Background There are certain similarities between general anesthesia and physiological sleep. However，it is still controversial whether sleep-active nucleus are involved in general anesthesia. Objective To review the relationship between ventrolateral preoptic nucleus as well as related pathways and general anesthesia. Contend General anesthetics may stimulate main sleep-active nucleus and inhibit key arousal nucleus thus exert their sedate and hypnotic effects. Trend To explore the mechanisms of general anesthesia ,and to find the potential targets of general anesthetics. Thus providing new ideas for the research of general anesthesia.