A recent study from the University of California, San Diego has revealed that certain commonly used medications might increase the risk of memory and thinking problems.
These drugs, known as anticholinergic drugs, are used to treat a variety of conditions such as high blood pressure, allergies, colds, depression, overactive bladder, and Parkinson’s disease.
While these drugs are helpful for managing these conditions, the study suggests they could have serious long-term effects on the brain, particularly for people already at risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Anticholinergic drugs work by blocking a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, which is important for memory and learning. There are about 100 such drugs widely available, some requiring a prescription while others can be purchased over the counter.
Examples include medications like metoprolol and atenolol (used for blood pressure), loratadine (used for allergies), and bupropion (used for depression).
The study included 688 older adults with an average age of 74. None of the participants had memory or thinking problems at the beginning of the research. Over a period of up to 10 years, they underwent annual tests to measure their cognitive abilities.
At the start of the study, participants were asked to report whether they had taken any anticholinergic drugs at least once a week for six months or more within the three months prior.
About one-third of the participants were taking anticholinergic drugs, with an average of 4.7 different drugs per person.
The researchers found that those taking these medications were 47% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment—a condition that often precedes dementia—compared to those not taking anticholinergic drugs.
The risk was even higher for individuals with certain biological or genetic markers linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Participants with biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in their cerebrospinal fluid who were taking anticholinergic drugs were four times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment compared to those who neither had the biomarkers nor used the drugs.
Similarly, individuals with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease who took these drugs were about 2.5 times as likely to develop cognitive problems as those without the genetic risk factors who did not take the drugs.
These findings highlight an important concern for older adults, especially those with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or other risk factors.
The study suggests that avoiding or reducing the use of anticholinergic drugs could be an important step in preventing memory and thinking problems later in life. This could be particularly important for people who are already at an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was led by Lisa Delano-Wood and published in the journal Neurology. It adds to growing evidence that some medications, while helpful for certain conditions, can have unintended effects on brain health.
If you or a loved one are taking anticholinergic drugs, it may be worth discussing with a doctor whether there are alternative treatments available that pose less risk to cognitive function.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and flavonoid-rich foods could help prevent dementia.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that cranberries could help boost memory, and how alcohol, coffee and tea intake influence cognitive decline.
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