A new study led by the University of Sydney has found that undergoing multiple surgeries may contribute to cognitive decline in older adults.
The research, which analyzed data from the UK Biobank, involved half a million patients aged 40 to 69 and tracked their brain scans, cognitive tests, and medical records over 20 years.
Many people have noticed that elderly relatives often experience slower reaction times and memory issues after repeated surgeries.
This study confirms these observations, showing that each additional surgery has a small impact on memory, reaction time, and problem-solving abilities.
The researchers used brain MRI scans to examine the brains of people who had undergone surgeries.
They found that certain areas of the brain, particularly those responsible for memory, showed physical changes after surgery.
This study is the first of its kind to investigate the effects of multiple complex surgeries on brain health using advanced imaging techniques in such a large group of people.
The study included data from nearly half a million adults in the UK who had various types of surgeries, from simple day procedures to more complex operations like heart bypass surgery. Diagnostic procedures and brain surgeries were excluded from the analysis.
After their surgeries, the patients underwent brain scans and cognitive tests to check for signs of neurodegeneration, which is the gradual loss of brain function.
The results showed that with each additional surgery, patients’ reaction times slowed by 0.3 milliseconds. Their ability to solve problems, think flexibly, and remember pictures and numbers also declined with each surgery.
Moreover, the scans revealed that people who had multiple surgeries tended to have a smaller hippocampus, the brain area responsible for memory and learning. These individuals also showed more signs of brain damage related to blocked blood vessels compared to those who hadn’t undergone repeated surgeries.
Dr. Jennifer Taylor, the lead researcher, emphasized that while the cognitive decline from each surgery might seem small, these changes can add up over time, especially after multiple surgeries.
She advised medical professionals to carefully consider all treatment options before recommending major surgery for older patients.
If surgery is necessary, patients should be reassured that the average cognitive impact is small, but extra care should be taken to protect brain health during and after surgery.
The study was published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, highlighting the need for further research into how surgeries affect the brain and exploring ways to protect cognitive function in older patients.
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