Most people take medicine to feel better when dealing with health problems like allergies or high blood pressure. But a new study from the University of California, San Diego, shows that some of these medicines may hurt your memory.
The study focused on a group of drugs called anticholinergic drugs. These are used to treat many common health conditions, including allergies, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, and bladder problems. There are about 100 different types of these drugs. Some can be bought without a prescription, while others need one.
The research team studied 688 older adults, with an average age of 74. At the start of the study, none of them showed signs of memory problems. All of them had taken anticholinergic drugs at least once a week for more than six months. They were followed for up to ten years, and researchers checked their memory and thinking skills each year.
Around one-third of the people in the study took these drugs, and on average, they used five different kinds. Some of the common drugs used by these people were Metoprolol, Atenolol, Loratadine, and Bupropion.
The results were surprising and concerning. People who took at least one anticholinergic drug had a 47% higher chance of developing memory problems than people who didn’t take these drugs. Memory loss can be an early sign of serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The risk was even higher in people who already showed early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. If they were also taking anticholinergic drugs, they were four times more likely to develop memory problems. For people with a family history or genes linked to Alzheimer’s, the risk was 2.5 times higher if they took these drugs.
This study shows that we need to be careful when using these medicines, especially for people who want to keep their memory sharp or are already at risk of brain diseases. It also reminds us that treating one health problem should not make another one worse.
The researchers suggest that we should also consider other ways to manage conditions like high blood pressure. For example, eating healthy foods like beetroot may help. Sometimes it might be better to try changing your lifestyle before starting certain medications.
The study was led by Lisa Delano-Wood and was published in the journal Neurology. It gives us important new information about how everyday medicines can affect brain health.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about low choline intake linked to higher dementia risk, and how eating nuts can affect your cognitive ability.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
