Fig. 1: Brief overview of how the Mauthner neuron can be used to examine the mode of action of anesthetics.
From: Recordings in an integrating central neuron reveal the mode of action of isoeugenol
Intracellular in vivo recording in the Mauthner neuron (MN) of the goldfish provides a comprehensive and rapid assay of targets an anesthetic can act on. a Its function as a command neuron for life-saving escapes requires the MN to faithfully process information forwarded from almost all senses. So, recording of postsynaptic potentials after sensory stimulation (e.g., visual or acoustic) can reveal whether the anesthetic affects different sensory organs directly, the transmission of sensory information to the MN or the processing within the MN. b The systemic effect an anesthetic can have on central neurons by affecting ion channels and the generation and axonal conduction of action potentials can be studied by antidromically activating the Mauthner axon.
