Thursday, 4 August 2016
Autoimmune diseases may be side effect of a strong immune system
We finally have evidence from human studies that disorders like lupus could be a by-product of being well protected against other diseases via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
US health insurer warns 3.7m after cyber-attack
US health insurer Banner Health writes to 3.7 million customers and healthcare providers following a cyber-attack. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Hallucinations vs Delusions – What’s the Difference?
Delusions are a symptom of some mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophreniform disorder. Hallucinations, on the other hand, tend to only appear in people with schizophrenia or a psychotic disorder.
Delusions
Delusions are false or erroneous beliefs that usually involve a misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences. Their content may include a variety of themes (e.g., persecutory, referential, somatic, religious, or grandiose).
Persecutory delusions are most common; the person believes he or she is being tormented, followed, tricked, spied on, or ridiculed. Referential delusions are also common; the person believes that certain gestures, comments, passages from books, newspapers, song lyrics, or other environmental cues are specifically directed at him or her.
The distinction between a delusion and a strongly held idea is sometimes difficult to make and depends in part on the degree of conviction with which the belief is held despite clear contradictory evidence regarding its veracity.
Although bizarre delusions are considered to be especially characteristic of schizophrenia, “bizarreness” may be difficult to judge, especially across different cultures. Delusions are deemed bizarre if they are clearly implausible and not understandable and do not derive from ordinary life experiences. An example of a bizarre delusion is a person’s belief that a stranger has removed his or her internal organs and has replaced them with someone else’s organs without leaving any wounds or scars. Delusions that express a loss of control over mind or body are generally considered to be bizarre; these include a person’s belief that his or her thoughts have been taken away by some outside force (“thought withdrawal”), that alien thoughts have been put into his or her mind (“thought insertion”), or that his or her body or actions are being acted on or manipulated by some outside force (“delusions of control”).
An example of a nonbizarre delusion is a person’s false belief that he or she is under surveillance by the police.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality (e.g., auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile), but auditory hallucinations are by far the most common. Auditory hallucinations are usually experienced as voices, whether familiar or unfamiliar, that are perceived as distinct from the person’s own thoughts.
The hallucinations must occur in the context of a clear sensorium; those that occur while falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic) are considered to be within the range of normal experience.
Isolated experiences of hearing one’s name called or experiences that lack the quality of an external percept (e.g., a humming in one’s head) should also not be considered as symptomatic of Schizophrenia or any other Psychotic Disorder.
Hallucinations may be a normal part of religious experience in certain cultural contexts. Certain types of auditory hallucinations (i.e., two or more voices conversing with one another or voices maintaining a running commentary on the person’s thoughts or behavior) have been considered to be particularly characteristic of Schizophrenia.
This guest article originally appeared on PsychCentral.com: What’s the Difference Between a Delusion and a Hallucination?
References
This article uses material summarized from the DSM-IV.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Being overweight 'ages people's brains'
The brains of overweight people look "'10 years older' than those of leaner peers, a study has found. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Do Amish hold clue to preventing asthma in children?
A new study from the US comparing two traditional communities suggests exposure to farm animals may prevent asthma in children. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Beyond drugs: the war on lifestyle disease needs new tactics
If we rely solely on medical sciences to get us out of a global epidemic of 'lifestyle' disease we will fail, warns Luke Allen via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Being fat in middle age may shrink your brain’s white matter
People who are overweight have less white matter in their brains, making them look a decade older – an effect that doesn’t seem to kick in until middle age via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Diabetes drugs costs NHS England nearly £1bn a year
| Prescribing costs for diabetes have almost doubled in the last decade Related items from OnMedica Diabetes accounts for 10% of English drugs budget Bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes cuts medication costs Child type 2 diabetes is a ‘wake-up call’ to the nation Poor diabetes education leading to health complications NHS must hold CCGs accountable for poor diabetes care |
Maternity services 'positive experience' for most mothers
| But new report says providers need to listen and respond to feedback from families Related items from OnMedica New guidelines on epilepsy in pregnancy Multivitamins in pregnancy ‘should be avoided’ Placental syndromes increase women's short-term risk for cardiovascular diseases Maternity care to become more ‘personalised’ |
Family, friends and work key to mental wellbeing
| Survey reveals most people know how to improve their mental state Related items from OnMedica People with mental illness losing out on health checks Parents fear mental health 'life sentence' Sharp rise in girls reporting emotional problems Simple therapy could be just as effective as CBT ‘No improvement’ in community mental health care |
Supermarkets urged to cut prices on healthy food
| Which? says money-off promotions biased towards confectionary and sugary drinks Related items from OnMedica Supermarket promotions boost sales of less healthy foods more than healthier foods Children order fast food from schools, report shows Signage increased share of spending on fruit and veg Obesity and sugary drinks Experts call for food to have 'activity' labelling |
'Watch and wait' might be better in advanced kidney cancer
| Cautious approach could reduce reliance on toxic drugs with substantial side effects |
Brain's thirst circuit 'monitors the mouth'
Scientists observe activity in the mouse brain which can explain why we get thirsty when we eat, and why cool water quenches thirst more quickly. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Can polio success help India improve its public health?
