A model for anesthetic action

The mechanism of anesthetic action has remained mystery although a lot of data exist. The Meyer-Overton correlation suggests that the changes occurring at lipid layers of cell membrane are responsible for anesthesia but this model fails. Another model assumes that the binding of anesthetes to membrane proteins is responsible for anesthetic effects but also this model has problems. The hypothesis that the anesthetes bind to the hydrophobic pockets of microtubules looks more promising.

The model should also explain hyperpolarization of neuronal membranes taking also place when consciousness is lost. The old finding of Becker is that the reduction or reversal of voltage between frontal brain and occipital regions correlates with the loss of consciousness. Microtubules and DNA are negatively charged and the discovery of Pollack that so called fourth phase of water involves generation of negatively charged regions could play a role in the model. Combining these inputs with TGD inspired theory of consciousness and quantum biology one ends up to a microtubule based model explaining the basic aspects of anaestesia.

For details see the article TGD based model for anesthetic action or the chapter Quantum model for nerve pulse of "TGD and EEG".

For a summary of earlier postings see Links to the latest progress in TGD.