Granger Causality of the Electroencephalogram Reveals Abrupt Global Loss of Cortical Information Flow during Propofol-induced Loss of Responsiveness

ConclusionsPropofol-induced unresponsiveness is marked by a global decrease in information flow, greatest from the lateral frontal and prefrontal brain regions in a posterior and medial direction. Loss of information flow may be a useful measure of connected consciousness.Editor ’s PerspectiveWhat We Already Know about This TopicInformation flow between brain regions is commonly hypothesized as a necessary component in the generation of wakefulnessThe issue of how loss of consciousness alters this information flow is incompletely understoodGranger causality analysis of multichannel electroencephalogram recordings may provide a useful approach to study connectivity in the cerebral cortexWhat This Article Tells Us That Is NewIn healthy adult volunteers, propofol anesthesia –induced loss of consciousness was associated with an abrupt, substantial, and global decrease in connectivityThese changes are comparably reversed at regain of consciousnessThese observations suggest that information flow is an important indicator of wakefulness

Source: Anesthesiology - July 1, 2020 Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research