Saturday, 23 July 2016
Touchy subject
Recent studies suggest that condom use is on the decline in South Africa - so how do women there get their partners to use condoms? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Friday, 22 July 2016
Alcohol linked to at least seven cancers – not just liver cancer
The more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk of cancers like breast and colon cancer. But research suggests that there is no "safe" level of consumption via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Menopause reversal restores periods and produces fertile eggs
Women who have already passed through the menopause may be able to have children following a blood treatment usually used to heal wounds via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
How Does The Brain Organize Memories Across Time?
Research on the organization of our memory has long been a topic of fascination among neuroscientists given that this could lead to treatments for reversing cognitive impairments. Here, we review some recent findings on how memory is organized which show the importance of a coordinated “wave” of neuronal activity in spatial navigation, and the temporal nature underlying how linked memories are encoded.
To this end, the results described herein highlight the crucial and variable role of the hippocampus – the brain’s memory centre – in the formation and consolidation of our memories, and by extension our sense of identity.
Conducting the brain’s neuronal “orchestra”: spatial maps in our mind’s eye
For a mouse, how is a map of space updated and produced when it is navigating its environment? In a recent study, scientists report for the first time that the CA1 central hippocampal area in the mouse brain is responsible for this map – and that this occurs via neural wave input from brain regions nearby. To demonstrate this, the hippocampal area CA3 located near to CA1 was manipulated such that its input was turned off. Indeed, when the input was stopped, there was a significant jumbling of the updated maps.
In this study, mice were genetically engineered to express a toxin in CA3 that stopped the function of synaptic junctions connecting CA3 to other areas of the brain. This does not change neuronal activity but removes communication between synapses, and allowed the scientists to investigate what happens to the space map in CA1 when CA3 input was eliminated.
Next, the electric current from individual neurons and the total electric current from a larger group of neurons (termed local field potentials) were recorded while mice ran on a track. The scientists would then be able to measure each theta cycle, or the time over which the neural spatial map in the hippocampus was updated as determined by the activity of the mice.
Although the transgenic mice had no difficulty in performing a navigation task, and single neuron signals could accurately represent spatial information, the key finding was that there were clear errors in the organization of these neuronal signals at the global population level. A simple analogy to illustrate this would be that eliminating the input from CA3 to CA1 did not alter the neural “music” but instead removed the “conductor”.
This study is the first to shed light on the circuitry connecting ensembles of place cells (a type of hippocampal neuron involved in spatial navigation) and how they update themselves. More specifically, removing CA3 input would hinder the ability to predict spatial location. This highlights the critical importance of neurons activating in sequence to ensure that we can organize memories across time.
We see here that the neural “orchestra” needs the “conductor” in the form of CA3 input, and that individual neurons in the hippocampus are not enough to generate a functioning map of space. This emphasizes the interdependence of strategies that determine the coding of neurons. Notably, there was a marked reduction in neural oscillations that were typical of communication from CA3 to CA1. Given that such disruptions have been previously linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, future work into brain rhythm organization could hence improve understanding of how the brain’s circuitry is organized in such diseases.
Losing connections between related memories as we age – can this be reversed?
In another study, a group of scientists used a tiny microscope (dubbed the Miniscope) to view the brain through a miniature window and investigate how memories in the brain are linked over time. Although such connections are progressively weakened with age, these scientists were able to create a way allowing for separate memories to be reconnected in the middle-aged mouse brain. Importantly, this has vast potential for development into a treatment for patients with age-linked dementia.
The head-mounted Miniscope used in this study allowed scientists to visualize neurons firing in the brain as the mice were allowed to move freely. Three unique boxes were used for this study, and the first part of the study involved young mice. Here, each mouse was placed in all three for 10 minutes per session. Placement in the first and second boxes was separated by a week while that in the second and third boxes was separated only by five hours. Additionally, the mouse was given a shock in the third box.
After two days, each mouse was returned to all three boxes. Unsurprisingly, the mice froze with fear upon recognizing the characteristics of the third box. However, what was intriguing was that the mouse also froze when placed in the second box despite the fact that there had been no shock administered in this box earlier. This suggested that the memory of the shock was transferred from the third box to the experience in the second box that took place five hours before.
