Effects of atropine in the beagle dog measured by quantitative electroencephalography and regional cortical analysis

A treatment-by-subjects design was used to identify and characterize quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) changes, at rest and under stimulus conditions, in Beagle dogs given 3 dose levels of atropine sulfate. In general, total power, absolute delta and theta amplitudes increased, while relative beta contribution and spectral frequency 90 decreased, as increased levels of atropine were administered. Regional analysis of this qEEG dataset suggests cortical mapping and contour plot imaging can be done in the dog. Through statistical analysis and visual evaluation of regional patterns may be more acceptable for interpretation in regulatory toxicology studies until normative databases are developed.