Conducted by an international team from China, the United States, and the UK, this study analyzed data from nearly 200,000 individuals with chronic non-cancer pain. Opioids have been prescribed for chronic pain since the mid-1990s, but concerns about overprescription, dependency, and misuse have grown.
Using advanced statistical models, the researchers found that people using opioids regularly had a 20 percent greater risk of developing all-cause dementia than those using non-opioid painkillers. Notably, individuals taking strong opioids had a more than 70 percent increased risk. In contrast, those using non-opioid analgesics showed no elevated risk, thus highlighting a specific concern with opioid medications. The association was particularly strong for vascular dementia – a form of dementia related to impaired blood flow to the brain.
Brain scans and cognitive tests further supported these findings. Significantly, regular opioid use was also linked to decreased brain volume, including reductions in white matter and the hippocampus – areas critical for memory and learning.
To read about the growing evidence that B vitamins prevent dementia, see this article on our website.
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August 1, 2025Regular Opioid Use May Increase Dementia Risk
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A study published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal has found that regular opioid use is associated with an increased risk of dementia, particularly vascular dementia.
[Source: medicalxpress.com]
[Image source: Adobe Stock]
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Conducted by an international team from China, the United States, and the UK, this study analyzed data from nearly 200,000 individuals with chronic non-cancer pain. Opioids have been prescribed for chronic pain since the mid-1990s, but concerns about overprescription, dependency, and misuse have grown.
Using advanced statistical models, the researchers found that people using opioids regularly had a 20 percent greater risk of developing all-cause dementia than those using non-opioid painkillers. Notably, individuals taking strong opioids had a more than 70 percent increased risk. In contrast, those using non-opioid analgesics showed no elevated risk, thus highlighting a specific concern with opioid medications. The association was particularly strong for vascular dementia – a form of dementia related to impaired blood flow to the brain.
Brain scans and cognitive tests further supported these findings. Significantly, regular opioid use was also linked to decreased brain volume, including reductions in white matter and the hippocampus – areas critical for memory and learning.
To read about the growing evidence that B vitamins prevent dementia, see this article on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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