Brain Free Fatty Acids after Transient Global Brain Ischemia with Postinsult Thiopental Therapy

A metabolic basis for barbiturate amelioration of ischemic brain damage is not demonstrable in terms of the rate and magnitude of changes in brain high energy phosphates, glycolytic metabolites and Krebs cycle intermediates during (7,8) or after (9) complete global brain ischemia. Yet, the efficacy of barbiturate therapy in improving neurologic recovery when administered before (4) or after (2) complete global ischemia has been clearly demonstrated.