Posted on 10/11/2024 12:35:44 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Multiple surgeries could lead to cognitive decline, a study has found, using data from the United Kingdom's Biobank to analyze half a million patients aged 40 to 69 and followed over 20 years of brain scans, cognitive tests and medical records.
Many families have stories of how repeated surgeries and hospitalizations worsened the reaction time and memory of elderly relatives. Now, a study has revealed multiple surgeries have a small effect on memory, reaction time, task-switching and problem-solving for older patients with each additional surgery.
The study also found brain MRIs of people who had surgeries also showed physical differences in areas of the brain responsible for memory.
As part of the study, patients then underwent brain MRIs and cognitive function testing for signs of neurodegeneration.
The study found that, with each additional surgery, patients' overall reaction time slowed by 0⋅3 milliseconds. Cognitive flexibility, problem-solving, and the ability to remember pictures and numbers also decreased with each additional surgery.
People who had surgeries were also found to have a smaller hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. They also had more evidence of brain damage associated with blocked blood vessels, compared to those who did not undergo repeated surgeries.
Data was pooled from 46,706 people, who all underwent detailed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and detailed cognition tests.
Participants were tested on their reaction time, memory and ability to think flexibly, by answering a series of language and mathematics questions.
The researchers say future work should focus on understanding the biological inner workings of neurodegeneration. One hypothesis suggests inflammation could be the reason for delayed cognitive recovery after surgery, and understanding how this leads to brain damage will be a key next step.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Anesthesia has also been found to have an association with cognitive decline.
I would think trauma, also.
Every time you go under anesthesia you’re getting conked in the head with a hammer.
I have a real interest in this topic, in June of this year I underwent Open Heart Surgery, I was under anesthesia from 715am to 530pm at least that is my recollection from the last thing I remember in the morning to when I woke up in the afternoon.
During my 5 night/6 days in Cardiac ICU, I had to be put under again for the implantation of a pacemaker.
Physically I was never really in pain, mentally was another subject, I had some extreme anxiety, emotional instability basically crying from what I thought was my impending death.
I chalked it up to lack of rest in the hospital, excessive number of drugs I was given and the anxiety of having major surgery.
Since I’ve been home, I’ve wondered did the anesthesia have some effect on my brain, leading up to the surgery I was put under for a test where ketamine was used as the main drug.
Hospitals today are tantamount to a debilitating accident.
I have family and loved ones who returned from hospital stays much WORSE than when they went in. It’s insane.
Absolutely. Repeatedly under sedation >2 hours, without movement, you can start destroying connections within the limbic system. Basically shortening the shelf life for the 'back office' of the executive-functioning frontal lobe.
After a colonoscopy I had 5 years ago, under the influence of the same sedative that killed Michael Jackson, I had lingering dizziness and lack of balance for WEEKS. Enough so that I called my Gastroenterologist to ask if something was wrong. He had no answer.
These drugs are much more harmful than they’re willing to admit.
I thought this has been known for years. My aunts and uncles used to refuse to have surgeries unless a life-threatening situation because they insisted it destroyed mental abilities. I’ve had two surgeries in my lifetime. I refuse to go under anesthesia again. I swear I lost brain cells and some of my memory from those surgeries.
I’ve had two colonoscopies where the same drug was used on me as an anesthesia.
I am not 100% sure what was used on me during my open-heart surgery, either it was really strong or used continuously throughout the day since I was under for about 10 hours.
In the case of open surgery, they hook you up to a heart/lung machine and stop your heart for a period of time, I wondered before the surgery and still wonder about what that does to you.
I wonder about anesthesia at a dentist’s office for a tooth implant. They claimed it wasn’t anesthesia, but I couldn’t think straight for a few hours.
.
I really hope you’re Okay. I’ve known other people who underwent open heart and lived well into their 80’s, so I think it’s more an issue of forward-looking factors.
Anesthesia has also been found to have an association with cognitive decline.
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Now days they give you a shot of medical grade fentanyl and lights out until wake up in recovery room.
I am not 100% sure what was used on me
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Medical grade fentanyl
I have one more cardiac rehab class next Monday, the classes are basically supervised exercise classes, it has physically helped me far more than I imagined. I feel better now that I’ve felt in years, so much so I’m joining a gym to keep the exercise going.
I have wondered a lot about being put under if it will have any effect on my brain.
My friend’s 90+ year old mother was living independently until she had surgery for a broken hip. the hip is fine, but her memory is shot.
My neighbor is 94.
Still walks.
Sharp as can be.
Amazing man.
30 surgeries so far.
I had general anesthetic for cancer surgery in 2019. After the surgery, I was a stumbling idiot for quite sometime. I felt my mental acuity worse by at least 50%. Couldn’t remember jack whatsisname. I did research (managed to do that) and found that some people have no cognitive damage for gen. anesthetic, but many do. 2% or some small amount lose it totally and never get better. Over time mine has improved, but my short term memory is not good, and people around me can see this. I have an excellent memory and high IQ and it is very frustrating to have this. Of course doctors never warn patients about this.
I take herbs to help mental acuity and member and they do help a bit. Long term memory is not affeceted at all. I am in early 70s but up until the surgery I had zero cognitive difficulty at all. No relatives for 3 generations or more had any cognitive decline with age, and most lived a long time.
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