What is the mechanism of action of dissociative anesthetics?

Dissociative anesthetics work primarily by inducing a cataleptoid state, which is characterized by a dissociation between perception and the environment. In this state, the patient appears awake but does not respond to external stimuli and has a lack of awareness of their environment. This is often accompanied by muscle rigidity, a unique feature of dissociative anesthesia, which differentiates it from other anesthetic drugs.

When a patient is placed under the influence of a dissociative anesthetic, such as ketamine, it alters the sensory pathways in the brain and creates profound analgesia, disorientation, and amnesia without necessarily leading to complete unconsciousness. The muscle rigidity observed can serve to stabilize the body during procedures, which is useful in veterinary practice.

The other options describe effects that are not characteristic of dissociative anesthetics: Increasing heart rate and blood pressure is not a primary action; enhancing the effects of opioids refers more to adjuvant analgesics than to the mechanism of dissociatives; and significant respiratory depression does not typically occur with dissociative anesthetics, as they are known to preserve airway reflexes and respiratory function compared to other general anesthetics. Therefore, the correct choice reflects the key feature of dissociative anest