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Neurological and Olfactory Disturbances After General Anesthesia
Antonino Maniaci1,2,3, Mario Lentini1,2, Rosario Trombadore2
1Deparment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna "Kore", 94019 Enna, Italy.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 27, 2025
Summary
General anesthesia can cause neurological and olfactory issues, especially in elderly or ill patients. Tailored anesthesia and neuroprotective strategies are key to preventing these long-term complications.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology and Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Neurological and olfactory disturbances are recognized complications of general anesthesia.
- Vulnerable populations (elderly, children, comorbidities) are at higher risk.
- Shared mechanisms like neuroinflammation and oxidative stress contribute to these issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of anesthesia-induced neurological and olfactory disturbances.
- To discuss mechanisms, risk factors, and preventive strategies.
- To highlight future research directions for improving patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search using PubMed and Scopus.
- Narrative review of identified studies.
- Analysis of mechanisms, risk factors, and preventive measures.
Main Results:
- General anesthesia can lead to postoperative cognitive dysfunction, delirium, and olfactory deficits.
- The olfactory system is susceptible to anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity.
- Risk factors include age, comorbidities, and anesthesia type/duration.
Conclusions:
- Tailored anesthetic approaches and proactive postoperative care are crucial for high-risk groups.
- Neuroprotective agents show potential in mitigating anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity.
- Longitudinal studies with advanced techniques are needed to understand long-term effects.
Keywords:
biomarkerscognitive recoverygeneral anesthesianeuroinflammationneurological disturbancesolfactory bulbolfactory dysfunctionoxidative stresspostoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD)postoperative complicationsMore Related Videos
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