After surgery using a general anesthetic, up to a third of patients experience memory problems for months afterward and a new study helps explain why.
Many anesthetics work by binding to specific receptors (GABA A receptors) in the brain and increasing the function of these receptors, leading to drowsiness and memory loss. The new study shows that even after these the drugs wear off, the number of such receptors is increased, which in turn leads to more memory loss.
The authors suggest that drugs which block the extra receptors could be used to help deal with the memory problems. They also stress the importance of using memory aids when recovering from surgery, such as writing things down or having someone else listen to instructions from your doctor.
Original research paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on November 3, 2014.
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