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If the brain is put to sleep during deep anesthesia, not all its functions are activated immediately after waking up. American scientists conducted a study in 2021, the results of which turned out to be surprising. However, doctors were only surprised at first to discover which areas of the human mind wake up first.
- American scientists have investigated how quickly the human brain wakes up after deep sleep, e.g. during general anesthesia of the body
- It turned out that not all brain functions come back to life immediately. The abstract ability to solve problems is the first to awaken
- Full recovery from anesthesia takes about three hours
- More important information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page
The human brain is perhaps the most enigmatic part of the body. How it functions, changes and responds to various stimuli has been a topic of research by scientists for decades. This time American doctors decided to check how quickly and how the brain comes to life after deep sleep, for example during general anesthesia. The results of the study were first published in May 2021 in the scientific journal “eLife” — reports sciencealert.com.
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Abstract thinking woke up first
The study used a group of 30 healthy adults who were anesthetized for three hours, and the same number of healthy adults who were not anesthetized and acted as a control. It turned out that upon awakening, the brain switches back to operating mode, but not in all areas, just one section at a time. The first to appear are abstract problem-solving abilities, supported by the prefrontal cortex. Other areas of the brain, such as those that manage reaction time and attention, need more time.
“Although it seemed surprising at first, it makes sense in evolutionary terms that higher cognitive abilities must come back to life early” — said anesthesiologist Max Kelz of the University of Pennsylvania. — “For example, if someone were to wake up to an emergency, structures like the prefrontal cortex would be important in categorizing the situation and generating an action plan.”
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The brain wakes up after anesthesia in about 3 hours
Various methods have been used to measure what is happening in the brain, including electroencephalographic (EEG) scans and cognitive tests before and after waking up. These tests measured reaction speed, memory, and other skills.
By analyzing the EEG readings, the researchers noticed that the frontal areas of the brain — where functions including problem solving, memory and motor control are located — they became especially active as the brain began to regenerate.
Comparison with the control group showed that it took the anesthetized people about three hours to fully recover.
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The human brain is immune to disturbances
The researchers also checked whether the experience negatively affected sleep quality in the subjects, but there was no such effect. «This suggests that a healthy human brain is immune, even with prolonged exposure to deep anesthesia» — said anesthesiologist Michael Avidan of Washington University.
The study found that some cognitive impairment that is often observed for days or even weeks in recovery from anesthesia after surgery (such as delirium) may be attributed to factors other than the sustained effects of anesthetics on the brain.
The latest discoveries can not only help in the treatment and care of patients — for example, after major anesthesia surgery — but also in a better understanding of the brain by scientists and its response to disturbances.
“How the brain emerges from unconscious states is clinically important, but also gives us insight into the neural foundations of consciousness itself” — said anesthesiologist George Mashour of the University of Michigan.
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