Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is the collection of cognitive impairments experienced by patients shortly following surgery. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can last from just a few days to months. The persistent form of POCD is most often experienced by older adults and is a known risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease. In her talk, Dr. Barrientos will introduce her rodent model of POCD. She will discuss how microglial sensitization in the aged brain makes it more vulnerable to inflammatory challenges leading to precipitous cognitive impairments. She will discuss how opioids, administered for postsurgical pain, can evoke a neuroinflammatory response through a TLR4-mediated mechanism thus prolonging and exacerbating POCD symptoms in aged rats.