Antibiotics Might Not be Connected to Cognitive Decline

Learn what a new study says about the ties between antibiotics, cognitive impairment, and dementia.

By Sam Walters
Dec 18, 2024 9:15 PMDec 20, 2024 7:19 PM
An older person taking antibiotics.
Antibiotic use, as well as cognitive impairment and dementia, are both common among older adults, but a new study suggests that they aren't connected. (Credit: Oleg Elkov/Shutterstock)

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In the United States, around 22 percent of older people have cognitive impairment, while around 10 percent have dementia. A new study suggests that antibiotics aren’t associated with the two conditions. Published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, the study shows that antibiotics are not connected with a raised risk of cognitive impairment or dementia in the short term.

“Older adults are more frequently prescribed antibiotics and are also at higher risk for cognitive decline,” said Andrew Chan, a study author and a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Medical School, in a press release. “These findings offer reassurance about using these medications.”

Antibiotics, the Gut, and the Brain

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