Presynaptic actions of general anesthetics are responsible for frequency-dependent modification of synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampal CA1.

BACKGROUND: In clinical anesthesia, robust surgical stress occasionally causes unintended light anesthesia during operation. To test the hypothesis that neural input condition could modify actions of general anesthetics as a result of presynaptic alteration in the central nervous system, we investigated the mechanisms by which the stimulus frequency modifies synaptic transmission of the rat hippocampus in the presence of general anesthetics. METHODS: Field population spikes (PSs) of CA1 pyramidal neurons were elicited using orthodromic stimulation of Schaffer collateral-commissural fibers (test-pulse). A second stimulating electrode was placed in the region of the alveus hippocampi to activate recurrent inhibition of area CA1 (pre-pulse). The pre-pulses were applied as train stimuli (100-200 Hz) to activate release and then deplete the neurotransmitter (gamma-aminobutyric acid [GABA]) at presynaptic terminals of inhibitory interneurons. RESULTS: After the activation of inhibitory interneurons with pre-pulses, both IV (thiopental and pentobarbital) and volatile (sevoflurane and isoflurane) anesthetics attenuated the PS amplitudes elicited with test-pulses (test-PS). The IV anesthetics, but not the volatile drugs, produced stimulus frequency- and use-dependent recurrent inhibition of test-PSs. Neither a GABA type A agonist nor a GABA uptake inhibitor produced frequency-dependent modification. The pre-pulse train protocol revealed that IV anesthetics, but not volatile drugs, can enhance GABA release from presynaptic terminals. CONCLUSIONS: IV anesthetics, but not volatile drugs, enhance the discharge of a readily releasable pool of GABA vesicles from presynaptic terminals. Depletion of an active pool of GABA after high-frequency stimuli would produce frequency- and use-dependent recurrent inhibition in the presence of IV anesthetics. The stimulus frequency-dependent modification of synaptic transmission might be responsible for the unsuccessful immobilization or hypnosis during general anesthesia after IV anesthetic administration.

Low concentrations of pentobarbital enhance excitability of rat hippocampal neurons.

BACKGROUND: Although the excitation phase observed during anesthetic induction and emergence is familiar to anesthesiologists, the cellular mechanisms of this phenomenon are not well understood. At anesthetic concentrations approximately one-tenth those required for surgical anesthesia, subjects demonstrate increased responsiveness to noxious stimulation. We previously estimated that the decrease in nociceptive reflex threshold is maximal at pentobarbital concentrations of approximately 5 microM. Here we used the rat hippocampal slice preparation to examine whether 5 microM pentobarbital increases the excitability of neurons. METHODS: Intracellular recordings were obtained from CA1 neurons during stimulation of the Schaffer collateral pathway. We examined the effect of pentobarbital on resting intrinsic membrane properties and stimulus-response relationships. Excitability was evaluated with the relationship between the synaptic signal strength, as indicated by the excitatory postsynaptic potential slope, and the probability of spiking (E-S relationship). RESULTS: Pentobarbital increased the excitability of hippocampal neurons, as shown by an increased probability of spiking at any given synaptic signal strength (P = 0.002), an effect known as "E-S potentiation." Pentobarbital was associated with an increase in the input resistance of the neuron and a shift of the action potential threshold towards more negative values. Pentobarbital did not increase the excitatory postsynaptic potential slope at any given stimulus strength. CONCLUSIONS: At a 5 microM concentration, pentobarbital increased E-S coupling by enhancing the excitability of the postsynaptic neurons. Pentobarbital induced changes in intrinsic membrane properties that may contribute to increased excitability.

