Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Parkinson's disease may start in the gut and travel to the brain
It seems the nerve damage behind Parkinson's starts in the stomach or colon before spreading to brain cells - but we don't know what's causing it via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
UK’s first three-parent babies likely to be conceived in 2017
The approach might not always work but it should be safer than existing methods for preventing harmful and sometimes fatal mitochondrial diseases via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
'It is time to make' three-person babies
It is time to start making babies from three people, scientists advising the fertility regulator say. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
UK has 'first sexually transmitted Zika'
The first likely case of sexual transmission of Zika virus in the UK is reported by the authorities. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Your Brain on Alcohol Blackouts
“Uuuuggh…no, no, no, no, noooo!?”
Like a scene out of Hangover 3, the moment you remember that you don’t remember the night before…is gut-wrenching! It’s perfectly normal to feel riddled with guilt and shame as you wrack your brain for any evidence you may have made a fool of yourself the night before. Memory seemingly wiped clean, the best you can do to piece together the evening’s events is rummage through your pockets for clues, call up your partners in crime and prepare for the worst.
In the past it was thought that a blackout from being on the bevy was strictly an alcoholics problem. However, today research shows that while blackouts are indeed more common in alcoholics, for at least 50% of non-alcoholics that engage in rapid and excessive drinking, blacking out is a real risk.
It was also a premature idea that alcohol disrupts brain function and depression of the central nervous system in general, but now we know blackouts involve the failing of specific networks in the brain.
A comprehensive and critical review of the blackout science research published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, provides the most detailed view yet as to what happens to memories when your brain is blacking out (see diagram below).
Alcohol has been shown thus far to generally interfere with practically all stages of the memory process.
Short term-memory for example, can still be relatively intact when on a blackout. When short-term memory is fully functioning it tells us what is going on around us for the last 15-30 seconds or so, i.e. it tells us where we are and what we are doing essentially right now. It does this by tapping into our sensory memory (see brown labels in diagram below), the super-short term memory that gives us the ability to look/hear/taste/touch something, and remember what it felt like with just a second of observation.
Largely stored in the prefrontal cortex , you can think of short-term memory like RAM in a computer (see yellow labels in diagram below), it temporarily holds the info we are currently needing to get things done. As short-term memory still ‘kind-of’ functions during a blackout, detailed conversations are not impossible, although they may get annoyingly repetitive. And although definitely not recommended, managing complex tasks like driving are still just about feasible.
Yet in order to truly learn and retain information and remember the events of a night out on the town, it must be transferred from short-term memory into more permanent, long-term memory structures for storage as long-term memories (see orange labels in diagram below). It is the failing of this memory storage process — called memory encoding — that is completely kaput in a brain on a blackout.
Basically, when you blackout, memory encoding is where it all goes wrong.
Three brain structures in particular — the hippocampus, the frontal lobe and the medial septal — contribute to the blackout brain’s failed encoding of the night’s events.
The Hippocampus – The Head Honcho
The hippocampus, the horse-shoe shape colored green in the diagram, is found deep in the center of the brain. Its the head honcho when it comes to long-term memories, and in the case of blackouts, their non-existence.
In order to successfully create a memory for long-term storage specialized neurons in the hippocampus, called CA1 pyramidal cells, communicate with other essential areas of the brain. This way the hippocampus can receive information associated with sensory and short-term memory, as well as the emotional content of the memory being processed, and relay processed information back out.
Much like human’s when drunk, CA1 cells’ communication skills break down when under the influence. More specifically, it is thought that ethanol (and other drugs) activate a signal protein inside the cell called striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase, or STEP, which is found in high quantities in the hippocampus and striatum.
When activated by alcohol, STEP switches off proteins important for synaptic activity (the receiving and transmission of signals between neurons in the brain). STEP also results in the production of steroids that block synaptic strengthening and plasticity known as long-term potentiation (i.e. the strengthening of connections between neurons due to increases in activity that is the basis of learning and memory).
In summary, when on a blackout, alcohol gets STEP stepping all over the proper functioning of synapses, specifically disrupting the hippocampal CA1 cell communication needed for the process of recording a memory (encoding), and it also inhibits the neuroplastic strengthening of connections needed to make a long-term memory long-term.
The Medial Septal – The Gate Keeper
The medial septal is like the gatekeeper to information entering the hippocampus. It sends a type of brainwave called theta waves to the hippocampus. These theta waves change the excitement level of pyramidal cells in the hippocampus, thereby decreasing or increasing the likelihood of them being able to receive information from other structures in the brain.
