Specifically, aged mice (16 months of age) that underwent laparotomy exhibited long-term cognitive decline paralleled by increases in neuroapoptotic markers (i.e. caspase-3 and iNOS) and decreased neuronal plasticity markers (i.e. BDNF, PSD-95 and synapsin-1) 7 days after surgery6. The gene discussed is DLG4; the disease is Mental deterioration.