Pentobarbital enhances gamma-aminobutyric acid-mediated excitation without altering synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: Synaptic plasticity is thought to provide a molecular mechanism for learning and memory. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated plasticity requires that N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor activation coincides with postsynaptic depolarizing potentials (DPSP(A)'s). Pentobarbital, in high concentrations, enhances DPSP(A)'s, but high concentrations suppress synaptic plasticity, probably by impairing glutamatergic transmission. Here we tested the hypothesis that low concentrations of pentobarbital can enhance DPSP(A)'s and modify the induction of synaptic plasticity. METHODS: Studies were performed in vitro on rat hippocampal slices. With glutamate transmission blocked, intracellular recording from CA1 neurons was used to investigate the influence of 5 microM pentobarbital on DPSP(A)'s and neuron excitability evoked by high frequency (100 Hz) stimulation. With glutamate transmission intact, extracellular recording was used to examine the effect of 5 microM pentobarbital on the induction of long-term depression and long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission by conditioning stimuli applied to the Schaffer collateral pathway. RESULTS: High frequency stimulation generated typical DPSP(A)'s that were mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors and dependent upon HCO3-. Pentobarbital (5 microM) increased the amplitude, but not the width, at half-maximal amplitude of DPSPA's (P < 0.01). Pentobarbital increased the probability of action potential generation during the DPSP(A)'s. Pentobarbital did not alter the induction of long-term depression or long-term potentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite increasing the amplitude of DPSP(A)'s, 5 microM pentobarbital did not alter the induction of synaptic plasticity by a range of conventional conditioning stimuli. These results do not support the hypothesis that excitatory effects of pentobarbital may alter synaptic plasticity.

Levetiracetam reduces anesthetic-induced hyperalgesia in rats.

BACKGROUND: As part of an increase in excitability, small doses of pentobarbital, propofol, and midazolam induce an increased sensitivity to pain. Specific therapy to prevent or reduce this excitability may offer advantages over current clinical management with analgesics and sedatives. The pharmacological profile of the novel antiepileptic drug, levetiracetam, suggests that it may reduce the intensity of the excitatory stages of anesthesia. METHODS: We examined the influence of levetiracetam on the reduction of the nociceptive reflex threshold in rats by sedative doses of pentobarbital, propofol, and midazolam. Measurements of nociceptive reflex threshold to pressure and heat were made and then repeated after intraperitoneal injection of saline or one of three doses of levetiracetam (100, 200, 500 mg/kg). Pentobarbital (30 mg/kg), propofol (30 mg/kg), or midazolam (1.9 mg/kg) were then administered. The reflex threshold was measured every 10 min, starting at 5 min after the sedative injection, until 65 min had elapsed. RESULTS: Levetiracetam did not alter nociceptive reflex threshold in nonsedated animals (P = 0.11) or influence the degree or duration of sedation. The three anesthetic/sedative drugs reduced the nociceptive reflex threshold by 20%-30% of control values. Levetiracetam reduced the hyperreflexia associated with pentobarbital and midazolam (P < 0.05), but not propofol. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support further investigation into the role of levetiracetam in the prevention of anesthetic-induced excitability.

Intravenous anesthetics are more effective than volatile anesthetics on inhibitory pathways in rat hippocampal CA1.

In this study, we have examined the effects of both volatile and IV general anesthetics on excitatory synaptic transmission, with and without recurrent inhibition, to clarify whether excitatory or inhibitory synapses are the major targets of action. Field population spike amplitudes (fPSs) of CA1 pyramidal neurons were recorded in rat hippocampal slices. Schaffer-collateral-commissural fibers (Sch) were stimulated orthodromically, and the evoked fPSs (PS[Sch]) in CA1 area were measured. In addition, the fPSs (PS[Alv+Sch]) elicited by stimulation of the Sch after antidromic stimulation of the alveus hippocampi (Alv) to produce recurrent inhibition were determined. It was observed that sevoflurane (0.5%-5%) and isoflurane (0.5%-5%) primarily inhibited PS[Sch] and also produced additive inhibition on the PS[Alv+Sch] in a concentration-dependent manner. The calculated 50% effective concentration (EC50) values for PS[Sch] and PS[Alv+Sch] were 5.3 vol% and 3.9 vol% (sevoflurane) and 1.7 vol% and 1.1 vol% (isoflurane), respectively. In comparison, thiopental (2.0 x 10(-5)-5.0 x 10(-4) mol/L) reduced both the PS[Sch] and PS[Alv+Sch] in a concentration-dependent manner. The calculated EC50 values for thiopental on PS[Sch] and PS[Alv+Sch] were 3.4 x 10(-4) and 5.7 x 10(-5) mol/L, respectively. Propofol (2.0 x 10(-5)-3.5 x 10(-4) mol/L) had little effect on the PS[Sch] but reduced PS[Alv+Sch] with a calculated EC(50) value of 5.1 x 10(-4) mol/L. The effects of the IV anesthetics with recurrent inhibition were antagonized in the presence of the gamma-aminobutyric acid-A-receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide. In addition, all anesthetics prolonged recurrent inhibition from 100 ms (sevoflurane and isoflurane) to 400 ms (propofol). The results suggest that sevoflurane and isoflurane inhibit mainly on glutamate-mediated orthodromic pathways, whereas thiopental and propofol enhance gamma-aminobutyric acid-A-mediated recurrent inhibitory pathways in CA1 neurons, thus providing further evidence that the mechanisms of general anesthetics are drug- and pathway-specific.

