Affiliations: Department of Anesthesiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Jeffrey H. Silverstein, MD, AGSF, Department of Anesthesiology, Box 1010, Icahn School of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10128, USA. Tel.: +1 212 241 7749; Fax: +1 212 396 8096; E-mail: jeff.silverstein@mssm.edu.
Abstract: Since the finding in the 1880 s that elderly patients may experience cognitive decline following surgery, the search for an understanding of this phenomenon has been underway. In the last decade, evidence from biophysical (light scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance), in vitro, in vivo animal studies, retrospective evaluations of human registries, and recently prospective randomized trials have explored the idea that various anesthetic agents play a role in this phenomenon by interacting with the biochemical mechanisms that are also responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease. In the current review, we examine the evidence available and conclude that there is significant evidence to suggest an important role for this mechanism.
