More than 70 condensed papers, written by leading experts in this field, have been arranged following the hierarchical order of the central nervous system: Molecular Basis of Anesthetic Interaction, Anesthetic Interactions with Ion Channels and Other Proteins, Integration of Anesthetic Actions (In-Vitro) and, finally, In-Vivo-Networks. In addition to insights at the molecular level, exciting results have been obtained from the various in-vitro slice preparations and from in-vivo electrophysiology as well as from in-vivo functional imaging, indicating a much higher level of complexity than originally appreciated.

The papers are based on contributions presented at the
"Sixth International Conference on Molecular and Basic Mechanisms of Anesthesia", held in Bonn in June 2001.