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Associations between Benzodiazepine Use and Neuropsychological Test Scores in Older Adults.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Helmes, E; Østbye, T
Published in: Can J Aging
June 2015

Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed for anxiety, although use of this class of medications has been associated with dependency and cognitive changes. This article describes the study in which we investigated the relationship between the class of benzodiazepine available for use and associated performance on neuropsychological tests in a community sample of 1,754 older Canadians from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. Benzodiazepines were classified as short-, intermediate-, and long-acting. Associations were calculated between each class of benzodiazepine and eight neuropsychological measures, using multiple regression analysis and controlling for demographic variables. Results showed different effects of the co-variates across the three drug classes, and short half-life benzodiazepines were not associated with any neuropsychological measure. Intermediate half-life and long half-life benzodiazepine use were each associated with two measures. Increased focus on specific domains of cognitive function is needed to improve our understanding of how benzodiazepine use influences cognition.

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Published In

Can J Aging

DOI

EISSN

1710-1107

Publication Date

June 2015

Volume

34

Issue

2

Start / End Page

207 / 214

Location

Canada

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Memory Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Half-Life
  • Gerontology
  • Female
  • Cohort Studies
 

Citation

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Helmes, E., & Østbye, T. (2015). Associations between Benzodiazepine Use and Neuropsychological Test Scores in Older Adults. Can J Aging, 34(2), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980815000082
Helmes, Edward, and Truls Østbye. “Associations between Benzodiazepine Use and Neuropsychological Test Scores in Older Adults.Can J Aging 34, no. 2 (June 2015): 207–14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980815000082.
Helmes, Edward, and Truls Østbye. “Associations between Benzodiazepine Use and Neuropsychological Test Scores in Older Adults.Can J Aging, vol. 34, no. 2, June 2015, pp. 207–14. Pubmed, doi:10.1017/S0714980815000082.
Journal cover image

Published In

Can J Aging

DOI

EISSN

1710-1107

Publication Date

June 2015

Volume

34

Issue

2

Start / End Page

207 / 214

Location

Canada

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Regression Analysis
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Memory Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Half-Life
  • Gerontology
  • Female
  • Cohort Studies