When the pyramidal cells are excited new information has a greater chance of being processed than if the cells are suppressed. Alcohol disrupts the theta rhythm largely through suppressing the signal coming from the medial septal to the hippocampus.
The theory goes that without the theta wave excitatory signals coming from the medial septal, the gates to incoming information are closed, and the hippocampus can’t communicate effectively with other parts of the brain that are needed for long-term memory encoding. In fact, simply putting alcohol directly onto the medial septum causes memory loss.
Frontal Lobe – Details, Details, Details!
Key areas of the frontal lobe play important roles in both short–term memory and the formation and retrieval of long–term memories, including the prefrontal cortex well-known for its roles in rational decision making.
In long-term memory the prefrontal cortex has multiple roles, isolated to different regions within the brain structure. For example, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex’s is specifically involved in the controlled selection of goal-relevant information. In other words, when recording a memory this part of the prefrontal cortex is involved in remembering the important parts of an event, like the specific gift you gave at a friend’s party, and not the less relevant info like the color of the pair of pants you were wearing at the time.
While the prefrontal cortex has shown to have reduced activity that is associated with memory impairments when under the influence, those that abuse alcohol have a very real risk of essentially drinking away the neurons in the frontal lobe, including the prefrontal cortex.
In fact, alcohol-induced dementia, a disease caused by alcohol abuse similar to dementia, is characterized by the “shrinkage” of the frontal lobe that is associated with both short-term and long-term memory loss.
However, as of yet, it is poorly understood how even acute alcohol use can leave the prefrontal cortex’s short-term memory functions relatively intact (remember? like RAM), but impair the encoding functions on route to the hippocampus. It may likely be due to the different effects alcohol has on the different types of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that are specifically important to either long-term or short-term memory.
The Big Picture
Understanding how alcohol can lead to memory loss is not only relevant to cases of alcohol and drug-addiction. The malfunctioning mechanisms, brain structures, neurons and molecules involved (like STEP) are the same as those involved in memory loss as a result of anxiety, stress and trauma, as well as in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Understanding alcohol’s impact on memory may lead to the development of therapeutics and interventions that can restore these mechanisms in a variety of diseases and disorders, and give back the previous gift of long-term memories.
References
Wetherill, R. R., & Fromme, K. (2016). Alcohol-induced blackouts: A review of recent clinical research with practical implications and recommendations for future studies. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 40(5), 922–935. doi:10.1111/acer.13051
White, A. (2003). What Happened? Alcohol, Memory Blackouts, and the Brain. Alcohol Research & Health, 27(2), 186–196.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..What happens when someone calls 999
BBC Scotland follows a 999 call from the moment it is received by health service call handlers. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Kansas sperm donor to same-sex couple not liable for child support
A man who donated sperm to two women is not liable for child support, a US court rules. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Education on personalised diabetes risk doesn't motivate behaviour change
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Study finds people told personalised risk do not do more exercise than people given general information Related items from OnMedica CCGs invited to bid for slice of £40m fund to improve diabetes care GPs to refer patients to large-scale diabetes prevention scheme Over 90% of people recognise importance of self-care Behaviour change during a consultation Annual diabetes checks still being missed |
Quitting smoking at any age reduces the risk of death after 70
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Smokers aged 70 or older are more than three times more likely to die than never-smokers Related items from OnMedica Smoking causes DNA mutations Stop Smoking services under threat due to budget cuts Stop Smoking Services Smoking hits record low of 17% of adults in England E-cigarettes beneficial to UK health and help quitting |
Hospital discharge of children following asthma attack needs improvement
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Only 24% are advised to visit their GP within two working days of discharge Related items from OnMedica 1.2 million patients may be treated for asthma unnecessarily Childhood asthma overdiagnosed, warn respiratory doctors New asthma pill offers hope for people with severe symptoms Asthma costs UK health service at least £1bn every year Fewer lung symptoms in children as air pollution levels drop |
Doctors Should Counsel Even Low-Risk Patients on Heart Health
U.S. government panel says advice on healthy eating and physical activity likely benefits all
Source: HealthDay via Exercise and Physical Fitness New Links: MedlinePlus RSS Feed Read More Here..
Source: HealthDay via Exercise and Physical Fitness New Links: MedlinePlus RSS Feed Read More Here..
