“How does general anesthesia affect the brain?”
I need to have surgery under general anesthesia, but I recently heard from my friend that it can negatively affect my brain. How does general anesthesia affect the brain?
2 Answers
Hello,
General anesthesia is a non-selective intoxication of the central nervous system, as happens with drugs and alcohol. You don't breathe, you don't move. But we are there to take care of you. Don't worry, anesthesia in recent years has become very safe.
General anesthesia is a non-selective intoxication of the central nervous system, as happens with drugs and alcohol. You don't breathe, you don't move. But we are there to take care of you. Don't worry, anesthesia in recent years has become very safe.
Unfortunately, without knowing more about your age and underlying illnesses, it’s difficult to give a good answer.
Some people can have what we call cognitive dysfunction after general anesthesia, where the have temporary issues with memory or cognition. Mostly, though, there are no long term noticeable effects on your brain.
Some people can have what we call cognitive dysfunction after general anesthesia, where the have temporary issues with memory or cognition. Mostly, though, there are no long term noticeable effects on your brain.