Association between omeprazole and memory impairment: Insights from NHANES data analysis and network pharmacology studies

Background Post-marketing surveillance indicates a possible link between omeprazole consumption and changes in cognitive abilities; however, existing observational studies have yielded conflicting outcomes. This highlights the lack of consensus and underscores the imperative for further systematic investigation to elucidate this relationship. Objective This investigation thoroughly examined the connection between omeprazole administration and reported memory issues, with the goal of supplying empirical support for evaluating the medication's safety profile and determining its risk-benefit balance in clinical practice. Methods We employed a range of analytical approaches, including descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, to systematically evaluate the association between omeprazole use and memory function. Network pharmacology further characterized omeprazole's molecular targets and pathways linked to memory deficits. Results In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) analysis, it revealed a significant positive association between omeprazole consumption and memory impairment (OR [95% CI] = 3.51 [1.87, 6.59]). Through network pharmacology, 342 core targets related to Alzheimer's disease were identified. The top 10 potential binding targets of omeprazole—UBA52, RPL23, RPS18, RPL4, RPL15, RPL11, RPS6, EGFR, RPL13, and RPS20—exhibited strong binding affinities. The enrichment analysis implies a role for omeprazole in causing memory issues, possibly by affecting processes like carboxylic acid metabolism and membrane transportation. Conclusions Mounting research from both large-scale population studies and drug safety surveillance reports paints a clear picture: regular omeprazole consumption appears to hike the chances of experiencing cognitive hiccups related to memory function.