We here demonstrate that general anesthesia with isoflurane can have profound effects on
the brain of mice long after the anesthetic has been discontinued. Three hours of exposure
to 1% isoflurane induced rapid and longlasting protection against 60 min transient focal
cerebral ischemia induced by filament occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). Mean
infarct volumes were significantly smaller in animals pretreated with isoflurane 0, 12, and 24
h before MCAO (− 38%,− 31%,− 24%, respectively). Mild hypoxia (17% O 2) during or 5 …