Anesthesia & Dementia

AIRAH BARRON
INDEPENDENT STUDY MENTORSHIP- SPRING SEMESTER 2018
Charvat, Mylea. “5 Facts You Need to Know About Dementia.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 7 Dec.
2017, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-fifth-vital-sign/201712/5-facts-you-need-know-about-dementia.
MRS. CLICK
 Beth Stratton

Ø Certified Registered Nurse

Anesthetist
Ø BSN & MSNA
Ø Employed at Clear Lake
Regional Hospital
Clear Lake Regional Hospital
u Located on Medical Center Blvd
u Operating rooms feature advances in technology such as the
Da Vinci Surgical System
u Family and friends are able to track loved ones as they
progress from pre-op to recovery
u Surgeons utilize minimal invasive surgical techniques including
laparoscopy and robotics

“Clear Lake Regional Hospital.” Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, clearlakermc.com/.
 ISM & Course Requirements

u The Independent Student Mentorship class is a rigorous

academic course where students are able to mentor with a
professional in a chosen career.
u Students enrolled in the course are required to complete an
in depth study of a career of their liking. They must attend
their mentorship site and document a minimum of 3 hours a
week. With the information gathered during the mentorship
sessions, students must complete an online portfolio
showcasing assignments done, as well as a journal entry
documenting their mentorship experiences. The end result of
the course will consist of a mid-term presentation, and a well
developed final product and presentation.

“Clear Springs High School.” Go to Clear Springs High School, clearsprings.ccisd.net/.

 Project Topic:
Why Anesthesia & Dementia?
u My project will consist of researching the functions, effects,
and determinants anesthesia has on dementia. It will be
based on on age, cognitive parts of the brain, and
anesthetics.
u I settled on this topic due to my interest in anesthesia as
well as the complex aspects of the brain which can have
a correlation with dementia. Similarly, my mentor played a
big role in the decision after describing the mystery that
still exists today between these two variables. Thus, I hope
with the help of my mentor and staff we will bring a
resolution to a condition which affects thousands of “What Causes Dementia?” BrightFocus Foundation, 4 Oct. 2017,
www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/article/what-causes-dementia.
people yearly.
 Background on Anesthesia

u History of Anesthesia
u It’s properties
u How it works
u Where did it originate
u Famous contributors
u Famous Cases

“Westlake Anesthesia – WAG Anesthesia Services.” Westlake Anesthesia,

westlakeanesthesia.com/.
Background on Dementia
u History of Dementia
u It’s properties
u How it works
u Where did it originate
u Famous contributors
u Famous Cases

DeMarco, Bob. “4 Memory Systems of the Brain and Dementia.” Alzheimer Reading Room, 27 Feb. 2017,
www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2014/01/how-dementia-affects-memory-systems-of.html.
 Anesthesia & it’s Effects on the Brain

u Properties of anesthesia
u Parts of the brain affected
u Physiology/anatomy of the brain
u Long term effects vs short term effects
u How it links to dementia or cognitive aspects

staff, Science X. “Brain Encodes Time and Place of Taste Memory.” Medical Xpress -
Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 23 Sept. 2014,
medicalxpress.com/news/2014-09-brain-encodes-memory.html.
Age & Anesthesia

u How age relates to the amount of anesthetics

u Factors to consider according to age- health, weight
u What is at risk- health, diseases, surgery

Allan. “Children Undergoing General Anesthesia Archives – St. Lawrence.” Dental Office in
Mississauga, 29 Aug. 2017, www.stlawrencedentistry.com/2014/11/29/children-undergoing-
general-anesthesia-or-deep-sedation/.
 Age & Dementia

u How age relates to Dementia or cognitive

deterioration
u Factors to consider according to age- dosage, type
of anesthetic,
u What is at risk- health DailyCaring. “What's the Difference Between Alzheimer's and
Dementia?” DailyCaring, 5 June 2017, dailycaring.com/alzheimers-and-
dementia-know-the-difference/.
 Current Event

