Drug-Induced Amnesia: A Comprehensive Review of Medications Affecting Memory Function

The word ‘amnesia’comes from the Greek roots a- (without) and mnesis (memory) or in simple words, amnesia means loss of memory. It usually happens because of brain injury, disease, or the effects of drugs or alcohol. The amnesia which is caused by drugs are drug-induced amnesia which is a significant clinical challenge caused by various medications that impair memory encoding, consolidation, or retrieval. This review explores classical drug classes such as benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, hypnotics-sedative, anticonvulsants and others like statins, immunosuppressant, proton pump inhibitors etc which are linked to memory deficits. It highlights recent advancements in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms, including neurotransmitter modulation, disrupted neural oscillations, synaptic plasticity impairments, neuroinflammation and neurogenesis. Additionally, emerging research on novel therapeutics, neurophysiological insights, pharmacovigilance data, and neurostimulation techniques offers promising strategies for prevention and reversal. The review underscores the importance of integrating mechanistic insights with clinical approaches to improve patient safety, optimize treatment, and explore future research directions in managing drug-induced cognitive side effects.