Anesthesiology
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Studies in developing animals have shown that anesthetic agents can lead to neuronal cell death and learning disabilities when administered early in life. Development of human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons has provided a valuable tool for understanding the effects of anesthetics on developing human neurons. Unbalanced mitochondrial fusion and fission lead to various pathological conditions including neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to dissect the role of mitochondrial dynamics in propofol-induced neurotoxicity. ⋯ These data demonstrate for the first time that propofol-induced neurotoxicity occurs through a mitochondrial fission/mPTP-mediated pathway.