Here are five takeaways from the study:
1. The study was a sub-analysis of a prospective cohort study that assessed the relationship between total general anesthesia exposure and cognitive function over a follow-up period of 12 years.
2. The study examined 1,823 adults with an average age of 51 years. The adults had no psychiatric or neurologic conditions, and self-reported their surgical history, including the number and types of surgeries.
3. Declines in executive function, selective attention, mental speed and information processing speed were associated with increased anesthesia exposure.
4. Other health-related factors such as hypertension, diabetes and smoking were also associated with negative effects to cognitive function.
5. “Our study indicates that prolonged exposure to surgery under general anaesthesia during an individual’s lifetime significantly affects long-term cognitive decline,” the authors wrote. “Lifestyle management and prevention remain crucial for promoting healthy cognitive aging and could play a significant role in managing the aging surgical population,” they added.
