Dexmedetomidine Preserves Activity of Neurons in Primary Somatosensory Cortex Compared to Propofol and Ketamine

General anesthesia has been shown to induce significant changes in the functional connectivity of the cerebral cortex. However, traditional methods such as electroencephalography (EEG) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) lack the spatial resolution to study the effects of general anesthesia on individual cortical neurons. This study aimed to use high-resolution two-photon imaging, which can provide single-neuron resolution, to investigate the characteristics of consciousness under general anesthesia. We used C57BL/6J and Thy1-GCamp6s mice and found that at similar levels of sedation, as measured by EEG, dexmedetomidine did not significantly inhibit the spontaneous activity of neuronal somata in the S1 cortex, but preserved the frequency of calcium events in neuronal spines. In contrast, propofol and ketamine dramatically inhibited the spontaneous activity of both neuronal somata and spines. The S1 cortex still responded to whisker stimulation under dexmedetomidine anesthesia, but not under propofol or ketamine anesthesia. Our results suggest that dexmedetomidine anesthesia has unique neuronal properties associated with its ability to facilitate easy awakening in the clinic. These findings provide insights into the development of more effective strategies for monitoring consciousness during general anesthesia.