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Anticholinergic drugs and cognitive impairment in the elderly
Author(s) -
Lam Y. W. Francis
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the brown university psychopharmacology update
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7532
pISSN - 1068-5308
DOI - 10.1002/pu.30433
Subject(s) - anticholinergic , cognition , medicine , cholinergic , cognitive impairment , memory impairment , anticholinergic agents , cognitive decline , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , neuroscience , psychology , dementia , pharmacology , psychiatry , receptor , disease
Impairment of cognitive function poses a major concern in elderly patients. A cholinergic deficit that accompanies the normal aging process is thought to contribute to cognitive decline. Most anticholinergic drugs block central muscarinic receptors, which mediate cognitive effects such as attention, learning, and short‐term memory. Even though the causes of cognitive impairment in elderly patients are multifactorial, anticholinergic drugs or drugs with anticholinergic properties contribute significantly to the development of cognitive impairment in these patients.