A similar experiment was subsequently carried out with middle-aged mice using two boxes, five hours apart, and whereby a shock was given in the second box. It was found that these older mice froze only in the second box where they were shocked, and not in the first box. In this regard, the Miniscope found that the two memories were not linked and instead had separately encoded neural circuits. More strikingly, this indicated that aging weakened the ability of neurons to be excited and encode a memory.
Perhaps the most exciting finding in this study was that these lost connections could in fact be rescued. In the following set of experiments, the scientists first excited neurons in a region of the hippocampus prior to placing the mice in the first box. The mice were then introduced to the first and second box, where a foot shock was administered after two days. Upon reintroduction to the first box, the mice froze as they linked the shock in the second box to the first, implying that enhanced neuronal excitability rescued the age-related deterioration in memory linking.
It is especially pertinent to note that memories do not occur in isolation in real life, given that past experiences affect how new memories are formed and influence our decision-making processes in the future. Hopefully, research in this field would one day help people with age-related cognitive decline in terms of improving their abilities to connect and retain memories.
References
Cai, D. J., Aharoni, D., Shuman, T., Shobe, J., Biane, J., Song, W., … Silva, A. J. (2016). A shared neural ensemble links distinct contextual memories encoded close in time. Nature, 534(7605), 115–118. doi:10.1038/nature17955
Feng, T., Silva, D., & Foster, D. J. (2015). Dissociation between the experience-dependent development of Hippocampal Theta sequences and single-trial phase Precession. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(12), 4890–4902. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2614-14.2015
Middleton, S. J., & McHugh, T. J. (2016). Silencing CA3 disrupts temporal coding in the CA1 ensemble. Nature Neuroscience. doi:10.1038/nn.4311
Moser, E. I., Roudi, Y., Witter, M. P., Kentros, C., Bonhoeffer, T., & Moser, M.-B. (2014). Grid cells and cortical representation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(7), 466–481. doi:10.1038/nrn3766
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..BMA calls for ‘ghost patient’ cull to be scrapped
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GPC passes motion of no confidence in Capita, the firm running the scheme Related items from OnMedica BMA calls for maximum number of patients per GP ‘Ghost’ removal from GP lists saves £6.1 million Thousands of patients wrongly removed from GP lists GP surgery closures displace 200,000 patients Doctors fear new system for finding ‘ghost patients’ may be unfair |
Alcohol directly causes seven types of cancer
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Public need to be made aware of the dangers of drinking Related items from OnMedica Up to 30 g of daily alcohol linked to lowered kidney cancer risk Alcohol major contributor to cancer deaths Chief Medical Officer publishes new alcohol limits Experts link alcohol to stomach cancer Alcohol-related deaths rise 5% in a year |
Double hand transplant is UK first
| Twelve-hour operation carried out by Leeds General Infirmary surgical team Related items from OnMedica Scientists 'grow' working kidney Scientists ‘grow’ human blood vessels Give us UK wide opt-out system for organ donation, say doctors’ leaders Liver transplant for paracetamol overdose rates vary widely across Europe Hundreds of families overrule deceased’ wishes to donate organs |
First ever audit reveals 5,700 new FGM cases across England
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Women and girls from Somali account for one third of new reports Related items from OnMedica Government launches new measures to prevent FGM Pregnancy key opportunity to identify FGM New help to combat female genital mutilation Abused children unable to access mental health services New legal duty on doctors to report FGM in under 18s |
Anger as government axes nurse and midwife bursaries
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Midwives say the move threatens the future of maternity services Related items from OnMedica Plans to scrap student nurse bursary 'reckless' One in three nurses to reach retirement age within 10 years NHS frontline victim of ‘boom and bust’ approach to workforce Workforce shortages threaten delivery of NHS Five Year Forward View Sign up with your local trust’s in-house bank, nurses urged |
Double hand transplant: UK's first operation 'tremendous' success
The UK's first double hand transplant operation has taken place at Leeds General Infirmary and the patient says his new hands look "tremendous". via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Alcohol linked to at least seven cancers – not just liver cancer
The more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk of cancers like breast and colon cancer. But research suggests that there is no "safe" level of consumption via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Double hand transplant carried out in the UK for first time
Chris King has become the first person in the UK to receive two hand transplants, in an operation that took eight surgeons 12 hours to complete via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Thursday, 21 July 2016
Unconscious bias against BME doctors identified
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UK BME medical graduates 13% less likely to pass exams than white graduates Related items from OnMedica GMC decisions ‘fair and consistent’ Work needed to end discrimination for NHS staff More healthcare professionals set to face English language proficiency tests International doctors do less well in MRCGP MRCGP clinical assessment lawful and fair |
Experts recommend everyone take vitamin D supplements
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PHE recommends supplements in autumn and winter Related items from OnMedica Vitamin D deficiency and cognitive decline Vitamin D deficiency Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy don’t boost babies’ bone strength Multivitamins in pregnancy ‘should be avoided’ Dietary calcium not linked to fracture risk |
Fertility facts: How late can you leave it to have a baby?
