Role of Supramammillary Nucleus Glutamatergic Neurons in Modulating Consciousness Transitions during Propofol Anesthesia in Mice.
Anesthesiology October 1, 2025 Jia-Yan Li, Ye-Hui Wu, Yi-Han Wang et al.
Glutamatergic neurons in the supramammillary nucleus (SuM) help regulate consciousness under propofol anesthesia in mice. Their activity decreased before loss of consciousness and increased upon recovery. Chemogenetically ablating these neurons shortened induction time (from 150.1 ± 25.3 seconds to 97.3 ± 22.2 seconds) and prolonged recovery time (from 1,536.0 ± 422.8 seconds to 2,672.0 ± 1,048.0 seconds). Activating them had opposite effects. Optogenetic stimulation of SuM glutamatergic neurons or their projections to the medial septum induced behavioral arousal and cortical activation during anesthesia maintenance.