Effects of anesthetic agents on the adrenocortical system of female baboons

Abstract

Invasive surgical procedures are often used to study the reproductive and adrenocortical endocrine systems in primates. Anesthetic agents must, therefore, be used that have the least confounding effects on these systems. The present study was designed to characterize various adrenocortical endocrine responses of female baboons (Papw anubis), each treated for 120 minutes with an infusion of ketamine HC1 (6 mg/min) in 5% dextrose in water (0.40 mumin), a combination of ketamine and acetylpromazine (0.6 mg acetylpromazine and 6 mg ketamine HCllmin) in 5% dextrose in water, or inhalation of vaporized halothane (1.0% halothane, NzO 25%, 1 litedmin; 0 2 75%, 3 liters/min). Blood samples were collected throughout the treatment period, and serum was assayed for prolactin (PRL), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS), and cortisol (F). No significant elevations in DHA, F, or PRL concentrations were found following infusion of ketamine alone. Only serum DHAS concentrations were significantly altered after long-term exposure to ketamine. Acetylpromazine increased PRL concentrations tenfold to levels significantly greater than those in ketamine-and halothane-treated animals but had no effect on serum DHA, DHAS, or F. Treatment with halothane had no effect on serum PRL, DHA, or DHAS but did suppress F (> 40%) concentrations over time.These data indicate that ketamine is best suited for the collection of biological samples when deep analgesia is not required but that halothane is preferable in the latter situation.

Long‐term effects of prenatal stress on HPA axis activity in juvenile rhesus monkeys

“…Previous results have shown similar effects, that is, that exposure to a novel room may produce near maximum cortisol values in macaques (Clarke, Mason, & Moberg, 1988). While ketamine alone does not appear to activate the HPA axis in nonhuman primates (Walker, Pepe, Garnett, & Albrecht, 1987), hormonal values from most of the anesthesia samples were similar to those obtained following the stress conditions. This result indicates that the stress of capture, injection and disorientation prior to anesthesia likely produces HPA axis activation (Sapolsky, 1982).…”

Behavioral and adrenocortical responses of rhesus macaque mothers to infant separation in an unfamiliar environment

“…Studies have demonstrated that, in the short term, ketamine does not elevate cortisol levels above those typically found in response to handling and restraint (e.g. ELVIDGE et al, 1976;FULLER et al, 1984;WALKER et al, 1987), although the long term response to ketamine anesthesia may be a rise in cortisol (CROCKETT et al, 1993). It is possible that the delays associated with sampling during the Preseparation and Postseparation conditions resulted in a diminution of the inhibition of cortisoi increases.…”

Characterization of prolactin secretion in gray wolves (Canis lupus)

“…Ketamine anesthesia had no effect on PRL levels in female baboons (Walker et al 1987), but it increased levels in male (Puri et al 1981) and female (Quadri et al 1978) rhesus monkeys. Ketamine had no effect on basal secretion of PRL in rats (Matzen et al 1987).…”