Relationship between intravenous anesthetics,monoamines and retrograde amnesia

Learning and memory are important brain functions.Amnesia means loss of memory,which is divided into anterograde and retrograde amnesia.Intravenous administration of propofol or midazolam often induces retrograde amnesia in anesthetized patients, as well as with changes in dopaminergie and serotonergic activities.Changes in amount of monoamines have been proved to relate with retrograde amnesia,which may be the mechanism of propofol and midazolam anesthesia-induced retrograde amnesia.This article will review the relationship between intravenous anesthetics,monoamines and retrograde amnesia