Crucial Role of Iron in Anesthesia
Document Type
Review
Publication Date
12-1-2000
Description
Despite the consensus that glutamatergic and GABAergic imbalance is likely to be involved in anesthesia or coma, there is little known about molecular mechanisms of action of gaseous anesthetics. The target article by Smythies (1999) is engagingly analytical and insightful, proposing novel and testable hypotheses for the molecular mechanisms of action of anesthetics as well as for processes that may be involved in coma. The most creative and convincing of his hypotheses concerns the crucial role of iron in maintaining neural respiration and energy production as well as its involvement in synaptic plasticity. Smythies' paper is certain to stimulate new ideas and experiments on the molecular mechanisms of anesthesia and coma.
Citation Information
Kostrzewa, Richard M.. 2000. Crucial Role of Iron in Anesthesia. Psycoloquy. Vol.11 ISSN: 1055-0143