Abstract
Millions of newborn and infants receive anesthetic, sedative and analgesic drugs for surgery and painful procedures on a daily basis. However, recent laboratory reports clearly demonstrate that anesthetic and sedative drugs induced both neuroapoptosis and neurocognitive deficits in laboratory models. This issue is of paramount interest to pediatric anesthesiologists and intensivists because it questions the safety of anesthetics used for fetal and neonatal anesthesia. Most clinically utilized anesthetic drugs have been found to induce neuronal cell death in the developing brain and to potentially cause long-term neurological impairment. Conversely, painful stimuli without analgesia and anesthesia have been implicated in triggering neuro-apoptosis in juvenile mammalian models. Published retrospective reviews demonstrate temporary neurological sequelae after prolonged anesthetic exposure in young children and larger studies identify long-term neurodevelopmental impairment after neonatal surgery and anesthesia. This paper examines the evidence for the effects of commonly used anesthetics on neuronal structure and neurocognitive function in laboratory models and reviews the relevant clinical human epidemiologic data.
Keywords: Anesthesia, neonate, neuroapoptosis, neurocognition, neurotoxicity, sedative, neuronal cell death, neurodevelopmental impairment, infants, analgesic drugs
Current Drug Targets
Title:General Anesthetics in Pediatric Anesthesia: Influences on the Developing Brain
Volume: 13 Issue: 7
Author(s): Mary Ellen McCann and Sulpicio G. Soriano
Affiliation:
Keywords: Anesthesia, neonate, neuroapoptosis, neurocognition, neurotoxicity, sedative, neuronal cell death, neurodevelopmental impairment, infants, analgesic drugs
Abstract: Millions of newborn and infants receive anesthetic, sedative and analgesic drugs for surgery and painful procedures on a daily basis. However, recent laboratory reports clearly demonstrate that anesthetic and sedative drugs induced both neuroapoptosis and neurocognitive deficits in laboratory models. This issue is of paramount interest to pediatric anesthesiologists and intensivists because it questions the safety of anesthetics used for fetal and neonatal anesthesia. Most clinically utilized anesthetic drugs have been found to induce neuronal cell death in the developing brain and to potentially cause long-term neurological impairment. Conversely, painful stimuli without analgesia and anesthesia have been implicated in triggering neuro-apoptosis in juvenile mammalian models. Published retrospective reviews demonstrate temporary neurological sequelae after prolonged anesthetic exposure in young children and larger studies identify long-term neurodevelopmental impairment after neonatal surgery and anesthesia. This paper examines the evidence for the effects of commonly used anesthetics on neuronal structure and neurocognitive function in laboratory models and reviews the relevant clinical human epidemiologic data.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Ellen McCann Mary and G. Soriano Sulpicio, General Anesthetics in Pediatric Anesthesia: Influences on the Developing Brain, Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800675768
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800675768 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New drug therapy for eye diseases
Eyesight is one of the most critical senses, accounting for over 80% of our perceptions. Our quality of life might be significantly affected by eye disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, etc. Although the development of microinvasive ocular surgery reduces surgical complications and improves overall outcomes, medication therapy is ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Remote Control of Pulmonary Blood Flow
Current Cardiology Reviews Neonatology in the United States: Where we are, and where we are Going
Current Pediatric Reviews Congenital Malformations Attributed to Prenatal Exposure to Cyclophosphamide
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Current Pharmacologic Management of Pediatric Heart Failure in Congenital Heart Disease
Current Vascular Pharmacology Resuscitation of the Patient with the Functionally Univentricular Heart
Current Pediatric Reviews Interaction of the Heart and Lungs During Exercise: Physiology and Pathophysiology in Children with Congenital Heart Disease
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Genetic Disorders
Current Medicinal Chemistry Structural Chromosome Abnormalities Associated with Obesity: Report of Four New Subjects and Review of Literature
Current Genomics Pharmacological Manipulation of Peripheral Vascular Resistance in Single Ventricle Patients (Stages I, II, and III of Palliation)
Current Vascular Pharmacology Neurocognitive Monitoring and Care During Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass — Current and Future Directions
Current Cardiology Reviews Perinatal Management of Fetal Tumors
Current Pediatric Reviews Stem Cells as In Vitro Models of Disease
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Aetiology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Hydrops Foetalis
Current Pediatric Reviews Optic Nerve and Cerebral Edema in the Course of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Current Neuropharmacology Preoperative and Follow up Multi-Detector Row CT Angiography (MDCTA) in the Evaluation of Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA)
Current Medical Imaging Unfoldomics of Human Genetic Diseases: Illustrative Examples of Ordered and Intrinsically Disordered Members of the Human Diseasome
Protein & Peptide Letters Impact of Pulmonary Vascular Resistances in Heart Transplantation for Congenital Heart Disease
Current Cardiology Reviews Adenoid Hypertrophy, Craniofacial Growth and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Crucial Triad in Children
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Prediction and Prevention of Abnormal Antenatal Lung Growth
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Current Applications of Therapeutic Gases in Neonatal Intensive Care
Current Pediatric Reviews