Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain
08:23

Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain

Published on: May 12, 2018

9.9K

Long-duration general anesthesia influences the intelligence of school age children

Qingqing Zhang1, Yuanzhi Peng1, Yingwei Wang2

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai, China.

BMC Anesthesiology
|December 21, 2017
PubMed

Insights

General anesthesia exceeding 3 hours for orthopedic surgery can temporarily lower school-age children's IQ. Factors like younger age, maternal education, and premature birth also impact cognitive recovery after anesthesia.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Orthopedics

Background:

  • General anesthesia is linked to impaired brain development in young children.
  • The impact of orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia on school-age children's intelligence requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the influence of general anesthesia duration during orthopedic surgery on the intelligence quotient (IQ) of school-age children.
  • To identify factors associated with post-operative IQ changes.

Main Methods:

  • 209 children aged 6-12 years were divided into control, short (<1h), moderate (1-3h), and long (>3h) anesthesia duration groups.
  • Intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) before and at 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year after surgery.

Main Results:

  • IQ scores significantly decreased in the long-duration anesthesia group (P < 0.001) at 1 month post-operation, with incomplete recovery at 3 months.
  • Cognitive development was affected by anesthetic exposure time (OR=5.26), maternal education level (OR=2.71), and premature birth (OR=2.76).
  • Full IQ recovery was observed at the 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions:

  • General anesthesia exceeding 3 hours negatively impacts school-age children's IQ for up to 3 months post-orthopedic surgery.
  • Younger age, low maternal education, and premature birth are additional risk factors for reduced post-operative IQ.
  • While short-term effects are noted, long-term cognitive function appears to recover within a year.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenCognitionGeneral anesthesiaIntelligenceOrthopedic surgery

More Related Videos

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention08:49

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

Published on: October 16, 2013

14.5K
Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers14:52

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers

Published on: January 13, 2018

11.6K

Related Concept Videos

Stages of General Anesthesia01:22

Stages of General Anesthesia

Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
1.8K
General Anesthesia: Overview01:24

General Anesthesia: Overview

Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
718
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
782
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
1.2K
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
605
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
980