Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

General Anesthesia: Overview01:24

General Anesthesia: Overview

523
Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
523
Stages of General Anesthesia01:22

Stages of General Anesthesia

1.4K
Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
1.4K
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

525
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
525
Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects01:12

Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects

713
While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
713
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

916
Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
916
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

2.8K
When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Postanesthesia Apnea in Former Preterm Infants for Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: An Update of Risk Factors from an Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same author

The incidence of postoperative atelectasis following gastrointestinal procedures in pediatric population.

Perioperative care and operating room management·2025
Same author

Anesthesiology Clinical Trial Networks in the United States: A Report From the Anesthesia Research Council.

Anesthesia and analgesia·2025
Same author

Anesthesiology Clinical Trial Networks in the United States: A Report from the Anesthesia Research Council.

Anesthesiology·2025
Same author

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes after Multiple General Anesthetic Exposures before 5 Years of Age: A Cohort Study.

Anesthesiology·2025
Same author

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes After Multiple General Anaesthetic Exposure Before Five Years Of Age - A Cohort Study.

Anesthesiology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain
08:23

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain

Published on: May 12, 2018

9.8K

Does general anesthesia affect neurodevelopment in infants and children?

Mary Ellen McCann1,2, Sulpicio G Soriano1,2

  • 1Department of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|December 11, 2019
PubMed
Summary

General anesthesia may impact developing brains, causing neurodevelopmental issues in animal models. However, clinical evidence linking pediatric anesthesia to lasting neurocognitive deficits in children remains limited.

More Related Videos

Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity AIDN: A Translational Neuroscience Approach
06:38

Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity AIDN: A Translational Neuroscience Approach

Published on: June 11, 2017

11.6K
Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
08:49

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

Published on: October 16, 2013

14.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain
08:23

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain

Published on: May 12, 2018

9.8K
Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity AIDN: A Translational Neuroscience Approach
06:38

Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity AIDN: A Translational Neuroscience Approach

Published on: June 11, 2017

11.6K
Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
08:49

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

Published on: October 16, 2013

14.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Anesthesiology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • General anesthesia is linked to central nervous system developmental abnormalities and neurocognitive impairments in animal models.
  • Exposure to GABA agonists and NMDA antagonists can affect neuronal transmission and increase cell death in juvenile animals.
  • Concerns exist regarding the safety of pediatric anesthesia due to potential anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the existing evidence on the neurotoxicity of general anesthetics in developing brains.
  • To assess the potential risks and clinical implications of anesthetic exposure in pediatric patients.
  • To provide a balanced perspective on the safety of pediatric anesthesia.

Main Methods:

  • Review of in vitro and in vivo studies on anesthetic effects on neuronal systems.
  • Analysis of animal models (rats, mice, non-human primates) exposed to anesthetics.
  • Evaluation of clinical studies, including retrospective analyses of pediatric anesthesia exposure and neurocognitive outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Animal studies consistently show dose- and age-dependent effects of anesthetics on neuronal systems, increasing cell death.
  • Clinical observations in children include behavioral changes like emergence delirium post-anesthesia.
  • Retrospective clinical studies present conflicting evidence regarding the association between early anesthesia exposure and neurocognitive deficits.

Conclusions:

  • While animal models demonstrate anesthetic neurotoxicity potential, robust clinical evidence in children is scarce.
  • Current clinical data does not strongly support significant neurocognitive deficits resulting from pediatric anesthesia.
  • Practitioners and families can be reassured by the limited clinical evidence of anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity in children, despite theoretical risks.