Jean-Pierre G Changeux1. 1. Collège de France and Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. changeux@noos.fr
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Can a general anesthetic binding to its membrane receptors alter global brain activity to cause loss of consciousness? RECENT FINDINGS: The identification of the neurobiological mechanisms of conscious processing in awake patients that are altered by general anesthetics and the atomic structure of the general anesthetic's binding site. SUMMARY: An important feature of general anesthesia is a preferential inhibition of global feedback connectivity when general anesthetics bind to allosteric sites of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors present in the cerebral cortex.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Can a general anesthetic binding to its membrane receptors alter global brain activity to cause loss of consciousness? RECENT FINDINGS: The identification of the neurobiological mechanisms of conscious processing in awake patients that are altered by general anesthetics and the atomic structure of the general anesthetic's binding site. SUMMARY: An important feature of general anesthesia is a preferential inhibition of global feedback connectivity when general anesthetics bind to allosteric sites of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors present in the cerebral cortex.
Authors: Jonathan M Labriola; Akash Pandhare; Michaela Jansen; Michael P Blanton; Pierre-Jean Corringer; John E Baenziger Journal: J Biol Chem Date: 2013-03-05 Impact factor: 5.157