Contents
Problems with memory impairment occur in almost all patients after recovery from anesthesia. Therefore, the question: “How to return it?” Is quite relevant. This sign indicates postoperative cognitive dysfunction, which is manifested not only by memory impairment, but also by impaired concentration and problems in the learning process. The first thing that worries the patient is memory recovery.
What happens to the body after recovery from anesthesia?
More recently, it was believed that after the operation, when the patient was given anesthesia, his brain gradually returns to its original state. All drugs administered for anesthesia are completely eliminated from the body – this process was considered to be completely reversible.
Violation of concentration, memory lapses, fatigue and increased irritability, after the operation – symptoms of the postoperative syndrome. Therefore, the treatment of this condition was not in a hurry. In most cases, there were no claims or complaints from patients. They fully recovered from anesthesia.
However, scientists conducted some studies, the results of which showed that the restoration of memory and other cognitive functions does not occur in all patients. In some patients, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (abbreviated POCD) occurs after intravenous or inhalation anesthesia. People begin to complain about reduced concentration, memory impairment and lack of learning ability. In advanced and difficult situations, the patient cannot speak, write, or swap letters in words. Even after some time, the patient’s condition only worsens, not improves.
Violation of memory and attention after surgery may be an asthenic syndrome. In the first case, the signs begin to appear gradually, and in the second (POCD), long-term therapy will be required for recovery.
How is memory impaired in asthenic syndrome?
Not only the operation, but also the disease itself, due to which it was carried out, is considered a strong stress for the body. Tension and exhaustion of its reserves can affect the development of asthenic syndrome. However, at the same time, symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and apathy are the first to appear. But memory impairment is considered a secondary manifestation after concentration is disturbed.
During the tests, an imperceptible strong deterioration in memory is allocated. At the beginning of the study, the patient remembers everything well, but as soon as he begins to get tired, his memory is impaired. Therefore, the test results are unsatisfactory.
The treatment for this condition is as follows:
- rapid rehabilitation after elimination of the root cause of the disease;
- rejection of bad habits;
- a balanced menu, which will be dominated by nuts, olive oil, fatty fish, citruses;
- daily walks on the street;
- performing physical exercises;
- treatment at a resort or sanatorium, short-term tourist trips are possible.
As medicines, the doctor prescribes sedative and nootropic drugs, tranquilizers.
However, if treatment is not prescribed, then the cognitive functions of a person and the mental processes of the body will gradually recover independently. The timing depends on the rate of cure of the underlying disease.
Occurrence and manifestation of POCD
The first signs of postoperative cognitive dysfunction can be seen immediately after anesthesia or for up to three months after it. Patients complain of a deterioration in memory and speech (they cannot remember and find the necessary words during a conversation). Concentration is impaired, the ability to learn is reduced. The results of special tests show that memory deteriorates by more than 20% of the initial level of a person. After some time, these changes progress.
The main causes of postoperative cognitive dysfunction are currently unknown. However, there are some assumptions, namely:
- due to the fact that with the introduction of anesthesia, blood pressure indicators decrease, an episode of transient ischemia of the cerebral cortex occurs, but subsequently blood circulation in this area is completely restored (such violations are similar to a microstroke, due to which memory is disturbed after recovery from anesthesia);
- the effect of anesthesia on the balance of mediators and signaling molecules in the interneuronal space (may affect the triggering of the destruction of neurons, which will lead to amnesia and loss of learning ability);
- a consequence of stimulation of the immune system and inflammation in the patient’s body, this is the reaction of the body to the resulting surgical injury (in confirmation of this there are the results of experiments on the connection between the operation and the development of POCD).
If, after the operation, the patient receives less pain medication for pain, then the risk of developing POCD increases. Therefore, it is not necessary to refuse the drug, in this way you can only worsen the situation.
There are some factors that provoke the development of POCD, these are:
- long time under general anesthesia;
- large dosage of drugs;
- extensive surgical trauma;
- advanced age of the patient;
- the level of intelligence of the patient;
- poor anesthesia in the postoperative period.
Memory recovery methods
If memory impairment and learning ability do not recover within three months, an experienced specialist should be consulted. These issues are handled by a neurologist. After the examination, he will identify the exact cause of this condition and prescribe an effective treatment.
Due to the fact that the concept of postoperative cognitive dysfunction is completely new in medicine, clear diagnostic procedures and methods of therapy have not yet been developed. Therefore, there is no exact answer on how to cope with this condition.
POCD can be corrected with the help of nootropic drugs, neuroprotectors, antioxidants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and dopamine agonists. Due to the fact that there is no clear algorithm for conducting therapy, the correct choice of method is noticeably more complicated.
In addition, the selection of drugs is carried out on an individual basis, because it depends on the age of the patient, his existing diseases and symptoms of postoperative cognitive dysfunction.
To improve memory, the patient is advised to give up bad habits, strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations and train memory.
However, after some research, scientists have found that the operation and anesthesia affect the instantaneous memory.
Specialists from the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison followed people up to the age of sixty. None of the subjects suffered from memory impairment. But a couple of years after the tests, some of them underwent surgery for one reason or another. The rest did not undergo surgery. After repeated tests, instant memory deteriorated in those who were manipulated (they could not store information about events that occurred in the last hours or days). Other sections of memory remained untouched.
Experts have found that brain damage after anesthesia affects only instantaneous memory. The violations turned out to be not too serious, but nevertheless, this alerted the doctors, so scientists continue to work on the problem. Today it is too early to talk about any changes in medical practice.