Anaesthetic neurotoxicity is currently one of the hottest research topics in anaesthesia. In June 2012 the BJA sponsored a seminar in Salzburg Austria which saw experts from all over the world come together to discuss the current state of the evidence and future research directions in this important area. To accompany this special edition of the BJA, Professor Hugh Hemmings distils down the conference proceedings and summarises the current thinking on the mechanisms of anaesthetic neurotoxicity, translation to human subjects and the potential clinical implications.
