title: The effect of desflurane on neuronal communication at a central synapse.
abstract: Although general anesthetics are thought to modify critical neuronal functions, their impact on neuronal communication has been poorly examined. We have investigated the effect induced by desflurane, a clinically used general anesthetic, on information transfer at the synapse between mossy fibers and granule cells of cerebellum, where this analysis can be carried out extensively. Mutual information values were assessed by measuring the variability of postsynaptic output in relationship to the variability of a given set of presynaptic inputs. Desflurane synchronized granule cell firing and reduced mutual information in response to physiologically relevant mossy fibers patterns. The decrease in spike variability was due to an increased postsynaptic membrane excitability, which made granule cells more prone to elicit action potentials, and to a strengthened synaptic inhibition, which markedly hampered membrane depolarization. These concomitant actions on granule cells firing indicate that desflurane re-shapes the transfer of information between neurons by providing a less informative neurotransmission rather than completely silencing neuronal activity.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Mapelli
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze del Sistema Nervoso e del Comportamento, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Gandolfi
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Giuliani
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors: Francesco P
authors: FP
authors: Prencipe
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Pellati
authors: Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Barbieri
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze del Sistema Nervoso e del Comportamento, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Brain Connectivity Center, C. Mondino National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Egidio
authors: E
authors: D'Angelo
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors: Albertino
authors: A
authors: Bigiani
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000077335:Desflurane; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000077335:Desflurane; D007530:Isoflurane