Impact of General Anesthesia in Childhood on Cognitive Processes

This study aims to evaluate the potential long-term cognitive effects of general anesthesia administered before the age of 4. Specifically, it investigates executive functions-including inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility-in children aged 9 to 10 years. A secondary objective assesses visuo-spatial attention. Participants will be divided into two groups: (1) children exposed to a single general anesthesia for functional surgery before age 4, and (2) a control group with no such exposure. Cognitive performance will be assessed through computerized tasks with time constraints, conducted in a school setting. The study is designed to compare these groups prospectively in order to determine whether early exposure to general anesthesia is associated with differences in cognitive functioning at school age.

NCT Number	NCT07141797
Lead Sponsor	University Hospital, Caen
Conditions	Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Child Behavior Disorders
Enrollment	80 participants
Start Date	2025-03-01
Primary Completion	2025-03-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2025-11-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-01-14