Cognitive impact of heart surgery ‘lessened by brain training’

So-called "brain training" exercises could help coronary bypass surgery patients to lessen the cognitive impairments associated with these procedures, according to a Canadian study.

A new research project spearheaded by the University of Montreal has shown that cognitive training helps to significantly reduce postoperative complications, such as memory and attention span issues, in the weeks and months after surgery.

The study suggests that brains retain a certain degree of plasticity, even among older patients, ensuring that training aimed at a specific function can lead to benefits in other non-specified areas.

Dr Louis Bherer, a researcher at the Institut universitaire de geriatrie de Montreal, said: "In my opinion, this is a very useful discovery, as it suggests that patients should receive cognitive training in addition to the usual medical follow-up."

Each year in the UK, it is estimated that 28,000 coronary artery bypass grafts are performed among NHS patients, with nearly 80 percent of this group being men over the age of 60.