In the study, researchers analyzed data from 4,271 patients enrolled in the Swedish Registry for Cognitive/Dementia Disorders between 2007 and 2018, all of whom had been prescribed antidepressants for at least six months.
The study found that antidepressant users experienced a faster decline in Mini-Mental State Examination scores compared to non-users. Additionally, the study reported a dose-dependent association where higher doses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were linked to greater cognitive decline.
However, some experts have raised concerns about the study’s conclusions. Richard Isaacson, MD, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, told CNN on Feb. 25 that patients with severe dementia may have been more likely to be prescribed antidepressants in the first place, making it difficult to determine whether the medications directly accelerated decline.
Emma Anderson, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology at University College London, told the news outlet that more research is needed before making definitive claims based on limited evidence.
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