In view of the paucity of information on the cerebral circulatory actions of barbiturates, ketamine and PCP (and analogs), in-vivo (microcirculatory) and in-vitro studies were undertaken.he latter may be important in the salutory actions of barbiturates in brain ischemia, head trauma and cerebrovasospasm. Unlike barbiturates, ketamine was found to exert spasmogenic actions on cerebral arteries, which may aid in explaining the inability of this anesthetic to be of therapeutic value in brain ischemia.