Long-term use of some anti-anxiety meds may ‘rewire brain’
An Australian research model suggests that chronic use of benzodiazepines may accelerate dementia
Chronic use of commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drugs may rewire the brain, worsening cognitive ability in patients with dementia, according to a new international study that includes Australian researchers.
The research used genetic modelling to show how benzodiazepines put undue pressure on the brain.
The laboratory model was developed by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) as part of an international study published earlier this year.
The study found that benzodiazepines exerted unexpected “off-target” effects on microglia cells in the brain, causing them to behave differently.
