Cognitive Decline Alert: The Risks of Antidepressant Use - AI Podcast

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Health, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 April 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Story at-a-glance

A large study found that individuals with dementia who took antidepressants lost cognitive function at nearly twice the expected rate compared to non-users
Dementia patients on higher doses of antidepressants experienced faster mental decline, increased hospitalization rates, fractures and even higher mortality risks than those on lower doses
A separate meta-analysis found that individuals taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) had a 75% greater chance of developing dementia, and those on tricyclic antidepressants had double the risk
Research suggests that, compared to women, men taking antidepressants are at an even higher risk of developing dementia earlier and at a more rapid pace
Antidepressants alter neurotransmitter balance, interfere with your brain’s ability to remove toxic proteins, and accelerate brain cell damage, leading to memory loss and cognitive impairment

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen
0:06.1	summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:10.8	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:15.1	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster, and today we're
0:20.5	exploring a topic that
0:21.6	affects so many families, the link between antidepressants and cognitive decline in dementia patients.
0:27.6	We'll look at recent research findings, talk about why these medications may accelerate neurodegeneration,
0:34.6	and explore safer, more effective approaches for supporting brain health.
0:38.3	Joining me is my co-host, Ilara Sky, who delves into natural health approaches to make complex
0:44.3	information more understandable. Let's begin with the new study on antidepressants in dementia care.
0:50.3	Thank you, Ethan. This recent study analyzed data from the Swedish Dementia Registry. It looked
0:56.0	at patients with dementia who were prescribed antidepressants, predominantly selective serotonin
1:01.1	re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. What the researchers found was troubling. Those taking antidepressants
1:08.0	had nearly double the expected rate of cognitive decline compared to those not on these medications.
1:13.7	This means their memory, reasoning, and overall ability to process information deteriorated faster than anticipated.
1:21.5	Those on higher doses fared even worse, facing increased risk of hospitalizations, fractures, and even death.
1:28.9	It's concerning to see that a treatment intended to help manage mood issues in dementia,
1:33.2	patients might actually worsen their cognitive function.
1:36.4	The idea had been that stabilizing mood or addressing depression in these individuals
1:41.1	might improve their quality of life.
1:43.7	Instead, we have evidence showing that certain antidepressants accelerate mental decline.
1:49.0	And it isn't just this single observational study.
	...

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