Changes in brain activation during sedation induced by dexmedetomidine

OBJECTIVE: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has been widely used as a sedative, acting as an α2-adrenergic agonist on autoreceptors, presynaptic receptors and postsynaptic receptors without risk of respiratory depression. Although consciousness impairment is closely related to disturbances of brain function in different frequency bands, the time-varying DEX effects on cortical activity in specific frequency bands has not yet been studied. METHODS: We used electroencephalography (EEG) to analyse differences in cerebral cortex activity between the awake and sedated states, using electromagnetic tomography (standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA)) to localize multiple channel scalp recordings of cerebral electric activity to specific brain regions. RESULTS: The results revealed increased activity in the cuneus at delta-band frequencies, and in the posterior cingulate cortex at theta frequencies, during awake and sedated states induced by DEX at specific frequency bands. Differences in standardized low resolution cingulate gyrus were found in beta1 frequencies (13–18 Hz), and in the cuneus at gamma frequencies. CONCLUSION: Cerebral cortical activity was significantly altered in various brain areas during DEX sedation, including parts of the default mode network and common midline core in different frequency ranges. These alterations may elucidate the mechanisms underlying DEX sedation.