['At the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), isoflurane potentiates GABA(A) receptor currents and inhibits NMDA receptor currents, and these actions may be important for producing anesthesia. However, isoflurane modulates GABA(A) receptors more potently than NMDA receptors. The objective of this study was to test whether isoflurane would function as a more potent NMDA receptor antagonist if its efficacy at GABA(A) receptors was decreased.', 'Prospective experimental study.', 'Fourteen 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 269 ± 12 g.', 'Indwelling lumbar subarachnoid catheters were surgically placed in isoflurane-anesthetized rats. Two days later, the rats were anesthetized with isoflurane, and artificial CSF containing either 0 or 1 mg kg(-1) picrotoxin, a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, was infused intrathecally at 1 μL minute(-1). The baseline isoflurane MAC was then determined using a standard tail clamp technique. MK801 (dizocilpine), an NMDA receptor antagonist, was then administered intravenously at 0.5 mg kg(-1). Isoflurane MAC was re-measured.', 'Picrotoxin increased isoflurane MAC by 16% compared to controls. MK801 significantly decreased isoflurane MAC by 0.72% of an atmosphere in controls versus 0.47% of an atmosphere in rats receiving intrathecal picrotoxin.'] Does gABA ( A ) receptor antagonism increase NMDA receptor inhibition by isoflurane at a minimum alveolar concentration?