Oldham MA, et al. - Researchers analyzed evidence on cognitive outcomes post-heart valve surgery, and investigated the association of aortic and mitral valve surgery with different cognitive outcomes. They identified and analyzed 12 peer-reviewed reports of individuals undergoing heart valve surgery who had preoperative and postoperative cognitive assessment from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases. Over the postoperative 6 months, they found that cognitive decline was evident among patients who had heart valve surgery. However, no clarity could be gained with regard to outcomes beyond 6 months. Findings emphasized the cognitive vulnerability in this patient population, particularly in older adults with aortic stenosis.