Cognitive decline can range from mild memory problems to severe dementia, which can greatly affect daily life.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but thinking and memory problems can also come from other causes like depression, infections, or medication side effects.
Sometimes these problems can be treated, but when the cause is a brain disorder like Alzheimer’s, the decline is usually permanent.
A new study from the University of California San Diego has found that a group of widely used drugs may increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is often an early sign of dementia.
These medicines, called anticholinergic drugs, are prescribed for many conditions, including high blood pressure, motion sickness, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, and Parkinson’s disease.
Anticholinergic drugs work by blocking a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, which is important for memory and learning. While they can be effective for certain health problems, they may also have unwanted effects on brain health.
The researchers studied 688 people, with an average age of 74, who were mentally healthy when the study began.
They recorded whether participants had taken anticholinergic drugs within three months of starting the study and whether they had used them at least once a week for more than six months. The participants then took memory and thinking tests each year for up to 10 years.
About one-third of the people in the study were taking these drugs, with an average of nearly five different anticholinergic drugs each. Some of the most common ones included metoprolol and atenolol (for high blood pressure), loratadine (for allergies), and bupropion (for depression).
The results showed that people taking at least one anticholinergic drug were 47% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment over the next 10 years compared to those not taking these medicines.
The risk was even higher for people who had brain markers linked to Alzheimer’s disease — they were four times more likely to develop memory problems. People with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s who took these drugs were about 2.5 times more likely to experience cognitive decline.
These findings suggest that cutting back on anticholinergic drugs could be an important way to protect brain health, especially for people at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. If you are taking these medicines and are worried about your memory, talk to your doctor about possible alternatives.
There are other ways to help protect your brain. Research shows that regular exercise may slow or even reverse cognitive decline, antioxidants might lower dementia risk, and certain fruits could help slow brain aging.
The study, led by Lisa Delano-Wood, was published in the journal Neurology. It is a reminder that medicines taken for one health problem can sometimes have side effects that affect other parts of our health, including brain function. Being informed and making careful health choices can help protect your memory and thinking skills as you age.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a drug related to Viagra may help treat vascular dementia and findings of link between body inflammation and dementia risk.
For more information about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a simple solution to fight dementia and findings of Big causes of memory loss, dementia you need to know.
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