Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with Brain Tumor

With the continuous in-depth research on the treatment of brain tumors and the continuous improvement in patients' requirement of quality of life, as one of common postoperative complications, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has gradually attracted more attention. It is currently believed that abnormal expression of cytokines, including inflammatory factors, reactive oxygen species, and high mobility group protein B1, are the molecular mechanism of POCD. Due to the abstractness of cognitive function, in order to better evaluate POCD, a series of scales have been designed clinically. However, how to choose the appropriate approach for different patients is still inconclusive. The treatment of POCD includes drug therapy and non-drug therapy, which is still in the preliminary stage of research and lacks clinical guidelines. This article summarizes the epidemiology, etiology, mechanism, evaluation methods, and treatment options of POCD in patients with brain tumors.