AANA journal course: update for nurse anesthetists--blood-brain barrier function alteration during anesthesia

With some exceptions, the entire central nervous system (CNS) is encircled by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The function of the BBB is to sustain the CNS in a homeostatic environment. A variety of occurrences during an anesthetic have been shown to disrupt the BBB. Alterations of electrolytes or drugs in the systemic circulation at the time of a disruption in the BBB could result in an abnormal concentration of these molecules in the CNS leading to abnormal CNS neuronal transmissions which may manifest as both intraoperative or postoperative problems.