title: Effect of propranolol on cortical electrical activity in conscious and anesthetized rats.
abstract: The effect of propranolol on electrocorticographic (ECoG) activity was studied in conscious and anesthetized rats. Cortical electrodes and femoral venous cannulae were implanted 5 days before the experiments. The ECoG was recorded continuously and analyzed to different frequency bands, 2 hr before and 4 hr after the administration of propranolol. After a single infusion of 2 and 5 mg/kg or 5 consecutive daily doses of 2 mg/kg propranolol, frequent bursts of large amplitude 6-7 c/sec wave in the ECoG were observed. This ECoG phenomenon lasted between 60-100 min after the infusion of propranolol and was entirely abolished by pentobarbital anesthesia. Frequency analysis of the ECoG showed an immediate shift from predominantly delta (delta 0.5-4 c/sec) activity to overwhelmingly theta (theta 4-8 c/sec) activity following the infusion of propranolol. It is suggested that these changes in ECoG induced by propranolol are related to the sleep-enhancing and tranquilizing effects of propranolol.
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D011433:Propranolol; D010424:Pentobarbital; D010100:Oxygen