u This article pertains to anesthesia and the unforeseen outcomes in the

brain that come as a result of its mysterious properties. In most cases,
anesthesia has proven it does not increase the chances of developing
dementia, but rather increase the buildup of the proteins that appear to
have a correlation with Alzheimer’s. In recent years, researchers have
found general anesthesia has diverges from its specific target areas and
disabling communication between various brain regions. Because of this,
Doctors fear this could be a catalyst for neurodegeneration. An
explanation for the conjecture is that anesthesia’s effects may be
increased for patients who are already genetically susceptible to
dementia. In this manner, researchers speculate neuroinflamation from
surgery instead of inhalational anesthetics is the source of cerebral
“Operating Room.” Operating & Surgery Room | St. Mary's Health System |
degeneration. Regardless of the studies conducted, there is still a broad
Maine, www.stmarysmaine.com/departments-services/surgical-
services/operating-room.
area to uncover regarding the cognitive aspects of the brain and
anesthesia. In this manner, doctors and scientists can only recommend
people who are susceptible to anesthesia’s effects to refrain from
surgeries if possible.
 Research Topics

u How Dementia is related to Anesthesia

u Patients who are most prone to Dementia
u How Dementia can be prevented
u Anesthesia on the brain
“Hospital to Replace Doctors with Parents Who Have Done Their Research.” The
Science Post, 10 Feb. 2017, thesciencepost.com/hospital-to-replace-doctors-with-
parents-who-have-done-their-research/.
 Product

u My current product is based on creating a medical

magazine cover which will center around anesthesia
and the effects it has on the brain of various patients
regarding dementia.
u I will outline how age, type of anesthetic, and surgeries
act as catalysts for dementia.
Conclusion

u After concluding my research topic I hope to

attain a better grasp for how anesthesia can act
as a catalyst for dementia or cognitive
deterioration. I know that with my mentor’s help
and my hours at the hospital, we will be able to
find a resolution to the seemingly mysterious
linkage between these two variables
Thank You.

u I would like to thank my mentor, Mrs. Stratton for her

dedication in her field of anesthesia, as well as Mrs.
Click and the evaluators for their time.
 Works Cited
u Allan. “Children Undergoing General Anesthesia Archives – St. Lawrence.” Dental Office in Mississauga, 29 Aug. 2017,

www.stlawrencedentistry.com/2014/11/29/children-undergoing-general-anesthesia-or-deep-sedation/.

u Charvat, Mylea. “5 Facts You Need to Know About Dementia.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 7 Dec. 2017,

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-fifth-vital-sign/201712/5-facts-you-need-know-about-dementia.

u “Clear Lake Regional Hospital.” Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, clearlakermc.com/.

u “Clear Springs High School.” Go to Clear Springs High School, clearsprings.ccisd.net/.

u DailyCaring. “What's the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia?” DailyCaring, 5 June 2017,

dailycaring.com/alzheimers-and-dementia-know-the-difference/.

u DeMarco, Bob. “4 Memory Systems of the Brain and Dementia.” Alzheimer Reading Room, 27 Feb. 2017,

www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2014/01/how-dementia-affects-memory-systems-of.html.
 Works Cited

u “Hospital to Replace Doctors with Parents Who Have Done Their Research.” The Science Post, 10 Feb. 2017,

thesciencepost.com/hospital-to-replace-doctors-with-parents-who-have-done-their-research/.

u “Operating Room.” Operating & Surgery Room | St. Mary's Health System | Maine,

www.stmarysmaine.com/departments-services/surgical-services/operating-room.

u Staff, Science X. “Brain Encodes Time and Place of Taste Memory.” Medical Xpress - Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 23 Sept. 2014,

medicalxpress.com/news/2014-09-brain-encodes-memory.html.

u “Westlake Anesthesia – WAG Anesthesia Services.” Westlake Anesthesia, westlakeanesthesia.com/.

u “What Causes Dementia?” BrightFocus Foundation, 4 Oct. 2017,

www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/article/what-causes-dementia.