Intrinsic Organization of the Anesthetized Brain

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1020-12.2012
• Publication Date: 2012-08-01T18:06:15Z
• Authors: Zhifeng Liang; Jean King; Nanyin Zhang
• Keywords: Unconsciousness; Biological neural network; Human brain; Nerve net

The neural mechanism of unconsciousness has been a major unsolved question in neuroscience despite its vital role brain states like coma and anesthesia. existing literature suggests that connections, information integration, conscious are closely related. Indeed, alterations several important circuitries networks during unconscious conditions have reported. However, how the whole-brain network is topologically reorganized to support different patterns transfer remains unknown. Here we directly compared awake anesthetized rodents. Consistent with our previous report, rat was organized nontrivial manner conserved fundamental topological properties way similar human brain. Strikingly, these features were well maintained Local altered local properties. connectional strength between regions also considerably conditions. Interestingly, found long-distance connections not preferentially reduced condition, arguing against hypothesis loss characteristic unconsciousness. These findings collectively show integrity can be widely dissimilar physiologic while flexibly adapt new They illustrate governing principles intrinsic organization might represent characteristics healthy With unique spatial temporal scales resting-state fMRI, this study opened avenue for understanding (un)consciousness.