Confusion in the Elderly After Colon Surgery

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients over age 65.0 years and in need of elective colon resection for adenocarcinoma Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to complete preoperative cognitive screening * Inability to complete study in English since CANTAB is timed and not validated with interpreters * Emergency surgery * Depression or psychiatric comorbidity * Pre-existing dementia * Previous cerebrovascular accident or "stroke" * Previous myocardial infarction * Cardiac ejection fraction below 55% * Propranolol, metoprolol or other betablocker use * Digoxin, procainamide, or amiodarone use * Calcium channel blocker use * History of vascular surgery or arterial vascular disease * History of alcohol dependence * Lovastatin or other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor use * Ace inhibitor use * Neuroendocrine or catecholamine associated tumors * Hypertension * Diabetes * Benzodiazepine use * Dimenhydrinate or other medications to treat motion sickness * Metaclopramide use