Physiol. Res. 52: 497-502, 2003

Electroencephalogram is Activated by Addition of Pentobarbital in the Isolated Perfused Head of the Rat
 

A. TAGAWA1, O. MOKUDA2, Y. SAKAMOTO2, N. SHIMIZU1

1Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Ichihara Hospital and
2Third Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Ichihara Hospital, Asahimachi, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan
 

Received  November 15, 2001
Accepted August 7, 2002


Summary
To evaluate the direct effects of a barbiturate on cerebral functions without its influence on brain perfusion pressure, circulatory hormones and metabolites, the electroencephalogram (EEG) was studied in the isolated rat head. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized, and EEG electrodes were inserted into the cranium. A Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer solution containing heparinized rat whole blood, 20 mmol/l glucose, 200 mmol/l mannitol and 0.1 mg/ml dexamethasone was used for the perfusate. The bilateral common carotid arteries were cannulated, pumped at a rate of 6 ml/min and the head was isolated. The venous effluent was reoxygenated and recirculated into the brain. Twenty-five min after isolation of the heads pentobarbital was added to the perfusate at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 2.5 mg/ml. EEG was recorded before and during perfusion. EEG activity could be recorded for more than 25 min after the beginning of perfusion. EEG activity gradually declined from 42±5 μV before perfusion (in vivo) to 4±1 μV at 25 min after the beginning of perfusion. Then, 3 min after the addition of pentobarbital, the EEG activity became significantly higher in the high dose groups; 12±3 μV in the 0.5 mg/ml group (p<0.05) and 12±1 μV in 2.5 mg/ml group (p<0.05) compared with the group without pentobarbital (2±2 μV). The present study suggests that a barbiturate has mitigating effects on the brain damage induced by the in vitro brain perfusion.


Key words
In vitro • Isolated brain perfusion • Electroencephalogram • Pentobarbital


Reprint requests
Asako Tagawa M.D., Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, 1-757 Asahimachi, Niigata City, Niigata 951-8585, Japan. E-mail: asako54@ bri.niigata-u.ac.jp


© 2003 by the Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences