Despite the limitations of the observational study, the authors recommend caution when taking this medication.
“It is clinically important that physicians who prescribe gabapentin for chronic pain routinely perform cognitive assessments on their patients,” Eghrari says. He also advises doctors to be cautious. “I would recommend that patients taking it notify their physician immediately if they notice cognitive problems such as confusion, impaired memory, or slowed thinking.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, other serious side effects to watch for include allergic reactions, mood and behavior changes, suicidal thoughts, jaundice, and blood in the urine. Patients should not stop taking gabapentin or change their dosage without consulting a doctor. Stopping suddenly can lead to complications, such as a higher risk of seizures in people taking it for epilepsy.
Eghrari concludes: “We hope to continue this research and determine whether there is a real causal relationship between gabapentin and cognitive impairment. We also plan to investigate the mechanisms by which the drug may affect brain function.”
