Isoflurane anesthesia does not affect spinal cord neurovascular coupling: evidence from decerebrated rats

The Journal of Physiological Sciences, 2019 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12576-018-0607-7 · Published: March 29, 2018

Anesthesiology Physiology Neurology

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how isoflurane anesthesia affects the relationship between nerve activity and blood flow in the spinal cord of rats. The researchers measured nerve activity (local field potentials, LFP) and spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) during sciatic nerve stimulation with and without isoflurane. The results showed that isoflurane did not significantly alter LFP or SCBF amplitude, and neurovascular coupling remained comparable with or without anesthesia.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

6 male Wistar rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Isoflurane anesthesia (1.2%) did not significantly alter LFP amplitude (p = 0.53) in the spinal cord of decerebrated rats.
2
Isoflurane anesthesia (1.2%) did not significantly alter SCBF amplitude (p = 0.57) in the spinal cord of decerebrated rats.
3
Neurovascular coupling in the spinal cord remained comparable with or without isoflurane anesthesia (p = 0.39).

Research Summary

The study examined the effects of isoflurane anesthesia on spinal cord neurovascular coupling in decerebrated rats during sciatic nerve stimulation. Results indicated that isoflurane did not significantly alter LFP or SCBF amplitude, and neurovascular coupling remained comparable with or without anesthesia. The findings suggest that isoflurane is a suitable anesthetic for spinal fMRI studies investigating sensory functions.

Practical Implications

Spinal fMRI

Isoflurane can be used in rodents to investigate nociceptive functions of the spinal cord using fMRI.

Anesthesia choice

Isoflurane at 1.2% concentration does not significantly disrupt neurovascular coupling in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Neurovascular Studies

This study supports the use of isoflurane in spinal neurovascular studies in intact rats.

Study Limitations

1
Only isoflurane anesthesia was examined, and the findings may not be generalizable to other anesthetics.
2
The results apply to nociceptive stimulation and neurovascular coupling in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord only.
3
The order of anesthesia conditions were not randomized, potentially introducing sequence order effects.

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