Effect of high dose isoflurane on cerebral blood flow in macaque monkeys

The effect of high dose isoflurane on cerebral blood flow (CBF) was investigated in adult macaque monkeys receiving 1% to 2% isoflurane with the pseudo continuous arterial-spin-labeling (pCASL) MRI technique. High concentration (2%) of isoflurane resulted in significant increase in the mean CBF of the global, cortical, subcortical regions and the regional CBF in all subcortical structures and most cortical structures (such as motor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, but not media prefrontal cortex). In addition, the changes of regional CBF in the affected regions correlated linearly with increasing isoflurane concentrations. The study demonstrates region-specific CBF abnormal increase in adult macaque monkeys under high dose (2%) isoflurane and suggests that the brain functionality in the corresponding structures may be affected and need to be taken consideration in either human or non-human primate neuroimaging studies.