Effects of anesthesia on intermediary metabolism

Major inhalational anesthetics cause inhibition in the electron transport chain in the region of Complex I resulting in decreased oxygen utilization, inhibition of metabolism of NAD-linked substrates, but not of succinate, inhibition of mitochondrial calcium uptake, and depression of synaptic transmission because of postulated changes in ACh sensitivity or GABA inhibition. Many cellular metabolic effects in CNS and other tissues are secondary to the above. Many metabolic changes noted with anesthetics occur subsequent to activation of the sympathetic nervous system either directly by the anesthetic or by surgical stimulation in the presence of light anesthesia. Many important studies remain to be done.