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Association Between the Use of Non-benzodiazepine Hypnotics and Cognitive Outcomes: A Systematic Review
Christopher N Kaufmann1,2, Alison A Moore1,3, Mark W Bondi3,4
1Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA.
Purpose Of Review:
Adverse effects of sedative-hypnotic medications on cognition are concerning. Past studies have examined benzodiazepine (BZD) use and cognitive outcomes; however, few studies have examined newer non-BZD hypnotic agents (nBHs; e.g. zolpidem). This systematic review examined observational studies assessing the association between nBH use and cognitive outcomes.
Recent Findings:
Five studies met eligibility requirements and were included in the review. Most studies did not find an association between nBH use and dementia diagnosis; however, we found no studies assessing other cognitive outcomes such as cognitive performance (e.g., word recall tasks). Characterization of nBH use mostly consisted of incident new use; one study assessed nBH dosing; none examined duration of use. Studies included were of strong quality.
Summary:
This review found no association between nBH use and dementia diagnosis, although there is a need for more research on more cognitive outcomes and nBH use patterns.
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