Measuring brain waves may help predict a patient’s response to anesthesia
Patterns of alpha oscillations are weaker in people who succumb easily to the drug propofol, study shows
DROPPING OUT Brain signals differ between people who are and aren’t susceptible to low doses of an anesthetic, a new study suggests. Before sedation, the alpha wave network (connections represented by colored lines) in some people was strong (left), suggesting that they would be more resistant to the drug propofol. During sedation, some people showed weaker networks (middle) as they succumbed to the drug. After the sedative wore off, alpha networks appeared similar among people (right).
Srivas Chennu