Brain Tissue Oxygen: In Vivo Monitoring with Carbon Paste Electrodes

In this communication we review selected experiments involving the use of carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) to monitor and measure brain tissue O2 levels in awake freely-moving animals. Simultaneous measurements of rCBF were performed using the H2 clearance technique. Voltammetric techniques used include both differential pulse (O2) and constant potential amperometry (rCBF). Mild hypoxia and hyperoxia produced rapid changes (decrease and increase respectively) in the in vivo O2 signal. Neuronal activation (tail pinch and stimulated grooming) produced similar increases in both O2 and rCBF indicating that CPE O2 currents provide an index of increases in rCBF when such increases exceed O2 utilization. Saline injection produced a transient increase in the O2 signal while chloral hydrate produced slower more long-lasting changes that accompanied the behavioral changes associated with anaesthesia. Acetazolamide increased O2 levels through an increase in rCBF.