For a long time, talk about this phenomenon never got far beyond the locker room.
But the worry quickly faded away, and the general public really hasnt heard much about it since.
However, in the intervening years much more has been learned about mental changes after bypass surgery.
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For one thing, the phenomenon is real.
What Is Meant by Cognitive Impairment?
More severe symptoms such as overt delirium can also be seen rarely.
How Common Is the Problem?
Participants were deemed to have significant impairment if they had a 20% decrease in test scores.
What was a surprise was the high incidence of the problem in the Duke study and its persistence.
This study, accordingly, caused a lot of consternation both among healthcare providers and the public in general.
The Duke study has been appropriately criticized because it did not have a randomized control group.
What Causes Cognitive Impairment After Bypass Surgery?
The exact cause of cognitive impairment following bypass surgery is unknown.
There are probably several factors that can bring it about.
What Happens to People Who Experience Cognitive Impairment?
Unfortunately, a substantial minority never return completely to their pre-surgical condition.
Most of these techniques are thought to offer a substantial degree of protection to the brain.
Newman MF, Kirchner JL, Phillips-bute B, et al.Longitudinal assessment of neurocognitive function after coronary-artery bypass surgery.
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