Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia
General anesthesia is administered to millions of individuals each year, however, the precise mechanism by which it induces unconsciousness remains unclear. While some theories suggest that anesthesia shares similarities with natural sleep, targeting sleep-promoting areas and inhibiting arousal nucl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Pharmacological Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825000180 |
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| author | Yuxi Zhou Shiqian Huang Tianhao Zhang Daling Deng Li Huang Xiangdong Chen |
| author_facet | Yuxi Zhou Shiqian Huang Tianhao Zhang Daling Deng Li Huang Xiangdong Chen |
| author_sort | Yuxi Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | General anesthesia is administered to millions of individuals each year, however, the precise mechanism by which it induces unconsciousness remains unclear. While some theories suggest that anesthesia shares similarities with natural sleep, targeting sleep-promoting areas and inhibiting arousal nuclei, recent research indicates a more complex process. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of corticothalamocortical circuits, which are involved in higher cognitive functions, in controlling arousal states and modulating transitions between different conscious states during anesthesia. The administration of general anesthetics disrupts connectivity within these circuits, resulting in a reversible state of unconsciousness. This review elucidates how anesthetics impair corticothalamocortical interactions, thereby affecting the flow of information across various cortical layers and disrupting higher-order cognitive functions while preserving basic sensory processing. Additionally, the role of the prefrontal cortex in regulating arousal through both top-down and bottom-up pathways was examined. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between the cortical and subcortical networks in maintaining and restoring consciousness under anesthesia, offering potential therapeutic targets for enhancing anesthesia management. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43df495272d648d2a62c79c999e3400d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1096-1186 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacological Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-43df495272d648d2a62c79c999e3400d2025-02-08T04:59:45ZengElsevierPharmacological Research1096-11862025-02-01212107593Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesiaYuxi Zhou0Shiqian Huang1Tianhao Zhang2Daling Deng3Li Huang4Xiangdong Chen5Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation (Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China; Correspondence to: Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1277, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China.General anesthesia is administered to millions of individuals each year, however, the precise mechanism by which it induces unconsciousness remains unclear. While some theories suggest that anesthesia shares similarities with natural sleep, targeting sleep-promoting areas and inhibiting arousal nuclei, recent research indicates a more complex process. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of corticothalamocortical circuits, which are involved in higher cognitive functions, in controlling arousal states and modulating transitions between different conscious states during anesthesia. The administration of general anesthetics disrupts connectivity within these circuits, resulting in a reversible state of unconsciousness. This review elucidates how anesthetics impair corticothalamocortical interactions, thereby affecting the flow of information across various cortical layers and disrupting higher-order cognitive functions while preserving basic sensory processing. Additionally, the role of the prefrontal cortex in regulating arousal through both top-down and bottom-up pathways was examined. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between the cortical and subcortical networks in maintaining and restoring consciousness under anesthesia, offering potential therapeutic targets for enhancing anesthesia management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825000180General anesthesiaThalamocortical circuitCorticothalamic interactionElectroencephalogramNeural oscillations |
| spellingShingle | Yuxi Zhou Shiqian Huang Tianhao Zhang Daling Deng Li Huang Xiangdong Chen Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia Pharmacological Research General anesthesia Thalamocortical circuit Corticothalamic interaction Electroencephalogram Neural oscillations |
| title | Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| title_full | Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| title_fullStr | Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| title_short | Deciphering consciousness: The role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| title_sort | deciphering consciousness the role of corticothalamocortical interactions in general anesthesia |
| topic | General anesthesia Thalamocortical circuit Corticothalamic interaction Electroencephalogram Neural oscillations |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661825000180 |
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