The synapse is a major site of general anesthetic action. Research is needed to understand how long-term structural and/or functional synaptic changes persist beyond the acute mechanisms of anesthetic action and enhance the risk of postoperative cognitive impairments, particularly in susceptible populations. We aim to understand how fundamental anesthetic mechanisms overlap with age, preexisting disease, and genetic variation to allow for safer use of existing anesthetic agents—as well as development of new ones.
Dendritic spines are critical for synaptic plasticity associated with learning and memory. Because alterations in spine number or shape are correlated with cognitive dysfunction in various...
Upstream of spine dynamics, anesthetics potently modulate synaptic activity to produce cell-type specific effects on synaptic structure and function; depression of...
Hyperexcitability is a prevalent feature of early Alzheimer Disease (AD), hastening cognitive decline and progression of disease. Variable expression of Naᵥ subtypes in specific neuronal...