Benzodiazepines and the Brain: A Review of Cognitive Impairments and Clinical Implications

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are used extensively for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and muscle spasms because of their rapid effect. While beneficial in the short term, they are not as much researched regarding the possible influence on thoughts and memory in the long term, especially on the elderly.This review summarizes what is known so far about the mental side effects of long-term BZD use. Research, including some large reviews and some newer psychological tests, suggests these drugs can lead to Problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making. Some of these issues can even remain even after the person has stopped taking the drug. The degree of the effect seems to vary on the basis of how long the person have been taking it, the dose, their age, other drugs they take, and even personal factors like genetics. Older adults seem to be more susceptible. Because of these risks, experts often suggest keeping BZD use short and trying safer alternatives like therapy or antidepressants. More long-term research is still needed, however, to learn more about the risks and to make better treatment decisions.