Previous modeling of kinetics of uptake and elimination of anesthetic drugs use the electroencephalogram, which lags brain activity because of time to acquire a signal.
The researchers studied 20 subjects at 30 percent nitrous oxide and monitored the digit symbol substitution test. They determined in subanesthetic concentrations, nitrous oxide has rapid onset and offset with a half time of two minutes. This is less than the values expected during anesthesia using processed electroencephalogram.
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