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Regular use of opioids and dementia, cognitive measures, and neuroimaging outcomes among UK Biobank participants with chronic non‐cancer pain
Teng-Fei Lin, Jed A. Barash, Shiyu Wang, Fu-Xiao Li, Zhirong Yang, William Andrew Kofke, Feng Sha, Jin-Ling Tang. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-05-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Regular opioid use was associated with a 20% higher risk of all-cause dementia and a 49% higher risk of vascular dementia (VD) compared with those not using analgesics. Moreover, those using strong opioids had a 72% higher risk of all-cause dementia and a 155% higher risk of VD. Strong opioid use was also linked to reductions in hippocampal, white matter, and total brain volumes. Lastly, regular opioid use was associated with lower fluid intelligence. A higher risk of dementia was observed among participants regularly using opioids, escalating with opioid strength. HIGHLIGHTS: Regular opioid use was associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia and VD. Those using strong opioids had a much higher risk of all-cause dementia and VD. Strong opioid use was also associated with worse neuroimaging outcomes. Regular opioid use was also associated with lower fluid intelligence.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Lin, T.-F., Barash, J. A., Wang, S., Li, F.-X., Yang, Z., Kofke, W. A., et al. (2025). Regular use of opioids and dementia, cognitive measures, and neuroimaging outcomes among UK Biobank participants with chronic non‐cancer pain. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70177
Vancouver
Lin T.-F, Barash JA, Wang S, Li F.-X, Yang Z, Kofke WA, et al. Regular use of opioids and dementia, cognitive measures, and neuroimaging outcomes among UK Biobank participants with chronic non‐cancer pain. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70177. PMID: 40390206.
BibTeX
@article{lin2025-40390206,
author = {Lin, Teng-Fei and Barash, Jed A. and Wang, Shiyu and Li, Fu-Xiao and Yang, Zhirong and Kofke, William Andrew and Sha, Feng and Tang, Jin-Ling},
title = {{Regular use of opioids and dementia, cognitive measures, and neuroimaging outcomes among UK Biobank participants with chronic non‐cancer pain}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70177},
pmid = {40390206},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70177}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Regular opioid use was associated with a 20% higher risk of all-cause dementia and a 49% higher risk of vascular dementia (VD) compared with those not using analgesics.
- Moreover, those using strong opioids had a 72% higher risk of all-cause dementia and a 155% higher risk of VD.
- Strong opioid use was also linked to reductions in hippocampal, white matter, and total brain volumes.
- Lastly, regular opioid use was associated with lower fluid intelligence.
- A higher risk of dementia was observed among participants regularly using opioids, escalating with opioid strength.
Why it matters
Among UK Biobank participants with chronic non-cancer pain, regular opioid use was associated with a 20% higher risk of all-cause dementia and 49% higher risk of vascular dementia, with stronger risks for strong opioids, along with lower brain volumes and lower fluid intelligence. These are observational associations and do not prove that opioids cause dementia or that stopping them prevents it.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 9 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jin-Ling Tang: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40390206) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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