Brain waves during surgery may reveal dementia risk in seniors

NCT ID NCT04189861

Completed Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at whether monitoring brain waves during general anesthesia can help predict if older adults (over 60) will experience memory or thinking problems after surgery. Researchers tracked 31 patients having elective, non-cardiac surgery and compared their brain activity to cognitive changes three months later. The goal is to find early warning signs of postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a way to predict which older adults are at risk for memory or thinking problems after surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a small, completed study with only 31 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It is observational and does not test a treatment.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Postoperative Cognitive Complications

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

POSTOPERATIVE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.