You want kids, just not yet. So here’s how to work out when to start trying – and whether you should take a fertility test via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Huge boom in teen HIV cases could cause epidemic to spiral
Many teens with HIV in South Africa have had the virus all their lives. Initiatives are now springing into action to help prevent further teen infections via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Menopause reversal restores periods and produces fertile eggs
Women who have already passed through the menopause may be able to have children following a blood treatment usually used to heal wounds via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Should people who are not terminally ill have the right to die?
The debate around extending assisted suicide to people who experience unbearable mental suffering, rather than physical suffering, is an ethical minefield via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Exercise could be as effective as surgery for knee damage
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Study questions widespread practice treating knee problems Related items from OnMedica No role for paracetamol in treating pain in osteoarthritis Exercise better for back pain than acupuncture say experts |
Giant charity triples spending on pancreatic cancer
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Cancer Research UK spending £18m on fighting pancreatic cancer Related items from OnMedica Improving cancer drug testing Raise public and clinical profile of pancreatic cancer, urge MPs Pancreatic cancer survival has not improved for 40 years Breakthrough in pancreatic cancer diagnosis Pancreatic cancer is four separate diseases |
Doctors fear new system for finding ‘ghost patients’ may be unfair
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Plans to improve accuracy of GP patient lists to launch Related items from OnMedica Thousands of patients wrongly removed from GP lists ‘Ghost’ removal from GP lists saves £6.1 million BMA calls for maximum number of patients per GP Most patients happy with GPs – and opening hours Wider primary care teams are secret to future general practice |
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
WHO encourages countries to act now to reduce deaths from viral hepatitis
Ahead of World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, WHO urges countries to take rapid action to improve knowledge about the disease, and to increase access to testing and treatment services. Today, only 1 in 20 people with viral hepatitis know they have it. And just 1 in 100 with the disease is being treated. via WHO news Read More Here..
Let’s ditch the idea that only home-cooked food is good for kids
Kids' ready meals fared well compared with home-cooked in a new study - another reason to stop shaming mums who buy convenience foods, says Anthony Warner via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Self-destructing bacteria are engineered to kill cancer cells
Harnessing Salmonella strains that can live without oxygen could provide a much-needed weapon against the parts of a tumour that are hardest to attack via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
An Ecological Model for Dysfunction
In previous essays, I’ve discussed a way to look at mental disorders, not as discrete medical entities, but as attempts to describe types or patterns of psychosocial problems. I’ve called these dysfunctions that can be placed on dimensions of dysfunction. Dimensions have no breaks between normal and abnormal, between sane and mentally ill; only more or less.
Now, it is time to address the factors in human experience that either cause dysfunction or protect us from it. For convenience, we can clump these factors into the biological, the psychological and the social. Because these factors interact in complex ways, I like to call it an ecological model. This model contrasts with the typical psychiatric one in which mental disorders are seen as either medical diseases or psychogenic.
The model I’m talking about was first introduced by George Engel in 1977 and was called the biopsychosocial model. Engel wrote that psychiatry was in crisis because “adherence to a model of disease is no longer adequate for the scientific tasks and social responsibilities of either medicine or psychiatry.” He recognized that conceiving mental disorders as bodily aberrations “leaves no room within its framework for social, psychological and behavioral dimensions of the illness.”
Given my background in biological psychology, it was only natural that I gravitated to Engel’s model when I joined the Psychosomatic Medicine Clinic at Thomas Jefferson University Medical School. In 1978, I organized a multidisciplinary symposium on psychosomatic medicine which featured some of the major contributors to the biopsychosocial model and resulted in my book The Psychosomatic Approach to Illness in 1982. This approach has been the foundation for the dimensional model I’m presenting here.
