Author Topic: Common allergy and cold medicines shrink brain, could lead to Alzheimers (Read 1069 times)

Croix de Fer · « **on:** April 21, 2016, 02:19:29 AM »

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http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2514553

Association Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults

ABSTRACT:

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Importance The use of anticholinergic (AC) medication is linked to cognitive impairment and an increased risk of dementia. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the association between AC medication use and neuroimaging biomarkers of brain metabolism and atrophy as a proxy for understanding the underlying biology of the clinical effects of AC medications.

Objective To assess the association between AC medication use and cognition, glucose metabolism, and brain atrophy in cognitively normal older adults from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and the Indiana Memory and Aging Study (IMAS).

Design, Setting, and Participants The ADNI and IMAS are longitudinal studies with cognitive, neuroimaging, and other data collected at regular intervals in clinical and academic research settings. For the participants in the ADNI, visits are repeated 3, 6, and 12 months after the baseline visit and then annually. For the participants in the IMAS, visits are repeated every 18 months after the baseline visit (402 cognitively normal older adults in the ADNI and 49 cognitively normal older adults in the IMAS were included in the present analysis). Participants were either taking (hereafter referred to as the AC+ participants [52 from the ADNI and 8 from the IMAS]) or not taking (hereafter referred to as the AC? participants [350 from the ADNI and 41 from the IMAS]) at least 1 medication with medium or high AC activity. Data analysis for this study was performed in November 2015.

Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive scores, mean fludeoxyglucose F 18 standardized uptake value ratio (participants from the ADNI only), and brain atrophy measures from structural magnetic resonance imaging were compared between AC+ participants and AC? participants after adjusting for potential confounders. The total AC burden score was calculated and was related to target measures. The association of AC use and longitudinal clinical decline (mean [SD] follow-up period, 32.1 [24.7] months [range, 6-108 months]) was examined using Cox regression.

Results The 52 AC+ participants (mean [SD] age, 73.3 [6.6] years) from the ADNI showed lower mean scores on Weschler Memory Scale–Revised Logical Memory Immediate Recall (raw mean scores: 13.27 for AC+ participants and 14.16 for AC? participants; P?=?.04) and the Trail Making Test Part B (raw mean scores: 97.85 seconds for AC+ participants and 82.61 seconds for AC? participants; P?=?.04) and a lower executive function composite score (raw mean scores: 0.58 for AC+ participants and 0.78 for AC? participants; P?=?.04) than the 350 AC? participants (mean [SD] age, 73.3 [5.8] years) from the ADNI. Reduced total cortical volume and temporal lobe cortical thickness and greater lateral ventricle and inferior lateral ventricle volumes were seen in the AC+ participants relative to the AC? participants.

Conclusions and Relevance The use of AC medication was associated with increased brain atrophy and dysfunction and clinical decline. Thus, use of AC medication among older adults should likely be discouraged if alternative therapies are available.

Croix de Fer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2016, 02:23:06 AM »

Article regarding above study:

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http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2016/04/common_allergy_and_cold_medici.html

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Over-the-counter nighttime cold medicines can make life bearable when you're battling a virus. And for allergy sufferers, drugs like Benadryl can significantly improve quality of life.

But researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine now suggest you think long and hard before taking many common cold and allergy medications, especially if you're past middle age.

The scientists, whose work has been published in the journal JAMA Neurology, say drugs that have a strong "anticholinergic effect" shrink the brain and decrease brain metabolism. This is not a new finding: earlier research has found a link between anticholinergic drugs and cognitive impairment among older adults. A 2013 study concluded that taking one of these drugs for only two months causes memory problems in older people.

The new academic paper, reports Indiana University, "is believed to be the first to study the potential underlying biology of those clinical links using neuroimaging measurements of brain metabolism and atrophy."

"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 study lead author Shannon Risacher, who's an assistant professor of radiology and imaging sciences at Indiana University School of Medicine. "Given all the research evidence, physicians might want to consider alternatives to anticholinergic medications if available when working with their older patients."

"I certainly wouldn't advise my grandparents or even my parents to take these medications unless they have to," Risacher says.

Check out a guide to common medicines that have anticholinergics.

Study participants taking anticholinergic drugs had lower levels of glucose metabolism, which is a "biomarker" indicating brain activity and Alzheimer's disease, Indiana University reports. They also performed "worse than older adults not taking the drugs on short-term memory and some tests of executive function, which cover a range of activities such as verbal reasoning, planning and problem solving."

The 451 participants, all between the ages of 70 and 75, underwent MRI scans, and those using anticholinergic drugs had "reduced brain volume."

Dr. Risacher says the results provide "clues" to the biological impact of these drugs on the brain but pointed out that "additional studies are needed if we are to truly understand the mechanisms involved."

Ursus · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2016, 07:37:23 PM »

It's a big maybe. As a regular allergy sufferer, I frequently need these medicines to function on daily basis. They're very cheap and effective. Keeps me functioning and out of the ER.

If there was an effective affordable alternative I'd gladly consider it. I'm just suspicious as it might be a scare to some to switch to expensive prescription medicines.

Croix de Fer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 24, 2016, 10:40:59 PM »

Quote from: Ursus

It's a big maybe. As a regular allergy sufferer, I frequently need these medicines to function on daily basis. They're very cheap and effective. Keeps me functioning and out of the ER.

If there was an effective affordable alternative I'd gladly consider it. I'm just suspicious as it might be a scare to some to switch to expensive prescription medicines.

Avoid all prescriptions. Big Pharma's intention is to keep you on meds rather than curing the source of your problem. Constant demand for them means constant and higher profits.

Try various spices and herbs to relieve your allergy symptoms. Example: ground red pepper or cayenne pepper will relieve dry, itchy and/or congested nasal passages resulting from allergies. Plus, you get the added benefits of cancer-fighting and general immune-building properties from these spices.

Take 1/4 tsp at least twice a day or whenever symptoms arise. Adjust portion according to severity of symptoms.

Nadir · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2016, 11:55:35 PM »

If you are concerned about taking cayenne, I suggest making your own capsules and take with a meal. It's very easy. I grow my own and make them up.