Zurek AA, Bridgwater EM, Orser BA. (2012) Anesth Analg. 114(4):845-55. Abstract BACKGROUND: General anesthetics cause cognitive deficits that persist much longer than would be expected on the basis of their pharmacokinetics. The cellular mechanisms underlying these postanesthetic cognitive deficits remain unknown. γ-Aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors are principal targets for most anesthetics. In particular, the […]

Clarke H, Bonin RP, Orser BA, Englesakis M, Wijeysundera DN, Katz J. (2012) Anesth Analg. 115(2):428-42. Abstract BACKGROUND: Many clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of gabapentin and pregabalin administration in the perioperative period as an adjunct to reduce acute postoperative pain. However, very few clinical trials have examined the use of gabapentin and pregabalin […]

Wang DS, Zurek AA, Lecker I, Yu J, Abramian AM, Avramescu S, Davies PA, Moss SJ, Lu WY, Orser BA. (2012) Cell Rep. 2(3):488-96. Abstract Systemic inflammation causes learning and memory deficits through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. Here, we studied the pathogenesis of memory loss associated with inflammation and found that we could reverse […]

Lecker I, Wang DS, Romaschin AD, Peterson M, Mazer CD, Orser BA. J Clin Invest. (2012) 122(12):4654-66. Abstract Antifibrinolytic drugs are widely used to reduce blood loss during surgery. One serious adverse effect of these drugs is convulsive seizures; however, the mechanisms underlying such seizures remain poorly understood. The antifibrinolytic drugs tranexamic acid (TXA) and […]

Orser BA, Hyland S, U D, Sheppard I, Wilson CR. (2013) Can J Anaesth. 60(2):127-35. Abstract PURPOSE: This article presents a summary of recent advances, including tools and interventions, that are designed to improve drug safety for patients in critical care settings, particularly those undergoing anesthesia and surgery. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Medication error remains a leading […]

Clarke H, Kirkham KR, Orser BA, Katznelson R, Mitsakakis N, Ko R, Snyman A, Ma M, Katz J. (2013) Can J Anaesth. 60(5):432-43. Abstract INTRODUCTION: Gabapentin is increasingly being used for the treatment of postoperative pain and a variety of psychiatric diseases, including chronic anxiety disorders. Trials have reported mixed results when gabapentin has been administered […]

Xiang YY, Chen X, Li J, Wang S, Faclier G, Macdonald JF, Hogg JC, Orser BA, Lu WY. (2013) Anesthesiology. 118(5):1065-75. Abstract BACKGROUND: Volatile anesthetics act primarily through upregulating the activity of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors. They also exhibit antiinflammatory actions in the lung. Rodent alveolar type II (ATII) epithelial cells express GABAA […]

Jevtovic-Todorovic V, Absalom AR, Blomgren K, Brambrink A, Crosby G, Culley DJ, Fiskum G, Giffard RG, Herold KF, Loepke AW, Ma D, Orser BA, Planel E, Slikker W Jr, Soriano SG, Stratmann G, Vutskits L, Xie Z, Hemmings HC Jr. (2013) Br J Anaesth. 111(2):143-51. Abstract Although previously considered entirely reversible, general anaesthesia is now […]

Bonin RP, Zurek AA, Yu J, Bayliss DA, Orser BA. (2013) PLoS One. 8(3):e58679. Abstract Changes in the expression of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors can either drive or mediate homeostatic alterations in neuronal excitability. A homeostatic relationship between α5 subunit-containing GABAA (α5GABAA) receptors that generate a tonic inhibitory conductance, and HCN channels that […]

Lecker I, Yin Y, Wang DS, Orser BA. (2013) Br J Anaesth. Suppl 1:i73-81. Abstract BACKGROUND: Animal studies have shown that memory deficits in the early post-anaesthetic period can be prevented by pre-treatment with an inverse agonist that preferentially inhibits α5 subunit-containing γ-aminobutyric acid type A (α5GABAA) receptors. The goal of this in vitro study […]