Long-term cognitive impact of anticholinergic medications in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine whether chronic use of medications with anticholinergic (AC) properties impact older adults' cognitive functioning.


METHODS
Six years of cognitive test data from two groups of older adults (AC and control) were examined retrospectively (N = 592).


RESULTS
Declines over time were found for the AC group on parts A and B of the Trail Making Test.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians prescribing ACs to older adult patients should be aware of their potential effects on psychomotor speed and executive functioning. These cognitive effects may lead to impairments in daily functioning resulting in the need to reevaluate patient medications.
Bottiggi
Kara A
KA
Graduate Center for Gerontology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. kara.bottiggi@uky.edu
Salazar
Juan C
JC
Yu
Lei
L
Caban-Holt
Allison M
AM
Ryan
Melody
M
Mendiondo
Marta S
MS
Schmitt
Frederick A
FA
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000187:drug effects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists