No, general anesthesia is not like physiologic sleep, the latter being a complex and active function of neurons located in the brain stem, in and around the thalamus. If you are unlucky enough, a small stroke in this area, while not damaging a significant portion of the brain, can result in permanent coma.

For an interesting sleep disorder, look up fatal familial insomnia. It's rare, and one you don't want to get.

The mechanisms of the some of the general anesthetics are still unknown. For instance, we don't know how the most widely used ones, the halogenated hydrocarbon gases, (halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, etc.) have their effect. Their potency is significantly related to their lipid solubility, which suggests they get in your neural cell lipid membranes, and alter them (temporarily) such that they can't carry on communication with other neurons. They've been used for 150 years now, and we still don't know exactly how they work!
Many of the IV anesthetics inhibit specific receptors and antagonize specific neurotransmitters, such that we do know how most of them work.

Cheers,

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
No, I don't have that kind of depth of knowledge. Sleep and dreams are so mysterious and fascinating, though. Is anesthesia anything like sleep, or nothing at all? Does a patient have REM under the gas?

In reply to this comment by snoozedoctor:
Watched this last night and forgot to upvote. I was diverted by looking for video of the goats with the myotonia, undoubtedly a similar phenomena. Alas, there was already a similar sift, so I dropped it. You ARE going medical on us.

No, I don't have that kind of depth of knowledge. Sleep and dreams are so mysterious and fascinating, though. Is anesthesia anything like sleep, or nothing at all? Does a patient have REM under the gas?

In reply to this comment by snoozedoctor:
Watched this last night and forgot to upvote. I was diverted by looking for video of the goats with the myotonia, undoubtedly a similar phenomena. Alas, there was already a similar sift, so I dropped it. You ARE going medical on us.

Hey, Narcolepsy is my favourite Third Eye song as well, although I have a soft spot for The Background. This is probably my favourite rock album of the nineties.

I prefer Narcolepsy myself, but there's no music videos and I couldn't find a satisfactory live performance of it to sift.

i think he might actually have excitement-induced narcolepsy

http://www.videosift.com/video/Rusty-the-narcoleptic-daschund-classic-psychology-course-clip-cute-and-just-a-little-sad

http://www.videosift.com/video/Skeeter-the-Narcoleptic-Poodle

Original blog post where I found this:

Omni Brain: Multimedia Friday - Dogs with Narcolepsy
http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/2007/10/multimedia_friday_narcoleptic.php

narcolepsy is even giggled about in the circle of the afflicted......the cosmos may be telling us all to get more rest....

this would be good combined with narcolepsy, I'd like to see him fall comatose in the middle of that display.... here is blastoise if thats what he goes on about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blastoise

there are treatments for narcolepsy and cataplexy (see the cross-linked Daschund post for a narcolepsy medical comment http://www.videosift.com/story.php?id=3850 ). unfortunately, the main treatment is apparently GHB, a highly controlled substance that vets may not be able to prescribe for a little pup.

As a side note, this complete fall indicates Rusty has more classic narcolepsy. Skeeter, the Narcoleptic Poodle, most likely has narcolepsy with cataplexy symptoms ('cat'-aplexy being a little ironic in his case). Cataplexy is common in narcoleptics, and can be described as a slower, longer onset of narcoleptic paralysis when angered or excited.

Oh sweet. Wikipedia rules. This link says all that and more (gives a picture of a kid with cataplexy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataplexy

Apparently cataplexy is treated in an interesting way (with GHB, a widly abused euphoric intoxicant).

Theres an old psychology course video of a Daschund with narcolepsy that is intensely cute. Mabye I'll post that. And maybe the fainting goats video... another classic this reminds me of. Good post.

funny video, cute dog (with narcolepsy.. not so cute without!) I dont think the dog is suffering much.. except for THUD! THUD! on the tile floors. Might I suggest a heavy shag or ?berber? rug for your house, maam?