Nitrous oxide, the least potent inhalation anesthetic, is widely used for conscious sedation. Recently, it has been reported that the occurrence of anesthetic-induced loss of consciousness decreases the interconnection between brain regions, resulting in brain network changes. However, few studies have investigated these changes in conscious sedation using nitrous oxide. Therefore, the present...
Integration of neural information could be considered a crucial element in maintaining consciousness. Although consciousness is usually maintained during sedation, strictly speaking, the sedative state is different from consciousness. Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been used widely to sedate patients for dental procedures. However, its mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze...
Although functional connectivity has received considerable attention in the study of consciousness, few studies have investigated functional connectivity limited to the sedated state where consciousness is maintained but impaired. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in functional connectivity of the parietal-frontal network resulting from nitrous oxide-induced sedation, and...