Scientists have finally discovered why anti-anxiety drugs increase cognitive decline or dementia risk later in life. A new study from researchers at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANTSO) showed that the drugs could damage the microglial cells in the brain, which then interfere with dendrites.

Millions of people in the US use anti-anxiety medications and the findings of the study open the door to a new class of drugs that have lesser long-term side effects on the brain.

Anti-Anxiety Drugs Increase Risk of Cognitive Decline Later in Life, Damaging Brain Cells
(Photo : Pixabay/fanukhan986)
Anti-Anxiety Drugs Increase Risk of Cognitive Decline Later in Life, Damaging Brain Cells

How Could Anti-Anxiety Drugs Cause Cognitive Impairment?

Researchers used a unique laboratory model developed at ANSTO known as the "Guwiyang Wurra -TSPO knockout." It is a healthy mouse with the evolutionary protein typically inside mitochondria that provide the cell with energy.

The recent study titled "Long-term diazepam treatment enhances microglial spine engulfment and impairs cognitive performance via the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO)," published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, suggests that anti-anxiety drugs directly affect microglial cells in the brain instead of acting on nerve cells.

Microglial cells are specialized macrophages found in the central nervous system (CNS) that act as the brain's intrinsic immune system by removing damaged neurons and infections to maintain the overall health of the CNS. However, affecting microglial cells could interfere with dendritic spines that connect one neuron to another along with the synapse.

According to the press release via Neuroscience News, the team looked closely into how the long-term use of the anti-anxiety drug called diazepam can alter the complex wiring of the brain. They found that the drug changed the normal activity of microglial cells and indirectly their function.

Researchers compared connections between neurons being damaged or severed with unplugging neural connections that would lead to changes in the progression of dementia and may cause severe fatigue. Ultimately, it is like frying the wires of a machine that may work slower or not at all.

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Can You Prevent Cognitive Decline?

No treatment can prevent dementia, but there are ways to protect the brain from cognitive decline. Here are some of the tips Harvard Health Publishing of Harvard Medical School listed:

  • Exercise- Being physically active helps relieve insomnia, depression, and anxiety. It also wards off cognitive decline and dementia and improves memory.
  • Mediterranean Diet- Studies have shown that this diet has significant positive effects on overall health as it emphasizes eating moderate amounts of fish, dairy products, limited red meat, and lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and olive oil.
  • Sleep- The American Heart Association recently added sleep duration as its eighth factor of having a healthy heart. Previous studies have shown that having the right amount of sleep prevents cognitive decline and improves overall health.
  • Alcohol- Experts do not recommend drinking to prevent cognitive decline. But for occasional drinkers, it should not exceed one glass per day.
  • Social Contacts- Social interaction is just as important to exercise and proper diet as it improves brain health and promotes long life.
  • Mental Stimulation- Doing mental activities that require mental engagement, such as reading, writing, or doing puzzles, helps in maintaining a healthy brain.


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