Understanding how people wake up from general anesthesia
Official title: Mechanisms of emergence from general anesthesia
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11376537 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies why people wake up from anesthesia and what happens in the brain when they emerge, aiming to reduce confusion and agitation after surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $388,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM146751-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376537 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research uses animal models, with potential future applicability to people undergoing anesthesia.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is described in this grant as written.
What this research studies
Researchers at the University of Washington will investigate how general anesthesia changes inhibitory brain circuits as patients move from an anesthetized state to wakefulness. The work builds on studies of neuroligin-2, a key molecule at inhibitory synapses, to understand how its activity influences emergence and related behaviors like agitation. Using mouse models, the project examines inhibitory cell plasticity during emergence and how anesthetic exposure affects these networks. The resulting insights could guide the development of targeted strategies to improve recovery after anesthesia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of waking from anesthesia could lead to therapies that minimize agitation and delirium after surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in this program has linked inhibitory synapses to agitation-like behaviors in mice, suggesting a plausible path forward.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heshmati, Mitra — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Heshmati, Mitra
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.