The legacy of polio eradication gives India a golden opportunity to fix its scandalously poor healthcare system. Will it take it? via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Wednesday, 3 August 2016
There could already be 40,000 people carrying Zika in the US
Modelling estimates suggest that many people could already have the virus in areas of the US where mosquitoes are able to spread it further via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Miracle meal or rotten swindle? The truth about superfoods
Trendy foods like wheatgrass and goji berries are lauded for their miraculous health benefits, but do the claims stack up? New Scientist chews on the evidence via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Kernicterus screening ‘not beneficial’ reports PHE
| National committee rejects screening for kernicterus, toxoplasmosis and scoliosis Related items from OnMedica Department of Health rejects call for MenB vaccine for all children Key developmental premature baby checks may have been missed Experts call for earlier screening of gestational diabetes Newborn screening for lethal genetic disorder works Foetal alcohol syndrome must be better recognised |
Two-year tariff ‘can help stabilise NHS planning’
| CCGs invited to comment on potential impact of NHS improvement’s proposals Related items from OnMedica Plans to change next year’s National Tariff for NHS services face setback Better funding and capacity vital for A&E to survive The medicine price debate Extra council tax levy for social care has failed to plug huge funding shortfall Fewer staff in NHS needed to get finances balanced |
New risk estimation for prostate cancer improves accuracy
| Five-strata classification estimates prognosis more accurately than NICE-approved system Related items from OnMedica Fewer but higher doses of radiotherapy good for prostate cancer Radiotherapy implants boost chances of prostate cancer remission Scientists unveil 'Rosetta Stone' of prostate cancer Explore offering PSA test to men in their 40s worried about cancer risk, GPs told Scientists find five different types of prostate cancer |
Liraglutide did not improve advanced heart failure outcomes
| No better than placebo in improving clinical stability after heart failure hospitalisation Related items from OnMedica Atrial fibrillation poses greater risk for women than men Chronic heart failure – a review and update Digoxin linked to heightened risk of death in patients with heart problems Metformin lowers cardiac deaths better than other drugs Never too old to benefit from CVD prevention |
Twin study finds obesity not linked to MI or death
| But risk of type 2 diabetes was significantly higher in heavier twin in identical pairs Related items from OnMedica Unfit teens with high BMI more likely to be hypertensive adults Bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes cuts medication costs Overweight teens more likely to have severe liver disease later Child type 2 diabetes is a ‘wake-up call’ to the nation ‘Safest’ BMI has risen by 3.3 over past three decades |
Australia's oldest new mother at 63
A 63-year-old woman in Melbourne becomes Australia's oldest first-time mother, giving birth to a baby girl conceived with a donated embryo. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Distressing sexual problems 'for tenth of young UK men'
Researchers analyse data from 1,875 sexually active and 517 sexually inactive people aged 16 to 21. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Tuesday, 2 August 2016
Mother describes how her son needed morphine for chickenpox
Mother Sarah Allen calls for free chickenpox vaccinations after her toddler had the "worst ever case". via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Dr Dan Poulter: NHS HIV drug decision 'extraordinary'
Former health minister Dr Dan Poulter says NHS England decision not to provide preventative HIV drugs was "extraordinary" via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Mindfulness for Children May Prevent Anxiety and Mental Illness
Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric conditions for children and teens. While antidepressants are frequently used to treat youth with anxiety disorders, sometimes, antidepressants may be poorly tolerated in children who are at high risk of developing bipolar disorder.
A new study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) explores how cognitive therapy that uses mindfulness techniques such as meditation, quiet reflection, and facilitator-led discussion, may serve as an adjunct to pharmacological treatments.
The study, published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, looked at brain imaging in youth before and after mindfulness-based therapy and saw changes in brain regions that control emotional processing.
