Is age-dependent, ketamine-induced apoptosis in the rat somatosensory cortex influenced by temperature?

ABSTRACT: General anesthetics have long been thought to be relatively safe but recent clinical studies have revealed that exposure of very young children (4 years or less) to agents that act by blocking the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) can lead to cognitive deficits as they mature. In rodent and non-human primate studies, blockade of this receptor during the perinatal period leads to a number of molecular, cellular and behavioral pathologies. Despite the overwhelming evidence from such studies, doubt remains as to their clinical relevance. A key issue is whether the primary injury (apoptotic cell death) is specific to receptor blockade or due to non-specific, patho-physiological changes. Principal to this argument is that loss of core body temperature following NMDAR blockade could explain

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2871987 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature