A COMMON medication taken by millions of Brits may accelerate dementia.
But experts cautioned it could be the condition itself that is linked to worsening memory.
Antidepressants could be linked to worsening dementia[/caption]
The study looked at the health data of 18,740 patients with an average age of 78 years who were recently diagnosed with dementia.
Approximately 23 per cent were treated with antidepressants.
During the course of the study, a total of 11,912 prescriptions of antidepressants were registered.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) accounted for 65 per cent of the prescriptions.
Using standard cognitive tests, the study found higher doses of SSRIs were associated with a sharper decline in cognitive scores over an average follow-up of 4.3 years, and more severe dementia symptoms, according to the research published in BMC Medicine.
Men taking antidepressants appeared to experience faster cognitive decline than women, the Karolinska Institute study found.
But another class of antidepressants, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), did not appear to have the same effect.
The SSRI escitalopram appeared to accelerate cognitive decline fastest, followed by the SSRIs citalopram and sertraline.
Mirtazapine had less negative cognitive impact.
Antidepressants can often be prescribed to people with the dementia to help ease specific symptoms, such as depression, anxiety or sleep issues.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director for research and innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “[The study] did not rule out the possibility that the changes were due to the presence of depression rather than antidepressant use, so further research is needed to understand the effects of antidepressants.”
Prof Tara Spires-Jones, director of the centre for discovery brain sciences at the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research, said: “People who needed antidepressants may have had more aggressive disease or the depression itself could have been affecting disease progression.”
The researchers, led by Sara Garcia-Ptacek, said future studies will help clarify their results.
Almost nine million Brits take antidepressants.
An estimated 8.7 million identified patients received an antidepressant drug item in 2023/24.
A previous study published in the British Medical Journal in 2018 found a similar link.
Researchers examined GP records of over 40,000 people aged 65 and older with dementia and nearly 300,000 without.
The results showed that those who had taken the drugs four to 20 years earlier were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
The potential side effects of ‘happy pills’
Antidepressants can be highly effective in treating depression and other mental health conditions, but like all medications, they may cause side effects.
Below is a generalised list of potential side effects:
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Drowsiness or insomnia
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Dry mouth
- Headaches
- Weight changes (gain or loss)
- Increased sweating
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Sexual dysfunction (e.g., reduced libido, difficulty achieving orgasm, erectile dysfunction)
- Feeling anxious, restless, or agitated, especially when starting treatment
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue or low energy
- Changes in appetite
- Increased blood pressure (for some medications)
- Risk of withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly (e.g., dizziness, irritability, flu-like symptoms)
- Rare but serious side effects, such as serotonin syndrome (caused by excessive serotonin levels, leading to confusion, rapid heart rate, and muscle stiffness)
In young people (under 25), antidepressants may temporarily increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviour, especially during the early stages of treatment.
Older adults may also be at risk of low sodium levels (hyponatraemia) with certain antidepressants.
Not everyone will experience side effects, and for many, the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks.
If side effects occur, they are often mild and improve as the body adjusts to the medication. However, severe or persistent side effects should be reported to a doctor.
Never stop taking antidepressants suddenly without consulting a healthcare professional.
