Effects of treatment with oxytocin, xylazine butorphanol, guaifenesin, acepromazine, and detomidine on esophageal manometric pressure in conscious horses.

OBJECTIVE: To compare effects of oxytocin, acepromazine maleate, xylazine hydrochloride-butorphanol tartrate, guaifenesin, and detomidine hydrochloride on esophageal manometric pressure in horses. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURE: A nasogastric tube, modified with 3 polyethylene tubes that exited at the postpharyngeal area, thoracic inlet, and distal portion of the esophagus, was fitted for each horse. Amplitude, duration, and rate of propagation of pressure waveforms induced by swallows were measured at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes after administration of oxytocin, detomidine, acepromazine, xylazine-butorphanol, guaifenesin, or saline (0.9% NaCI) solution. Number of spontaneous swallows, spontaneous events (contractions that occurred in the absence of a swallow stimulus), and high-pressure events (sustained increases in baseline pressure of > 10 mm Hg) were compared before and after drug adminision. RESULTS: At 5 minutes after administration, detomidine increased waveform amplitude and decreased waveform duration at the thoracic inlet. At 10 minutes after administration, detomidine increased waveform duration at the thoracic inlet. Acepromazine administration increased the number of spontaneous events at the thoracic inlet and distal portion of the esophagus. Acepromazine and detomidine administration increased the number of high-pressure events at the thoracic inlet. Guaifenesin administration increased the number of spontaneous events at the thoracic inlet. Xylazine-butorphanol, detomidine, acepromazine, and guaifenesin administration decreased the number of spontaneous swallows. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Detomidine, acepromazine, and a combination of xylazine butorphanol had the greatest effect on esophageal motility when evaluated manometrically. Reduction in spontaneous swallowing and changes in normal, coordinated peristaltic activity are the most clinically relevant effects.

Deoxyglucose-autoradiography of the hypothalamus after food deprivation in the mouse.

[14C] deoxyglucose-autoradiography of mouse brain after food deprivation showed no specific changes in the ratio of autoradiographic optical density of the lateral nucleus of the hypothalamus (LH) versus ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH). The results show that even if there were differences in functional activity between these hypothalamic nuclei during conditions of hunger and satiety, they are not reflected as autoradiographically detectable in relative deoxyglucose uptake.