A new study, published Monday, offers the most definite proof yet of what scientists have known for at least a decade: that anticholinergic drugs (PDF) are linked with cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dementia.
Though
you may have never heard of this class of drug, you've certainly heard
of the medications themselves, including Benadryl, Demerol, Dimetapp,
Dramamine, Paxil, Unisom and VESIcare. They are sold over the counter
and by prescription as sleep aids and for chronic diseases including
hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD).
The new study is the first to examine
the physical changes that serve as the catalyst for cognitive decline.
Using brain imaging techniques, researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine found (PDF) lower metabolism and reduced brain sizes among study participants taking anticholinergic drugs.
"These
findings provide us with a much better understanding of how this class
of drugs may act upon the brain in ways that might raise the risk of
cognitive impairment and dementia," said Shannon Risacher, an assistant professor of radiology and imaging sciences.
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