You probably remember actor Peter Falk as the cigar-chomping TV detective Lt. Columbo, the cop who inevitably arrived at the scene of a high-society crime in a wheezing jalopy and a rumpled raincoat. But did you know that Falk, who had Alzheimer’s and died recently at age 83, couldn’t remember the role he made famous? And did you know that his mental decline has been linked to gum disease and general anesthesia? Columbo (the guy never had a first name) was famous for being relentless. He caught smooth criminals off guard with his signature “Ahh, there’s just one more thing. …” In this case, the “one more thing” we want to stick with you is that general anesthesia can be risky for older brains, and for very young ones, too. Handle with the same care Columbo handled his beloved old car.

There’s growing evidence that after age 65, repeated exposure to common inhaled anesthesia drugs can cause confusion and delirium that can last for days or weeks, and may push an aging brain toward dementia. General anesthesia has been linked with the death of brain cells and with Alzheimer’s-like brain tangles and plaques. But there’s reassuring news, too: A single procedure doesn’t seem to raise risk.