title: General anaesthetics and the acetylcholine-sensitivity of cortical neurons.
abstract: 1The effects of general anaesthetics on neuronal responses to iontophoretically-applied acetylcholine have been examined in slices of guinea-pig olfactory cortex maintained in vitro. 2 Acetylcholine excited 61% of the prepiriform neurones tested. The excitation was blocked by atropine, but not by dihydro-beta-erythroidine or gallamine. 3 Alphaxalone reversibly depressed the acetylcholine-sensitivity of prepiriform neurones. Pentobarbitone did not consistently depress the acetylcholine sensitivity of these cells. 4 Ether, methoxyflurane, trichloroethylene and halothane caused a dose-related augmentation of acetylcholine-induced firing. 5 These results show that general anaesthetics do not necessarily depress the sensitivity of nerve cells to all excitatory substances and that different anaesthetics may affect a particular excitatory process in various ways.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000777:Anesthetics; D000818:Animals; D004986:Ether / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology; D006914:Hydroxysteroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008733:Methoxyflurane / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D011277:Pregnanediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D006914:Hydroxysteroids; D011277:Pregnanediones; D004986:Ether; D014241:Trichloroethylene; D008733:Methoxyflurane; C006477:alphaxalone; D010424:Pentobarbital; D000109:Acetylcholine; D006221:Halothane