Drugs That Cause Memory Loss (& what you can do)

There are many kinds of prescription drugs and OTC medications that cause memory loss. See if any drugs you take are on our lists. According to Harvard University, prescription drugs cause over 128,000 deaths per year in the United States. ( 1 ) Shockingly, this does not count deaths in nursing homes — an estimated additional 350,000 deaths annually. ( 2 ) Adverse drug reactions are now the fourth leading cause of death in the US and the fifth leading cause of death in Europe. ( 3 , 4 ) More emergency room visits result from prescription medications than from illicit drugs, alcohol, and recreational drug use combined. ( 5 ) It’s very clear that medications carry risks and one of the most common side effects is memory loss. The 3 Worst Categories of Drugs for Memory Loss If you are taking any prescription medication that is affecting your memory, it’s probably one of three kinds of drugs known to cause memory loss and other cognitive problems. Anticholinergics — The “Anti” Drugs If you take a drug that starts with “anti,” such as antihistamines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antibiotics, antispasmodics, or antihypertensives, it’s likely that it will affect your acetylcholine level. Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of memory and learning. When you’re low in acetylcholine, you become forgetful, can’t concentrate, or can’t think of the right word. Acetylcholine deficiencies are associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and medications for these disorders work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. ( 6 ) Drugs that block the action of acetylcholine are known as anticholinergics . Common side effects of anticholinergic drugs include: confusion blurred vision constipation dry mouth lightheadedness difficulty starting and continuing to urinate loss of bladder control Low acetylcholine can lead to a group of symptoms that resembles dementia […]

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