RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Brain acidosis induced by hypercarbic ventilation attenuates focal ischemic injury. JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 1428 OP 1431 VO 267 IS 3 A1 R P Simon A1 M Niro A1 R Gwinn YR 1993 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/267/3/1428.abstract AB Intracellular calcium toxicity appears to play a major role in cell death during cerebral ischemia. Such calcium enters the cell mainly through the N-methyl-D-aspartate subclass of the postsynaptic glutamate receptor. Increased extracellular hydrogen ion concentration has been shown recently to reduce N-methyl-D-aspartate-activated divalent cation currents. Therefore, we studied the effect of induced brain acidosis, via hypercarbic ventilation, as a potential therapeutic modality in focal cerebral ischemia. Brain acidosis reduced infarct volume in a biphasic manner, with maximal protection at approximately brain pH 6.8. The effect was lost at pH 6.5, presumably due to the effect of acidosis on glial glutamate uptake.