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Abstract #2156

Thalamocortical Vs. Corticocortical Functional Connections During Propofol-Induced Anesthesia

Xiaolin Liu1, Barney D. Ward1, Shi-Jiang Li1, Anthony G. Hudetz2

1Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States

In this study, we examined whether the loss of consciousness in deep propofol sedation is more related to a direct action of the propofol on corticocortical functional connections or a disruption of thalamocortical interactions, of particular interest, the nonspecific thalamic network. We found that although the nonspecific functional connectivity was significantly diminished as the level of consciousness was reduced, functional connectivity between the cortical network nodes were not statistically altered during deep sedation and the subsequent recovery. These preliminary findings suggest that propofol-induced reduction in the level of consciousness is reflected by changes of the nonspecific thalamocortical connectivity rather than by changes of the corticocortical connections.

Keywords

accompanying accordance action address altered although among anatomic anatomical anesthesia anesthesiology anesthetics approaches best biophysics bold brain clustering cognition college combining comprehension computed connections connectivity conscious consciousness consideration constitute cortical count deep default defined defining definition diminished direct directly disruption divisions dramatic eight empirical evaluated evidence evidenced executive features findings fully functional general healthy hierarchical highlight human hypothesis hypothesize implicated implication included induced instantiated integrated integration integrative interactions interruption involved likewise loss maintain manually medical memory mild network networks nodes nonspecific nuclei observations package panel perceived persists pink preferential preliminary preserved presumably previous previously processing property question rather received recovers recovery reduced reduction reflected regain related relatively remove reported representative respectively revision science sedation seed series significantly software space squares stable statistically still structure studies subject suggest supporting suppressed system takes task theoretical understood verbal volunteers wakefulness ward whereas whether whole