Effects of ketamine and propofol on muscarinic plateau potentials in rat neocortical pyramidal cells

Propofol and ketamine are both general anaesthetics but produce markedly different states of consciousness. Propofol induces a deeply unconscious state with few or no dream reports, whereas ketamine anaesthesia is frequently followed by reports of vivid dreams. The abstract contrasts these two drugs' effects on awareness and dreaming, highlighting that different anaesthetics can produce distinct subjective experiences even when both cause loss of consciousness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Propofol and ketamine are widely used general anaesthetics, but have different effects on consciousness: propofol gives a deeply unconscious state, with little or no dream reports, whereas vivid dreams are often reported after ketamine anaesthesia.