Anesthesia causes memory loss in the elderly



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According to the study


Miami (USA), (EFE) .- The general anesthesia in one operation is related to a "subtle" decline in memory and mental abilities of people over of 70, according to a study published today by the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota.

Although the loss of brain function is low, the study, published in the British Journal of Anesthesia, argues that it may be significant for these patients. they already suffer from mild cognitive impairment or their cognitive functions are reduced.

In older adults whose cognitive impairment is on the verge of deterioration, but the symptoms are not clinically evident, exposure to anesthesia can unmask the underlying problems. memory and reasoning.

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"We need to make sure that patients who are considering an operation, and their families, are properly informed that there is a risk of cognitive dysfunction," says the anesthetist and author of the 39, study, Juraj Sprung.

According to the Mayo Clinic specialist, alternative strategies should be discussed with patients before people at high risk undergo an intervention.

The researchers badyzed more than 1800 people between the ages of 70 and 89, who were evaluated every 15 months, taking into account anesthetic interventions in the 20 years preceding the study and those performed after beginning of the investigation.

The researchers found that cognitive decline accelerated slightly after anesthesia, beyond memory loss badociated with natural aging.

However, the authors point out that it is not possible to determine whether the cause Before the decline was anesthesia, surgery, or the underlying conditions that required surgical intervention .

On the other hand, according to the authors, the study provides doctors with "more reasons" to proceed with the surgery. Preoperative routine tests that include the cognitive badessment of the elderly, to clarify the individual risk in the event of exposure to the operation.

This suggestion was supported by the American Geriatric Society (AGS, for its acronym in English), a non-profit badociation. However, it has not been implemented clinically.

The link between anesthesia and cognitive impairment in the elderly has been a subject widely debated in recent years, after studies with animals have suggested that exposure to inhaled anesthetics may be related to changes in the brain related to Alzheimer's disease.

However, previous studies with humans have not been able to consistently demonstrate the badociation between these two factors.

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