Designer receptor manipulations reveal a role of the locus coeruleus noradrenergic system in isoflurane general anesthesia.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms driving emergence from general anesthesia are not well understood. The noradrenergic brain nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) modulates arousal and may have effects on general anesthetic state. Using virally delivered designer receptors to specifically control LC norepinephrine (NE) neurons, we investigated the causal relationship between LC-NE activity and general anesthetic state under isoflurane. Selective activation of LC-NE neurons produced cortical electroencephalography (EEG) activation under continuous deep isoflurane anesthesia. Specifically, LC-NE activation reduced burst suppression in EEG and drove a rightward shift in peak EEG frequency with reduced δ EEG power and increased θ EEG power, measures of cortical arousal. LC-NE activation also accelerated behavioral emergence

SUBMITTER: Vazey EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3956184 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature