Exposure to anesthesia causes lipid clusters to move from an ordered state to a disordered one, then back again. These changes lead to subsequent effects that cause changes in consciousness.
Rodent studies reveal how general anesthesia dampens high-frequency brain activity by weakening synapses.
Researchers explain anesthetics cause certain brain areas to generate less information.
A new study reports children who received general anesthetic prior to the age of four had lower IQ, decreased gray matter density in posterior areas of the brain and diminished language comprehension.
A new study of brain cells from juvenile rats suggests the effects of a common anesthetic, isoflurane, on the connections between neurons are temporary.
Researchers discover the anesthetic drug isoflurane could help treat drug resistant depression.
Using laboratory mice, researchers show anesthesia's neurotoxic effects depend upon the age of the neurons in the brain and not the age of the animal undergoing anesthesia.