Anesthesia and cognitive disorders: a systematic review of the clinical evidence

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Preclinical and clinical evidence suggest an association between anesthesia and cognitive disorders ranging from postoperative chronic dysfunction to Alzheimer’s disease. Recent clinical insights are summarized in this paper.

Areas covered: This systematic review was conducted and written in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review database. A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS was accomplished according to a written protocol that included: clinical trials on humans, articles in English, papers published between April 2010 and February 2016 and complete studies.

Expert commentary: There is a growing interest in establishing the possible relationship between anesthesia and the onset and progression of cognitive disorders. Further studies are required to determine the methods of monitoring anesthesia in older adults with dementia undergoing surgical procedures.

KEYWORDS:

• Anesthesia and Alzheimer
• postoperative cognitive dysfunction
• cerebrospinal fluid and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers
• β-amyloid protein to tau ratio
• bispectral (BIS) - guided anesthesia and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD)
• anesthetics and AD biomarkers

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.