HIV vaccine: Clinical trial begins in South Africa
Large clinical trial for a vaccine to protect against HIV transmission is underway in South Africa. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Women with PMS should be offered CBT
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Update guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) published by RCOG Related items from OnMedica Menstrual cycle influences respiratory symptoms Heavy menstrual bleeding Care of women with heavy menstrual bleeding has improved Women excluded from exercise research due to menstrual cycle |
Princess Kasune
Princess Kasune is one of Zambia's most outspoken Aids activists and was recently elected to become its first publicly known HIV-positive MP. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
More doctors to be recruited as NHS leaders
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Health Secretary outlines measures to boost the number of clinicians in senior NHS leadership roles Related items from OnMedica Leaders call for major rethink on NHS Fallout from no-new-NHS-money budget builds NHS leaders out of touch with staff Action needed to reduce tensions between clinicians and managers Most health leaders doubt NHS efficiencies possible |
Are trampoline parks safe enough?
A group of organisations, including the governing body of gymnastics, want trampoline parks to adhere to a set of safety guidelines. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Specialist paramedic: 'It could be anything, anywhere'
A dementia patient with chest pain, a man with prostate cancer, a feverish baby and an alcoholic who has hit his head... all patients attended by one paramedic in one day. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Philip Morris could stop making conventional cigarettes
Philip Morris is launching a new cigarette in the UK which it says could see it stop selling conventional cigarettes altogether. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Sleep deprivation 'costs UK £40bn a year'
Sleep-deprived workers are costing the UK economy £40bn a year and face a higher risk of death, says a new study. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Quitting smoking in your 60s can still boost life expectancy
A new study suggests that it is never too late to stop smoking - and the earlier you give up, the longer you are likely to live via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Ambulance crews 'struggle to reach 999 calls'
Ambulance services are struggling to reach the seriously ill quickly enough after rising demand has left the system at breaking point, a BBC investigation has found. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
WHO issues new guidance on HIV self-testing ahead of World AIDS Day
In advance of World AIDS Day, WHO has released new guidelines on HIV self-testing to improve access to and uptake of HIV diagnosis. via WHO news Read More Here..
6 Simple Gifts You Can Make in 10 Minutes (No Cooking Necessary)
I LOVE this time of year: the food, the decorations, the music, all the parties and celebrations, spending time with family. I especially love giving gifts. Finding the perfect something for all the people in my life is like solving a big warm-fuzzy puzzle.
via EatingWell Blogs - All Blog Posts More READ
6 Healthy Holiday Treats & Snacks to Make with Your Kids
There's no shortage of sweets, treats and cookies during the holiday season. But sometimes, the kids (and if we're honest, grownups too!) just need a little break from the sugar high. I know that my own kids are much more likely to enjoy their food when they get to help make it. All that dipping and snipping and stirring is so tantalizing for little hands. These festive treats and snacks have celebration written all over them—with just enough sweet or no sweet at all. And I especially love them because they're so easy, even the littlest kids can help!
via EatingWell Blogs - All Blog Posts More READ
Mark Austin: Anorexia put my daughter in danger
The ITN newsreader talks about struggling to get the right care. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Bad memories stick around if you sleep on them
Students shown disturbing images found it hardest to suppress memories of them after a kip, hinting that sleep deprivation could help after traumatic events via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
'Teachers worried my self-harm was contagious'
Emma, who has bipolar disorder, describes how her friends and teachers treated her via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
A father and son talk about their experience battling OCD
Richard has suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since he was a teenager. He and his father have been talking about their lives. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Staff shortages now outweigh funding fears in NHS
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Rising concern over the growing NHS ‘workforce gap’ among trust chairs and chief execs Related items from OnMedica NHS pressures could cause staff ‘burnout’ Excessive workload driving GPs to breaking point GMC warns of 'state of unease' amongst doctors Former NHS chief executive says Brexit poses a threat to NHS It ‘beggars belief’ that seven-day NHS plans are uncosted, say MPs |
Scurvy makes surprise return in Australia
Doctors in Australia report a resurgence in the disease historically associated with sea explorers. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Trump names Obamacare critic Tom Price to key role
US President-elect Donald Trump names Obamacare critic Tom Price as his health secretary choice. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Let’s take on untreatable diseases, says gene therapy pioneer
Things went terribly wrong with gene therapy 20 years ago. But now scientists like Alessandra Biffi are wielding it against previously incurable conditions via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Healthy women should take breast cancer pill, says NICE
