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
Memory and Learning Impairment Testing
Objective: Assessment of persistent memory and learning impairments following early exposure to anesthetic agents (midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane) in developing rats
This is a Memory and Learning Impairment Testing protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 3 procedural steps, 3 materials. Extracted from a 2003 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
rat • Not specified • unknown • 7 days old (postnatal day 7) • Not specified
Study window
~6 hours hands-on
Core workflow
Anesthetic administration • Memory and learning assessment • Hippocampal synaptic function evaluation
Primary readouts
- Widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in developing brain
- Deficits in hippocampal synaptic function
- Persistent memory and learning impairments
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Anesthetic administration
Administer combination of midazolam, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane to 7-day-old infant rats in doses sufficient to maintain a surgical plane of anesthesia
Note: Doses were 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”
Memory and learning assessment
Assess persistent memory and learning impairments following anesthetic exposure
Note: Testing conducted to evaluate persistent deficits
View evidence from paper
“persistent memory/learning impairments”
Hippocampal synaptic function evaluation
Evaluate deficits in hippocampal synaptic function
Note: Assessment of synaptic dysfunction following anesthetic exposure
View evidence from paper
“deficits in hippocampal synaptic function, and persistent memory/learning impairments”