Regulation of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction by Glutathione Under Various Pathways: A Narrative Review

ABSTRACT Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neurological complication after surgery and general anesthesia, and the incidence increases with age. Will have a negative impact on patients, family and society. At present, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are the main recognized mechanisms. Glutathione (GSH) is a powerful reducing agent and may be related to POCD. Data Collection: Using medical search engines such as PubMed, Web of Science, we analyzed articles on topics such as: POCD, GSH, microglia, astrocyte, oligodendrocyte, ferroptosis, BDNF, Neuroinflammation, oxidative stress. The above topics are searched in databases using Boolean operations. We included original articles, reviews and other article types such as medical books. Results: According to the reviewed literature, GSH may be a treatment for POCD. Conclusions: Specific and targeted therapies for POCD still sparse, therefore, the implementation of preventive strategies appears to remain the optimal attitude. Further research is needed for a better understanding of GSH and POCD.