The ecological metaphor is apt for this approach because what we conceive of as mental disorders are adaptations to an individual’s biopsychosocial environment. We are all doing the best we can to thrive – and sometimes just survive – in the complex and particular world in which we live. We each have individual talents, attributes and preferences and learn different ways of coping with life stressors. We then have to live in a social world where must meet demands and rules to achieve our goals and desires. Mental disorders do not strike us down like polio or cancer, but are deficiencies in our adaptive capacities. Below, I’ll outline some of the biological, psychological and social factors that make up this ecology.
Biological factors
We are all born human. None of us is born a lobster (I live in Maine) or a baboon. So all of our attributes are within the range of the human genome. We each come into this world with our own particular assortment of abilities and propensities, emotions and temperaments, and peculiarities. Some of these peculiarities may be related to genetic anomalies, but known ones are rare and there are no clear connections between them and the characteristics that mark different mental disorders. Further, the more we learn about epigenetics, the more we recognize that whether certain genes are expressed or not depends on environmental conditions. What we are left with is that to call a mental disorder genetic is an essentially meaningless statement.
This brings us to the concept of heredity. Heredity is a statistical statement, not a genetic one. It tells us the odds of some attribute being associated with genetic factors, but not the mechanism. For instance, studies show that in identical twins (who share the same genes), if one twin is described as schizophrenic, the other twin has a 48% chance of being described that way by the same criteria. What happens to the other half? Something other than genes are at work here.
The best way to understand data of this sort is in terms of susceptibility. Some unknown thing makes a person genetically vulnerable to the kind of cognitive disruption that is labeled schizophrenia, for instance. More generally, due to our individual biology, we are likely to have different degrees of susceptibility for impairments in functioning across different areas. We can’t say more than that.
More profitably, we can examine brain functioning for clues to a biological substrate for human behavior. The architecture of the human brain follows a consistent plan, but within that plan we each have an individual brain, just as we have unique faces and bodies. The brain we inherit or one that is altered by injury, illness or life’s experiences is the foundation of our behavior. But, like a sculptor’s medium, the marble or the clay, the brain sets limits and direction, but does not directly determine the work of art that results.
A striking fact about the human brain is that we are born with far more neural connections than we actually need. In the course of brain development, experience prunes away unneeded connections. The Nobel laureate Gerald Edelman termed this process “neural Darwinism”. Additionally, groups of neurons that activate together form closer bonds. As Edelman put it, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.” The current concept of brain development is more like an ecosystem then a machine. Each neural network is in constant competition with other brain components throughout our lives. The upshot of this is that a brain’s susceptibility to different forms of dysfunction is an exceedingly complex process. Sorting out specific brain factors may provide important clues, but it will never be determinant for mental disorders.
Psychological factors
What we should be clear about is that for us human beings, especially compared to all other animals, brains are shaped by life’s experiences. From the moment we enter the world, we begin to adapt and learn in order to meet the demands of the world around us. As we mature, these demands become more complex and social. We continuously develop our behavioral repertory, based on our abilities and needs. At each stage of life, we must develop new coping mechanisms to meet new challenges.
The patterns of behavior, thinking and feeling that we develop are what we call our personalities. Each personality has its strengths and weaknesses as the person confronts life. Some personality characteristics successfully help us lead satisfying lives, but others may be maladaptive and lead to chronic dysfunction. For instance, some maladaptive personality patterns may leave is unable to form rewarding interpersonal relationships. Other personality attributes leave us vulnerable to anxiety or depression.
Biological susceptibility combined with maladaptive personality resources can make us vulnerable to sudden breakdown. Most people are resilient. They have acquired adequate coping skills to create a firm sense of self and can recover quickly from stressors or conflict. It is likely, though, that each of us can break down if the stress is too great or too prolonged. People who suffer losses may become depressed and people who are threatened by events they cannot control may become anxious. Even otherwise well-functioning people may lose their grip on reality and become psychotic if the threat to self is too intense. On the other hand, some personalities are rigid and subject to catastrophic breakdown, called decompensation. Severe dysfunction of this kind may be labeled schizophrenia, major depression or panic disorder.
Another element of personality is the power of our beliefs. The way we learn to think about ourselves and the world about us influences the way we behave and feel. Maladaptive thinking and false assumptions are a major source of dysfunction. Analysis of the ideas people form about themselves, how they interpret the consequences of their actions and the relationship these thoughts have to distress have been the focus of a remarkable group of psychological thinkers collectively called cognitive behavioral theorists. They have formulated the techniques of cognitive behavior therapy, which teaches the skills necessary to cope effectively.
