Barbiturate anaesthesia reduces the neurotoxic effects of quinolinate but not ibotenate in the rat pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus

Wendy L. Inglis, Jay S. Dunbar, Philip Winn*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that ibotenate (IBO) injected into the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) damages all neurones there while quinolinate (QUIN) makes relatively selective lesions of cholinergic neurones. We now compare the effects of two anaesthetics, sodium pentobarbitone and Avertin (tribromoethanol/tert-amylalcohol dissolved in ethanol, saline and phosphate buffer), on three doses of IBO and QUIN in the PPTg. Diaphorase-positive cell loss after QUIN was attenuated under barbiturate, the relative selectivity of QUIN for diaphorase-positive neurones was lost and lesion volumes were uniformly small compared with lesions made under Avertin anaesthesia. IBO toxicity was unaffected by anaesthesia. These data are discussed with reference to the actions of excitotoxins at glutamate receptor subtypes and interactions of barbiturates with the GABAA receptor.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)78-82
Number of pages5
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume156
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 Jun 1993

Keywords

  • anaesthesia
  • avertin
  • barbiturate
  • diaphorase
  • ibotenate
  • pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus
  • quinolinate
  • rat
  • 4 aminobutyric acid a receptor
  • anesthetic agent
  • excitotoxin
  • ibotenic acid
  • quinolinic acid
  • neurotoxicity

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