Originally published February 26 2006
Common drugs found to produce side effects akin to dementia
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to Karen Ritchie of the Hospital La Colombiere in Montpellier, France, several antidepressants, also known as anticholinergics, produce side effects that could be misinterpreted as signs of early dementia.
Common drugs used to treat depression, Parkinson's disease and allergies can produce side effects that can be mistaken for early dementia, scientists said on Wednesday.
They added that doctors should be aware the drugs, known as anticholinergics, can cause confusion, memory loss and disorientation and question patients about medication they are taking before prescribing drugs for early dementia.
"A large number of elderly people are taking medications that can mimic early dementia and are likely to be classed as having early dementia," said Karen Ritchie, of the Hopital La Colombiere in Montpellier, France.
"We might find a large number of people in the rather ridiculous position of taking what we call pro-cholinergic medication to counteract anticholinergic drugs they are already taking," Ritchie said in an interview.
"A very large number of people with so-called early dementia have these effects due to drug consumption.
The drugs they are taking are very common -- they include things like antihistamines," she added.
The researchers, whose findings are published online by the British Medical Journal, questioned 372 elderly people without dementia about the drugs they had taken and their past illnesses.
After monitoring and assessing the patients for up to 8 years, the researchers found that people who had used anticholinergic drugs had poorer cognitive performance.
Eight-five percent met the criteria for mild cognitive impairment, compared to 35 percent of people who had not taken the drugs.
Anticholinergic drugs are prescribed to relieve tremors, muscle stiffness, weakness, anxiety, incontinence and sleep problems.
There are also drugs not listed in the same class that have anticholinergic properties.
"The cholinergic system consists of neurotransmitters that regulate a lot of our mental functioning, particularly related to memory," said Ritchie.
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