Source Paper
Early Exposure to Common Anesthetic Agents Causes Widespread Neurodegeneration in the Developing Rat Brain and Persistent Learning Deficits
Vesna Jevtovic-Todorovic, Richard E. Hartman, Yukitoshi Izumi, Nicholas D. Benshoff, Krikor Dikranian et al.
Journal of Neuroscience • 2003
Anesthetic Drug Administration and Neurodegeneration Assessment
Objective: To determine whether exposure of developing rat brain to a combination of anesthetic agents (midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane) causes apoptotic neurodegeneration, synaptic dysfunction, and persistent learning/memory deficits
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Materials3
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Protocol Steps
Anesthetic administration
Administer combination of midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane to 7-day-old infant rats
Note: Doses sufficient to maintain surgical plane of anesthesia
View evidence from paper
“administered to 7-d-old infant rats a combination of drugs commonly used in pediatric anesthesia (midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane) in doses sufficient to maintain a surgical plane of anesthesia for 6 hr”
Assessment of apoptotic neurodegeneration
Observe and measure apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain following anesthetic exposure
Note: Widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration was observed
View evidence from paper
“this causes widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain, deficits in hippocampal synaptic function, and persistent memory/learning impairments”
Assessment of hippocampal synaptic function
Measure deficits in hippocampal synaptic function resulting from anesthetic exposure
Note: Deficits in hippocampal synaptic function were observed
View evidence from paper
“this causes widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain, deficits in hippocampal synaptic function, and persistent memory/learning impairments”
Assessment of learning and memory deficits
Evaluate persistent memory and learning impairments following anesthetic exposure
Note: Persistent memory/learning impairments were observed
View evidence from paper
“this causes widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain, deficits in hippocampal synaptic function, and persistent memory/learning impairments”