Neural Network Mechanisms Underlying General Anesthesia: Cortical and Subcortical Nuclei
Yue Hu1 · Yun Wang1 · Lingjing Zhang1 · Mengqiang Luo1 · Yingwei Wang11 Department of Anesthesiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
Abstract
General anesthesia plays a significant role in modern medicine. However, the precise mechanism of general anesthesia remains unclear, posing a key scientific challenge in anesthesiology. Advances in neuroscience techniques have enabled targeted manipulation of specific neural circuits and the capture of brain-wide neural activity at high resolution. These advances hold promise for elucidating the intricate mechanisms of action of general anesthetics. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the role of cortical and subcortical nuclei in modulating general anesthesia, providing new evidence of cortico-cortical and thalamocortical networks in relation to anesthesia and consciousness. These insights contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the neural network mechanisms underlying general anesthesia.
Keywords
General anesthesia; Neural network; Cortex; Subcortical nuclei; Consciousness
