-injected group (median = 0.1 M KCl vs 0.175 M KCl, p = 0.002, Mann–Whitney U test). A representative KCl-triggered CSD recorded from an ATP1A2 knockdown cortex is shown over the shRNA data points. A photic stimulation-triggered CSD (without KCl or ouabain treatment) from an ATP1A2 knockdown mouse is displayed on the right