The Neuroprotective Effects of Dexmedetomidine During Brain Surgery

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a Alpha-2 specific agonist, is a common ICU sedation medication. In brain tumor resection craniotomy, it is proven to be effective in improving postoperative hypertension and tachycardia, mitigates postoperative nausea and vomiting and relives postoperative pain. In addition, many animal experiments show that DEX inhibits the proapoptosis in the mitochondrial in vivo and therefore avoids neuronal injury. It is also reported to be neuroprotective to isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and to improve cerebral focal ischemic region (penumbra). However, the neuroprotective effects were never investigated clinically in patients undergoing brain tumor resection surgery.