Dexmedetomidine and Neuroprotection in Children Undergoing General Anesthesia

The Effects of Dexmedetomidine on the Neurotoxicity From General Anesthesia Assessed by Plasma Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein

Neuroapoptosis is induced by the administration of anesthetic agents to the young brain. Recent studies showed that the a2-adrenoceptor agonist, dexmedetomidine plays a trophic role during development and is neuroprotective in several settings of neuronal injury in animals. We hypothesized that neuroprotective effect of dexmedetomidine would be associated with evidence of brain injury detected by elevation of plasma concentration of glial fibrillary acid protein in children undergoing general anesthesia.

GFAP measure

Inclusion Criteria:

• children undergoing general anesthesia longer than 3 hours

Exclusion Criteria:

• past history of anesthesia
• cardiopulmonary bypass
• preexisting neurocognitive dysfunction
• abnormalities of liver profile (aspartate transaminase > 40 unit/L, alanine aminotransferase > 40 unit/L)