title: Effect of volatile anaesthetics on the electrical activity and the coupling coefficient of weakly electrically coupled neurones.
abstract: 1. The application of the volatile anaesthetics, halothane and isoflurane (1% v/v and 2% v/v), to the CNS of Lymnaea reduced the firing frequency of the small weakly coupled pedal A cluster (PeA) neurones, which eventually become quiescent. There was no change in their resting membrane potential. 2. Met-enkephalin significantly increased the coupling coefficient between PeA neurones. 3. The volatile anaesthetics decreased the coupling coefficient even in the presence of met-enkephalin. 4. These effects were dose dependent and the effects of halothane were more rapid than those of isoflurane, reflecting their different anaesthetic potencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Birzeit, Israel.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Qazzaz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Winlow
mesh_terms: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008195:Lymnaea; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D007530:Isoflurane; D006221:Halothane