Plasma lipidomics reveals potential lipid markers for the prediction of delayed neurocognitive recovery after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

•Delayed neurocognitive recovery (DNR) refers to cognitive changes that occur following anesthesia and surgery.•The diagnosis and prognosis of DNR heavily depend on neuropsychological measurements, which can be both labor-intensive and time-consuming.•An independent risk factor for DNR has been identified as pre-operative hemoglobin levels.•Five specific lipids found in the serum have shown potential as predictive biomarkers for DNR.•The glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway has emerged asa significant pathway that may play a crucial role in driving DNR.