Understanding how chemical changes in the brain affect Alzheimer's disease

(University of Western Ontario) A new study from Western University is helping to explain why the long-term use of common anticholinergic drugs used to treat conditions like allergies and overactive bladder lead to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. The study used mouse models to show that long-term suppression of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine -- a target for anticholinergic drugs -- results in dementia-like changes in the brain.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news