#7 Anesthesia & Consciousness with Neuropharmacologist Dr. Bruce MacIver

Description

Today's guest, Dr. Bruce MacIver dives into the knowns and unknowns of anesthesia's effect on human consciousness as well as some preliminary research he and Rajnish has done regarding plants and anesthetics.

Professor MacIver explores the molecular and cellular mechanisms of sedatives and anesthetics and how these drugs alter higher nervous system functions to produce loss of consciousness. He was trained in neuroscience and pharmacology at the University of Calgary and began his career at Stanford over thirty years ago and has directed the Stanford Neuropharmacology Laboratory since then. Current research is directed at the development of safer and more effective anesthetics using state-of-the-art electrophysiological approaches using in vitro brain slice preparations and freely moving animal models. He is also using newly developed EEG analysis techniques in animals and human subjects to quantify brain states associated with the loss and recovery of consciousness.

▶ MacIver Lab & consciousness plot image: https://web.stanford.edu/group/maciverlab/research.html

▶ Website: https://terrescience.com/

▶ We Use Riverside: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=rajnish

------------ Chapters ------------

0:00 - Introducing Dr. Bruce MacIver

3:06 - How Rajnish & Bruce first met at a consciousness meeting

5:30 - This year's consciousness workshop hosted by Bruce, Rajnish, Deepak Chopra, Patrisia Gonzales and Dennis McKenna

7:09 - Rajnish & Bruce's preliminary research on plants and anesthesia

8:28 - How does anesthesia affect consciousness?

24:22 - Risks of serious side effects from repeatedly undergoing anesthesia

28:20 - What is consciousness?

34:00 - Anesthesia's effect on plant phototropism