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The article focuses on a study which evaluates the effects of nitrous oxide and isoflurane on apoptosis and beta-amyloid levels in human neuroglioma cells and primary neurons from mice. In this study, cells or neurons and conditioned media that are exposed to nitrous oxide and isoflurane are harvested at the end of the treatment. Researchers determine the caspase-3 activation, apoptosis, processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta-amyloid levels. They conclude that apoptosis can enhance aspartyl protease beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) levels to help APP processing.

The article focuses on a study which examined the effects of sevoflurane, an inhalation anesthetic, on caspase activation, apoptosis, β-amyloid protein levels and neuroinflammation in the brain tissues of neonatal naïve and Alzheimer disease (AD) transgenic mice. Brain cortex was harvested from the mouse decapitated after sevoflurane anesthesia was administered. The study demonstrated that sevoflurane anesthesia induced caspase activation and apoptosis and even altered amyloid precursor protein processing and increased &beta-;-amyloid protein levels in the brain tissues of neonatal mice. This indicates that neurotoxicity in neonatal mice may be induced by the said anesthetic.