Anesthesiology
-
WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: BACKGROUND:: Knockout of the mitochondrial protein Ndufs4 (Ndufs4[KO]) in mice causes hypersensitivity to volatile anesthetics but resistance to ketamine. The authors hypothesized that electrocorticographic changes underlying the responses of Ndufs4(KO) to volatile anesthetics and to ketamine would be similar in mutant and control mice. ⋯ Significant differences exist between the electrocorticographies of mutant and control mice at equipotent doses for volatile anesthetics and ketamine. The energetic state specifically of excitatory neurons determines the behavioral response to ketamine.