Ex vivo brain slices can be used to study the effects of volatile anesthetics on evoked responses to afferent inputs. Optogenetics are employed to independently activate thalamocortical and corticocortical afferents to non-primary neocortex, and synaptic and network responses are modulated with isoflurane.
Murphy, C. A., Raz, A., Grady, S. M., Banks, M. I. Optogenetic Activation of Afferent Pathways in Brain Slices and Modulation of Responses by Volatile Anesthetics. J. Vis. Exp. (161), e61333, doi:10.3791/61333 (2020).