Health & Medicine

Meet the Brains Behind the Spinal Surgery & Cognitive Gains Study for the Elderly

Written by Shabnam
MRI brain scan showing improved cognitive networks after spinal surgery

Cognitive testing revealed improvements in brain performance. Image Credit: Daria Antonenko, UMG

Greifswald Publication in the International Journal of Surgery

A research team from Greifswald was able to demonstrate that spinal surgeries can not only restore daily functions, for example by alleviating restricting pain.

This can subsequently lead to an improvement in cognitive performance – even in older individuals. The study examined 79 patients with an average age of 71 years who underwent spinal surgery. The interdisciplinary team from neurology, neurosurgery, as well as anesthesia, intensive care, emergency, and pain medicine has now published their results in the renowned International Journal of Surgery.

“This is the first study that was able to demonstrate postoperative cognitive improvements through neural networks,” emphasizes Dr. Robert Fleischmann, project leader and managing senior physician in neurology. Using specialized MRI scans of the brain before and after spinal surgery, 79 patients were examined to assess how well different areas of the brain collaborate. The research team focused on three important networks: the central executive network, the salience network, and the default mode network. “For the planning and execution of tasks, for the evaluation of certain stimuli, or simply for thinking and pausing – each of these networks fulfills a specific function,” explains Fleischmann.

In the subjects, it was shown that these networks worked better together after the surgery. “Especially the executive and salience networks collaborated more effectively as brain performance improved,” the neurologist continues. Notably, a connection between two areas in the brain – the frontal region and the parietal region – became stronger. These changes were associated with better results in memory and concentration tests.

These results are particularly encouraging for older patients who often have concerns about undergoing surgery. “They show that surgery does not automatically jeopardize the mental health of older patients,” says Fleischmann, “on the contrary: in many patients, brain performance tests have improved.” For this effect, it is important to tailor the surgeries with experienced surgeons to the individual risk profiles of the affected individuals.

The study results have now been published in the renowned specialist journal International Journal of Surgery. “This is a great success for the research at Unimedizin Greifswald,” praises the Scientific Board of the University Medical Center Greifswald, Prof. Karlhans Endlich. “These findings show that the positive additional effects of a surgery should not be underestimated.”

Robert Fleischmann adds how these interventions can even be an opportunity to remain mentally fit: “We can use our study results in the future to develop new therapies – for example, through targeted exercises or non-invasive brain stimulations.”

Scientific contact
Dr. Robert Fleischmann
Phone Number: 03834 86-6778
Email ID: robert.fleischmann@med.uni-greifswald.de

Original Publication
Antonenko, Daria; Leroy, Sophie; Müller, Jonas; Behr, Frederik; Fromm, Anna E.; von Dincklage, Falk; Fleischmann, Robert
Journal: International Journal of Surgery
Article Title: Large-scale network mechanisms underlying postoperative cognitive improvement after spine surgery
Article Publication Date: January 08, 2025
DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000002210

Media Contact
Greifswald University Medicine
Press Office
Communication and Marketing Department
Walther-Rathenau-Straße 46 * 17475 Greifswald
Phone Number: +49 3834 86-52 88
Email ID: kommunikation@med.uni-greifswald .de
Website address: http://www.medizin.uni-greifswald.de

Source: IDW

Comments (0)

Write a comment