'The early results from this study support the view that anaesthesia may increaserisk of developing dementia but questions still remain about why this is the case and whether other factors could also have a role to play.

'As there is rarely an alternative to the use of anaesthetics in people who need them, we need more research to understand why this happens and how we can combat it. One in three people over the age of 65 will develop dementia. It is vital we continue funding research to find ways of reducing the risk and ultimately prevent the condition from developing.'

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