POWER SPECTRAL-ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC AND HEMODYNAMIC CORRELATES OF PROPOFOL ANESTHESIA IN THE RAT - INTRAVENOUS-INFUSION

Based on the tail-flick response to noxious thermal stimuli, we determ ined in the present study that effective antinociception could be achi eved in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats 15 min after intravenous infusi on of propofol at 60 mg/kg/h. Simultaneous power spectral analysis of the electroencephalographic (EEG) and systemic arterial pressure signa ls further revealed a concomitant depression of the activity of all EE G frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta), alongside hypotension, negative inotropic and chronotropic actions, and attenuated barorecept or reflex and vasomotor activity. These effects were congruent with a plasma concentration of propofol in the arterial blood of 1.70 +/- 0.1 3 mug/ml, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.