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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

A Volumetric Method for Quantification of Cerebral Vasospasm in a Murine Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Published on: July 28, 2018
Subarachnoid bupivacaine increases human cerebrospinal fluid concentration of serotonin
O Naesh1, I Hindberg, C Christiansen
1Department of Anesthesia, Frederiksberg Hospital, Denmark.
Background And Objectives:
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) has antinociceptive properties at the spinal level. Activation of descending serotonergic neurons or topically applied 5-HT at the spinal cord inhibits rostral spread of sensory information. Epidural anesthesia has been shown to increase 5-HT in plasma, and local anesthetics may interfere with 5-HT reuptake and metabolism. For these reasons, the action of subarachnoid local anesthetics on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 5-HT concentrations has been studied.
Methods:
Six volunteers received lumbar spinal anesthesia with 0.5% bupivacaine through subarachnoid catheters, and CSF and plasma 5-HT concentrations were determined radioenzymatically before and after anesthesia.
Results:
Plasma 5-HT was unchanged, but CSF 5-HT increased by 300% after bupivacaine administration (P < .02).
Conclusion:
Subarachnoid bupivacaine increases local 5-HT concentration. This may have implications for nociceptive gating as well as for local vasoregulation.
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