Impact of General Anesthesia in Childhood on Cognitive Processes
NCT ID: NCT07141797
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
80 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
2025-03-01
2025-11-01
Brief Summary
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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.
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Detailed Description
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Executive functions will be measured using standardized, computerized tasks. Inhibition will be assessed through both an emotional Stroop (hot inhibition) and a classic Stroop task (cold inhibition). Working memory will be evaluated using a spatial sequence recall task on a grid, in both forward and reverse order. Flexibility will be measured through an adapted version of the computerized Trail Making Test, requiring rule-switching between tasks based on stimulus color.
Visuo-spatial abilities will be assessed using a global-local task involving hierarchical visual stimuli, allowing for evaluation of attention to detail versus overall structure. General intelligence will be measured using Raven's Progressive Matrices.
Participants will be recruited from selected elementary schools in partnership with local educational authorities. Eligible children will be grouped based on prior exposure to general anesthesia, matched on age, sex, and socio-economic status. Testing will occur in school settings during class time under controlled, blinded conditions. Data will be anonymized and processed in accordance with GDPR standards. Statistical analyses will include MANOVA and linear models to assess group differences.
Conditions
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Study Design
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CASE_CONTROL
PROSPECTIVE
Study Groups
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General anesthesia group
Children aged 9 or 10 at the time of the study, who were exposed to a single general anesthesia for a functional surgery during childhood before the age of 4.
Executive functions assessment
Inhibition: Emotional (hot) and logical (cold) inhibition using Emotional and Classic Stroop tests. Participants identify the color of words or emotion in photos while inhibiting automatic responses. Inhibition scores are based on the difference in response times between congruent and interference conditions.
Working Memory: Participants recall a sequence of points on a grid, first in the original order, then in reverse. The working memory score is the difference between the two tasks.
Cognitive Flexibility: A task requiring alternation between identifying numbers as greater/less than 5 or even/odd based on color cues. Flexibility is scored by comparing response times for alternating and non-alternating tasks.
Visuospatial abilities are assessed with a global-local task. Raven's Progressive Matrices will assess general intelligence, and socio-economic data will be collected.
Control group
Children aged 9 or 10 at the time of the study, who were not exposed to general anesthesia for surgery during childhood.
Executive functions assessment
Inhibition: Emotional (hot) and logical (cold) inhibition using Emotional and Classic Stroop tests. Participants identify the color of words or emotion in photos while inhibiting automatic responses. Inhibition scores are based on the difference in response times between congruent and interference conditions.
Working Memory: Participants recall a sequence of points on a grid, first in the original order, then in reverse. The working memory score is the difference between the two tasks.
Cognitive Flexibility: A task requiring alternation between identifying numbers as greater/less than 5 or even/odd based on color cues. Flexibility is scored by comparing response times for alternating and non-alternating tasks.
Visuospatial abilities are assessed with a global-local task. Raven's Progressive Matrices will assess general intelligence, and socio-economic data will be collected.
Interventions
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Executive functions assessment
Inhibition: Emotional (hot) and logical (cold) inhibition using Emotional and Classic Stroop tests. Participants identify the color of words or emotion in photos while inhibiting automatic responses. Inhibition scores are based on the difference in response times between congruent and interference conditions.
Working Memory: Participants recall a sequence of points on a grid, first in the original order, then in reverse. The working memory score is the difference between the two tasks.
Cognitive Flexibility: A task requiring alternation between identifying numbers as greater/less than 5 or even/odd based on color cues. Flexibility is scored by comparing response times for alternating and non-alternating tasks.
Visuospatial abilities are assessed with a global-local task. Raven's Progressive Matrices will assess general intelligence, and socio-economic data will be collected.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Pregnancy-related pathology:
* Pregnancy-induced hypertension
* Preeclampsia
* Gestational diabetes
* Threat of preterm labor
* Depressive syndrome
Chronic treatment during pregnancy:
* Pregnancy-induced hypertension: antihypertensive treatment (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers)
* Preeclampsia: antihypertensive treatment (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers), magnesium sulfate
* Gestational diabetes: dietary regimen, insulin
* Threat of preterm labor: prenatal corticosteroid therapy, magnesium sulfate
* Depressive syndrome: antidepressant psychotropic treatment Smoking during pregnancy, alcohol consumption during pregnancy, drug use during pregnancy Criteria for "Children" Child refusal to participate in the study Premature birth (i.e., before 37 weeks of gestation) Evolving or chronic psychiatric pathology, whether or not requiring chronic treatment Evolving or chronic neurological or neuromuscular pathology Genetic pathology Any chronic pathology requiring specialized follow-up and/or treatment (doctor, psychologist, speech therapist) Specialized neuro-pediatric or pediatric psychiatric follow-up, or follow-up with a psychologist or speech therapist during childhood Neuro-visual disorders (excluding normal vision with correction) Hearing disorders, whether or not using hearing aids Chronic otorhinolaryngological pathology, including sleep apnea syndrome, with or without apparatus Developmental disorders: ADHD, autism, or other, whether or not requiring chronic treatment Pediatric intensive care hospitalization Conventional hospitalization for more than 1 week during childhood Child who underwent multiple general anesthesias before the age of 4
8 Years
10 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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University Hospital, Caen
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Locations
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University Hospital Caen Normandie
Caen, Normandy, France
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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2023-A00110-83
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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