Rawle MJ, et al. - Researchers used a prospective birth cohort study design to determine longitudinal links between polypharmacy and cognitive and physical capability. They also investigated if these links differ with cumulative exposure to polypharmacy. Study participants were eligible men and women from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development with medication data at age 69 (N=2122, 79%). They observed poorer physical and cognitive capability in relation to polypharmacy at age 60 to 64 and age 69, even after adjusting for disease burden. A cumulative, dose-dependent relationship (where dose is the number of prescribed medications) was indicated by the observed stronger negative links in participants with longstanding polypharmacy.