Learning Objective: After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to:• Explain current understanding of the relationship between chronic benzodiazepine use and dementia.
Background: Chronic use of benzodiazepines (BZ) for managing conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorders, and other chronic diseases is widespread; yet, there is considerable controversy regarding its potential links to dementia risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to clarify this relationship by synthesizing and analyzing the available evidence to provide a clearer understanding of whether prolonged BZ use contributes to developing dementia.