Scientists have found out that popular drugs can harm the brain

The human body is an extremely complex system. Medicines that help to cope with one disease, under certain conditions, can cause another. Scientists and doctors carefully study when and how drugs can cause side effects.

A study conducted at the University of California, San Diego found that a whole group of common drugs can cause mild cognitive impairment in elderly patients, and in the future, even dementia is possible.

University employee Lisa Delano-Wood studied how memory functions change in patients who take cholinolytic drugs, also called cholinoblockers. These drugs are prescribed for Parkinson's disease, some bladder diseases, seasickness, high blood pressure and other diseases.

The study was conducted on 688 volunteers, whose average age was 74 years. A third of them took various anticholinergics. The scientists compared the results of tests of cognitive abilities over 10 years, medical histories with special emphasis on genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, the number of medications they took and other factors. cholinotic substances, a 47% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment than those who do not take it. Delano-Wood noted that 57% of the volunteers took twice the recommended amount of medication, and 18% took four times the recommended amount. Elderly people are prescribed lower doses of anticholinergics, but many drugs are sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

Research shows that doctors should be more careful when prescribing drugs for older people. “Now we will be able to more accurately prescribe drugs, taking into account the risk of such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer's disease,” explained Delano-Wood.