Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-74). / Considerable research evidence suggests that post-operative cognitive impairment is a common complication of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This study evaluated the short-term effects of CABG surgery on cognitive performance one to two days prior to surgery (baseline) and one-month post-surgery (follow up). 40 CABG surgical patients and 40 healthy, nonsurgical control participants were assessed with a standard neurocognitive battery that evaluated seven areas of cognitive functioning. Visioconstruction, visual memory, verbal memory, attention, psychomotor speed, executive functioning and language were measured. Additionally, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were included to assess mood and anxiety states pre- and post-operatively. Demographic data pertaining to participants' general medical conditions were also collected. The repeated measures ANOV A with mixed designs procedure showed cognitive improvement on the domains of visioconstruction (p = 0.017), visual memory (p = 0.001), psychomotor speed (p = 0.001), executive functioning (p = 0.012) and language (p = 0.001). Significant cognitive decline on the domain of verbal memory (p = 0.026) was also found in both control and surgical groups. Furthermore, changes in mood and anxiety states did not influence post-operative changes in neurocognitive performance. The results yielded in the present study are mixed and confirm the multifactorial problem of studying cognitive functioning post-CABG surgery.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uct/oai:localhost:11427/10246 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Chiang, Yin-Jung Helen |
| Publisher | University of Cape Town, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Psychology |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Master Thesis, Masters, MA |
| Format | application/pdf |
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