Microglia reveal sex-specific brain recovery mechanism after ketamine anesthesia
Scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria have discovered that microglia, the brain's immune cells, exhibit sex-specific differences in how they facilitate recovery after ketamine anesthesia. This study highlights how male and female brains differ in their neural reconnection processes.
Why it matters
These findings could improve anesthesia protocols and personalized medicine by accounting for biological sex differences in brain recovery.
by Institute of Science and Technology Austria
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Microglia. The image shows the distribution of microglia (green) across the different cortical layers (orange) in the mouse visual cortex. Credit: Siegert group / ISTA During ketamine anesthesia, the brain's nerve cells fall silent—as consciousness returns, they begin to reconnect. For the first time, researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have shown that immune cells in the brain play a critical role in this process—with differences between female and male brains. The findings were published in Science Advances .
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in