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Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics
Published on: July 23, 2020
Mechanism and Development of Modern General Anesthetics
Xiaoxuan Yang1, Anita Luethy2, Honghai Zhang3
1Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
Background:
Before October 1846, surgery and pain were synonymous but not thereafter. Conquering pain must be one of the very few strategies that has potentially affected every human being in the world of all milestones in medicine.
Methods:
This review article describes how various general anesthetics were discovered historically and how they work in the brain to induce sedative, hypnosis and immobility. Their advantages and disadvantages will also be discussed.
Results:
Anesthesia is a relatively young field but is rapidly evolving. Currently used general anesthetics are almost invariably effective, but nagging side effects, both short (e.g., cardiac depression) and long (e.g., neurotoxicity) term, have reawakened the call for new drugs.
Conclusion:
Based on the deepening understanding of historical development and molecular targets and actions of modern anesthetics, novel general anesthetics are being investigated as potentially improved sedative-hypnotics or a key to understand the mechanism of anesthesia.
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