Older Surgical Patients Face Greater Risk of Cognitive Problems

(Page 2)

"Education protected against postoperative cognitive problems, likely because education may provide an opportunity to condition the brain and better equip it to withstand injury, much like physical exercise has a protective effect on the body," Monk said.

The researchers theorized that the loss of thought processes might increase the risk of death because of an interference with the ability to seek or follow medical care recommendations.

The cognitive decline could be a side effect of surgery and anesthesia, which might cause inflammation in the brain, said the researchers, who called for further research into the effect and ways to prevent it.

The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation and the I. Heerman Foundation, was published in the Jan. 1 issue of Anesthesiology.

More information

To learn more about mild cognitive impairment, visit the Alzheimer's Association.