Perioperative Cognitive Trajectories Study
Perioperative Brain Health in the Older Adult: A Patient Safety Imperative
With advances in surgery and anesthesia, more older adults can safely benefit from surgical procedures that improve their quality of life. Still, surgery and anesthesia can affect brain health. Anesthesiologists work closely with patients, families, and care teams to help protect the brain and support recovery after surgery.
Perioperative polygenic and APOE-based genetic risk assessment for neurocognitive disorders: a biobank study
We studied the genetic traits of more than 33,000 adults who had surgery. People who carried a specific gene type, the APOE4 allele, or had high polygenic risk scores linked to Alzheimer's disease were more likely to develop delirium, memory difficulties, and dementia.
Anesthetic sensitivity and resilience in the aging brain: implications for perioperative neurocognitive disorders
Research is helping us understand why some older adults have changes in memory, thinking, and attention after surgery, while others, sometimes called the “superagers,” are hardly affected. Learning these differences may guide new ways to protect the aging brain and improve recovery after surgery.
Postoperative Delirium and the Older Adult:
Untangling the Confusion
In this review, we explore why postoperative delirium, a sudden confusion after surgery, is common in older adults. By exploring many factors, such as medical history, genetics, lab results, and new technologies, researchers hope to find better ways to identify who is at most risk.
Cognitive Decline Associated With Anesthesia and Surgery in Older Patients
Surgery and anesthesia can greatly improve the quality of life for older adults, but they may also affect brain health. Problems with memory, attention, and thinking after surgery are becoming an important concern worldwide. These risks should be discussed before surgery, and care should include targeted steps to protect the brain - starting before surgery and continuing through recovery - with support from families and the healthcare team.
