Hippocampal single-cell atlas screening unveils disrupted neuroglial system in postoperative cognitive impairment

This study investigates the roles of neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive impairment, focusing on a dysregulated glia-neuron cycle. We utilized 18-month male C57BL/6 mice to model this condition, conducting single-cell RNA sequencing in the hippocampus to explore the neuroglial interactions and their implications in neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, and myelin loss. This dataset includes transcriptomic profiles aimed at decoding the cellular communication in aged hippocampal cells and assessing the impact of therapeutic interventions on postoperative cognitive decline. Overall design: In this study, we examined the effects of sevoflurane anesthesia combined with surgical stress on hippocampal function in mice. The surgery group was exposed to 2.5% sevoflurane in 50% oxygen for 30 minutes using a breathing mask, while the control group received only 50% oxygen for the same duration. Sevoflurane levels were continuously monitored using a Datex anesthetic monitor. A modified exploratory laparotomy was performed on the surgery group, followed by a recovery period in 50% oxygen. After 24 hours, hippocampal tissues were collected for single-cell RNA sequencing.