Skip to main content
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1982 Jan;75(1):219–227. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1982.tb08776.x

The effects of anaesthetics on the uptake and release of amino acid neurotransmitters in thalamic slices.

T J Kendall, M C Minchin
PMCID: PMC2071461  PMID: 6122480

Abstract

1 The effect of thiopentone, methohexitone, urethane and ketamine on the uptake and release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and D-aspartate by rat thalamic slices has been investigated. 2 A high, supra-anaesthetic concentration of methohexitone increased the uptake of both D-aspartate and GABA. 3 None of the anaesthetics used had any detectable effect upon the spontaneous release of either amino acid. 4 Urethane and ketamine had no effect upon the K+-stimulated release of either amino acid. 5 Methohexitone and thiopentone produced a biphasic dose-response on the K+-stimulated release of both amino acids; low concentrations enhanced release, high concentrations depressed release. 6 Bicuculline hydrochloride and picrotoxin both significantly reduced the barbiturate-induced enhancement of K+-stimulated amino acid release, but did not significantly alter the depression of K+-stimulated release at higher barbiturate concentrations. 7 Baclofen, either alone (1 microM to 1 mM), or tested against the barbiturates, had no detectable effect.

Full text

PDF
219

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANDERSEN P., CURTIS D. R. THE PHARMACOLOGY OF THE SYNAPTIC AND ACETYLCHOLINE-INDUCED EXCITATION OF VENTROBASAL THALAMIC NEURONES. Acta Physiol Scand. 1964 May-Jun;61:100–120. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1964.tb02946.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Angel A. Processing of sensory information. Prog Neurobiol. 1977;9(1-2):1–122. doi: 10.1016/0301-0082(77)90018-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Angel A., Unwin J. The effect of urethane on transmission along the dorsal column sensory pathway in the rat. J Physiol. 1970 May;208(1):32P–33P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Balcar V. J., Johnston G. A. The structural specificity of the high affinity uptake of L-glutamate and L-aspartate by rat brain slices. J Neurochem. 1972 Nov;19(11):2657–2666. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1972.tb01325.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Barker J. L. CNS depressants: effects on post-synaptic pharmacology. Brain Res. 1975 Jul 4;92(1):35–55. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(75)90526-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Barker J. L., Gainer H. Pentobarbital: selective depression of excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Science. 1973 Nov 16;182(4113):720–722. doi: 10.1126/science.182.4113.720. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bauer B. Effect of pentobarbitone on the spontaneous efflux of gamma-amino acids from rabbit retina. Brain Res. 1979 Mar 16;163(2):307–317. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(79)90358-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bowery N. G., Hill D. R., Hudson A. L., Doble A., Middlemiss D. N., Shaw J., Turnbull M. (-)Baclofen decreases neurotransmitter release in the mammalian CNS by an action at a novel GABA receptor. Nature. 1980 Jan 3;283(5742):92–94. doi: 10.1038/283092a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Cheng S. C., Naruse H., Brunner E. A. Effects of sodium thiopental on the tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism in mouse brain: CO2 fixation and metabolic compartmentation. J Neurochem. 1978 Jun;30(6):1591–1593. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1978.tb10499.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Collins G. G. Evidence of a neurotransmitter role for aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid in the rat olfactory cortex. J Physiol. 1979 Jun;291:51–60. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1979.sp012799. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Collins G. G. Release of endogenous amino acid neurotransmitter candidates from rat olfactory cortex slices: possible regulatory mechanisms and the effects of pentobarbitone. Brain Res. 1980 May 26;190(2):517–528. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(80)90293-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Cremer J. E., Lucas H. M. Sodium pentobarbitone and metabolic compartments in rat brain. Brain Res. 1971 Dec 24;35(2):619–621. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90514-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Curtis D. R., Johnston G. A. Amino acid transmitters in the mammalian central nervous system. Ergeb Physiol. 1974;69(0):97–188. doi: 10.1007/3-540-06498-2_3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Cutler R. W., Dudzinski D. S. Effect of pentobarbital on uptake and release of [3H]GABA and [14C]glutamate by brain slices. Brain Res. 1974 Mar 8;67(3):546–548. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(74)90504-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Cutler R. W., Markowitz D., Dudzinski D. S. The effect of barbiturates on (3H)GABA transport in rat cerebral cortex slices. Brain Res. 1974 Dec 6;81(2):189–197. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(74)90935-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Cutler R. W., Young J. Effect of barbiturates on release endogenous amino acids from rat cortex slices. Neurochem Res. 1979 Jun;4(3):319–329. doi: 10.1007/BF00963802. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Davies L. P., Johnston G. A. Uptake and release of D- and L-aspartate by rat brain slices. J Neurochem. 1976 May;26(5):1007–1014. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1976.tb06485.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Dowling J. E., Boycott B. B. Organization of the primate retina: electron microscopy. