Category of Antidepressants Linked to Dementia

The Alternative to Meds Center has been providing holistic natural treatments for mental health conditions and substance abuse for more than a decade. The Alternative to Meds Center is committed to helping patients eliminate their dependence on antidepressants, which may have side effects or unwanted long-term consequences.

A particular type of antidepressant may increase a patient's risk of developing dementia, according to researchers from the University of East Anglia in the UK. The study evaluated the long-term use of anticholinergenic medications prescribed for depression, Parkinson's disease, and bladder conditions.

The research team examined the medical records of more than 324,000 patients, some 12.5 percent of whom had recent dementia diagnoses. They found that patients who had taken certain classes of anticholinergenics, which block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, increased a patient's risk of developing dementia by as much as 30 percent.

The researchers emphasized that the connection was still present for those patients who had taken the medication in question up to 20 years before the diagnosis. They urge doctors to avoid prescribing these medications, particularly when the patient is 65 years old or older.