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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
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Stereotactically-guided Ablation of the Rat Auditory Cortex, and Localization of the Lesion in the Brain
Published on: October 11, 2017
"Schrödinger's Rat": Testing Consciousness Under Anesthesia Alters Brain State and Neuronal Responses in Auditory
Aaron J Krom1,2,3,4,5,6, Lottem Bergman3,7, Yaniv Sela8
1Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, and Pain Management, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Nature and Science of Sleep
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Behavioral assessments can alter consciousness by increasing neuronal activity in the rat auditory cortex (A1) and perirhinal cortex (PrC). This effect varies with anesthetic agents, impacting anesthesia research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Assessing consciousness during anesthesia often involves stimulation, which may influence the state being measured.
- Cortical activity changes associated with these assessments are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of behavioral assessments on neuronal activity in the rat primary auditory cortex (A1) and perirhinal cortex (PrC).
Main Methods:
- Recorded neuronal spiking activity in rat A1 and PrC during anesthetic administration (propofol, remifentanil, ketamine, dexmedetomidine).
- Performed behavioral tests (righting reflex, pain withdrawal, etc.) and analyzed changes in neuronal firing rates before and after assessments.
Main Results:
- Behavioral tests significantly increased neuronal activity in A1 under propofol and dexmedetomidine, but not remifentanil or ketamine.
- A higher proportion of A1 neurons showed modulated firing compared to PrC neurons.
- Neuronal modulation varied depending on the anesthetic agent used.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral assessments can increase cortical neuronal activity, particularly in the A1, affecting the assessment of consciousness.
- The observed neuronal modulation differs between anesthetic agents, aligning with their clinical effects.
- Findings highlight the need to consider assessment-induced neuronal changes in anesthesia research.
