Long-Term Benzodiazepine (Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan) Use Destroys Neural Connections in the Brain

Long-term use of benzodiazepines has been linked to cognitive deficits according to Ludwig Maximilian University Of Munich (LMU) researchers.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. While short-term treatments are typically safe, long-term use may develop into physical dependency and, in the case of the elderly, cognitive problems. Previously, the mechanisms by which benzodiazepines cause these alterations were unclear. Prof. Jochen Herms and Dr. Mario Dorostkar of LMU’s Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have now shown that the active ingredient causes the breakdown of neural connections in the brain in an animal model.

Microglia, which are brain immune cells, play an important function. Benzodiazepines attach to a particular protein on the surface of microglia cell organelles called the translocator protein (TSPO). The microglia are activated as a result of this binding. This causes them to break down and recycle synapses, which are the connections between nerve cells. Experiments conducted by the researchers revealed that synapse loss in mice that were given a daily sleep-inducing dosage of the benzodiazepine diazepam for several weeks resulted in cognitive deficits.

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