PeCAN program assesses cognition pre- and post-surgery

Price PhotoCatherine Price, Ph.D., an associate professor of clinical health and psychology and anesthesiology, was recently featured in the Gainesville Sun for the Perioperative Cognitive Anesthetic Network program, or PeCAN. Founded by Price, PeCAN assesses cognitive problems before and after surgery in patients above the age of 65.

While many presurgical assessments are conducted for other organs, the brain has often been neglected.

“We assess the heart, we assess lungs, et cetera, before you go in, but the brain’s being put to sleep. It’s completely being altered when you give an anesthetic. Why don’t we assess it pre-op? So, how do you do that? That’s been the question,” said Price.

MBI Director Todd Golde, M.D., Ph.D., recently hosted an event acknowledging the efforts of the PeCAN teams, awarding them for their efforts to improves the lives of patients whose cognition is at risk going into surgery.

Click here to read the story published in The Gainesville Sun