title: Effect of ketamine on presympathetic neurons in rostral ventrolateral medulla of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of ketamine on central sympathetic and cardiovascular regulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiment was performed on 25 urethane anaesthetized, artificially ventilated adult rats. A total of 32 presympathetic neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) were electrophysiologically identified, which had properties of both barosensitivity and projection to the spinal cord. Responses of these neurons to intravenously administrated ketamine (a non competitive N-methyl-D aspartate receptor antagonist) were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intravenous injection of ketamine (3, 6, 12 mg/kg body weight) increased the firing rate and blocked the barosensitivity of presympathetic neurons in the RVLM in a dose dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ketamine could affect the sympathetic outflow by blocking tonic baroreceptor inhibition of the presympathetic neurons in the RVLM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China yuanwj@smmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine