During galactosamine-induced acute liver failure in white male Wistar rats, EEG was recorded at regular intervals. Spectral analysis was done as described by Kropveld and co-workers in 1983. The specificity of the anomalies in the power-density spectra is tested by comparing the changing patterns with those caused by several pharmaceutical agents – ether, diazepam, pentobarbital. Quantification of the observed anomalies is discussed.
The Doppler radar device which is described here is shown to be a reliable and accurate device to quantify the liveliness of an experimental rat. During recording the animal did not seem to be disturbed in any way by the device. It could stay in its normal cage, move freely, walk around and eat and drink ad libitum. Measurement did not require extra light, sound or other stimuli. Interpretation of the data was easy. The computer which samples the Doppler radar output signal generates activity curves which were easily interpreted for different ranges of vitality, varying between high liveliness and apnoea or cardiac arrest. The apparatus is low priced, and simple to build and use.
The experimental setup, including instrumentation and software packaging, is described for the use of a minicomputer as an on-line analyzing system of the EEG in rats. Complete fast Fourier transformation of the EEG sampled in 15 episodes of 10 s each is plotted out within 7 min after the start of registration of the EEG signal. The influence of high voltage spikes, spindles and baseline drift on the power density spectrum is shown and a method of clipping is presented that excludes these kinds of artefacts. The normalized standard error of the power density estimate is determined by the smoothing procedure and is at maximum 26%.
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