Latest news with #SusannahTye
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Common Psychiatric Medications May Increase Risk of ALS
New research shows that people who take certain psychiatric medications may be more likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND). This study, which was led by a team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, raises some important questions about the connections between psychiatric symptoms, ALS, and MND, and how they might be targeted for treatment. Anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, and antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed drugs for psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. In terms of increased ALS risk, it worked out as 34 percent, 21 percent, and 26 percent respectively for the three drug types. The increased risk is extremely small when taken in context with the low prevalence of ALS itself. Yet understanding these links could help improve our understanding of motor neurone disease and provide insights for specialists prescribing ways to treat common psychiatric disorders. "In this case-control study, prescribed use of anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, or antidepressants was associated with a higher subsequent risk of ALS," write the researchers in their published paper. "Prediagnostic use of such medications was also associated with a poor prognosis after ALS diagnosis." At the moment, there's no cure for the progressive debilitation that ALS causes, as parts of the nervous system break down – leading to paralysis and, eventually, respiratory failure. The team also identified a slight increase in rate of decline and risk of an earlier death among those diagnosed with ALS who had been exposed to one of a number of psychiatric medications. The researchers used national health data in Sweden to compare 1,057 people with ALS who had been diagnosed between 2015 and 2023 with more than 5,000 controls matched for age and sex who had no MND diagnosis. The researchers also accounted for genetic and environmental factors in their analysis, further backing up the idea that the increased risk of ALS was connected to the medication – or the reasons the medications were prescribed. The data isn't enough to show the drugs are directly causing the increase in ALS risk. It's also possible that other health-related factors are causing both the prescription of psychiatric medications, and the higher likelihood of an ALS diagnosis. "This study adds to growing evidence that individuals with psychiatric conditions may face an elevated risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS," says neuroscientist Susannah Tye, from the University of Queensland in Australia, who was not involved in the study. "However, the implication that psychiatric medications themselves contribute to this risk should be interpreted with caution." Given that previous research has found people with psychiatric disorders are also more at risk of developing ALS, these results may provide some much needed detail to the overall picture of how these different conditions, and their causes and treatments, fit together. It's worth noting that ALS remains a rare condition, affecting around 9 in 100,000 people in the US. Depression and anxiety are much more common, which means millions of people take these medications to treat their mental health without ever developing ALS. Over time though, scientists are gradually understanding the different factors that affect ALS risk, which should provide clues as to how it might one day be effectively treated. The research has been published in JAMA Network Open. Dementia Risk Declining With Each Generation, Says Promising New Study Several Psychiatric Disorders Share The Same Root Cause, Study Finds New Smart Dental Floss Can Detect Your Stress From Saliva
West Australian
6 days ago
- Health
- West Australian
New research reveals psychiatric medications linked to higher risk of developing motor neurone disease
People who use psychiatric medications to treat mental illness are more likely to develop the most common form of motor neurone disease, a new study has revealed. The research out of Sweden compared the use of anxiolytics, hypnotics or sedatives, and antidepressants — medications often used to treat anxiety and depression — among 1057 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Sweden and over 5000 people without the condition. ALS is a form of motor neurone disease that causes the progressive weakening of muscles eventually leading to people losing the ability to walk, talk, chew and even breathe. The study found having at least two prescriptions for psychiatric medications was associated with a higher risk of ALS. The use of anxiolytics was linked to a 34 per cent higher future risk of developing motor neurone disease and a 25 per cent higher risk if a person took antidepressants. Those who took hypnotics or sedatives had a 21 per cent higher risk of developing the condition. Patients with ALS who had used these medications prior to diagnosis, especially antidepressants, also had a faster functional decline and a shorter survival time compared with patients who hadn't had those drugs. International researchers say these results could either be because of the medications themselves or due to the underlying mental illnesses the people who developed motor neurone disease had. Previous research has suggested an increased risk of developing motor neurone disease among those that suffer from a mental health condition. Motor neurone disease itself can also lead to emotional distress and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Queensland Brain Institute associate professor Susannah Tye said this study added to the growing evidence that individuals with psychiatric conditions may face an elevated risk of neurodegenerative diseases. 'Psychiatric disorders are associated with chronic stress, systemic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction, which are increasingly linked to neurodegeneration,' she said. 'This study adds to that picture but doesn't prove that medications cause the risk. 'In fact, with appropriate use, psychiatric treatments may help protect the brain by reducing the biological burden of stress. 'Instead of immediately signalling an alarm about the use of psychiatric medications, the data in this study further underscore the need for early, integrated care that treats brain health as essential to mental health.' The study authors concluded further research was needed to differentiate the effect of psychiatric medications from the effect of underlying mental disorders on the risk of ALS development. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health professor Anthony Hannah said it would be important to follow up these findings. 'Considering that this devastating disorder is currently incurable, and usually kills patients within a few years of diagnosis, any new approaches to help sufferers and their families are urgently needed,' he said.
