Variation in barbiturate sleeping time in mice 3. Strain × environment interactions

Abstract

SummaryEnvironmental factors such as diet, bedding material and temperature at the time of testing affected a 'model' pharmacological response -pentobarbitone sleeping time -differentially in a range of inbred strains. These results are probably explained by variations in the responses of the strains to constituents of the diets and bedding materials used in the experiments. Differences in the results between experiments suggest that there are also fluctuations in the composition of the diets and bedding materials over time. Strain X environment interactions such as those found here may explain differences in strain rankings between experiments. They would also account for some of the variability in results found between laboratories and within a laboratory over time. Keywords: Mice; Sleep; Barbiturates; Environment; GeneticsA large proportion of the total variation in pentobarbitone sleeping time (PST) in a sample of 23 inbred strains of mice was caused by genetic differences between the strains (Lovell, 1986a). PST was also affected by factors such as the age of the animal and the dose revel (Lovell, 1986b). These results showed that PST was a 'model' in vivo pharmacological test which could be carried out quickly and conveniently on large numbers of animals at the same time so that complex experimental designs could be used.

CNS pharmacological effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of Sida cordifolia L. leaves

“…The results showed that the animals treated with HESc did not present any alteration in latency and sleep time. According to Lovell (1986), the animals' response in this model can be affected by environmental (diet, temperature and bedding material) and genetic factors. However, the depressive activity of HESc in mice was better evidenced by the decrease of ambulation in spontaneous locomotion and openfield tests.…”

Genetic determinants of sensitivity to pentobarbital in inbred mice

“…A few similar studies with barbiturates are reviewed in Broadhurst (1978). In a series of studies, Lovell (1986aLovell ( , 1986bLovell ( , 1986c demonstrated that strain differences in PB-induced loss of righting reflex interacted with environmental variables such as ambient temperature, bedding composition and diet. However, in nearly all of the older literature, only righting reflex was tested, and drug levels were not measured, so strain differences (and their interactions) may have been pharmacokinetic in origin.…”

Test-retest reproducibility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in healthy mice at 7-Tesla: effect of anesthetic procedures

“…Differences in the cardiovascular effects of various anesthetic drugs are well known. Pentobarbital is a common short-acting barbiturate used for rodent anesthesia that induces different sleep times depending on mice strain, age, and sex 10 . It produces marked respiratory depression and heterogeneous cardiovascular effects depending on the animal species, dose used and expected duration of anesthesia.…”