"Pre-Surgery Fatty Food Consumption Linked to Memory Impairment"

A new animal study suggests that consuming fatty foods in the days before surgery may exacerbate the inflammatory processes linked to cognitive decline, potentially leading to prolonged memory difficulties. Rats fed a high-fat diet for three days before a surgery-like procedure showed persistent signs of memory deficits lasting up to two weeks, accompanied by increased brain inflammation. However, DHA omega-3 fatty acid supplements were found to blunt the post-surgery inflammatory response and prevent associated memory problems in both young and older rats. Further research is needed to determine the translation of these findings to humans, especially obese surgical patients, and to understand the potential impact of gender differences in response to general anesthetics.