Study Explores Link Between Early Anesthesia Exposure and ADHD

Children exposed to anesthesia two or more times before their second birthday may be more at risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children with no exposure to anesthesia, according to a study published in the February issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The study analyzed 5,357 children born between January 1976 and December 1982 in Rochester, Minn. Using educational records, researchers determined that 341 subjects were diagnosed with ADHD or another form of learning disability before age 19. Then, using medical records contained in the Rochester Epidemiology Project—a database of all patient care in Olmsted County—the team looked at the sampling’s exposure to anesthesia and surgery prior to age 2.

Of the 341 subjects with ADHD, 7.3% had never been exposed to anesthesia, while 10.7% had undergone a single procedure involving anesthesia and surgery. Exposure to multiple procedures requiring general anesthesia (defined as two or more times), however, revealed a 17.9% incidence of ADHD or learning disability. The findings led researchers to conclude that repeated exposure to anesthesia before age 2 may increase the risk of developing ADHD or other learning disabilities.

Funded by the federal Food and Drug Administration, Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Sciences Activities, National Institutes of Health, and the Rochester Epidemiology Project, the observational study suggests that further research into this potential link is warranted.