Antidepressant medications cause memory loss and cognitive impairment
the verdict
CONTESTED
contested - evenly split
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
1 source for · 4 against
Retrieved medical literature notes that many medications can have cognitive side effects, while other sources discuss antidepressant prescribing patterns, adverse gastrointestinal effects, and treatment efficacy.
Objectives: Many medications have cognitive impairment, memory loss, amnesia, or dementia as side effects (“cognitive side effects” hereafter), but little is known about trends in the prevalence of these medications or their implications for population-level cognitive impairment. Method: We use data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2016) to describe trends in the use of medications with cognitive side effects among adults aged 60+ (N = 16,937) and their implications for cognitive functioning (measured using word learning and recall, animal fluency, and digit symbol substitution assessments). Results: Between 1999 to 2000 and 2015 to 2016, the prevalence of older adults taking one, two, and at least three medications with cognitive side effects increased by 10.2%, 57.3%, and 298.7%, respectively. Compared to non-users, respondents who simultaneously used three or more medications with cognitive side effects scored 0.22 to 0.27 standard deviations lower in word learning and recall (p = .02), digit symbol substitution (p < .01), and the average standardized score of the three assessments (p < .001). Limitation: Dosage of medications associated with cognitive side effects was not measured. Discussion: Concurrent use of medications with cognitive side effects among older adults has increased dramatically over the past two decades. The use of such medications is associated with cognitive impairment and may explain for disparities in cognitive function across subgroups. These findings highlight the need for cognitive screenings among patients who consume medications with cognitive side effects. They also highlight the synergic effects of polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions that result in cognitive deficits.
ABSTRACT Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental disorder characterized by impairment in mood regulation, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt, low self-worth, disturbed sleep and appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration. It is estimated to be the third leading cause of disability and about 350 million people suffer from depression worldwide. Treatment selection include consideration of the patient’s personal history of medication response, side effects, drug preference, coexisting psychiatric disorders, accessibility, cultural, social, and situational factors. The main objectives in this study are to analyze prescription pattern of antidepressants, to assess treatment outcomes and partial remission in depression, and to evaluate the side effects in patients receiving antidepressant medications. The investigators will obtain the patient demographic data, disease information, medical issues, and other relevant patient information by interviewing them and referring patient medical records in the hospital (both inpatients and outpatients) documented in a self-designed case report form along with assessment of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HMDR), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence questionnaire (MGLMAQ). Adherence to medications was assessed using Morisky Green Levine Scale in 70 previously diagnosed subjects. Most of the subjects (32.85%) were found to have low adherence to medications, whereas 20.00% were highly adherent. There was a high rate of antidepressant discontinuation without consultation with physician. A closer communication between patients and physicians should be encouraged to enhance persistence to medications and improve outcomes. Recognition of depression as a significant risk factor for noncompliance with medical treatment carries the potential to improve medical practice, reduce patient disability, enhance patient functioning, and improve healthcare outcomes.
<h4>Objective</h4>Gastrointestinal adverse effects are the most commonly reported adverse effects associated with the use of antidepressants. While existing studies on the gastrointestinal effects of antidepressant medications offer valuable insights, there are still opportunities to enhance the evidence base.<h4>Methods</h4>We included double-blind randomized controlled trials of major depressive disorder (MDD). Eligible studies must focus on comparing the use of 21 commonly used antidepressants in patients with MDD and reporting data on treatment-emergent gastrointestinal SEs. We selected 196 studies that reported specific numbers of individuals with gastrointestinal adverse effects, involving a total of 57,162 patients. A network and dose‒response meta-analysis was conducted.<h4>Results</h4>Compared with placebo, 16 antidepressants had higher odds ratios (ORs) for nausea and vomiting, 15 antidepressants had higher ORs for constipation, 8 antidepressants had higher ORs for diarrhoea, 8 antidepressants had higher ORs for anorexia, 12 antidepressants had higher ORs for dry mouth, and 3 antidepressants had higher ORs for dyspepsia.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Commonly used antidepressants have different gastrointestinal effects. Duloxetine, levomilnacipran, and vilazodone carry a higher risk of inducing nausea and vomiting, whereas trazodone, amitriptyline, agomelatine, and mirtazapine tend to be better tolerated. Amitriptyline, clomipramine, and reboxetine are more prone to induce constipation. Diarrhoea is more commonly associated with vilazodone, fluvoxamine, and sertraline. Amitriptyline, reboxetine, and duloxetine are more likely to cause anorexia. Amitriptyline, reboxetine, and trazodone are related to causing dry mouth. Compared with the placebo, amitriptyline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine were associated with a greater incidence of dyspepsia.
Primary care physicians have a vital role to play in identifying depression in their elderly patients. Diagnosis may be difficult, because symptoms are atypical and frequently include psychomotor agitation, somatic symptoms, and complaints of memory loss. Patients with medical illnesses, such as cancer, postmyocardial infarction, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and early Alzheimer's disease are particularly vulnerable to depression. Drugs that may cause depressive symptoms are digitalis at toxic levels, beta-blockers, centrally acting antihypertensives, immunosuppressants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Cyclic antidepressants are the drugs of first choice. Selection depends on the patient's physical health and current medications and the side effect profile of the drug. Side effects are more pronounced in old age because of drug accumulation owing to slowed clearance. Troublesome side effects are anticholinergic effects, orthostatic hypotension, sedation, cardiotoxicity, and weight gain. The most useful antidepressants for geriatric patients are the secondary amines, desipramine and nortriptyline. The second-generation drug trazodone has the advantage of causing the least anticholinergic effects, but it is very sedating. Before treatment, the patient should have an electrocardiogram, liver function tests, tonometry, sitting and standing blood pressures, evaluation of urinary symptoms for outflow obstruction, review of current medications, and estimation of suicide ri
treatment of depression. Cognitive therapy Cognitive therapy — also called cognitive restructuring — helps … prescribed an antidepressant. Other data tells us that rates of antidepressant use since 1996 … efficacy without memory impairment and conclude that memory loss is not in the therapeutic
Everything we examined (5)
This check searched the claim as stated. It did not run a separate search for evidence against it.