General anesthetics (GA) have been used in surgery for over 170 years. However, their regulatory roles and mechanisms in the process of general anesthesia have not been completely understood, especially, how general anesthetics cause a reversible loss of consciousness has been a long-standing mystery. The former research of GA’s role in anesthesia was focused on searching the critical molecules which could be controlled by GA during general anesthesia, such as GABAA receptors and NMDA receptors. These molecules can’t be affected by all kinds of GA and they even played different roles in different brain regions during GA-mediated consciousness change.
Studying Neural circuits underlying GA-mediated consciousness changes has recently become the focus of understanding the mechanisms of general anesthesia. It is reported that dynamic modulations of the thalamocortical loop, cortical fragmentation and sleep-arousal network have played important roles in the regulation of general anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. However, little was known about which nuclei and types of neurons in these brain regions are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes. Studies on neural circuits may help us learn more about GA’s overall influence on the brain, as well as the possible essential neuronal pathways or circuits in general anesthesia, allowing us to piece together a complete picture of the mechanism of GA-mediated consciousness changes.
In this Research Topic, we aim to study the neural circuit formation and alternations associated with GA-mediated consciousness changes, as well as to identify nuclei and brain regions that are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes. This Research Topic focuses on animal research.
We welcome the following directions:
- The key nucleus in the thalamocortical network is essential for GA-mediated consciousness changes.
- The possible different roles of sleep-arousal neural circuits in general anesthesia.
- Identify brain regions and neural circuits that are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes
- Which types of neurons play critical roles in general anesthesia in these neural circuits.
General anesthetics (GA) have been used in surgery for over 170 years. However, their regulatory roles and mechanisms in the process of general anesthesia have not been completely understood, especially, how general anesthetics cause a reversible loss of consciousness has been a long-standing mystery. The former research of GA’s role in anesthesia was focused on searching the critical molecules which could be controlled by GA during general anesthesia, such as GABAA receptors and NMDA receptors. These molecules can’t be affected by all kinds of GA and they even played different roles in different brain regions during GA-mediated consciousness change.
Studying Neural circuits underlying GA-mediated consciousness changes has recently become the focus of understanding the mechanisms of general anesthesia. It is reported that dynamic modulations of the thalamocortical loop, cortical fragmentation and sleep-arousal network have played important roles in the regulation of general anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. However, little was known about which nuclei and types of neurons in these brain regions are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes. Studies on neural circuits may help us learn more about GA’s overall influence on the brain, as well as the possible essential neuronal pathways or circuits in general anesthesia, allowing us to piece together a complete picture of the mechanism of GA-mediated consciousness changes.
In this Research Topic, we aim to study the neural circuit formation and alternations associated with GA-mediated consciousness changes, as well as to identify nuclei and brain regions that are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes. This Research Topic focuses on animal research.
We welcome the following directions:
- The key nucleus in the thalamocortical network is essential for GA-mediated consciousness changes.
- The possible different roles of sleep-arousal neural circuits in general anesthesia.
- Identify brain regions and neural circuits that are responsible for GA-mediated consciousness changes
- Which types of neurons play critical roles in general anesthesia in these neural circuits.