Effect of Anesthetics on Functional Connectivity of Developing Brain

Xu Chen; Xuemei Zheng; Jianghui Cai; Xiao Yang; Yonghong Lin; Mengjun Wu; Xiaofan Deng; Yong G Peng

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.853816

Effect of Anesthetics on Functional Connectivity of Developing Brain

Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Mar 11:16:853816. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.853816. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Xu Chen¹, Xuemei Zheng², Jianghui Cai¹, Xiao Yang³, Yonghong Lin⁴, Mengjun Wu⁵, Xiaofan Deng⁶, Yong G Peng⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
² School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
³ Department of Obstetrics, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁴ Department of Gynecology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁶ Center of Organ Transplantation, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
⁷ Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.

Abstract

The potential anesthetic neurotoxicity on the neonate is an important focus of research investigation in the field of pediatric anesthesiology. It is essential to understand how these anesthetics may affect the development and growth of neonatal immature and vulnerable brains. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has suggested that using anesthetics result in reduced functional connectivity may consider as core sequence for the neurotoxicity and neurodegenerative changes in the developed brain. Anesthetics either directly impact the primary structures and functions of the brain or indirectly alter the hemodynamic parameters that contribute to cerebral blood flow (CBF) in neonatal patients. We hypothesis that anesthetic agents may either decrease the brain functional connectivity in neonatal patients or animals, which was observed by fMRI. This review will summarize the effect and mechanism of anesthesia on the rapid growth and development infant and neonate brain with fMRI through functional connectivity. It is possible to provide the new mechanism of neuronal injury induced by anesthetics and objective imaging evidence in animal developing brain.

Keywords: anesthetic; functional connectivity; functional magnetic resonance imaging; neonatal; neurotoxicity; pediatric anesthesiology.

Publication types

Review