We propose that the diversity of distinct functional patterns of the brain can be quantified by the variance explained by the first few principal components of regional voxel functional imaging signals. We report that propofol sedation is associated with a global reduction of repertoire of functional patterns. While sensory-processing-related and high-order cognitive-processing-related brain regions both showed a reduction during propofol sedation, it was the changes in the sensory-processing-related regions that correlated the loss and return of consciousness. The findings provided important insights into anesthetic modulation of different neuronal systems and the neural correlates of consciousness at the systems level.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.