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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
Water as a complex system: its role in ligand diffusion, general anesthesia, and sleep
1Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU Life Sciences, Suite 111, 1000 West Cary Street, P.O. Box 842030, Richmond, VA 23284-2030, USA. lbkier@vcu.edu
Abstract:
The work and inspiration of Robert Rosen is stated and expressed in personal tones. The concept of passages through water (H2O) near protein surfaces is reviewed in terms of its influence on ligand diffusion to an effector. This is offered as a target for interference by a non-specific general anesthetic agent. In view of the similarities between this anesthetic state and sleep, this mechanism is proposed to be operative for the sleep/wake states. Based on this mechanism and other factors, nitrogen (N2) is proposed as an exogenous sleep factor.
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