Study: Anesthesia could hasten Alzheimer's
PHILADELPHIA (UPI) -- Inhaled anesthesia increased the number of brain plaques in animals and might hasten the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer's, a U.S. study found.

More than 100 million people worldwide undergo surgery every year, usually under general anesthesia with an inhaled drug. While the drugs affect short-term cognitive ability, there is growing concern they may have a longer or even permanent impact, as well, University of Pennsylvania researchers said.

"This animal study data suggests that we have to at least consider the possibility that anesthetics accelerate certain neurodegenerative disorders," said Roderic Eckenhoff, vice chair of university's Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care.

"In the field of Alzheimer's research, most effort is focused on delaying, not curing the disease. A delay in the onset of Alzheimer's disease of only three to five years would be considered a success. Therefore, if commonly used drugs, like anesthetics, are accelerating this disorder, even by a few years, then a similar success might follow even small changes in the care of the operative patient."