Amnesic Concentrations of the Nonimmobilizer 1,2-Dichlorohexafluorocyclobutane (F6, 2N) and Isoflurane Alter Hippocampal θ Oscillations In Vivo

Abstract

TEMPORARY amnesia is one of the essential and desirable elements of the anesthetic state. The cellular and circuit-level mechanisms by which general anesthetics prevent memory formation are not understood. For volatile agents, amnesia is achieved at drug concentrations that are typically one quarter to one half the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) that produces immobility in humans1,2 and in rodents.3,4 Although conventional volatile anesthetics can differ in their amnesic potency relative to MAC,5,6 there is also a class of drugs termed nonimmobilizers that induces amnesia but not immobility.7