7 Common Medications That Can Cause Memory Loss

Some generally used medicines have been linked to reminiscence points and extreme forgetfulness.

Sorts: Examples of benzodiazepines embrace:

• Ativan (lorazepam)
• Xanax (alprazolam)
• Valium (diazepam)
• Restoril (temazepam)

Impact on reminiscence: Benzodiazepines are identified to have an effect on reminiscence operate. Particularly, they’ll trigger delicate, short-term reminiscence loss that will get higher as soon as the drug is stopped.

There may be additionally analysis that means long-term benzodiazepine use might improve the danger of dementia, which is a bunch of mind situations that have an effect on reminiscence, cognition, and habits in older adults.

Alternate options: When you’re taking a benzodiazepine and are experiencing reminiscence issues, discuss to your physician about potential alternate options.

The alternate options fluctuate relying on the situation you are taking them for. For instance, in the event you’re taking a benzodiazepine for anxiousness, you and your physician might contemplate switching your remedy to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). You may as well talk about non-drug therapies, comparable to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Sorts: Frequent examples of anti-seizure medicine embrace:

• Lamictal (lamotrigine)
• Topamax (topiramate)
• Tegretol (carbamazepine)
• Vimpat (lacosamide)
• Keppra (levetiracetam)

Impact on reminiscence: As a result of anti-seizure medicine work by calming mind exercise, they’ll have an effect on regular mind operate. This will lead to problem remembering issues, paying consideration, or concentrating. This will go away over time as your physique will get used to the treatment, however different instances it could not.

The drowsiness and focus uncomfortable side effects brought on by anticonvulsants can have an effect on your short-term reminiscence, making it onerous to soak up and retailer new info. These uncomfortable side effects could also be extra doubtless in the event you take excessive doses or a number of varieties of anti-seizure medicines.

Alternate options: Switching to a distinct anticonvulsant might assist with reminiscence loss, as some medicine are much less prone to trigger drowsiness or different cognitive uncomfortable side effects than others. Different methods to deal with seizures embrace dietary interventions, surgical procedure, and deep mind stimulation.

Sorts: Examples of opioids embrace:

• Oxycontin (oxycodone)
• Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen)
• MS Contin (morphine)
• Percocet (oxycodone/acetaminophen)
• Dilaudid (hydromorphone)

Impact on reminiscence: Opioids are identified to intrude with the hippocampus, part of the mind concerned in reminiscence and studying.

They could additionally change the degrees of sure chemical substances in your physique which can be concerned with cognitive operate. Analysis has additionally proven that individuals who use opioids have a higher risk of developing dementia than individuals who do not use them.

Alternate options: Alternate options to opioids might embrace nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Tylenol (acetaminophen), anticonvulsants, antidepressants, topical ache medicines, and muscle relaxers.

Sorts: TCA medicines embrace:

• Elavil (amitriptyline)
• Pamelor (nortriptyline)
• Silenor (doxepin)
• Tofranil (imipramine)

Impact on reminiscence: TCAs alter the degrees of sure chemical substances within the mind, comparable to serotonin and norepinephrine.

Additionally they have anticholinergic effects, which means TCAs block acetylcholine, a chemical messenger concerned in reminiscence and studying. These mechanisms can result in reminiscence impairment, even when the TCA is taken on the beneficial dosage.

Alternate options: When you’re experiencing reminiscence issues whereas taking a TCA, discuss to a health care provider. They’ll advocate different remedies. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) do not have the identical anticholinergic results as TCAs, nevertheless, the analysis is blended on whether or not they may cause reminiscence loss.

Sorts: Examples of FGAs embrace:

• Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
• Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine)
• Dramamine (dimenhydrinate)
• Phenergan (promethazine)

Examples of SGAs embrace:

• Zyrtec (cetirizine)
• Allegra (fexofenadine)
• Claritin (loratadine)

Impact on reminiscence: Analysis reveals antihistamines are linked to an elevated danger of dementia, with FGAs having the next danger than SGAs.

Alternate options: Whereas FGAs and SGAs might each improve the danger of dementia, the danger is decrease with SGAs since they do not cross into the mind as simply. Your physician can advocate whether or not an SGA is acceptable for you.

Sorts: Sleeping drugs that will have an effect on reminiscence embrace:

• Lunesta (eszopiclone)
• Sonata (zaleplon)
• Ambien (zolpidem)

Impact on reminiscence: A 2023 research confirmed that sleeping medicine elevated the danger of dementia in individuals who had been white. One other research from 2021 discovered that sleeping drugs can negatively affect potential reminiscence, or the flexibility to recollect to do one thing sooner or later.

Alternate options: As a substitute of sleeping drugs, melatonin might assist with insomnia. There are additionally healthful sleep and way of life habits that may make it simpler to go to sleep and keep asleep.

Sorts: Overactive bladder anticholinergics can embrace:

• Sanctura (trospium)
• Ditropan (oxybutynin)
• Enablex (darifenacin)
• Vesicare (solifenacin)
• Detrol (tolterodine)

Impact on reminiscence: Analysis has proven that overactive bladder anticholinergic medicines can improve the danger of dementia. They’ll additionally negatively have an effect on sure elements of cognition, comparable to working reminiscence, which is the flexibility to recollect info over a brief time period.

Alternate options: When you’re experiencing reminiscence loss whereas taking an incontinence drug, discuss to your physician. They’ll decide in case your treatment is the trigger and talk about different methods to deal with your overactive bladder signs. This may embrace switching to totally different medicines, comparable to Myrbetriq (mirabegron) or Gemtesa (vibegron), or implementing bladder retraining and pelvic floor strengthening exercises.

Different components might put you at increased danger for medication-related reminiscence issues. These embrace:

• Taking increased dosages of the medicines
• Taking the medicines long-term
• Being of older age
• Taking a number of medicines directly

Actually, a 2021 research discovered that older adults who took no less than three medicines with cognitive uncomfortable side effects had been extra prone to report confusion and reminiscence loss.