This Is Your Brain After Anesthetic: Dr. Peter Hedlin

About this episode

Dr. Peter Hedlin discusses the effects of anesthetics on the brain, particularly in older adults post-surgery.

Peter Hedlin (PhD, MD) recalls being a 'young, naïve medical student' when he asked a mentor a question that's stuck with him for years. "I remember asking how anaesthetics work on the brain," said Hedlin. "And he said, 'we actually don't really know'. And I thought that was crazy." Today, Hedlin is an anesthesiologist and clinician scientist at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine. He examines what surgery and sedation do to the human body — in particular, to aging brains. Trained first as a microbiologist who earned his PhD as a vaccine researcher at VIDO (Vaccine and Infections Disease Organization) , Hedlin was always drawn to medicine. He gravitated toward helping patients one-on-one, and loved the immediate feedback of operating‑room decisions. "I love to see immediate consequences of actions and anesthesia's perfect for that," he said. "Some people hate being in hospitals, but I love it." In this episode, Hedlin unpacks post‑operative delirium: the "loopiness" many people feel a day or two after surgery. Most of the grogginess eventually wears off, but for those over age 60, it can persist. In older adults, cognitive dysfunction may appear as visible…

People in this episode

Guest: Peter Hedlin

Topics covered

• anesthesia
• brain health
• post-operative delirium
• aging
• surgery
• cognitive dysfunction

Keywords

• anesthesia
• brain
• post-operative delirium
• cognitive dysfunction
• aging
• surgery
• sedation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Saskatchewan, College of Medicine, VIDO (Vaccine and Infections Disease Organization)

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