The review is part of a larger study by co-principal investigators Melissa DelBello, M.D., and Sian Cotton, Ph.D., looking at the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy.
In a small group of youth identified with anxiety disorders (generalized, social, and/or separation anxiety) and who have a parent with bipolar disorder, researchers evaluated the neurophysiology of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in children who are considered at-risk for developing bipolar disorder.
Jeffrey Strawn, M.D., a co-principal investigator on the study, explains important activity in the brains of children receiving this therapy:
“Our preliminary observation that the mindfulness therapy increases activity in the part of the brain known as the cingulate, which processes cognitive and emotional information, is noteworthy. This study, taken together with previous research, raises the possibility that treatment-related increases in brain activity [of the anterior cingulate cortex] during emotional processing may improve emotional processing in anxious youth who are at risk for developing bipolar disorder.”
The study’s findings in regard to increases in activity in the part of the brain known as the insula, are of high interest, Strawn said. This is because the insula is the part of the brain responsible for monitoring and responding to the physiological condition of the body.
In this pilot trial, nine participants ages nine to 16 years, underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing continuous performance tasks with emotional and neutral distractors prior to and following 12 weeks of mindful-based cognitive therapy.
Researchers discovered multiple benefits from the mindfulness intervention. Cotton explains that clinician-rated anxiety and youth-rated trait anxiety were significantly reduced following treatment. Further, the increases in mindfulness were associated with decreases in anxiety. As put by Cotton:
“Mindfulness-based therapeutic interventions promote the use of meditative practices to increase present-moment awareness of conscious thoughts, feelings, and body sensations in an effort to manage negative experiences more effectively…these integrative approaches expand traditional treatments and offer new strategies for coping with psychological distress.”
Increasingly, patients and families are asking for additional therapeutic options, in addition to traditional medication-based treatments, that have proven effectiveness for improved symptom reduction. Mindfulness-based therapies for mood disorders is one such example with promising evidence being studied and implemented at University of Cincinnati, said Cotton. Strawn adds that:
“The path from an initial understanding of the effects of psychotherapy on brain activity to the identification of markers of treatment response is a challenging one, and will require additional studies of specific aspects of emotional processing circuits.”
This guest article originally appeared on PsychCentral.com: Mindfulness Skills Show Promise in Treating Kids’ Anxiety
Reference
Strawn, J.R., Cotton, S., Luberto, C.M., Patino, L.R., Stahl, L.A., Weber, W.A., Eliassen, J.C., Sears, R. and DelBello, M.P. (2016) ‘Neural function before and after Mindfulness-Based cognitive therapy in anxious adolescents at risk for developing Bipolar disorder’, Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 26(4), pp. 372–379. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0054
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..
Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more'
Saskia speaks about her experience of life as a young carer looking after her father and how family life is adjusting to the situation. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
High Court backs campaign to fund preventative AIDS drug on NHS
A leading Aids charity has won a High Court battle over whether a preventative treatment for HIV which charities say is a "game-changer" can legally be funded by the NHS. via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
High Court rules NHS England must fund HIV drug
| Campaigners hail 'historic victory' in battle for PrEP to be funded by NHS Related items from OnMedica HIV preventive treatment will not be offered in England Sexual health ‘savings’ are a false economy UN achieves HIV treatment target 9 months early Plans for PrEP treatment for HIV dropped One in six HIV-infected people in UK is aged over 55 |
Pregnant women travel warning as Florida Zika cases rise to 14
Following 10 further cases of Zika thought to be contracted in Florida, pregnant women have now been told to avoid a so-called “transmission area” in Miami via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Genetic clues may unlock causes of depression
| Scientists hope their findings will help in developing new treatments Related items from OnMedica Online self-help therapy helps prevent depression Complete symptom resolution in depression reduces risk of recurrence Self-harm and injury less likely with lithium than other drugs ‘No improvement’ in community mental health care Those bereaved through suicide, at risk of doing the same |
Plant protein consumption linked to increased longevity
| Plant protein consumption linked to increased longevity Related items from OnMedica Eatwell Guide benefits industry more than public health Dietary calcium not linked to fracture risk High-quality carbs and unsaturated fats lower heart risks Vegetarians have lower bowel cancer risk than meat-eaters ‘Mediterranean’ diet reduces risks for heart patients |
Over 90% of nurses and midwives have completed revalidation
| Nursing and Midwifery Council report shows that new scheme has been a success Related items from OnMedica New guidelines on nurse revalidation Nurse prescribing Strength of regulator’s sample checks for nurse revalidation questioned NHS hospitals face shortfall of 15,000 nurses, says workforce analysis Nurse leader issues statement to reassure EU nurses |
Mental health charities merge
| Depression Alliance says existing work will continue as it merges with Mind Related items from OnMedica Fivefold increased risk of emergency admission for those with mental ill health Guidance to reduce stigma in mental health services ‘No improvement’ in community mental health care Those bereaved through suicide, at risk of doing the same Antenatal depression rife, but hidden from doctors |
Advances in Wilms’ tumour treatment
Read More Here..
