1. [Potential neurotoxicity of general anaesthetics to the developing brain].
- Author
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Clausen NG, Venø S, Astvad M, Henneberg SW, Christensen K, and Hansen TG
- Subjects
- Anesthetics, General pharmacology, Animal Experimentation, Animals, Apoptosis drug effects, Apoptosis physiology, Brain drug effects, Brain growth & development, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Neurogenesis drug effects, Neurogenesis physiology, Synapses drug effects, Synapses physiology, Anesthetics, General toxicity, Cognition Disorders chemically induced, Nerve Degeneration chemically induced
- Abstract
Animal studies (including non-human primates) have shown that most general anaesthetics cause enhanced neuroapoptosis with subsequent long-term neurocognitive deficits later in life. Some human cohort studies have indicated an association between anaesthesia/surgery and adverse neurocognitive outcome whereas other studies have not. Overall, the data do not justify any change in paediatric anaesthetic clinical practice. Naturally, the risks and benefits of a procedure should always be carefully considered before exposing a child to general anaesthesia.
- Published
- 2014