Loss and recovery of consciousness during propofol anesthesia seem to be mediated by different mechanisms beyond the actual effect-site concentration of anesthetic drug. This eventual difference between dose response curves for loss of consciousness (LOC) and for recovery of consciousness (ROC) beyond hysteresis has received the name of neuronal inertia. We performed a volunteer-study comparing LOC and ROC curves, during a slow, steady-sate, stepped target controlled infusion of Propofol using Schnider's pharmacologic model. Our hypothesis is that, at steady-state conditions between plasma an effect-site concentration, there is still going to exist a difference between LOC and ROC, demonstrating the existence of neuronal inertia.
Loss and recovery of consciousness during propofol anesthesia seem to be mediated by different mechanisms beyond the actual effect-site concentration of anesthetic drug. This eventual difference between dose response curves for loss of consciousness (LOC) and for recovery of consciousness (ROC) beyond hysteresis has received the name of neuronal inertia. We performed a volunteer-study comparing LOC and ROC curves during a slow, steady-sate, stepped target controlled infusion of Propofol. Our hypothesis is that, at steady-state conditions between plasma an effect-site concentration, there is still going to exist a difference between LOC and ROC, demonstrating the existence of neuronal inertia.