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Elderly people taking anticholinergic medications may develop problems with memory and thinking, a study shows. Could some people who've been told, or indeed assume, that they're heading for dementia actually not be - and the reason for their thinking and memory problems be the medications they're on? Well if a study in France is right, the answer is yes. The medications are called anticholinergics and are commonly used. They block the actions of acetyl choline, a nerve transmitter affected in Alzheimer's disease. The study was an eight year follow-up of the mental state of several hundred older people who did not have dementia when the research began. Those on anticholinergic medications were more likely to develop the early signs of dementia - called cognitive impairment - affecting memory, thinking and the ability to carry out various tasks. This decline though didn't actually progress to full blown dementia, suggesting it was a drug effect rather than early Alzheimer's. There's a long list of medications and some natural therapies which have anti- cholinergic effects including sedatives, painkillers and some antihistamines. So if someone you love is not functioning at 100 per cent then get them to their GP or pharmacist for a medication check.
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