Species variation and the mechanism of pressure–anaesthetic interactions

ABSTRACT The mechanism of general anaesthesia has proved difficult to elucidate (see ref. 1 for a review), although the relative potencies of anaesthetic agents have been used to establish

that the site at which anaesthetics act is hydrophobic in nature2. One further clue to their mode of action is that the effects of anaesthetics on vertebrates can be eliminated by pressures

of ∼100 atm (refs 3, 4). However, the effects of anaesthetics are not always reversed in model systems, where there is evidence that the pattern of pressure reversal varies

significantly5–10. We now find that pressure fails to reverse the effects of anaesthetics on the freshwater shrimp (_Gammarus pulex_), although the sensitivity of these crustaceans to

anaesthetics is comparable with that of higher animals. This is hard to reconcile with traditional bio-physical mechanisms and indicates that anaesthetics may act at a specific protein site

rather than having a general effect on cell membranes. The pharmacology of pressure in mammals seems to be more similar to that of strychnine than of any other central stimulant11. As

glycine, whose action is blocked by strychnine, is absent as a neurotransmitter in the arthropod central nervous system, we believe that this substance may be involved in determining

pressure–anaesthetic interactions in vertebrates. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS

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institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS THE POWER STRUGGLE: ASSESSING INTERACTING GLOBAL CHANGE STRESSORS VIA

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON SHARKS Article Open access 16 November 2020 ION REGULATION AT GILLS PRECEDES GAS EXCHANGE AND THE ORIGIN OF VERTEBRATES Article 19 October 2022 LARGE SIZE IN AQUATIC

TETRAPODS COMPENSATES FOR HIGH DRAG CAUSED BY EXTREME BODY PROPORTIONS Article Open access 28 April 2022 REFERENCES * Franks, N. P. & Lieb, W. R. _Nature_ 300, 487–493 (1982). Article 

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Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * W. D. M. Paton: Department of Pharmacology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Physical Chemistry

Laboratory, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK E. B. Smith, F. Bowser-Riley, S. Daniels, I. T. Dunbar, C. B. Harrison & W. D. M. Paton Authors * E. B. Smith View author publications

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RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Smith, E., Bowser-Riley, F., Daniels, S. _et al._ Species variation and the mechanism of

pressure–anaesthetic interactions. _Nature_ 311, 56–57 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/311056a0 Download citation * Received: 13 March 1984 * Accepted: 12 June 1984 * Issue Date: 06

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