General anesthesia is widely used in various clinical practices due to its ability to cause loss of consciousness. However, the exact mechanism of anesthesia-induced unconsciousness remains unclear.It is generally thought that arousal-related brain nuclei are involved. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is closely associated with sleep arousal. Here, we explore the role of the 5-HT system in anesthetic awakening through pharmacological interventions and optogenetic techniques. Our data showed that exogenous administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and optogenetic activation of 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) could signi cantly shorten the emergence time of sevo urane anesthesia in mice, suggesting that regulation of the 5-HT system using both endogenous and exogenous approaches could mediate delayed emergence. In addition, we rst discovered that the different 5-HT receptors located in the DR, known as 5-HT autoreceptors, are essential for the regulation of general anesthetic awakening, with 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A/C receptors playing a regulatory role. These results can provide a reliable theoretical basis as well as potential targets for clinical intervention to prevent delayed emergence and some postoperative risks.New Century 131 outstanding young talent plan top-level of Hang Zhou to HHZ. Zhejiang Health Science and Technology Plan (Grant.NO:2022KY248) to XiaoLing Liu.

Generation of the unconsciousness associated with arousal during the initial stage of anesthesia by midazolam is critical for general anesthesia, however, the exact mechanism remains unknown. Here, firstly, we found that the destruction of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LCNE) could prolong the emergence time of midazolam-induced anesthesia. Secondly, the same results were found by activation of the noradrenergic pathway between the LC and the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) using optogenetics and chemogenetics approaches, respectively. Thirdly, this effect was mediated by alpha 1 and beta adrenergic receptors rather than alpha2 adrenergic receptors in the VLPO. Moreover, the noradrenergic pathway to modulate the arousal between the LC and VLPO was controlled by GABAA receptors in the LC and VLPO in our models. Our data demonstrate that activation of the NEergic pathway between the LC and VLPO can promote arousal to prevent delayed recovery from midazolam-induced anesthesia.

General anesthesia is widely used in various clinical practices due to its ability to cause loss of consciousness. However, the exact mechanism of anesthesia-induced unconsciousness remains unclear. It is generally thought that arousal-related brain nuclei are involved. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is closely associated with sleep arousal. Here, we explore the role of the 5-HT system in anesthetic awakening through pharmacological interventions and optogenetic techniques. Our data showed that exogenous administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and optogenetic activation of 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) could significantly shorten the emergence time of sevoflurane anesthesia in mice, suggesting that regulation of the 5-HT system using both endogenous and exogenous approaches could mediate delayed emergence. In addition, we first discovered that the different 5-HT receptors located in the DR, known as 5-HT autoreceptors, are essential for the regulation of general anesthetic awakening, with 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A/C receptors playing a regulatory role. These results can provide a reliable theoretical basis as well as potential targets for clinical intervention to prevent delayed emergence and some postoperative risks.