Overview

• Adults receiving six or more gabapentin prescriptions for chronic low back pain had a 29% higher risk of dementia and an 85% greater risk of mild cognitive impairment within ten years.
• Patients aged 35–49 faced the steepest increases, with dementia risk more than doubling and mild cognitive impairment risk more than tripling compared to lower-use peers.
• Researchers analyzed electronic health records from over 26,000 adults across 68 U.S. health systems using the TriNetX federated research network.
• Study authors emphasize that the results show an association rather than causation and recommend that physicians implement periodic cognitive assessments for patients on gabapentin.
• Investigators from Case Western Reserve, Arizona State and MetroHealth plan longitudinal and mechanistic studies to explore whether gabapentin directly contributes to cognitive decline.