Examples: Acetazolamide (Diamox), carbamazepine (Tegretol), gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), levetiracetam (Keppra), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), pregabalin (Lyrica), rufinamide (Banzel), topiramate (Topamax), valproic acid (Depakote) and zonisamide (Zonegran).
Researchers have discovered a significant link between high use of anticholinergic drugs – including popular non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – and increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older people.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
19 -- Mild cognitive impairment can be determined in less than five minutes with a three-word memory test and a clock-drawing task, according to researchers here. The words are apple, penny, and table.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
These have been the subject of concern, as some studies have suggested that long-term use of these drugs among people over 65, particularly at higher dose or in combination with other medicines may increase the risk of developing dementia. Stopping these drugs has been shown to decrease the dementia risk.
The cholinesterase inhibitors most commonly prescribed are: Donepezil (Aricept®): approved to treat all stages of Alzheimer's disease. Rivastigmine (Exelon®): approved for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's as well as mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson's disease.
Common Drugs to Avoid
Narcotics such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine; muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol; NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen should be avoided if possible.
An experimental Alzheimer's drug modestly slowed the brain disease's inevitable worsening — but the anxiously awaited new data leaves unclear how much difference that might make in people's lives.
Galantamine, rivastigmine, and donepezil are cholinesterase inhibitors that are prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer's symptoms. These drugs may help reduce or control some cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
Beta-blockers are believed to cause memory issues by interfering with norepinephrine and epinephrine, which are both key chemical messengers in the brain. These anticholinergics may cause memory loss because they block the action of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger involved with many functions in the body.
Regular use of recreational drugs like marijuana, opioids, ecstasy, and cocaine can lead to memory loss or lapses in memory that may or may not be reversible.
What are the foods that fight memory loss? Berries, fish, and leafy green vegetables are 3 of the best foods that fight memory loss. There's a mountain of evidence showing they support and protect brain health.
Lecanemab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for early Alzheimer's disease in January 2023. This means that it can now be given to patients with early Alzheimer's disease in the USA.
First generation antihistamines, while very effective at controlling symptoms, are often associated with symptoms in older adults such as anxiety, confusion, sedation, blurred vision, reduced mental alertness, urinary retention and constipation.
Is it safe to take Zyrtec every day? Yep. "When taken in the recommended doses, antihistamines can be taken daily. This is especially true with Zyrtec, since it doesn't show decreasing effectiveness if used daily," says Sima Patel, MD, an allergist at New York Allergy & Sinus Centers.
Rarely, they can cause acute self-limited liver injury. One study has reported a more serious long-term effect, a 3.5-fold increase in the risk of gliomas, a common type of brain tumor in patients with long-term antihistamine use for allergic conditions.
You have trouble following a conversation. You find it hard to make decisions, finish a task or follow instructions. You start to have trouble finding your way around places you know well. You begin to have poor judgment.
The five-minute cognitive test (FCT) was designed to capture deficits in five domains of cognitive abilities, including episodic memory, language fluency, time orientation, visuospatial function, and executive function.
Does the MoCA test your short-term memory? Yes, this is known as the short-term memory/delayed recall section of the MoCA. The person taking the test is read five words and is asked to repeat them aloud. After a few other tasks of the MoCA have been completed, the person is asked to repeat the same five words again.