Drugs That Cause Memory Loss (& what you can do)

According to Harvard University, prescription drugs cause over 128,000 deaths per year in the United States. 

This does not count deaths in nursing homes which account for another estimated additional 350,000 deaths annually. 

Adverse drug reactions are now the fourth leading cause of death in the US and the fifth leading cause of hospital death in Europe. 

More emergency room visits result from prescription medications than from illicit drugs, alcohol, and recreational drug use combined. 

It’s very clear that medications carry significant risks and one of the most common risks is memory loss.

The 3 Worst Categories of Prescription Drugs for Memory Loss

If you take any prescription medications that are affecting your memory, it likely falls into one of three major categories of drugs known to cause memory loss and other cognitive problems: anticholinergics, sleeping pills, or cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Here’s an in-depth look at each.

Acetylcholine deficiencies are associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s; medications for these disorders work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. 

" Not all drugs that cause memory loss are prescription medications. Many popular over-the-counter (OTC) drugs also cause memory loss by blocking the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Drugs that block the action of acetylcholine, causing low brain levels of acetylcholine, are known as anticholinergics.

It’s easy to pick out many drugs that are anticholinergics because their common classifications usually start with “anti” as in:

• antacids
• antiarrhythmics
• antibiotics
• anticonvulsant
• antidepressants
• antiemetics
• antihistamines
• antihypertensives
• antipsychotics
• antispasmodics

Common side effects of anticholinergic drugs include:

• blurred vision
• confusion
• constipation
• difficulty urinating
• dry mouth
• lightheadedness
• loss of bladder control

Low acetylcholine can lead to a cluster of symptoms that resembles dementia, including mental confusion, brain fog, incoherent speech, delirium, blurred vision, memory loss, and hallucinations.

The increased risk of dementia from anticholinergic drugs is significant, around 30%. 

The use of anticholinergic drugs is also known to increase the risk of falls and death in the elderly. 

Anticholinergic Drug Lists

Rather than list all of the drugs known to be anticholinergic here, we’ve assembled a few reputable anticholinergic drug lists.

Brainwave patterns showed that, under the effect of sleeping pills, these men were unconscious but not actually asleep; it was as if they were drunk or in a coma.

According to Dr. Parsley’s observations, this means that these men were not experiencing the restorative sleep their brains needed to consolidate new memories and to maintain and repair itself. 

3. Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

Cholesterol-lowering medications might just be the single worst group of drugs for your brain.

Memory loss is now required to be listed as a side effect on the label of cholesterol-lowering drugs, like Lipitor and Crestor, known as statins.

And if drug companies have their way, even more people will be prescribed statins in the future.

US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend that everyone over the age of 40 should be screened for taking a statin drug even if they have no history of heart disease. 

More Rx Drugs That Cause Memory Loss

Richard C. Mohs, PhD, is the Chief Scientific Officer for the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation.

He is the author of more than 350 scientific papers, including those involving clinical trials that led to the approval of cholinergic drugs for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Dr. Mohs, additional medications known to cause memory loss include: 

• barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital)
• benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Dalmane)
• beta blockers (especially those used for glaucoma)
• chemotherapy drugs
• insulin
• interferons
• lithium
• methyldopa
• naproxen
• painkillers (heroin, morphine, codeine)
• Parkinson’s (scopolamine, atropine, glycopyrrolate)
• quinidine
• steroids

These are some common anticholinergic OTC remedies known to cause memory loss: 

• Advil PM (pain and insomnia)
• Benadryl (allergies)
• Claritin (allergies)
• Dramamine (motion sickness)
• Excedrin PM (pain and insomnia)
• Nytol (insomnia)
• Pepcid AC (acid reflux)
• Sominex (insomnia)
• Tagamet (acid reflux)
• Tylenol PM (pain and insomnia)
• Unisom (insomnia)
• Zantac (acid reflux)

A large study found that seniors who take OTC medications are at significantly increased risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

Long-term use is not required.

Memory loss from these remedies was noticeable in as little as 60 days. 

Lastly, use the lifestyle advice for brain health that’s here on Be Brain Fit.

Even if you must stay on all your medications, you can help your brain by taking proactive steps such as:

• Eating a brain-healthy diet

• Getting the sleep and physical exercise your brain needs

• Managing your stress

• Taking appropriate brain supplements

If you regularly take an OTC medicine for allergies, pain, insomnia, or acid reflux, get serious about switching to natural remedies which can provide relief — without increasing your risk of dementia.

Give your brain the healthiest possible environment to stay mentally sharp, in spite of your medications.