Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is one of the most common complications after surgery under general anesthesia and usually manifests as newly presented cognitive impairment. However, the mechanism of POCD is still unclear. In addition to neurons, glial cells including microglia, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, represent a large cell population in the nervous system. The bi-directional communication between neurons and glia provides basis for neural circuit function. Recent studies suggest that glial dysfunctions may contribute to the occurrence and progress of POCD. In this paper, we review the relevant work on POCD, which may provide new insights into the mechanism and therapeutic strategy for POCD.