Fig. 6

Increasing number of inter-LINKed postsynapses increases the horizontal component and reduces the frequency of oscillating potentials. a Graph showing the vector component of the oscillations. Four different states are marked. 1 Baseline state represented by equal vertical (synaptic) and horizontal (inter-postsynaptic functional LINKs) components. 2 As the horizontal component increases with increasing number of inter-LINKs between the islets of inter-LINKed postsynapses during the initial stage of anesthesia, more subthreshold neurons get activated increasing further vertical component. 3 Gradual increase in the number of inter-postsynaptic functional LINKs lead to increase in the horizontal component leading to gradual decrease in the frequency of oscillating potentials. 4 Represents phase 2 vegetative state in anesthesia where the frequency of oscillating potentials decreases further due to further increase in the horizontal component. b Oscillation of potentials during state 1 in the graph a, which is the normal baseline. Diagram showing islets of inter-LINKed postsynapses viewed as a cross-sectional view from above. For simplicity, the size of all the islets are drawn same. Spontaneous activity spreads across all the hemifused spines within that islet inducing semblances. N represents cortico-thalamic-cortical pathways and recurrent collaterals that contribute to the oscillating potentials. The frequency of oscillating potentials is determined by the horizontal component that depends on the inter-LINKs between the postsynapses horizontally. c Oscillation of potentials during state 4 in the graph a. Anesthetic molecules increase the number of inter-LINKed postsynapses and will inter-LINK several of the islets of already inter-LINKed postsynapses, increasing the magnitude of the horizontal component of the oscillating potentials. This reduces the measured frequency of these oscillations as shown by the wave form changes