Hundreds of thousands of healthy women should take pills to cut their risk of breast cancer, says NHS watchdog. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
'I worried it might explode'
An increasing number of British people are opting for cosmetic procedures - but how safe are they in such an unregulated industry? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
117 candles
The world's oldest living person celebrates her 117th birthday - thanks, she says, to an odd diet. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Give pharmacists more prescribing rights to ease GP burden
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Pharmacists say they should routinely be allowed to prescribe for long-term conditions Related items from OnMedica Make emergency care part of ‘A&E hubs’ to ease pressures, urge experts Pharmacists call for more integrated future with GPs Look to the efficiencies community pharmacy offers to make a dent in the £22bn Give us funds to provide more services directly to patients, urge pharmacists Strategy for community pharmacy needed to deliver its full potential |
Flu during pregnancy not linked to child’s autism risk
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Autism no more likely among children whose mothers had flu jab in 2nd or 3rd trimester Related items from OnMedica Pregnant women encouraged to have flu jab Flu vaccination programme extended to thousands more children Common painkiller used by mums-to-be linked to children’s behavioural issues Flu nasal spray fine for children with egg allergy Improve uptake of MMR jab to meet WHO target |
Fewer heart failure risk factors by midlife cuts long-term risk
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Avoiding hypertension, obesity and diabetes has long-term preventive benefits Related items from OnMedica Chronic heart failure – a review and update Lifestyle factors biggest cause of heart disease risk variation 'Health anxiety' may raise heart disease risk High-quality carbs and unsaturated fats lower heart risks Diabetes, stroke and heart attack cut life expectancy |
Caring role is damaging many elderly carers’ health
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GPs ‘should proactively target carers’ and offer them health checks, urges charity Related items from OnMedica RCGP to help GPs support carers GPs urged to collaborate more with geriatricians Number of carers over 85 doubles in a decade Home care visits should last at least 30 minutes Elderly carers are themselves vulnerable |
Paralympian David Smith: A letter to my younger self
Paralympian David Smith reads out a letter – written to his younger, pre-surgery self. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
100 Women 2016: Living with scars and life after self-harm
Sarah and Becci are two young women who have stopped cutting themselves but are learning to live with the scars from when they self-harmed. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Thousands 'miss out on stroke treatment'
Thousands of patients miss out on a treatment that can prevent disability after a stroke, say UK experts. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Monday, 28 November 2016
'We paid £6,000 for IVF add-on treatments'
Frankie Bailey-Wheeler and Tom Wheeler tell Victoria Derbyshire how they paid thousands of pounds for fertility treatments to boost IVF success rates. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
'Thunderstorm asthma' deaths in Melbourne rise to six
The number of people in Melbourne dying from the rare phenomenon thunderstorm asthma rises to six. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
New mothers to get more help with mental health
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£40m fund to set up specialist community mental health services for mothers Related items from OnMedica Promises to boost mental health funding stall Postnatal depression All women must have access to perinatal mental health service Maternity care to become more ‘personalised’ |
Excessive workload driving GPs to breaking point
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Survey reveals eight out of ten GPs say work pressure is putting patients at risk Related items from OnMedica Unrelenting demand It ‘beggars belief’ that seven-day NHS plans are uncosted, say MPs GMC warns of 'state of unease' amongst doctors Primary Care Home has positive impact on care and services BMA calls for maximum number of patients per GP |
Former NHS chief executive says Brexit poses a threat to NHS
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Sir Nigel Crisp warns of a loss of staff and a brain drain from medical research Related items from OnMedica What implications could Brexit have for NHS patients? Disability groups fear funding cuts post-Brexit Brexit could allow tougher tests for EU doctors 4% drop in applications to study medicine, latest figures reveal Brexit risk to NHS, debated in Scotland |
Experts advise against screening for Duchenne's
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They say current test incorrectly identifies some babies and misses others Related items from OnMedica Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Miyoshi myopathy Cancer drug shows promise for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy Newborns screened for four additional genetic conditions |
Operating theatre fraudsters ordered to repay £650,000
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Criminals charged NHS for thousands of hours of work that was never carried out Related items from OnMedica Financial fraud costs the NHS more than £5 billion a year Fraud doctor jailed Conflicted Database of pharmaceutical industry payments to doctors goes live NHS England vows to tackle conflicts of interest |
Will NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans work?
Will the NHS's savings plan work? Mark Lobel reports. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Ebola nurse banned for hiding Pauline Cafferkey's high temperature
A nurse who hid Ebola survivor Pauline Cafferkey's high temperature is suspended for two months. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
'No solid evidence' for IVF add-on success
BBC Panorama research suggests there is no hard evidence IVF add-ons increase pregnancy chances. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Prison suicides in England and Wales 'reach record levels'
A charity says there have been 102 suicides so far this year - the highest since its records began. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Making cells ignore mutations could treat genetic diseases
Diseases like cystic fibrosis and some cancers can be caused by mutations that make very short proteins. Changing how cells read the genetic code could help via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Facial disfigurement: The children bullied for how they look
The Victoria Derbyshire programme meets children who have been bullied over the way they look. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Sunday, 27 November 2016
Body Mass, Inflammation, and Cognition – What is the Strongest Link?
Body mass index (BMI) has been linked to inflammation, and systemic inflammation has been linked to decreased cognition. Now, a new study directly links a high BMI to lower cognitive functioning. The current study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, is the first step in identifying a biologically plausible mechanism for the connection between BMI and cognition.
The authors evaluated 2 cohorts of people aged 50 years and older from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging. One group contained 9000 people and the other contained approximately 12,500.
When the authors correlated BMI, inflammatory markers, and cognition over a 6-year period, the results in both groups were the same: higher BMI was associated with greater cognitive decline.
Specifically, the higher the BMI at the beginning of the study, the greater increase in levels of inflammatory markers (specifically, C-reactive protein [CRP]) over the next 4 years. The change in CRP predicted greater decline in memory and executive functioning over the following 2 years (a total of 6 years from the start of the study.) Established literature already links inflammation to cognitive decline, but these findings take it a step further by highlighting the role of BMI in systemic inflammation.
Physical activity and body mass are related to cognitive function in adults. BMI is a function of body mass (i.e., weight) and height, and most data reveal an inverse relationship between physical activity and BMI. Likewise, regular exercise has been shown to prevent cognitive decline in adults who are middle aged and older.
The relationship between physical activity and BMI, however, is nuanced because BMI does not account for a person’s amounts of body fat or muscle mass, both of which can skew the calculation. Still, the general trends are intuitive: engage in more physical activity, decrease body weight, lower BMI, and improve cognition.
In the current study, BMI, by way of inflammation, predicted cognitive decline. While no absolute criteria are reported for preventing cognitive decline, the authors provide one more reason – if one is even needed – to maintain an appropriate body weight and levels of physical activity. Changes in cognition related to aging often take years – even decades – to appear, so a healthy BMI at younger ages may prevent cognitive changes years later.
A recent landmark study indicated that healthy lifestyle habits were cumulative in their protective effects against cognitive decline, asserting that exercise and maintaining health body weight were important for 20 years before the onset of cognitive decline.
Healthy BMI is correlated to decreased risks of many diseases and conditions that affect most of the major body’s major organ systems. Now, simply reducing BMI may be a simple, low-cost intervention to decrease the burden of cognitive impairment.
References
Bourassa, K., & Sbarra, D. A. (2016). Body mass and cognitive decline are indirectly associated via inflammation among aging adults. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2016.09.023
Hemmingsson, E., & Ekelund, U. (2006). Is the association between physical activity and body mass index obesity dependent? International Journal of Obesity. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803458
Memel, M., Bourassa, K., Woolverton, C., & Sbarra, D. A. (2016). Body mass and physical activity uniquely predict change in Cognition for aging adults. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 50(3), 397–408. doi:10.1007/s12160-015-9768-2
Ronan, L., Alexander-Bloch, A. F., Wagstyl, K., Farooqi, S., Brayne, C., Tyler, L. K., & Fletcher, P. C. (2016). Obesity associated with increased brain age from midlife. Neurobiology of Aging, 47, 63–70. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.07.010
Szoeke, C., Lehert, P., Henderson, V. W., Dennerstein, L., Desmond, P., & Campbell, S. (2016). Predictive factors for verbal memory performance over decades of Ageing: Data from the women’s healthy Ageing project. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2016.05.008
Willey, J. Z., Gardener, H., Caunca, M. R., Moon, Y. P., Dong, C., Cheung, Y. K., … Wright, C. B. (2016). Leisure-time physical activity associates with cognitive decline. Neurology, 86(20), 1897–1903. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000002582
Image via Wokandapix / Pixabay.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Friday, 25 November 2016
New Skin Patch Analyzes Your Sweat During Exercise
Used with a smartphone app, it's designed to offer information about your health, inventors say
Source: HealthDay via Exercise and Physical Fitness New Links: MedlinePlus RSS Feed Read More Here..
From Oxy to pot
An ex-pharmaceutical executive explains why he now banks on Canada's medical marijuana industry. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Locum doctor numbers rise 62% in past five years
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Locum numbers working in hospitals rise to 16,002 in 2015 Related items from OnMedica Government clamps down on ‘rip-off’ agency staff Cost of agency nurses soars Putting locum doctor use under the microscope Huge rise in locum use in A&E units in England GPs 'struggling' to find locum cover |
Why some itches can’t be scratched – and how to combat them
One in five of us will experience chronic itch at some point and current remedies provide little relief. Scratching's normal success provides some clues via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Regulator reverses decision on leukaemia drug
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NICE says ibrutinib now available for routine NHS use Related items from OnMedica 75% of reappraised CDF drugs approved for NHS MPs slam government for its poor management of Cancer Drugs Fund NHS cancer patients still denied treatments available in other countries Study shows huge global variation in cancer drug costs NICE green lights new cancer drugs for NHS |
CPR training drive for public to focus on youth
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Around 60,000 people are now CPR trained Related items from OnMedica NI health minister promotes community CPR Experts call for campaign to boost CPR knowledge Stop taking people in cardiac arrest to A&E, says expert Rise in bystander CPR linked to fall in deaths Bystander CPR linked to higher child survival |
Fall out from no-new-NHS money budget builds
Read More Here..
Rates of mouth cancer rising sharply
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GP oral cancer toolkit proving popular Related items from OnMedica Sentinel node biopsy first to check spread of oral cancer Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis Get tough on curbing children’s poor dental health, government urged Mouth cancer Smoking causes half of deaths from 12 cancers |
The rehab centre for mums and babies
Trevi House in Plymouth has the only remaining mother and baby drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in the UK. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Low social status 'can damage immune system'
Being bottom of the social heap alters the immune system and can damage health, study concludes. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Lung cancer cells spread like unanchored tents, study says
Scientists discover that spreading lung cancer cells are like collapsed tents adrift in the wind. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Thursday, 24 November 2016
Being popular is good for health – in monkeys, at least
Life at the bottom of the social ladder can be damaging to health – but now a study in rhesus monkeys shows that health can improve in tandem with social standing via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Discover Your Drunk Personality Type – Nutty, Naughty or Nice?
There are certainly different types of drunks. “Sober Dave is boring, you should hang out with Drunk Dave, he’s wild!” or “She is usually a sweetheart, but watch out, she’s a mean drunk”. Having documented the transition to our drunk alter-egos for 100s of years, we are no strangers to the concept of drunk personality types. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that alcohol can change our personalities from a sober type to a drunk type.
Today, research pioneered by University of Missouri graduate student, Rachel Winograd, supports the existence of at least 4 categories of drunk personalities. Importantly, she reveals if one’s type of drunk personality puts them at greater risk of alcohol-related harms (e.g. regrettable sexual encounters or drunken injuries), as well as alcohol addiction.
187 pairs of undergraduate drinking buddies answered questions linking their drunk personality to the “big five” personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism). Cluster analysis of these answers led to the description of four main drunk personality types as outlined below.
Not only is it a bit of fun to ask, “What kind of drunk are you?”, the drunk personality research field has promise for developing novel assessment-based and motivational interventions for problem drinkers.
Drunk Personality Type 1: The Ernest Hemingway
As Ernest Hemingway wrote, he ‘‘can drink hells any amount of whiskey without getting drunk.” Thankfully, this is the most common drunk personality type shared by 42% of the undergrads, who reported behaving roughly the same and only slightly changing when intoxicated.
Compared to the other personality types, the personality factors that tend to change the most when drunk — i.e. conscientiousness (being prepared, organized, prompt) and intellect ( understanding abstract ideas, being imaginative) — do not change drastically. It is no surprise then that this drunk personality type was not linked with experiencing more negative consequences or alcoholism symptoms.
Drunk Personality Type 2: The Mr Hyde
Unfortunately, the second most common drunk personality type (23% of the sample) is the monster of a drunk named after the twisted alter-ego of Dr. Jeckyll, Mr. Hyde. They are characterized by being less conscientious, less intellectual and less agreeable than their sober selves or other drunk personality types.
