Research Using the NACC Database

The association between benzodiazepine (BZD) use and dementia and/or cognitive
impairment using NACC data
 
   Lead Investigator:    Yuhai Zhang
   Institution      :    Univeristy of Washington
   E-Mail           :    zhyh@uw.edu
   Proposal ID      :    298


   Publications:


1  Zhang Y,  Zhou XH, Meranus DH, Wang L, Kukull WA
   Benzodiazepine Use and Cognitive Decline in Elderly With Normal Cognition
   Journal Article  Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord,30:113-117,2015,PMC4670597

   IN PRESS





   Proposal Description:
   Benzodiazepines (BZD) are widely prescribed in the elderly in developed           countries to treat the symptoms of anxiety or insomnia. But the association       between BZD use and dementia is still debated. Some studies showed that BZD use   was a risk factor for dementia or cognitive impairment, other studies showed      there was no association between BZD use and dementia or cognitive impairment,    and some studies even found BZD to act as a protective factor. Moreover, BZD      could be prescribed for pre-clinical symptoms of dementia resulting in a          spurious association between BZD use and dementia due to reverse causation. The   objective of this study is to assess the association between BZD use and          dementia or/and cognitive impairment using NACC data through adjusting for        covariates using a propensity score.