Ayushi Setia

How does general anesthesia affect the development of the brain of juvenile patients?

Started May 27, 2023

Abstract or project description

General anesthesia is used while performing surgery as it brings the patient into a sleep-like state where their body becomes unresponsive to outside stimuli. Anesthesia works by inhibiting parts of a person’s nervous system so signals of pain cannot reach the brain. Since the nervous system of young children and infants is still very much developing, general anesthesia may cause permanent damage in this region and impair human functions. In this review, we will look at current and future studies looking at long term effects on patients, as well as novel insights on how to potentially mediate or reduce long-term effects.