Dangerous cholinolytics
A group of scientists, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, reports that cholinolytic drugs prescribed for a wide range of conditions, from allergies and colds to hypertension and urinary incontinence, may be associated with a decrease in cognitive functions, especially in elderly people with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Cholinolytic drugs are widely used to treat a variety of conditions. Some of these medications require a prescription, while others can be purchased freely. They block acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter (chemical mediator), which is known to be of great importance for memory function. The effect of holinoblockers is to suppress the impulses of parasympathetic nerves, which regulate the smooth muscles in such processes as breathing, salivation, digestion and urination.
The group reported that study participants with normal cognitive functions who took at least one cholinolytic drug at the beginning of the study were 47% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. These changes are often harbingers of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The surveillance continued for almost ten years.
The study suggests that reducing the use of cholinolytic drugs before the manifestation of cognitive impairment may be of great importance to prevent possible negative effects on memory and thinking skills, especially for people with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
The study involved 688 adults, the number of men and women was the same, the average age of the participants was 74 years. None of the participants had any problems with thinking or memory at the beginning of the study. Everyone reported whether they were taking cholinolytics. About a third of the participants took an average of 4.7 servings of cholinolytic per person. The participants performed comprehensive cognitive tests annually for 10 years.
The researchers also assessed whether participants had biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in their cerebrospinal fluid or a well-known genetic risk factor for the disease. They found that participants with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers who took cholinolytic drugs had a four-fold increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment than people who lacked these biomarkers and who did not take medications.
Similarly, individuals with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease who took holinolytics were approximately 2.5 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than those without genetic risk factors and who did not take holinolytic drugs.
Researchers believe that this interaction between cholinolytics and biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease risk acts in a double way. Firstly, biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease indicate that the pathology has begun to develop and cause degeneration in the forebrain, where the mediator acetylcholine is normally secreted, which promotes thinking and memory. Secondly, cholinolytic drugs further deplete the reserves of acetylcholine in the brain. This combined effect most significantly affects a person's thinking and memory.
The authors of the study noted that elderly people metabolize cholinolytic drugs differently than young people, but took them in quantities far exceeding the minimum effective dose recommended for the elderly. 57% took cholinolytics at a dosage twice the recommended one, and 18% – at least four times the recommended dosage.
This indicates a potential goal for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease, since reducing dosages of cholinolytic drugs can slow down cognitive decline.
The authors note that additional work is needed to study the effects of cholinolytic drugs, as well as whether they accelerate age-related cognitive changes or directly lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Currently, clinical studies are being conducted in some research centers to obtain evidence that reducing or stopping the use of these drugs leads to a decrease in progressive cognitive impairment.
Article by A.J.Weigand et al. The Association of anticholinergic medicine and AD biomarkers with the occurrence of MCI among cognitively normal older adults is published in the journal Neurology.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru According to UC San Diego News Center: Common Class of Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer's Disease.