Molecular mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide toxicity.

RATIONALE: The toxicity of H2S has been attributed to its ability to inhibit cytochrome c oxidase in a similar manner to HCN. However, the successful use of methemoglobin for the treatment of HCN poisoning was not successful for H2S poisonings even though the ferric heme group of methemoglobin scavenges H2S. Thus, we speculated that other mechanisms contribute to H2S induced cytotoxicity. Experimental procedure. Hepatocyte isolation and viability and enzyme activities were measured as described by Moldeus et al. (1978), and Steen et al. (2001). RESULTS: Incubation of isolated hepatocytes with NaHS solutions (a H2S source) resulted in glutathione (GSH) depletion. Moreover, GSH depletion was also observed in TRIS-HCl buffer (pH 6.0) treated with NaHS. Several ferric chelators (desferoxamime and DETAPAC) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase) prevented cell-free and hepatocyte GSH depletion. GSH-depleted hepatocytes were very susceptible to NaHS cytotoxicity, indicating that GSH detoxified NaHS or H2S in cells. Cytotoxicity was also partly prevented by desferoxamine and DETAPC, but it was increased by ferric EDTA or EDTA. Cell-free oxygen consumption experiments in TRIS-HCl buffer showed that NaHS autoxidation formed hydrogen peroxide and was prevented by DETAPC but increased by EDTA. We hypothesize that H2S can reduce intracellular bound ferric iron to form unbound ferrous iron, which activates iron. Additionally, H2S can increase the hepatocyte formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (known to occur with electron transport chain). H2S cytotoxicity therefore also involves a reactive sulfur species, which depletes GSH and activates oxygen to form ROS.

Extracellular magnesium ion modifies the actions of volatile anesthetics in area CA1 of rat hippocampus in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium ion (Mg2+) is involved in important processes as modulation of ion channels, receptors, neurotransmitter release, and cell excitability in the central nervous system. Although extracellular Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]o) can be altered during general anesthesia, there has been no evidence for [Mg2+]o-dependent modification of anesthetic actions on neural excitability in central nervous system preparations. The purpose of current study was to determine whether the effects of volatile anesthetics are [Mg2+]o-dependent in mammalian central nervous system. METHODS: Extracellular electrophysiologic recordings from CA1 neurons in rat hippocampal slices were used to investigate the effects of [Mg2+]o and anesthetics on population spike amplitude and excitatory postsynaptic potential slope. RESULTS: The depression of population spike amplitudes and excitatory postsynaptic potential slopes by volatile anesthetics were significantly dependent on [Mg2+]o. The effects were attenuated in the presence of a constant [Mg2+]o/extracellular Ca2+ concentration ratio. However, neither N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists nor a non-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist altered the [Mg2+]o-dependent anesthetic-induced depression of population spikes. Volatile anesthetics produced minimal effects on input-output (excitatory postsynaptic potential-population spike) relations or the threshold for population spike generation. The effects were not modified by changes in [Mg2+]o. In addition, the population spike amplitudes, elicited via antidromic (nonsynaptic) stimulation, were not influenced by [Mg2+]o in the presence of volatile anesthetics. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide support that alteration of [Mg2+]o modifies the actions of volatile anesthetics on synaptic transmission and that the effects could be, at least in part, a result of presynaptic Ca2+ channel-related mechanisms.

