Short- and long-term effects of single neonatal exposure to propofol anesthesia on cognitive function

Objective To investigate the short- and long-term effects of neonatal single exposure to propofol anesthesia on neurocognitive function. Methods Institute of Cancer Research mice were intraperitoneally injected with fat emulsion or propofol at a dose of 50 or 100 mg/kg once at postnatal day 12. At 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks following anesthesia, learning and memory abilities were evaluated using the novel object recognition and Morris water maze experiments. Histopathology and synaptic function of the hippocampus were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin and Golgi-Cox staining, and the expression levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate–response element binding protein (CREB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD95) in the hippocampus were detected using western blotting. Results There was no significant difference in total exploration time, recognition index, and time and crossings in the target quadrant between the control and propofol-exposed groups. No hippocampal pathological change and abnormal dendritic length or spine density were observed. Furthermore, no significant alterations in the expression levels of CREB, BDNF, or PSD95 were detected. Conclusions Neonatal single exposure to propofol anesthesia does not impair recognition function in either the short- or long-term.