I just had two surgeries with general anesthesia. While I haven't had any cognitive effects in the task sense (surprisingly the opposite), I lost my sense of taste completely and kind of worse than lost. My brain seems to believe food is some kind of poison with some very odd anecdotal events. I tried to make myself eat my favorite rotisserie chicken. I was shocked to see it sliding down the wall, I threw the chicken. I have never been more shocked in my life. The doctor said not to worry, but it will be at least six months before it comes back. Everything tastes rotten, or chemical.