title: Epigenetics as a new therapeutic target for postoperative cognitive dysfunction.
abstract: Persistent memory and learning disabilities may occur postoperatively and may be related to neurodegenerative processes. Epigenetic dysregulation has been implicated to abnormal brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. Some risk factors contributing to postoperative cognitive disorder (POCD) have been identified, including exposure to general anesthesia, hypotension, hypoxia, psychoactive drugs, hippocampal inflammation induced by the surgical intervention, etc. The current evidence supports these risk factors might induce epigenetic dysfunction in the brain. It is possible that epigenetic regulation might be the common downstream pathway of these risk factors, since the chromatin remodeling is necessary for the memory-associated gene transcription and expression. Here, we present our hypothesis that the epigenetic dysregulation might be a critical mechanism underlying POCD. Our hypothesis may lead to a new therapeutic strategy of epigenetic intervention for POCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Anshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yue
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors