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Updated: May 25, 2026

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
Estimation of baroreflex sensitivity during anesthesia induction with propofol.
Guadalupe Dorantes Mendez1, Federico Aletti, Nicola Toschi
1Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 23, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Propofol anesthesia bolus induction impacts autonomic nervous system control during surgery. It enhances cardiac baroreflex sensitivity, increasing heart period to compensate for reduced sympathetic activity affecting heart rate and blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Autonomic Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Physiology
Background:
- General anesthesia affects autonomic nervous system (ANS) control.
- Understanding the impact of anesthetic agents on cardiovascular regulation is crucial for patient safety.
- Propofol is a common anesthetic agent used for induction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze autonomic nervous system control and cardiac baroreflex sensitivity during general anesthesia.
- To evaluate the effects of propofol bolus induction on heart rate (HR) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) control.
- To investigate the baroreflex response to changes in ABP under propofol anesthesia.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of autonomic nervous system (ANS) control.
- Assessment of cardiac baroreflex sensitivity using two different methods.
- Monitoring of heart rate (HR) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) during general anesthesia with propofol induction.
Main Results:
- An increase in baroreflex gain in the LF band was observed.
- The baroreflex response showed a larger amplitude following transient ABP decrease.
- Propofol anesthesia blunted sympathetic action on heart rate and vascular resistance.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac baroreflex sensitivity is altered during propofol-induced general anesthesia.
- The baroreflex attempts to compensate for reduced sympathetic activity by increasing heart period.
- These findings provide insights into cardiovascular autonomic control during anesthesia.
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