A comparative evaluation of the neurotoxic properties of ketamine and nitrous oxide

The general anesthetics, nitrous oxide (N2O) and keramine, are NMDA antagon ists which, like other NMDA antagonists such as MK801, induce a neurotoxic reaction in the rat brain. For MK801 neurotoxicity, both age and sex are im portant variables (adult rats are more sensitive than immature rats and fem ales are more sensitive than males). In this study we found that ketamine h as this same age and sex dependency profile, and N2O has the same age but n ot sex dependency. Male and female rats are equally sensitive to N2O neurot oxicity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.