REGULATION OF RETINAL ACTIVITY IN AN EX-VIVO GUINEA PIG MODEL BY EFFECTS OF KETAMINE AND XYLAZINE ANESTHETICS

Abstract

Anesthetic agents are commonly used for their desired effects during procedures and experiments in humans and animal models. Additional effects on neuronal function and behavior are still widely unknown. This report investigated the effects of various concentrations of two commonly used veterinary anesthetics, ketamine and xylazine, on the retinal ganglion cell spiking activity of an ex-vivo guinea pig retina. There was a main effect of ketamine concentration on the mean ganglion cell spiking, with lower concentrations increasing the ratio of cell spiking and the highest concentration showing a decline in the ratio. This observed effect appears to influence RGCs differently based on their tonicity. Similarly, with xylazine we observed a main effect of concentration with an increased ratio at lower concentrations and a decline at the highest concentration. When drugs were co-administered there was an effect based on the cell’s tonicity.