Monday, 1 August 2016
Child dies in anthrax outbreak linked to thawed reindeer corpse
First death reported this week as Russian authorities tackle anthrax outbreak among herders in remote Siberian peninsula via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Google firm hopes to control organs with electrical signals
GSK and the Google company Verily Life Sciences are planning to develop tiny bioelectronic implants that will connect to our nerves and treat chronic illnesses via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Mysterious dark brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s and stress
Dark and shrunken microglia cells identified in the brains of people and mice seem to smother brain connections and are associated with age and disease via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Diabetes-Associated Cognitive Impairment – Not Just For the Elderly
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise; it can actually be regarded as an epidemic propagating as a consequence of poor lifestyle choices – bad feeding habits and sedentarism. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that there are over 380 million cases of diabetes throughout the world and predict that it may rise to around 600 million in the next 20 years.
One of the consequences of diabetes is cognitive decline. There are several studies showing that diabetes causes an acceleration of age-related cognitive decline. But it’s not just age-related cognitive decline – patients with diabetes also have a higher risk of developing cognitive decline associated with different brain pathologies. Diabetes increases the likelihood of developing vascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Although these diseases have different onset mechanisms, they can all be potentiated by diabetes.
Hyperglycemia is known to increase neuronal cell death through oxidation processes and generation of free radicals, thereby having neurodegenerative effects. Hyperglycemia can also cause damage to blood vessels through inflammatory mechanisms, leading to reduced blood flow to the brain and, consequently, reduced oxygen delivery, which results in the development of brain injuries.
If we add hypertension to the equation, which is commonly observed in patients with diabetes, vascular deficits become even worse, increasing the risk of stroke, for example, which is indeed more common in diabetic patients.
Younger diabetics are also at risk
This effect of diabetes is not only observed in the elderly. Although type 2 diabetes accelerates age-related cognitive decline, younger patients also show signs of cognitive impairment. In a study that followed dementia-free diabetic patients with a mean age of 40 years at the start of the study it was shown that, seven years later, diabetes had led to a degradation of memory, visual perception, and attention performance, as well as to a loss of brain integrity. Diabetes and higher fasting blood glucose levels were correlated with gray matter loss in the brain. This shows that cognitive decline is clearly anticipated in diabetes patients.
Another study, which followed patients with an average initial age of 54 throughout 10 years, showed that, compared with healthy participants, those with diabetes had a 45% faster decline in memory (10 year difference in decline), a 29% faster decline in reasoning, and a 24% faster decline in the global cognitive score. Furthermore, diabetes patients who had a poorer glycemic control had a faster decline in memory and reasoning, while participants with pre-diabetes or newly diagnosed diabetes had similar rates of decline to those with normal glycaemia.
It seems that the earlier the onset of diabetes, the higher the risk of accelerated cognitive decline. And even teenagers can be affected by the neurological consequences of type 2 diabetes. A pilot study following adolescents with type 2 diabetes showed that there are significant volume losses in a number of areas of the brain, as well as reduced white matter integrity. Given the fast increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes (and other metabolic diseases) that is being observed in teenagers, this is clearly a reason for concern.
Therapeutic strategies designed to control glycaemia will most likely help reduce the effects of diabetes on the brain. Many of the mechanisms of diabetes-associated dementia and cognitive impairment can be counterbalanced by a good diet and by exercise. Early intervention is fundamental.
Just to show how important diet and exercise are to diabetes care: there is scientific evidence showing that lifestyle changes are actually more effective than antidiabetic drugs. But instead of using diet and exercise as a way to control all the detrimental effects of diabetes, it would actually be better to use them to prevent it.