Social factors
The power of situational forces to influence our actions, feelings and even our beliefs is vastly underestimated. We have a strong bias toward attributing psychological problems to dispositional factors; that is, personal qualities. When we look for causes of other people’s behavior, we invoke genetic make-up or personality or mental illness. But we are social animals, programmed by evolution to respond to and be shaped by the social forces around us.
The social context is of equal importance to personal attributes, such as mental disorder, in any attempt to understand the level of dysfunction a person exhibits. This context includes the rewards, punishments, social norms and expectations a person is subject to at any given time. These factors can be protective when they boost an individual’s self-esteem and can lead to the belief that the person can overcome difficulties. They can also be destructive and increase dysfunction when they reinforce disability.
My experiences with such social factors has given me additional reason to be extremely skeptical of mental disorder diagnosis. I have often found multiple clinicians making diagnostic pronouncements without the least regard for their patients’ life circumstances. They seem to be so focused on fitting a person’s complaints to the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders and coming up with a label that they pay no attention to the facts of a person’s life even when they know them. They do their patients no service when they don’t step back and take an objective look at the context of their patients’ lives. Clinicians need to learn as much as they can about those circumstances and be modest and circumspect in assigning labels.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Menopause reversal restores periods and produces fertile eggs
Women who have already passed through the menopause may be able to have children following a blood treatment usually used to heal wounds via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
2.5 million new HIV infections per year globally
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Rate of new infections rose in 74 countries in past decade Related items from OnMedica UN achieves HIV treatment target 9 months early Earlier treatment will prevent millions of HIV deaths One in six HIV-infected people in UK is aged over 55 HIV diagnoses plummet in a decade in the US Public Health England offers £600K to prevent HIV |
Chlamydia vaccine 'shows promise'
Canadian researchers have developed a promising vaccine prototype against chlamydia, a study in mice suggests. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
GPs seek public’s help to protect general practice
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BMA launches petition to save general practice Related items from OnMedica General Practice facing ‘a looming crisis’ Desperate need for 400 more GPs in Northern Ireland People living longer in Northern Ireland GPs in Northern Ireland on edge of ‘crisis’ BMA calls for maximum number of patients per GP |
Home cooked meals for infants not always healthiest
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Density and fat content of home meals criticised in study Related items from OnMedica Breastfeeding could cut children’s leukaemia risk GP leaders condemn obesity strategy delay Babies who eat rice have higher urinary arsenic levels GPs back campaign for sugar tax Artificial sweeteners in pregnancy linked to fatter babies |
Omega 3 benefits for bowel cancer patients
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Lower risk of bowel cancer death link to high omega 3 intake Related items from OnMedica Gene found to be linked to increased risk of recurrence in bowel cancer Marine fatty acids linked to lower risk of breast cancer Can fish oil reduce seizures in epilepsy? No strong evidence that omega 3 supplements alleviate depression Red meat could raise cancer risk, conclude experts |
Plea for greater GP role in end-of-life care
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Charity calls for changes in support for end-of-life care Related items from OnMedica Palliative care End-of-life care standards not universally high, says regulator Government commits to personal choice in end-of-life care End-of-life care heading for ‘meltdown’ without cash boost, warns cancer charity chief First guideline on end-of-life care launched by NICE |
Too much light weakens bones and changes immune system
Research in mice suggests that continuous exposure to light has wide-ranging effects on health, a worrying finding for people who do shift work via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
One mother, six twins
Danesha Couch from Kansas City tells BBC News she feels "blessed" after giving birth to her third set of twins on 17 June. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
'Disabled are treated like second class citizens'
David Isaac the new chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission has described disability rights in the UK as a badge of shame. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Summer heat tips and myths: Should you strip off in the heat?
As summer temperatures across parts of the UK soar, Dr Angie Bone of Public Health England offers some tips and dispels some myths on staying cool. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
US Aids funding 'would continue under Trump'
Deborah Birx, global Aids co-coordinator for the US, tells the BBC Aids funding would continue if Donald Trump became president. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Nice attack mum: 'My kids can’t get an NHS counsellor'
A British tourist who was in Nice during the Bastille attacks, has told 5 live how her kids have been put on a waiting list for counselling. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Best and Worst in Health and Healthcare – June 2016
In June, the beneficial effects of exercise were on the spotlight again, along with a few potentially effective new therapies. On the down side, there were a number of studies highlighting the negative side-effects of commonly used drugs. Here is the best and worst news of June.
