Steroids for Asthma, Allergies Tied to Unhealthy Changes in the Brain
Inhaled and oral glucocorticoids are associated with structural changes in the brain that may help explain some of the neurological and psychological side effects seen with these drugs, a new study suggests.“This study shows that both systemic and inhaled glucocorticoids are associated with an apparently widespread reduction in white matter integrity,” wrote the lead study author, Merel van der Meulen of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, in research published August 30 in BMJ Open.White matter makes up about half of the tissue in the brain, and its main job is transmitting messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Reduced white matter volume has long been linked to cognitive decline — particularly when it comes to memory loss, processing information, and attention. Diminished white matter has also been tied…