Mother has been on antidepressants for 22 yrs and has had several ministrokes. Just diagnosed with ALS. Could it be long-term side effects?

Sorry, did you mean ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig's disease) or Alzheimer's ALZ?

If you mean ALZ, which sounds like you do...my mom's first geriatric psychiatrist answered thusly when I asked if anything hastens the onset.

Any med with anti before it or p.m. after it. Let that sink in.

Don't discount the damage that may be the result of those mini strokes, it can be cumulative. When a doctor at the nursing home asked me when my mom had her stroke I told them she hadn't, at least none had ever been diagnosed or treated - she had, however, a history of many TIA's, probably going back decades. One doctor told me her MRI image "lit up like a christmas tree". I wish he would have mentioned the consequences of that can be both physical and cognitive (I didn't learn that until I found AgingCare).

General Anesthesia or any, in the older population can also have profound effect. Did she break a hip? Get versed ....that's a baddie too.