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Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine is a [common / commonly] part of our lives. Many of us [pop / pip] into the local pharmacy for cold and headache tablets, cough syrups [nor / or] allergy treatments. Over-the-counter drugs save the [necessary / need] to go to the doctor's. However, we may be causing [yourselves / ourselves] more harm than good with these convenient cures. A new study [published / publishing] in the journal JAMA Neurology suggests that many of these handy medicines have unwanted, and sometimes [seriously / serious] , side [effects / affects] . Researchers say that such side effects in older adults who often take [widely / width] available OTC medicines for asthma, aches and pains, insomnia and allergies, etc. include cognitive impairment, dementia and even brain [shrink / shrinkage] .

The study was [conducting / conducted] by the Indiana University School of Medicine. Researchers examined the link [betwixt / between] OTC medications and cognition [in / on] "cognitively normal" older people who did not have Alzheimer’s disease or [demented / dementia] . The scientists found that OTC drugs led [to / at] a lower glucose metabolism, which is [crucial / crucially] for the brain to be healthy and function [proper / properly] . Dr. Shannon Risacher said: "These [findings / finding] provide us with a much better understanding of how this class of drugs may [action / act] upon the brain in ways that might raise the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia." She added: "I certainly wouldn't [advice / advise] my grandparents or even my parents to take these medications unless they have to."