Neuropsychological changes in a young, healthy population after controlled hypotensive anesthesia.

We investigated the effect of controlled hypotension during halothane anesthesia on brain functions as measured by neuropsychological tests. Anesthesia in 17 patients included controlled hypotension, whereas in another 27 patients hypotension was not induced during surgery for correction of facial abnormalities. Intraoperative EEG recording showed no significant changes in EEG power during the induction of hypotension. Hypotensive anesthesia was not associated with greater postoperative impairment than normotensive anesthesia. Both groups did show short-term postoperative impairment of memory and learning. For at least the first 24 hrs after administration of a general anesthetic agent such as halothane, there is interference with consolidation of memory. This impairment was not apparent in follow-up examinations 6 months later.