Remember: in January 2017, a study conducted by the University of Eastern Finland had discovered that the consumption of antidepressants among seniors (and here, “senior” = adults aged 80 and over) doubled in average their risk of sustaining a hip fracture.
Finnish researchers have not dropped the case: in a new study published this time in the medical journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, they claim that the consumption of antidepressants is also linked to an increased risk of head trauma in patients. suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists worked with 32,730 volunteers aged at least 60 and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease: among them, 10,910 participants were taking antidepressants.
Head injuries, concussions and severe head injuries
Results ? Researchers have found that patients with Alzheimer’s disease who take antidepressants on a regular basis have a significantly higher risk of serious head injury, brain injury and concussion. This association was particularly strong during the first 30 days of antidepressant treatment, but the risk remained higher than average for about 2 years after the end of treatment.
“These results are important because people with Alzheimer’s disease often benefit from antidepressant treatment. Our work could therefore make it possible to reassess the risks associated with this type of treatment. Furthermore, future studies should determine whether antidepressants also increase the risk of head injury in seniors not affected by Alzheimer’s disease,” explains Heidi Taipale, lead author of this study.
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