Researchers tracked 5,000 trazodone users against 400,000 people on other antidepressants over seven years. The question was simple: does trazodone increase dementia risk?
The answer was uncomfortable. Trazodone users developed dementia at higher rates. The median time from first prescription to dementia diagnosis was 1.8 years.
Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, MD, PhD, noted that doctors rarely prescribe trazodone for depression anymore. They prescribe it for insomnia. The dose determines the risk. Higher doses for sleep carry higher potential for cognitive damage.
This study adds weight to a growing concern: the drug millions take to sleep may accelerate cognitive decline.
The findings appeared in PLOS Medicine [1].
Sentra PM offers a different approach. As a medical food, it supports nighttime nervous system function without the cognitive risks linked to trazodone.