Anesthetics and Alzheimer's disease. Editorial.

Over 35 million people worldwide are reported to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). With healthcare advances and marked increase in life expectancy, there is an ever-increasing incidence of AD. Longevity and the continuous improvement of peri-operative medicine, reducing mortality and morbidity, have led to an exponential increment in surgery and, as a consequence, a larger number of aged patients are undergoing surgery. While anesthetics are indispensable clinical tools and generally considered safe and effective, in some situations there is a growing concern about the potential neurotoxicity of these agents.