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Inhibitory effect of propofol on ketamine‐induced c‐Fos expression in the rat posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices is mediated by GABA A receptor activation
Author(s) -
Nakao S.,
Nagata A.,
Miyamoto E.,
Masuzawa M.,
Murayama T.,
Shingu K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-6576.2003.00040.x
Subject(s) - propofol , bicuculline , flumazenil , ketamine , medicine , psychotomimetic , pharmacology , gabaa receptor , nmda receptor , retrosplenial cortex , anesthesia , endocrinology , hippocampus , receptor
Background: Non‐competitive N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, including ketamine, have psychotomimetic activities and cause neuronal damage in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices (PC/RS), which are suggested to be the brain regions responsible for their psychotomimetic activities. We previously demonstrated that ketamine induced marked c‐Fos (c‐fos protein) expression in the rat PC/RS, which was inhibited by propofol, and the expression was closely related to ketamine‐induced abnormal behavior. In the present study, we investigated whether the inhibition by propofol was mediated by GABA A receptor receptor activation. Methods: Using Wistar rats, propofol alone, propofol with bicuculline or propofol with flumazenil was injected intravenously and then continuously infused. Fifteen minutes later, 100 mg kg −1 of ketamine or normal saline was injected intraperitoneally. Two hours after the ketamine or saline injection, the brain was extracted and brain sections were prepared, and c‐Fos expression was detected using immunohistochemical methods. Results: Ketamine induced marked c‐Fos expression in the PC/RS (171 ± 9/0.4 mm 2 ), which was significantly inhibited by propofol (5 ± 5/0.4 mm 2 ). The inhibition by propofol was disinhibited dose‐dependently by both bicuculline (0.5 and 1.0 mg kg −1 bicuculline groups: 46 ± 15 and 143 ± 16, respectively) and flumazenil (0.1 and 1.0 mg kg −1 flumazenil groups: 79 ± 6 and 130 ± 15, respectively). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of propofol on ketamine‐induced c‐Fos expression in the PC/RS is mediated by GABA A receptor activation, and suggests that ketamine‐induced psychoneuronal adverse effects may be suppressed by propofol via the activation of GABA A receptors.