title: Influence of general anaesthesia on the brainstem.
abstract: The exact role of the brainstem in the control of body functions is not yet well known and the same applies to the influence of general anaesthesia on brainstem functions. Nevertheless in all general anaesthesia the anaesthesiologist should be aware of the interaction of anaesthetic drugs and brainstem function in relation to whole body homeostasis. As a result of this interaction there will be changes in consciousness, protective reflexes, breathing pattern, heart rate, temperature or arterial blood pressure to name a few. Brainstem function can be explored using three different approaches: clinically, analyzing changes in brain electric activity or using neuroimaging techniques. With the aim of providing the clinician anaesthesiologist with a global view of the interaction between the anaesthetic state and homeostatic changes related to brainstem function, the present review article addresses the influence of anaesthetic drug effects on brainstem function through clinical exploration of cranial nerves and reflexes, analysis of electric signals such as electroencephalographic changes and what it is known about brainstem through the use of imaging techniques, more specifically functional magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Parc de Salut Mar (PSM), Barcelona, España. Electronic address: laiaboschduran@gmail.com.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Parc de Salut Mar (PSM), Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández-Candil
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Sección de Neurofisiología Clínica; Parc de Salut Mar (PSM), Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: León
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación; Hospital CLINIC de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Gambús
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D018681:Anesthetics, General / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003243:Consciousness / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003943:Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D059906:Neuroimaging; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D018681:Anesthetics, General; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
keywords: Anaesthesia; Anestesia; Brainstem; Cranial nerves; Exploración neurológica; Funciones vitales; Neurological examination; Pares craneales; Propofol; Reflejo; Reflex; Tronco encefálico; Vital functions