According to a major new study, a pain medication that millions of Americans rely on for chronic back pain may come with a hidden risk: a significantly higher chance of developing dementia or other cognitive problems.

Compared 26,000 adults

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and many partner institutions analyzed medical records from 68 health systems across the United States, comparing 26,414 adults prescribed gabapentin for persistent low-back pain with a matched group who had similar pain — but didn’t take the drug.

Their finding was concerning: Adults that received six or more gabapentin prescriptions were 29% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia and 85% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) within 10 years.

The risk was not just limited to older adults. In fact, it was younger American people who saw the most dramatic increases.

Younger adults saw shocking risk increases

For people normally considered decades away from dementia: