A new study found that anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk of dementia on patients.

The research was released in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, which revealed that taking these drugs could increase your risk of getting dementia by as much as 50%. Scientists have known that there is a connection between these substances and a higher risk of dementia for a while, but not by this amount.

Anticholinergic drugs are a type of drug that can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, which include allergies, colds, high blood pressure, depression, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, COPS, urinary incontinence, as well as overactive bladders. Such medications work by blocking acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that stimulates the autonomic nerves, which regulate contractions in the lungs, airways, blood vessels, urinary tract, GI tract and cardiovascular system.

Such drugs are designed to help relax these muscles, which is why the can cause a number of side effects, including dry mouth and constipation. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine is a component in the brain that is involved in learning and memory, which is why anticholinergic drugs can lead to confusion and memory problems, among other side effects.

Such drugs include Benadryl, Sinequan (doxepin), Desyrel (trazodone), Remeron (mirtazapine), Enablex (darifenacin), Toviaz (fesoterodine) and Ditropan (oxybutynin).

“The study is important because it strengthens a growing body of evidence showing that strong anticholinergic drugs have long-term associations with dementia risk,” said Carol Coupland, lead author of the study and professor of medical statistics at the University of Nottingham.