Windows to Consciousness: The Role of Fronto-Parietal Connectivity in Anesthesia-Induced Unconsciousness.
Current neuropharmacology May 15, 2025 Yuanyuan Ding, Shiya Liu, Kaixin Wang et al. 1 citation
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness by disrupting communication between the fronto-parietal networks, which are brain regions critical for attention, executive function, and cognitive control. This review synthesizes findings from functional neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies showing that loss of fronto-parietal connectivity underlies the transition from wakefulness to anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. The authors explain the mechanisms at both neuronal and molecular levels, and discuss how these insights advance understanding of the neural correlates of consciousness and could inform development of anesthetic agents with more targeted effects on conscious states. The review bridges consciousness research and anesthetic pharmacology, offering a framework for future studies on neural mechanisms controlling conscious state transitions.