Spinal carbonic anhydrase contributes to nociceptive reflex enhancement by midazolam, pentobarbital, and propofol.

BACKGROUND: Systemic administration of acetazolamide blocks nociceptive hyperreflexia induced by pentobarbital. The authors assessed the effect of intrathecal carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) on nociceptive reflex enhancement by pentobarbital, propofol, and midazolam. METHODS: Twenty-seven rats with chronic indwelling subarachnoid catheters were studied. Nociceptive paw reflex latency (PWL) for paw withdrawal from radiant heat was measured in forelimbs and hind limbs. Measurements were obtained under control conditions, 15 min after lumbar intrathecal injection of 10 microl artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing the CAIs acetazolamide or ethoxyzolamide, and during the 55 min after intraperitoneal injection of three sedative drugs: 30 mg/kg pentobarbital, 50 mg/kg propofol, or 1.9 mg/kg midazolam. RESULTS: Control values of PWL averaged 10.9 +/- 1.5 s in the forelimbs and 11.1 +/- 1.6 s in the hind limbs (P = 0.18). Intrathecal injection of 50 microm ethoxyzolamide reduced PWL by 8% and 4% in the forelimbs and hind limbs, respectively (P = 0.01); all other CAI injections had no effect on PWL. Following anesthetic injection, PWL in the forelimbs was reduced by approximately 35-40% of control values; in the hind limbs, CAI treatment decreased the PWL reduction to 8-16% for pentobarbital (P < 0.001), 30-32% for propofol (P < 0.02), and 9-16% for midazolam (P < 0.001). The hind limb reduction of hyperreflexia by CAI was less for propofol than for midazolam or pentobarbital (P < 0.002). CONCLUSION: Spinal carbonic anhydrase contributes to nociceptive hyperreflexia induced by pentobarbital and midazolam and to a lesser extent with propofol. These findings are consistent with a role for carbonic anhydrase in nociceptive signal enhancement by these drugs.

Effect of halothane on type 2 immobility-related hippocampal theta field activity and theta-on/theta-off cell discharges.

Rats were studied in acute and chronic (freely moving) recording conditions during exposure to different levels of the volatile anesthetic halothane, in order to assess effects on hippocampal theta field activity in the chronic condition and on theta-related cellular discharges in the acute condition. Previous work has shown that the generation of hippocampal type 2 theta depends on the coactivation of cholinergic and GABAergic inputs from the medial septum. Based on these data and recent findings that halothane acts on interneuron GABA(A) receptors, we predicted that exposure of rats to subanesthetic levels would result in the induction of type 2 theta field activity. In the chronic condition, exposure to subanesthetic levels of halothane (0.5-1.0 vol %) was found to induce theta field activity during periods of immobility (type 2 theta) with a mean increase of 39% in amplitude (mV) compared to control levels during movement. The total percentage of signal power (V2) associated with peak theta frequencies (80% compared to control levels of 47%) was also increased by halothane. Over the whole range of administered halothane concentrations, theta field frequency progressively declined from a mean peak frequency of 6.5 +/- 0.8 Hz at 0.5 vol % halothane to a mean peak frequency of 4.0 +/- 1.8 Hz at 2.0 vol % halothane. Subsequent administration of a muscarinic cholinergic antagonist, atropine sulfate, selectively abolished all type 2 immobility-related theta field activity, while type 1 movement-related theta was still intact. At anesthetic levels (1.5-2.0 vol %) in acute experiments, hippocampal field activity spontaneously cycled between theta and large-amplitude irregular activity. Analysis of depth profiles in four experiments revealed they were identical to those previously described for rats under urethane anesthesia conditions. In addition, the discharge properties of 31 theta-related cells, classified as tonic and phasic theta-on and tonic and phasic theta-off cells, did not differ significantly from those described previously in rats anesthetized with urethane. These data provide further support for an involvement of GABA(A) receptors in the generation of hippocampal theta.