{"id":1737774,"date":"2022-11-14T06:30:23","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T11:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1737774"},"modified":"2022-11-14T09:49:34","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T14:49:34","slug":"studies-have-linked-this-common-medication-to-alzheimers-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/studies-have-linked-this-common-medication-to-alzheimers-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Studies Have Linked This Common Medication to Alzheimer\u2019s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstudies-have-linked-this-common-medication-to-alzheimers-disease%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1737774&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>When it comes to devastating diseases like Alzheimer&#8217;s, identifying <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/obesity-diabetes-dementia-risk-factors-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">the risk factors<\/a> is crucial. Some things, like your age, obviously can&#8217;t be changed\u2014the Alzheimer&#8217;s Association reports that most people with Alzheimer&#8217;s <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/alzheimers-dementia\/what-is-alzheimers\/causes-and-risk-factors\" target=\"_blank\">are 65 and older<\/a>\u2014but other factors are within our control. Practicing good oral hygiene, for example, can go a long way toward <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/brushing-flossing-every-day-may-reduce-risk-of-dementia\" target=\"_blank\">protecting your brain health<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Studies have also discovered an unsettling connection between an increased risk of dementia <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/medications-that-increase-dementia-risk-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">and certain medications<\/a>. Read on to find out about <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/benzodiazepine-dementia-risk-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">one particular drug<\/a> that researchers say may have a negative affect on your cognitive health.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ THIS NEXT: <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/diet-soda-dementia-risk-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">Drinking This Makes You 3 Times More Likely to Get Dementia, Study Says<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"405809\" class=\"alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405809\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Medical professional studying brain scans.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405809\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Medical professional studying brain scans.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-801333370-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">sudok1\/iStock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is no known cure for many of the diseases that cause cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer&#8217;s. And as the number of older Americans grows, so too will the number of <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alz.org\/alzheimers-dementia\/facts-figures\" target=\"_blank\">new and existing cases<\/a> of Alzheimer&#8217;s, says the Alzheimer&#8217;s Association, which notes that six million people in the U.S. are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer&#8217;s, with that number projected to rise to almost 13 million by 2050.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gill Livingston<\/strong>, a psychiatrist at University College London, told <em>The New York Times<\/em> that &#8220;it would be great if we had <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/07\/03\/health\/dementia-treatment-behavior-eye-care.html\" target=\"_blank\">drugs that worked<\/a> [but] they&#8217;re not the only way forward.&#8221; With a <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beingpatient.com\/alzheimers-drug-trials-failure-rate\/\" target=\"_blank\">high failure rate<\/a> of drugs being aimed at curing or treating cognitive decline, &#8220;Public health experts and researchers argue that it is past time to turn our attention to a different approach\u2014focusing on eliminating a dozen or so already known risk factors, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/heart-conditions-dementia-risk-increase-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">like untreated high blood pressure<\/a>, hearing loss, and smoking, rather than on an exorbitantly priced, whiz-bang new drug,&#8221; the <em>Times <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"405810\" class=\"alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405810\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Doctor talking about medication to a patient.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405810\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Doctor talking about medication to a patient.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1169928112-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">SARINYAPINNGAM\/iStock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Many medications may potentially <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/health\/drugs-supplements\/info-2017\/caution-these-10-drugs-can-cause-memory-loss.html\" target=\"_blank\">increase the risk<\/a> of diseases such as Alzheimer&#8217;s, reports AARP. The organization explains that statins\u2014drugs that lower cholesterol in the blood\u2014can decrease the levels of cholesterol in the brain. &#8220;These lipids are vital to the formation of connections between nerve cells\u2014the links underlying memory and learning,&#8221; they explain.<\/p>\n<p>Anti-seizure drugs can also <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/medications-forgetful-memory-loss-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">cause memory loss<\/a>, the AARP notes, noting that these meds are &#8220;increasingly prescribed for nerve pain, bipolar disorder, mood disorders and mania.&#8221; While these drugs can be effective, &#8220;All drugs that depress signaling in the CNS can cause memory loss,&#8221; they warn.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"405811\" class=\"alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405811\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Neurologist looking at brain scan.\" width=\"1365\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1365w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-1.jpg, 281&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-2.jpg, 432&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-3.jpg, 576&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405811\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Neurologist looking at brain scan.\" width=\"1365\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1365w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-1.jpg, 281&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-2.jpg, 432&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-1388388697-3.jpg, 576&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">gorodenkoff\/iStock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Commonly known by brand names such as Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin, benzodiazepines are tranquilizing drugs, and &#8220;they are some of the most <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/mental-health\/addiction\/benzodiazepine-abuse\" target=\"_blank\">commonly prescribed medications<\/a> in the United States,&#8221; WebMD reports. &#8220;When people without prescriptions obtain and take these drugs for their sedating effects, use turns into abuse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Benzodiazepines impact the central nervous system (CNS) and are prescribed by doctors for reasons including insomnia, anxiety, and as an anesthetic before medical procedures, the site explains.<\/p>\n<p>Reporting on a recent study about <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cognition-benzodiazepine-20141\/\" target=\"_blank\">how benzodiazepines affect brain health<\/a>, <em>Neuroscience News<\/em> explains that a &#8220;key role is played by immune cells of the brain known as microglia.&#8221; Benzodiazepines &#8220;bind to a specific protein, the translocator protein (TSPO), on the surface of cell organelles of the microglia,&#8221; the site says. &#8220;This binding activates the microglia, which then degrade and recycle synapses\u2014that is, the connections between nerve cells.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>For more health news sent directly to your inbox, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/newsletters\/\" target=\"_blank\">sign up for our daily newsletter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"405813\" class=\"alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405813\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Medication spilling out of a container.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-full wp-image-405813\" src=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all\" alt=\"Medication spilling out of a container.\" width=\"1254\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650.jpg?quality=82&#038;strip=all 1254w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-1.jpg, 333&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 500w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-2.jpg, 512&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/iStock-606218650-3.jpg, 683&#038;quality=82&#038;strip=all 1024w\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">bieshutterb\/iStock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Because of the way benzodiazepines affect the connections between nerve cells, long-term use can cause cognitive problems as well as spiking the risk of <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cognition-benzodiazepine-20141\/\" target=\"_blank\">diseases that cause dementia<\/a>, <em>Neuroscience News<\/em> reports. The drugs affect the brain in other ways <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bestlifeonline.com\/over-65-common-medications-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">that can be harmful<\/a> as well, resulting in what the site calls &#8220;tolerance development and abuse liability.&#8221; In other words, the more people take, the more they need to take in order to feel the effects\u2014and the likelihood of abuse grows.<span aria-hidden=\"true\">ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The American Addiction Centers explains that benzodiazepines increase levels of gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) in the brain, which <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" href=\"https:\/\/americanaddictioncenters.org\/benzodiazepine\/mental-physical-effects\" target=\"_blank\">acts as a tranquilizer<\/a>. They also raise dopamine levels, &#8220;the chemical messenger involved in reward and pleasure,&#8221; the site says. &#8220;The brain may learn to expect the regular doses of [benzodiazepines] after a few weeks of taking them and therefore stop working to produce these chemicals on its own without them.&#8221; All of these factors make benzodiazepines a potentially risky medication to use, especially on a long-term basis.<\/p>\n<p><em>Best Life offers the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you&#8217;re taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to devastating diseases like Alzheimer&#8217;s, identifying the risk factors is crucial. Some things, like your age, obviously can&#8217;t be changed\u2014the Alzheimer&#8217;s Association reports that most people<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1737777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1737774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1737774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1737774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1737774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1737777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1737774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1737774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1737774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}