Their drunk personality being the perfect recipe for increased hostility when under the influence, they are statistically more likely to have alcohol use disorder symptoms (i.e. have a higher risk of alcohol addiction). They also suffer a whole range of negative consequences from drinking, from blacking out to being arrested for drunken behaviour.
Drunk Personality Type 3: The Nutty Professor
This type of drunk, comprising 20% of the study participants, does a personality 360 when they get drunk. They are particularly quiet and introverted when sober, but their drunken persona has a large increase in extraversion and decrease in conscientiousness (compared to the other drunk types and their sober self). This is likened to the the Disney character, Shermen Clump, when he transforms from taking his secret chemical formula in The Nutty Professor.
Despite having the most drastic personality change, Nutty Professors were not associated with experiencing more negative alcohol-related consequences from drinking.
Drunk Personality Type 4: The Mary Poppins
The least common drunk personality type in the study, found in 15% of the participants, was ‘The Mary Poppins. They are not only particularly agreeable (i.e. embodying traits of friendliness)when sober, they are also agreeable and friendly when drunk. Like Hemmingways, they also decrease less than average in conscientiousness and intellect when getting drunk.
Their drunken sweetness sets them apart from less agreeable Hemmingways. They are essentially the opposite of the Mr Hyde drunk type of drunk, resulting in significantly less negative consequences from getting drunk.
REFERENCES
Hemingway, E., & Baker, C. (1981). Ernest Hemingway, selected letters, 1917-1961. New York: Macmillan Pub Co.
Winograd, R. P., Littlefield, A. K., Martinez, J., & Sher, K. J. (2012). The drunken self: The Five-Factor model as an organizational framework for characterizing perceptions of One’s own drunkenness. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 36(10), 1787–1793. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01796.x
Winograd, R. P., Steinley, D., & Sher, K. (2015). Searching for Mr. Hyde: A five-factor approach to characterizing “types of drunks.” Addiction Research & Theory, 24(1), 1–8. doi:10.3109/16066359.2015.1029920
Images via accsalgueiro0, skeeze, Alexas_Fotos and RyanMcGuire / Pixabay.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Lansley: 'Incredibly difficult' for NHS
Former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is disappointed by the Autumn Statement via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Brain stimulation guides people through an invisible maze
Completely without seeing it, people successfully navigated a virtual maze guided only by flashes of light in their brain caused by magnetic stimulation via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Bumper load of new viruses identified
Scientists looking into invertebrate animals discover nearly 1,500 new viruses - the largest number documented in any one study. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
NICE approves extra ‘triple therapy’ drug for diabetes
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Regulator recommends dapagliflozin in triple therapy Related items from OnMedica Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and screening for diabetes Diabetes drugs costs NHS England nearly £1bn a year Intensive treatment of type 2 diabetes with microalbuminuria reaps benefits NICE guidance delays hinder good diabetes care Diabetes prescriptions rise by a third in last five years |
Why diet drinks with aspartame may actually help make you fatter
Experiments in mice suggest that aspartame neutralises a key enzyme, which could be why some people put on weight even when they have sugar-free soft drinks via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Hurt blocker: To treat chronic pain, look to the brain not body
Rethinking the root causes of chronic pain suggests it will take more than drugs to break the cycle – the answer lies in how the brain processes pain via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
CCGs invited to bid for slice of £40m fund to improve diabetes care
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MPs report warns variable quality of diabetes care must be tackled Related items from OnMedica Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and screening for diabetes More help to reduce diabetes amputations Annual diabetes checks still being missed Diabetics suffer 200,000 complications per year Upwardly mobile |
GPs urged to collaborate more with geriatricians
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Frail older population needs more joined up care Related items from OnMedica End-of-life care must be a core priority for all local health and care leaders Budget cuts leave more elderly without help New home care guide hopes to ease pressure on hospitals Poor discharge of elderly people costs NHS £820m Fragmented system is failing older people, say experts |
Last winter’s death rate halved due to type of flu virus
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24,300 excess deaths during winter months, says ONS Related items from OnMedica Improvement in heart disease not uniform across UK Flu vaccine only worked in a third of cases Statins may reduce effectiveness of flu jab Flu vaccination programme extended to thousands more children |
Health leaders condemn autumn budget for ignoring NHS
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Treatment for chronic pain can be lethal, but there is an answer
Findings that chronic pain affects the brain's wiring should force the medical profession to take complainants seriously via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Predatory bacteria can wipe out superbugs, says study
Bacteria which eat others of heir kind could be a new weapon in the fight against superbugs. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
57 Delicious & Healthy Ways to Use Leftover Chicken
Roasting a whole chicken has always been one of my favorite meal-prep tips—cook once and you'll have dinner tonight plus more for meals all week. I've even made it part of my regular Sunday routine. Trust me, it's easy!