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1966 Nov 15;166(1002):80–111. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1966.0086. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Dowling J. E., Brown J. E., Major D. Synapses of horizontal cells in rabbit and cat retinas. Science. 1966 Sep 30;153(3744):1639–1641. doi: 10.1126/science.153.3744.1639. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Duggan A. W., McLennan H. Bicuculline and inhibition in the thalamus. Brain Res. 1971 Jan 8;25(1):188–191. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90579-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. ECCLES J. C., SCHMIDT R., WILLIS W. D. PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON PRESYNAPTIC INHIBITION. J Physiol. 1963 Oct;168:500–530. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1963.sp007205. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Harding B. N. Dendro-dendritic synapses, including reciprocal synapses, in the ventrolateral nucleus of the monkey thalamus. Brain Res. 1971 Nov;34(1):181–185. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90360-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Huang L. Y., Barker J. L. Pentobarbital: stereospecific actions of (+) and (-) isomers revealed on cultured mammalian neurons. Science. 1980 Jan 11;207(4427):195–197. doi: 10.1126/science.7350656. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Iversen L. L., Neal M. J. The uptake of [3H]GABA by slices of rat cerebral cortex. J Neurochem. 1968 Oct;15(10):1141–1149. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1968.tb06831.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Kohlhardt M., Bauer B., Krause H., Fleckenstein A. New selective inhibitors of the transmembrane Ca conductivity in mammalian myocardial fibres. Studies with the voltage clamp technique. Experientia. 1972 Mar 15;28(3):288–289. doi: 10.1007/BF01928693. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. LARRABEE M. G., POSTERNAK J. M. Selective action of anesthetics on synapses and axons in mammalian sympathetic ganglia. J Neurophysiol. 1952 Mar;15(2):91–114. doi: 10.1152/jn.1952.15.2.91. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Lieberman A. R., Webster K. E. Presynaptic dendrites and a distinctive class of synaptic vesicle in the rat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Brain Res. 1972 Jul 13;42(1):196–200. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(72)90053-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Macdonald R. L., Barker J. L. Anticonvulsant and anesthetic barbiturates: different postsynaptic actions in cultured mammalian neurons. Neurology. 1979 Apr;29(4):432–447. doi: 10.1212/wnl.29.4.432. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Malthe-Sørenssen D., Skrede K. K., Fonnum F. Calcium-dependent release of D-[3H]aspartate evoked by selective electrical stimulation of excitatory afferent fibres to hippocampal pyramidal cells in vitro. Neuroscience. 1979;4(9):1255–1263. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(79)90155-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Minchin M. C. The effect of anaesthetics on the uptake and release of gamma-aminobutyrate and D-aspartate in rat brain slices. Br J Pharmacol. 1981 Jul;73(3):681–689. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1981.tb16803.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Minchin M. C. Veratrum alkaloids as transmitter-releasing agents. J Neurosci Methods. 1980 Apr;2(2):111–121. doi: 10.1016/0165-0270(80)90053-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Mitchell P. R., Martin I. L. Is GABA release modulated by presynaptic receptors? Nature. 1978 Aug 31;274(5674):904–905. doi: 10.1038/274904a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Nicoll R. A., Eccles J. C., Oshima T., Rubia F. Prolongation of hippocampal inhibitory postsynaptic potentials by barbiturates. Nature. 1975 Dec 18;258(5536):625–627. doi: 10.1038/258625a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Peck E. J., Miller A. L., Lester B. R. Pentobarbital and synaptic high-affinity receptive sites for gamma-aminobutyric acid. Brain Res Bull. 1976 Nov-Dec;1(6):595–597. doi: 10.1016/0361-9230(76)90087-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Pierau F. K., Matheson G. K., Wurster R. D. Presynaptic action of beta(4-chlorophenyl)-gaba. Exp Neurol. 1975 Aug;48(2):343–351. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(75)90162-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Pierau F. K., Zimmermann P. Action of a GABA-derivative on postsynaptic potentials and membrane properties of cats' spinal motoneurones. Brain Res. 1973 May 17;54:376–380. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(73)90064-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Potashner S. J. Baclofen: effects on amino acid release and metabolism in slices of guinea pig cerebral cortex. J Neurochem. 1979 Jan;32(1):103–109. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1979.tb04516.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Ralston H. J., 3rd, Herman M. M. The fine structure of neurons and synapses in ventrobasal thalamus of the cat. Brain Res. 1969 Jun;14(1):77–97. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90032-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Ransom B. R., Barker J. L. Pentobarbital modulates transmitter effects on mouse spinal neurones grown in tissue culture. Nature. 1975 Apr 24;254(5502):703–705. doi: 10.1038/254703a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Snodgrass S. R. Use of 3H-muscimol for GABA receptor studies. Nature. 1978 Jun 1;273(5661):392–394. doi: 10.1038/273392a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Uchizono K. Characteristics of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the central nervous system of the cat. Nature. 1965 Aug 7;207(997):642–643. doi: 10.1038/207642a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES