Posted on 03/28/2022 8:20:35 AM PDT by Red Badger
Neuron With Extensions and Microglia Cells Neuron with extensions (blue) and microglia cells (red) interacting with synapses. Credit: Y. Shi and M. Cui
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Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use Attacks Synapses LMU scientists have discovered the means by which the long-term taking of benzodiazepines leads to cognitive impairments.
Benzodiazepines are effective and widely used drugs for treating states of anxiety and sleep disorders. While short-term treatments are considered safe, their long-term intake can lead to physical dependence and, particularly in the case of older people, to cognitive impairments. The mechanisms by which benzodiazepines trigger these changes had previously been unknown. Researchers led by Prof. Jochen Herms and Dr. Mario Dorostkar from LMU’s Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have now been able to demonstrate in an animal model that the active ingredient leads to the loss of neural connections in the brain.
Common Benzodiazepines
Xanax (alprazolam)
Klonopin (clonazepam}
Ativan (lorazepam)
Valium (diazepam)
Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
Restoril (temazepam)
A key role is played by immune cells of the brain known as microglia. Benzodiazepines bind to a specific protein, the translocator protein (TSPO), on the surface of cell organelles of the microglia. This binding activates the microglia, which then degrade and recycle synapses — that is, the connections between nerve cells. Experiments carried out by the scientists showed that the synapse loss in mice that had received a daily sleep-inducing dose of the benzodiazepine diazepam for several weeks led to cognitive impairments.
“It was known that microglia play an important role in eliminating synapses both during brain development and in neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Yuan Shi and Mochen Cui, co-authors of the study. “But what really surprised us was that such well-researched drugs as benzodiazepines influence this process.” When diazepam treatment was discontinued, the effect persisted for some time, but was ultimately reversible.
In the opinion of the researchers, the study could have effects on how sleep disorders and anxiety are treated in people at risk of dementia. “Drugs that are known to have no binding affinity to TSPO should be preferred where possible,” say the authors.
Reference: “Long-term diazepam treatment enhances microglial spine engulfment and impairs cognitive performance via the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO)” by Yuan Shi, Mochen Cui, Katharina Ochs, Matthias Brendel, Felix L. Strübing, Nils Briel, Florian Eckenweber, Chengyu Zou, Richard B. Banati, Guo-Jun Liu, Ryan J. Middleton, Rainer Rupprecht, Uwe Rudolph, Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer, Gerhard Rammes, Jochen Herms and Mario M. Dorostkar, 28 February 2022, Nature Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01013-9
When I used to get panic attacks in my late 50’s, Xanax was of big help. It is one of the very meds which did not upset my stomach. I cured my panic attacks by playing 5 rounds of golf every week, and then never needed Xanax. But I am in awe of how good it worked.
I go though about 10 xanax a year miracle drug for me
That explains a lot.
Xanex bump for later...
It even made it into a joke scene in a movie.
I can’t remember what movie it was, but Burt Reynolds was in it.
The scene was a woman had fallen or something in a public place and he, trying to help, asked if anybody had a Valium, then suddenly about ten hands with Valium prescriptions were shoved in his face..............
It destroys the neural pathways to the brain. Could you repeat that?
REPEAT WHAT?.............😜
Apparently, I told them they were turning me into a Borg, with all the tubes coming out of me.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD I SAID SOME REALLY CRAZY STUFF COMING OUT OF SURGERY.....................
I would GREATLY appreciate informed (maybe even half-informed) thoughts. I take 1.5 mg of Klonipin per day. But this isn’t just for anxiety. I take it for both anxiety and seizures. Not easily replaced for me. I’m also on Lamictal for seizures (and effexor rx for anxiety). I’m 54. I’m going to need to make some difficult decisions. That’s just my initial reaction.
I can’t believe this article was posted today.
I’ve been on clonazepam for sleep (.5mg) since 2014. Last Monday (a week ago) I stopped — cold turkey. I stopped for many reasons, the least of which was the dulling effect on my less than well-performing brain.
I realize I should not have stopped in that manner, but I did and I don’t regret it. It has been a tough week, but I’m finally seeing the positive changes of stopping. I may not be totally through the effects but I believe I’m over the hump now.
There was a very good reason for the doctor putting me on this drug for sleep when I started. It was my bad move to stay on it for so long. It is just another good reason to become your own medical advocate and to not take the medical profession’s directions blindly.
Bye, bye clonzapam!
“...daily sleep-inducing dose...”
Poor rats. Enough Xanax to put a horse to sleep.
Yep, then the “cool anti anxiety drug” was Xanax. The woman Casey in Florida likely gave her daughter Xanax to,make,her sleep, put her in the trunk of her car while,she was upstairs in an apartment having sex, if the prosecution was correct. She even talked about Xanny the nanny, which apparently is streetspeak for Xanax?
Benzodiazepine Is FDA approved!🤗
This is $cience!
Have you considered switching to something like CBD for anxiety? If that raises your hackles, it’s perfectly legal if it comes from the hemp plant — CBD from hemp’s cousin, cannabis, is not.
https://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9781443446204?browse=1&mtype=B
If it is,it is, seizures too, I wouldn’t come off it unless,the dose,is so low,it,wouldnt really matter. Have you talked to,the doc about it? Imdunno,I dunno, 1.5 mg is a small amount of klonipan or not?
Some say cbd oil helps witn anxiety, although docs can’t prescribe it apparently, they can give advice about the cbd as they have a lot,of patients on it evidently. They might be an a,terns4ive for,the klonipan if it isn’t vital for the anxiety? But do,speak,about it,to,the doc and state your concern for neural issues being on it. They knight have soemthing else they can use, though I think most anti anxiety drugs are of,that typ,e of med
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