Association between modifiable risk factors and cognitive decline in people over the age of 45 with polypharmacy

Project Summary

Polypharmacy, which is prevalent in older adults, is linked to adverse drug reactions, a reduced quality of life, higher health costs (11) and cognitive decline (1). However, as described in The Lancet in 2020 (3) and in a 2024 update (12), modifiable factors, such as regular physical activity, smoking and alcohol cessation, and an active social life, can help prevent or slow this cognitive decline. This project focuses on Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) participants with polypharmacy. Even if the association between modifiable risk factors and cognitive decline is well documented (12) in the general population and if the association between polypharmacy and cognitive decline is also established (1), exploring how these factors interact with multiple drugs to influence cognitive health is also capital.