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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: January 11, 2020
Uncomplicated general anesthesia in the elderly results in cognitive decline: does cognitive decline predict
M C Lewis1, I Nevo, M A Paniagua
1Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33101, USA. mclewis@med.miami.edu
Abstract:
Elderly surgical patients constitute a unique surgical group. They require special consideration in order to preempt the long term adverse effects of anesthesia. This paper examines the proposition that general anesthesia causes harm to elderly patients with its impact being felt long after the anesthetic agents are cleared from the body. One complication, Postoperative Cognitive Decline (POCD), is associated with the administration of anesthesia and deep sedation. Its' occurrence may herald an increase in morbidity and mortality. Based on both human and animal data, this paper outlines a unitary theoretical framework to explain these phenomena. If this hypothesis proves to be correct, anesthesiologist should consider regional rather than general anesthesia for equivalent surgical procedures to reduce POCD and consequently achieving superior patient outcome.
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