Anticholinergic drugs are a type of medication that stops acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine causes involuntary movements in many parts of the body. To put it briefly, anticholinergic drugs help in contracting and relaxing the body’s muscles.
A study carried out by researchers from the University of Nottingham showed that there was almost “50% increased risk of dementia among patients aged 55 and over who had used strong anticholinergic medication daily for three years or more.”
The research, published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal and led by Professor Carol Coupland from the University's Division of Primary Care, looked at the medical records of 58,769 patients with a diagnosis of dementia and 225,574 patients without a diagnosis of dementia, all aged 55 and over and registered with UK GPs contributing data to the QResearch database, between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2016.
The study findings showed increased risks of dementia for anticholinergic drugs overall and specifically for the anticholinergic antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, antiparkinsons drugs, bladder drugs and epilepsy drugs after accounting for other risk factors for dementia.
No increased risks were found for the other types of anticholinergic drug studied such as antihistamines and gastrointestinal drugs.
More about this study at EurekAlert.
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Don't forget 'whispering'. omg That's never a good thing.
WITH KIDS
You look into their eyes and remember all those Saturday mornings and all those diapers and how they grew from little wildlings into successful people with kids of their own. They hold your hand and express their gratitude for all the suffering you put yourself through for them and assure you your memory will live on in them and your grandchildren. This brings you fulfillment and the peace of knowing you lived a life worth living and made a difference in at least several lives.
versus
WITHOUT KIDS
You lay alone wishing it would all just end already. All the money you saved by not having kids isn't going to bring you comfort and love in your final hours, but, hey, at least maybe you'll be at peace knowing you're dying with lots of money in the bank and no one to leave it to except your cats.
Ring ring
You: Hello
Your grown kid: Mom! What do I do? These kids won't settle down, and I haven't had a decent night's sleep in weeks!
You: Ha! Enjoy your payback.