Behavioral Effects in Rats Following Massive Transfusion with Plasma Protein Solution.

Two groups of rats were exsanguinated and infused with Plasmanate 5 per cent solution of human plasma protein fraction by cannulating the right jugular veins. Hematocrit levels were determined periodically during transfusion until replacement levels of 50 per cent in one group and 70 per cent in the other were obtained. A simulated transfusion was performed on a sham control group. Our purposes for this study were to 1 compare the mean baseline score with the recovery scores for each rat and 2 determine the patterns of recovery. Behavioral effects of transfusion were measured by two behavioral tests the open-field test and the operant conditioning task. Results from our study indicate that significant treatment effects occurred on the first three days following transfusion and the effects of experimental treatment upon the subjects for all groups were dependent upon level of transfusion. The open-field test was not an effective means of measuring transfusion effects but the operant task appeared to be a reliable measure. Performance scores of the subjects were lowest immediately following transfusion however, they gradually returned to baseline levels by the tenth post-treatment day. Author