Posts by Zhongcong Xie, MD, PhD
-
Proof of Concept: Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis May Influence Postoperative Delirium
Yiying Zhang, MD, PhD, Zhongcong Xie, MD, PhD, and colleagues have provided proof of concept in patients that the gut–brain axis contributes to postoperative delirium, and they identified postoperative Parabacteroides distasonis as being associated with the delirium.
Biography
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the greatest public health problems in the US, and its impact will only increase with demographic changes anticipated in the coming decades. Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), a disorder including impairment of learning and memory following anesthesia and surgery, can significantly affect post-operative recovery of patients. The short-term and long-term effects of general anesthesia on aging brain function represent a burgeoning area of research interest.
The long-term mission of our lab (The Geriatric Anesthesia Research Unit) is to improve the perioperative experience of the elderly patient undergoing surgery. Our research focus on determining the neuropathogenesis of AD and POCD, and assessing the potential neurotoxicity of anesthesia. Specifically, we study the effects of anesthetics on apoptosis, cell death, beta-amyloid protein metabolism and neuroinflammation in cultured cells, animals and humans.
Digestive Healthcare at Mass General
The Massachusetts General Hospital Digestive Healthcare Center is a collaborative practice of gastroenterologists, endoscopists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, hepatologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of digestive diseases.