2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Effects of Long-Term Consecutive Use of Single or Multiple Prescription Drugs on Cognitive Function - Related Regional Brain Volumes - An Exploratory Longitudinal Study

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	20K10542
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
Research Institution	Aichi Shukutoku University
Principal Investigator	ANDO Fujiko 愛知淑徳大学, 健康医療科学部, 教授 (90333393)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	大塚礼国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 研究所老年学・社会科学研究センター, 部長 (00532243) 西田裕紀子国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 研究所老年学・社会科学研究センター, 副部長 (60393170)
Project Period (FY)	2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Keywords	高齢者 / 処方薬 / 連用 / 服薬数 / 海馬 / 大脳
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of long-term consecutive use of single or multiple prescription drugs on changes in cerebral volume, particularly in cognitive function-related areas, among middle-aged and older adults living in the community. The main findings of the study were as follows: (1) The volume of cerebral gray matter was smaller in patients taking antihypertensive medications compared to those not taking such medications, and this trend was more pronounced in patients taking ACE inhibitors. (2) The interaction effects of the number of prescribed medications on regional cerebral volumes such as the hippocampus during the following 10 years were examined, and the interaction effects of the number of medications on sex, the number of medications on age and years elapsed since taking the medications were significant.
Free Research Field	老年医学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	高齢者への処方薬の多剤併用や長期連用は近年急増しており、その弊害への言及も多いが、大脳容積や認知機能関連部位の萎縮との関連について検討した研究は少ない。本研究では（1）高血圧患者の中でもACE阻害薬服用者では大脳灰白質容積が萎縮していること、（2）処方薬の服薬数が多いほど、年齢が高いほど、経過により海馬が萎縮する可能性があり、その傾向は男性で強いことが明らかになった。高齢者の多剤服用の問題点の新しい側面を明らかにしたといえよう。