Nerve Pain Medication Gabapentin Possibly Tied to Dementia, Study Says
UNITED STATES, JUL 11 – A large US study found adults aged 35-64 prescribed gabapentin had over twice the risk of dementia, with risk increasing alongside prescription frequency, researchers said.
- On July 10, the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine published a large observational study, drawing on TriNetX network data, linking frequent gabapentin prescriptions to increased dementia and MCI risks.
- The drug suppresses communication between nerve cells, raising cognitive decline concerns, researchers said in background notes.
- Patients prescribed gabapentin six or more times face a 29% higher dementia and 85% higher MCI risk, especially in adults aged 35–49, according to US scientists.
- Healthcare providers are being advised to monitor cognition and consider physiotherapy or nerve blocks for middle-aged gabapentin users.
- As an observational analysis, the study's design means no firm conclusions about causality can be drawn, and previous research has shown mixed results, highlighting ongoing debate.
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Frequent gabapentin use linked to higher dementia and cognitive impairment risk
Receiving six or more prescriptions of the drug gabapentin for low back pain is associated with significantly increased risks of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)--29% and 85%, respectively-finds a large medical records study published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
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