Multiple surgeries can contribute to poor thinking in older people. This was shown by a study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
Scientists analyzed data from half a million British patients aged 40 to 69 years. Those who had multiple surgeries were slightly more likely to suffer from problems with memory, reaction time, task switching and decision making.
Each additional operation made these problems worse. For example, the reaction time increased by several milliseconds.
MRI scans of the brain showed that multiple surgeries led to changes in the hippocampus. This area is responsible for memory and learning. Also, patients who underwent surgery had more damage to the blood vessels of the brain.
Scientists noted that in general the operations were safe for the brain. Caution must be exercised in the case of elderly patients: the cumulative effect of several operations may be noticeable for them.
“If surgery is the best or only treatment option, patients can be reassured that the cognitive harm from each operation is, on average, small,” the scientists explained.
