Many of our seniors having surgery suffer cognitive loss and the question that often comes up is does the anesthesia or surgery itself cause the problem. An article published in the September issue of Annals of Surgery compared the effect of anesthesia alone vs anesthesia plus surgery and showed that in fact the surgery itself is the most potent in mice with a genetic predisposition for Alzheimers disease! Surgery causes inflammation that affects the brain as well as the main body.
There are a number of preventive measures that can help prevent cognitive decline. We recommend diets that include medium chain triglycerides (found in coconut oil), curcumin, niacinamide, choline, antioxidents, essential fatty acids, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3. In addition exercise, social interaction, and mental exercises.
