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Drug-induced cognitive impairment in the elderly
Moore AR, O'Keeffe ST.. Drugs & aging, 1999-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Elderly people are more likely than younger patients to develop cognitive impairment as a result of taking medications. Delirium (acute confusional state) is the cognitive disturbance most clearly associated with drug toxicity, but dementia has also been reported. In some cases CNS toxicity occurs in a dose-dependent manner, often as a result of interference with neurotransmitter function. Recent studies have suggested that the total burden of anticholinergic drugs may determine development of delirium rather than any single agent.
Key findings
- Elderly people are more likely than younger patients to develop cognitive impairment as a result of taking medications.
- Delirium (acute confusional state) is the cognitive disturbance most clearly associated with drug toxicity, but dementia has also been reported.
- In some cases CNS toxicity occurs in a dose-dependent manner, often as a result of interference with neurotransmitter function.
- Recent studies have suggested that the total burden of anticholinergic drugs may determine development of delirium rather than any single agent.
Why it matters
This review notes that elderly people are more likely than younger patients to develop cognitive impairment from medications, and that delirium is the cognitive disturbance most clearly linked to drug toxicity. It concerns drug side effects rather than treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Drugs & aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Drugs & Aging: journal h-index 135 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1999 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 411 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.2 citations a year over 29 year(s) since 1999 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 30 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Shaun T. O’Keeffe: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | St. Vincent's University Hospital: institution h-index 349 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10459729) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Moore, A. R., & O'Keeffe, S. T. (1999). Drug-induced cognitive impairment in the elderly. Drugs & aging. https://doi.org/10.2165/00002512-199915010-00002
Vancouver
Moore AR, O'Keeffe ST. Drug-induced cognitive impairment in the elderly. Drugs & aging. 1999. doi:10.2165/00002512-199915010-00002. PMID: 10459729.
BibTeX
@article{moore1999-10459729,
author = {Moore, A. R. and O'Keeffe, S. T.},
title = {{Drug-induced cognitive impairment in the elderly}},
journal = {Drugs \& aging},
year = {1999},
doi = {10.2165/00002512-199915010-00002},
pmid = {10459729},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2165/00002512-199915010-00002}
}
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