Surgery is closely associated with long-term neurocognitive impairment, a condition also known as postoperative neurocognitive disorders.
Our translational project explores mechanisms, pathophysiology, prevention and long-term outcomes after major surgery to explore surgery-induced neuroinflammation with postoperative neurocognitive decline or dementia. Using comprehensive clinical and experimental platforms in cells and animals, combined with translational studies in surgical patients and nationwide outcome studies, our group identify and describe key mechanisms and at-risk patients for long-term postoperative neurocognitive decline or dementia.
We investigate regulatory processes involved in surgery-induced immune activation within the brain and subsequent neuronal dysfunction after surgery and trauma in relation to long-term brain dysfunction and systemic inflammation. We translate experimental findings to humans by application of state of the art brain PET-imaging,, cerebrospinal fluid neurochemistry, a broad area of cognitive test batteries with advanced pattern recognition analysis of systemic immune reactivity to trauma, in order to explore the association between trauma-induced changes in peripheral-to-brainsignaling and subsequent changes in neurocognitive function.
Clinical results are combined with nationwide outcome studies on the impact of surgery or trauma on later cognitive performance and risk for dementia, aiming to identify at-risk patients to define novel therapeutic strategies.
Funding
- VR Medicine
- The Brain Foundation
- The Alzheimer Foundation
- Region Stockholm ALF project grant
- European Society for Anesthesiology
- Swedish Medical Society
- Swedish Society for Anesthesia and Intensive Care