Dementia warning as drug taken by millions raises risk of memory robbing disorder by up to 40%, study finds

Experts today also suggested that people with chronic pain requiring gabapentin may simply have also been less physically active, a known risk factor for developing dementia, so the medication may be not be to blame.

The drug—manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer of Covid vaccine fame—acts on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger in the brain that functions like a brake on over-excited nerve cells.

Latest NHS data shows 799,155 patients were prescribed gabapentin in England in 2023/24, down slightly on its peak of 926,071 in 2022/23.