Neuropsychiatric conditions associated with anesthesia exposure.
BACKGROUND
Although anesthetics have been used for more than a century, their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Given that a number of intraoperative and postoperative neuropsychiatric syndromes have been linked to the use of anesthetics, practitioners should familiarize themselves with these conditions.


METHODS
Basic concepts about anesthesia are reviewed and neuropsychiatric syndromes associated with anesthesia exposure described.


CONCLUSIONS
Emergence delirium, postoperative delirium, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and intraoperative awareness can develop in association with use of inhalation anesthetics and intravenously administered anesthetics.
Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR. Electronic address: gross@ohsu.edu.
Anne F
AF
Gross
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
Theodore A
TA
Stern
D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003693:Delirium / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D058926:Intraoperative Awareness / Q000523:psychology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology