Halothane Depresses Glutamatergic Neurotransmission to Brain Stem Inspiratory Premotor Neurons in a Decerebrate Dog Model

Background: Inspiratory bulbospinal neurons in the caudal ventral medulla are premotor neurons that drive phrenic motoneurons and ultimately the diaphragm. Excitatory drive to these neurons is mediated by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and [alpha]-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) receptors and modulated by an inhibitory [gamma]-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA)ergic input. The authors investigated the effect of halothane on these synaptic mechanisms in decerebrate dogs.

Methods: Studies were performed in decerebrate, vagotomized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated dogs during hypercapnic hyperoxia. The effect of 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) halothane on extracellularly recorded neuronal activity was measured during localized picoejection of the GABAA receptor blocker bicuculline and the glutamate agonists AMPA and NMDA. Complete blockade of the GABAAergic mechanism by bicuculline allowed differentiation between the effects of halothane on overall GABAAergic inhibition and on overall glutamatergic excitation. The neuronal responses to exogenous AMPA and NMDA were used to estimate the anesthetic effect on postsynaptic glutamatergic neurotransmission.

Results: Halothane, 1 MAC, depressed the spontaneous activity of 21 inspiratory neurons by 20.6 +/- 18.0% (mean +/- SD;P = 0.012). Overall glutamatergic excitation was depressed 15.4 +/- 20.2% (P = 0.001), while overall GABAAergic inhibition did not change. The postsynaptic responses to exogenous AMPA and NMDA were also depressed by 18.6 +/- 35.7% (P = 0.03) and 22.2 +/- 26.2% (P = 0.004), respectively.