References
Cheng, G., Huang, C., Deng, H., & Wang, H. (2012). Diabetes as a risk factor for dementia and mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies Internal Medicine Journal, 42 (5), 484-491 DOI: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2012.02758.x
Chiu, W., Ho, W., Liao, D., Lin, M., Chiu, C., Su, Y., Chen, P., & , . (2015). Progress of Diabetic Severity and Risk of Dementia The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 100 (8), 2899-2908 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2015-1677
Rofey, D., Arslanian, S., El Nokali, N., Verstynen, T., Watt, J., Black, J., Sax, R., Krall, J., Proulx, C., Dillon, M., & Erickson, K. (2015). Brain volume and white matter in youth with type 2 diabetes compared to obese and normal weight, non-diabetic peers: A pilot study International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 46, 88-91 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.07.003
Sheen, Y., & Sheu, W. (2016). Association between hypoglycemia and dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 116, 279-287 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2016.04.004
Tuligenga, R., Dugravot, A., Tabák, A., Elbaz, A., Brunner, E., Kivimäki, M., & Singh-Manoux, A. (2014). Midlife type 2 diabetes and poor glycaemic control as risk factors for cognitive decline in early old age: a post-hoc analysis of the Whitehall II cohort study The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2 (3), 228-235 DOI: 10.1016/S2213-8587(13)70192-X
van Praag, H., Fleshner, M., Schwartz, M., & Mattson, M. (2014). Exercise, Energy Intake, Glucose Homeostasis, and the Brain Journal of Neuroscience, 34 (46), 15139-15149 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2814-14.2014
Weinstein, G., Maillard, P., Himali, J., Beiser, A., Au, R., Wolf, P., Seshadri, S., & DeCarli, C. (2015). Glucose indices are associated with cognitive and structural brain measures in young adults Neurology, 84 (23), 2329-2337 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001655
Image via TesaPhotography / Pixabay.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..'Hacking nerves can control disease'
Controlling human nerve cells with electricity could treat a range of disease including type-2 diabetes, a new company says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Summer Days Shouldn't Be Lazy for Kids
Physical education expert says children should stay active during school vacation
Source: HealthDay via Exercise and Physical Fitness New Links: MedlinePlus RSS Feed Read More Here..
NICE wants GPs to prevent 8,000 strokes a year
| New guidance could help identify atrial fibrillation Related items from OnMedica Atrial fibrillation poses greater risk for women than men Never too old to benefit from CVD prevention Stroke can often be avoided, claims study Stroke rates rocket in younger men and women Dementia and stroke funding remains too low, say experts |
Dissecting brains for medical research
Dr Laura Palmer shows us what happens inside a brain bank and and explains why such donations are vital. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
170,000 people alive 25 years after cancer diagnosis
| GPs role in helping cancer survivors is growing Related items from OnMedica £400m cancer revamp calls for speedy GP referral Meeting cancer promises and more – a new model for NHS diagnostics? First national joint awareness campaign on lung and heart disease launched Cancer cases have risen 12% since mid-1990s UK slower to diagnose child cancer than Germany |
NHS bears brunt of cost of poverty
| £29 billion spent per year on poverty-caused ill health Related items from OnMedica Low income linked to hospital readmissions One million people in Scotland now living in poverty Arthritis may be a major driver of poverty Multi-agency approach needed on health inequalities Rich and poor lifespan gap widens |
Women more likely to die from bacterial blood infection
| Staphylococcus aureus infection 30% more fatal in women Related items from OnMedica MRSA outbreak mapped by DNA sequencing Further falls in MRSA and C. Difficile rates Doomwatch report warns of 80,000 superbug deaths RCGP backs O’Neill’s call for investment in new antimicrobials Superbug policies questioned by experts |
'I had cancer at seven and again at 30'
Greig Trout was diagnosed with cancer at the age of seven, survived a blood clot at 21 and was diagnosed with cancer again at 30. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Pregnant women warned about travel to Florida
| First Zika cases confirmed in USA state Related items from OnMedica Zika virus Zika virus: pregnant women advised to avoid Olympics Scans show severe brain damage in Zika-affected babies Spain registers first Zika microcephaly birth in Europe New evidence confirms Zika virus transmissible by sex |
How Pokemon Go helped an autistic teen
A mobile phone game that has caught the attention of the world also appears to have caused a breakthrough with autism sufferers. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Cancer: Thousands surviving in UK decades after diagnosis
More than 170,000 people in the UK who were diagnosed with cancer up to 40 years ago are still alive, although many face lifelong side-effects, a report says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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