Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a long-term brain function disorder that can occur after anesthesia and surgery. It has been reported that POCD can significantly decrease quality of life as well as exacerbate a long-term prognosis in patients after surgery. Aging, low educational background, medical history of cerebrovascular disorders, and preoperative cognitive impairment are known risk factors of POCD. The etiology of the POCD is not established, but its development is thought to be associated with multiple factors including general anesthetics, analgesia, and surgical invasion. At this time, there is no specific treatment for POCD. In this issue, we discuss POCD based on the results of recent clinical and experimental research.