THE BEST
Consensus on the effect of physical activity on children and youth
In April 2016, a multi-disciplinary group of 24 researchers from 8 countries gathered in Denmark to discuss the scientific evidence on the effect of physical activity in children and youth. This conference led to the publication of a consensus statement that was made available in June in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The statement was made up of 21 items divided into 4 themes addressing the effect of physical activity on fitness and health; cognitive functioning; engagement, motivation and psychological well-being; and social inclusion.
Overall, it reinforces that physical activity is great, which is always worth underlining. The statement can be read here.
Dietary supplement mix can delay aging
There are many neurological and neurodegenerative diseases that are driven by inflammation and oxidation. These processes are also responsible for aging and the associated cognitive decline. Dietary supplements containing natural ingredients with strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant proprieties may therefore be a great alternative to drugs in the treatment of neurological conditions and in delaying cognitive aging.
A study published in Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis therefore assessed the effect of a multi-ingredient dietary supplement on a mouse model of accelerated aging that is characterized by chronic oxidative stress, increased inflammation, severe cognitive decline, physical deterioration, and reduced longevity. It was shown that the supplement, containing around 30 ingredients, could reverse brain cell loss and cognitive decline, and increase sensory and motor function in aged mice, highlighting the therapeutic potential of dietary approaches.
A new approach to counteract the negative effects of general anesthesia
General anesthesia can have undesired cognitive and behavioral side-effects, particularly in children, whose brain is still developing. Effective preventive therapies are still lacking. A new study published in Science Translational Medicine has shown that ketamine anesthesia is responsible for a significant reduction in neuronal activity during the post-anesthesia recovery period. Since ketamine acts mainly by inhibiting glutamate receptors, the study tested the effect, in neonatal mice, of a drug designed to potentiate the activity of AMPA receptors (a type of glutamate receptor).
Administration of the drug during emergence from anesthesia led to an increase in neuronal activity, thereby counterbalancing the effects of ketamine. This therapeutic intervention was able to prevent the development of synaptic and motor learning deficits induced by repeated neonatal anesthesia, indicating that this may be an effective approach to reduce the detrimental effects of anesthesia on brain development.
A new drug delivery method for brain injuries
One of the main difficulties in the treatment of traumatic brain injury is the delivery of drugs to the affected area in a way that is both non-invasive (not requiring surgery) and directed to the injured area, minimizing potential undesired side-effects.
In June, Nature Communications published an article reporting a new drug delivery method that can specifically target injured areas of the brain. The authors identified a specific peptide that selectively binds to molecules that are overproduced following injury in the brains of both mice and humans. Using nanoparticles coated with this peptide allowed a targeted delivery of drugs by a simple intravenous administration. These findings may allow for significant improvements in the treatment of brain injuries.
Neural stem cells successfully applied to aged brains
New potential applications of neural stem cells keep appearing. A new study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine adds to the list by showing that grafting neural stem cells into the hippocampus of both young and aged rats is effective and enduring, leading to the differentiation of those cells and to the formation of new neurons.
These results are important because they show that an aged brain retains the ability to allow the grafting of those cells and their proliferation. This opens a new line of potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and age-related cognitive decline, since the hippocampus plays a key role in some of the cognitive functions that are most affected by these conditions, namely memory.
THE WORST
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors negatively affect fetal brain development
There are many drugs that can affect fetal development and that are therefore counter-indicated during pregnancy. Animal studies had already provided evidence of a potential negative effect of antidepressant serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI) on brain development. Now, the journal Cerebral Cortex published a new study that used electroencephalography (EEG) to study if similar effects are also observed in newborn humans.
EEG recordings showed that there are indeed a number of developmental brain structural deficits in newborns exposed to SRIs during fetal development.
Acetaminophen during pregnancy may affect neurodevelopmental behavioral outcomes
Another drug whose effect during pregnancy has been the subject of research published in June is acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. Acetaminophen is extensively used, including during pregnancy, but its effect on fetal brain development is poorly studied.
As reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the offspring of women who took acetaminophen during pregnancy showed a greater number of symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder, in a way that was dependent on the frequency of exposure. However, this effect was only observed in males. Adverse effects on attention-related outcomes were observed for both genders.
