NEW YORK: A group of widely used drugs available over-the-counter and on prescription could be linked to the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s in older adults, a study has found.
Scientists believe they have found a link between the prolonged use of certain drugs – including certain hayfever and incontinence treatments, and some sleeping tablets and anti-depressants – and reduced brain size.
Drugs known as anticholinergenics, which block the chemical which transfers electrical impulses between nerves, were also found to lower metabolism.
The research, led by a team at the Indiana University School of Medicine, used brain-imaging techniques and cognitive tests to assess the 451 elderly participants, of which 60 were taking at least one medication with an anticholinergenic agent…