Many people take medications for everyday health issues like allergies, high blood pressure, depression, or even motion sickness.
But a new study from the University of California, San Diego, shows that some of these common drugs might increase the risk of memory problems, especially in older adults.
These medications are called anticholinergic drugs. They work by blocking a chemical in the body called acetylcholine. This chemical is important for muscle movement, heart rate, and brain functions like memory and learning. While these drugs can help with many symptoms, they may also affect how the brain works over time.
In the study, researchers followed 688 people with an average age of 74 for up to 10 years. At the beginning, none of them showed signs of memory problems. The researchers checked whether the participants had been taking any anticholinergic medications regularly for at least six months. They then tested their memory and thinking skills every year.
About one-third of the participants were taking at least one anticholinergic drug. On average, they were taking almost five different kinds. Some examples include metoprolol and atenolol (for high blood pressure), loratadine (for allergies), and bupropion (for depression).
The results were concerning. People who used at least one of these drugs had a 47% higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, over the next decade. MCI is an early stage of memory loss that can lead to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The risks were even higher for people who already had signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brain or who had a family history of the disease. If they were also taking anticholinergic drugs, they were two to four times more likely to develop memory problems.
This study is important because these medications are very common and are often taken without much thought about long-term side effects. The researchers suggest that one way to protect brain health is to reduce the use of anticholinergic drugs, especially for older adults and those at risk of Alzheimer’s.
Doctors may be able to recommend safer alternatives to treat conditions like allergies, high blood pressure, or depression. Making informed choices about medications could help reduce the risk of memory loss later in life.
Other research also shows that even drugs used to control blood pressure might affect memory, depending on the type used. That’s why it’s important to talk to a doctor before starting or continuing any long-term medication, especially as we age.
The study was led by Lisa Delano-Wood and published in the journal Neurology. It adds to growing evidence that the medicines we take for one problem can sometimes create new health risks. Being informed and proactive may help protect not just our bodies—but also our minds.
If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
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