title: Rat model of delirium: atropine dose-response relationships.
abstract: The authors report dose-response relationships for atropine in their rat model of human delirium. In this model, anticholinergic mechanisms are an important cause and may be a neurochemical final common pathway for diverse etiologies of delirium. Four intravenous (i.v.) bolus doses of atropine (27.5, 13.5, 6.875, and 3.44 mg/kg) were studied along with the originally reported dose of 55 mg/kg and saline control. Subsequent iv infusions were also proportionately reduced. EEG frequency and amplitude, maze performance, and subjective behavioral descriptions were taken over 320-minute study periods. Repeated-measures analysis of variance compared data between groups, and effect sizes were calculated. Dosages to be used in future studies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Pennsylvania, Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Leavitt
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Trzepacz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ciongoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003693:Delirium / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride; D001285:Atropine