7 medications that cause severe dementia and profound brain damage

memory, impair concentration, and even trigger severe dementia. Here are seven classes of drugs that require special attention.

1. Corticosteroids

Prescribed to treat asthma, severe allergies, or autoimmune diseases , corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatories. However, their prolonged use, particularly orally, is not without risk to the nervous system.

Research has shown that these medications can alter the very structure of the brain. Glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, disrupt brain function by influencing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Excess cortisol eventually damages the hippocampus, a brain region absolutely vital for memory. A