Executive Reaction Time Test in Assessment of Cognitive Dysfunction After Aortic Valve Procedures

Up to 50% of patients undergoing surgical aortic valve operation suffer from some level of post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Frontal lobes of the brain, where executive functions are located, are highly susceptible to trauma caused by possible blood malperfusion to these areas of the brain during surgery. Conventional and established neuropsychological test methods are poor in distinguishing these kinds of trauma, as they are isolated, structured tests that do not require multitasking and processing of multiple stimuli at the same time.

The phase 1 goal of this study is to employ an experimental Executive reaction time (RT) test to see if this method could improve objective detection of subtle brain dysfunction assumed to underlie persistent cognitive, somatic, and affective complaints reported by patients who have undergone electic aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery. Phase 2 of the study will concentrate on patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).