Abstract #4523

Microstructural and structural connectivity alterations in dexmedetomidine-induced loss of consciousness

Timo Roine^1,2, Oskari Kantonen³, Jaakko Langsjö^3,4, Kimmo Kaskinoro⁵, Roosa Kallionpää^2,5,6, Annalotta Scheinin^3,5, Katja Valli^2,5,6,7, Timo Laitio⁵, Antti Revonsuo^2,6,7, and Harry Scheinin^3,5,8

¹Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland, ²Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland, ³Turku PET Centre, University of Turku and the Hospital District of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland, ⁴Department of Intensive Care, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland, ⁵Division of Perioperative Services, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland, ⁶Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland, ⁷Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden, ⁸Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

We used diffusion MRI to investigate brain microstructure and structural connectivity in 10 healthy subjects before and during dexmedetomidine-induced loss of consciousness. We found rapid local changes both in the microstructural properties and in the structural brain connectivity networks, most prominently in the left angular gyrus and its connections indicating possible involvement of the area in consciousness. Moreover, our results indicate that conventional high b-value diffusion MRI acquisitions, in addition to sequences specifically designed to capture functional changes, are sensitive to at least major brain state changes.

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