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Which Bakeware Should You Use—Metal or Glass?
Most of the time, either type of pan will give you good results. But there are slight differences because of the way each conducts heat. Here's how they affect brownies.
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You're Not Alone: EatingWell Readers Share Their Holiday Cooking Disasters
From undercooked fowl to burnt-to-a-crisp birds, tales of Thanksgiving turkey fails are hilarious—until they happen to you. One year in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, we watched a turkey go up in flames (too much booze in the roasting pan). Still, what can you do but laugh about it? In this spirit, we asked our readers to fess up and share their biggest holiday cooking disasters, sparing no details. Here are some of our favorite responses:
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Changing paths
Um-Yehia, a nurse and mother of four living in Aleppo, talks to the BBC's 100 Women season about life in a war zone. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Dengue fever kills 20 in Burkina Faso
Dengue fever kills at least 20 people in Burkina Faso, where about 2,000 cases have been recorded. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Hospital drug costs rising while primary care is steady
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Overall NHS spend on medicines risen 29% over past five years Related items from OnMedica Aggressive efficiency targets added to NHS finance woes Practices risk losing £33m due to CCG underspending £600m saved from caps on agency spending Lead medics urge government to be honest over NHS spending Health spending set to fall in some areas after Spending Review |
New drive to reduce sepsis deaths unveiled
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Campaign will help GPs spot and tackle sepsis quicker Related items from OnMedica GPs to be audited for performance on sepsis care Action plan hopes to tackle rising rates of sepsis Clinicians offered more help to spot sepsis NHS 111 failed baby who died of sepsis, concludes report Treat sepsis with same urgency as suspected heart attacks, clinicians told |
Pathology services swamped from demand
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Seeing the light
A young newsreader suffering from cancer has taken the unusual step - for Japan - of blogging about her illness. If she dies, she says, she doesn't want pity. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Official guidance may be delaying mouth cancer diagnosis
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Mouth cancer cases rise 39% in past decade Related items from OnMedica Benign oral lesions Sentinel node biopsy first to check spread of oral cancer Get tough on curbing children’s poor dental health, government urged Antidotes for new oral anticoagulants – will they make a difference? |
Fitness levels fall despite London Olympics sport boost
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Children more involved in sport since 2012 but less fit Related items from OnMedica Olympics Games: an opportunity for lasting health legacy New ‘treadmill test’ can predict mortality Higher weekly activity levels linked to lower risk of five chronic diseases Doctors should make ‘exercise check-ups’ routine Doctors call for cardiac screening in the young |
The One Trick You Need to Outsmart a Holiday Eating Binge
It's easy to feel like healthy habits take a backseat this time of year with the onslaught of holiday parties. There are sure to be plenty of cookies, eggnog, chocolate and cocktails. You may try to convince yourself that these treats are limited-time-only specials—that come January, the healthy eating will start. That attitude can set you up for an all-or-nothing gorge on treats during the holiday season with plans to abstain next year.
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Tuesday, 22 November 2016
The inventions of our lifetime, picked by the people who know
Our expert panel offers up 10 of the greatest inventions to appear since New Scientist was launched, from Kevlar to a smarter way of dealing with information via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Could you drink a bath full of soda?
UK teenagers drink enough sugar every year to fill a bathtub with fizzy cola, a Cancer Research UK study suggests. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Killer bird flu has spread across Europe – are humans next?
As farmers across Europe fatten up turkeys and geese for Christmas, a hybrid flu strain has killed many wild birds and invaded poultry farms. Could we be next? via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Cranberry Coconut Salt Scrub from Kale & Caramel
Whether you need a homemade gift idea or you're looking for more natural skincare products this Cranberry Coconut Salt Scrub is the perfect thing to whip up. The recipe comes from Lily Diamond, of the popular L.A.-based food and lifestyle blog kaleandcaramel.com. Growing up, Lily Diamond worked alongside her mother, a developer of all-natural massage oils for spas across Maui, Hawaii. Her mother's love for plants struck a chord. "I understood how important it was for what I put on my body to be as pure as what I ate," she says.
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