Propofol Induction Reduces the Capacity for Neural Information Integration: Implications for the Mechanism of Consciousness and General Anesthesia
UnCheol Lee, Seunghwan Kim, Gyu‐jeong Noh, Byung‐moon Choi, George A. Mashour
Nature Precedings November 20, 2008 DOI: 10.1038/npre.2008.1244.2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Subjects undergoing induction of general anesthesia with propofol |
| Intervention | Propofol |
| Citations | 33 |
| Key findings | Propofol anesthesia reduced mean information integration capacity most prominently in the gamma band, and loss of consciousness was associated with a breakdown in the spatiotemporal organization of gamma waves, supporting the information integration theory of consciousness. |
Abstract
Abstract The cognitive unbinding paradigm suggests that the synthesis of cognitive information is attenuated by general anesthesia. Here, we investigated the functional organization of brain activities in the conscious and anesthetized states, based on characteristic functional segregation and integration of electroencephalography (EEG). EEG recordings were obtained from 14 subjects undergoing induction of general anesthesia with propofol. We quantified changes in mean information integration capacity in each band of the EEG. After induction with propofol, mean information integration capacity was reduced most prominently in the gamma band of the EEG (p=0.0001). Furthermore, we demonstrate that loss of consciousness is reflected by the breakdown of the spatiotemporal organization of gamma waves. Induction of general anesthesia with propofol reduces the capacity for information integration in the brain. These data directly support the information integration theory of consciousness and the cognitive unbinding paradigm of general anesthesia.