Dementia is a scary thing, affecting more than 6 million Americans and putting more than half the population over age 55 at risk of developing the cognitive disease. Luckily, modern medical research shows that you can reduce your risk by not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, staying socially and physically active, and controlling conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

However, several new studies show that, unbeknownst to most people, taking certain medications can increase one’s chances of developing dementia, the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s. And the latest research suggests that the pain drug gabapentin can significantly increase dementia risk.

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Scientists say gabapentin could increase the risk of cognitive impairment by 85%.

In a new study published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, researchers concluded that those who take gabapentin are at a significantly increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia.

They analyzed the health records of roughly 52,000 patients with chronic low back pain. Between 2004 and 2024, half of the patients were prescribed gabapentin to treat their nerve pain, while the other half were not. Those with prior gabapentin use, dementia, epilepsy, stroke, or cancer were excluded.

It should be noted that gabapentin is also prescribed for seizures, though these patients were not included in the study. It’s also worth understanding that gabapentin is often prescribed for nerve-related pain because it’s considered non-addictive, unlike opioids.

The study results showed the following:

Those who filled 6 or more gabapentin prescriptions had a 29 percent increased risk of dementia and an 85 percent increased risk of mild cognitive impairment within 10 years of their chronic pain diagnosis.

Those who filled 12 or more gabapentin prescriptions had a 40 percent increased risk of dementia and a 65 percent increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, compared to those prescribed gabapentin 3 to 11 times.

Non-elderly adults (aged 18 to 64) taking gabapentin had over twice the risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment. More specifically, 35 to 49-year-olds taking gabapentin had twice the dementia risk and three times the mild cognitive impairment risk.

The researchers point out that this was just an observational study, meaning they cannot confirm a direct cause and effect.

However, they concluded via a press release, “Our findings indicate an association between gabapentin prescription and dementia or cognitive impairment within 10 years. Moreover, increased gabapentin prescription frequency correlated with dementia incidence.”

“Our results support the need for close monitoring of adult patients prescribed gabapentin to assess for potential cognitive decline,” they added.

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Additional research cautions that PPIs may be linked to dementia risk.

As Best Life recently reported, an unrelated study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association found that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increased dementia risk.

PPIs are commonly taken for heartburn, acid reflux, stomach ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and are prescribed under the brand names Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium.

The study found that people who were diagnosed with dementia between the ages of 60 and 69 had a 36 percent higher dementia risk if they were taking PPIs.

Moreover, another study suggested that PPIs can pass through the blood-brain barrier, causing neurological symptoms including memory impairment, migraines, peripheral neuropathies, and visual and auditory neurosensory abnormalities.

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Even some OTC meds may contribute to dementia.

Over-the-counter anticholinergic drugs such as Benadryl, Tylenol PM, Unisom SleepGels, and Dramamine have also been linked with an increased dementia risk.

According to Cleveland Clinic, “Anticholinergic drugs are a class of medication that interfere with how your body uses a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Neurotransmitters are like signals or messengers your cells and body systems use to communicate. Anticholinergic drugs essentially jam, limit or block that communication.”

In other words, “anticholinergic medicines have short-term cognitive adverse effects,” notes a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

However, this study also found that people aged 65 and older who took these drugs regularly for three or more years were 54 percent more likely to develop dementia than participants who took them for three months or less.

We offer the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you're taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.