[Drugs Effect on Cognition in the Elderly]

Abstract

Many drugs can affect cognitive function in the elderly. Anticholinergic and psychotropic drugs can cause or exacerbate cognitive impairment and can increase the occurrence of dementia in the elderly. In healthy elderly adults, antihypertensive drugs could improve cognition and reduce the dementia risk. By contrast, randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of statins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have not shown significant cognitive effect.