Prolonged opioid treatment increases mortality
Opioids are widely used for the treatment of pain, but they present a myriad of undesired side-effects, including cardiorespiratory deficits that may lead to death. New research published in The Journal of the American Medical Association compared the mortality of patients with chronic non-cancer pain who were prescribed either opioids or non-opioid analgesic treatment, aiming to determine if continued opioid treatment could lead to a higher risk of death.
This study determined that, when compared with anticonvulsants or cyclic antidepressants, long-acting opioids were indeed associated with significantly higher mortality.
The link between stress and epileptic seizures
Stress can increase the frequency of epileptic seizures. Research published in Science Signaling showed that stress and anxiety induce the production of a neuropeptide called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which coordinates many responses to stress in the central nervous system.
But while in normal conditions CRF acts to decrease excitability in areas prone to the occurrence of seizures, in the context of epilepsy this neuropeptide acquires other functions due to changes in cellular signaling pathways, becoming a promotor of seizures. So, what would otherwise be a protective response to stress, becomes a damaging response to stress in subjects with epilepsy, explaining why stress and anxiety can increase the occurrence of seizures.
Cerebral vascular conditions as risk factors for dementia
Cerebral atherosclerosis limits the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, therefore having the potential to negatively affect brain function. A study published in The Lancet Neurology assessed clinical data recorded between 1994 and 2015 to determine whether cerebral blood vessel diseases could increase the likelihood of developing dementia and cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The results of this work, which included 1143 subjects, showed that cerebral atherosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis are associated with Alzheimer’s disease dementia and decreased cognitive scores. This data indicates that cerebral vascular pathologies may be a risk factor for dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
References
Arvanitakis, Z., Capuano, A., Leurgans, S., Bennett, D., & Schneider, J. (2016). Relation of cerebral vessel disease to Alzheimer’s disease dementia and cognitive function in elderly people: a cross-sectional study The Lancet Neurology, 15 (9), 934-943 DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(16)30029-1
Avella-Garcia, C., Julvez, J., Fortuny, J., Rebordosa, C., GarcÃa-Esteban, R., Galán, I., Tardón, A., RodrÃguez-Bernal, C., Iñiguez, C., Andiarena, A., Santa-Marina, L., & Sunyer, J. (2016). Acetaminophen use in pregnancy and neurodevelopment: attention function and autism spectrum symptoms International Journal of Epidemiology DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyw115
Bangsbo J, Krustrup P, Duda J, Hillman C, Andersen LB, Weiss M, Williams CA, Lintunen T, Green K, Hansen PR, et al (2016). The Copenhagen Consensus Conference 2016: children, youth, and physical activity in schools and during leisure time. Br J Sports Med [Epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096325
Huang, L., Cichon, J., Ninan, I., & Yang, G. (2016). Post-anesthesia AMPA receptor potentiation prevents anesthesia-induced learning and synaptic deficits Science Translational Medicine, 8 (344), 344-344 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf7151
Lemon, J., Aksenov, V., Samigullina, R., Aksenov, S., Rodgers, W., Rollo, C., & Boreham, D. (2016). A multi-ingredient dietary supplement abolishes large-scale brain cell loss, improves sensory function, and prevents neuronal atrophy in aging mice Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, 57 (5), 382-404 DOI: 10.1002/em.22019
Mann, A., Scodeller, P., Hussain, S., Joo, J., Kwon, E., Braun, G., Mölder, T., She, Z., Kotamraju, V., Ranscht, B., Krajewski, S., Teesalu, T., Bhatia, S., Sailor, M., & Ruoslahti, E. (2016). A peptide for targeted, systemic delivery of imaging and therapeutic compounds into acute brain injuries Nature Communications, 7 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11980
Narla, C., Scidmore, T., Jeong, J., Everest, M., Chidiac, P., & Poulter, M. (2016). A switch in G protein coupling for type 1 corticotropin-releasing factor receptors promotes excitability in epileptic brains Science Signaling, 9 (432) DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aad8676
Ray, W., Chung, C., Murray, K., Hall, K., & Stein, C. (2016). Prescription of Long-Acting Opioids and Mortality in Patients With Chronic Noncancer Pain JAMA, 315 (22) DOI: 10.1001/jama.2016.7789
Shetty AK, Hattiangady B (2016). Grafted Subventricular Zone Neural Stem Cells Display Robust Engraftment and Similar Differentiation Properties and Form New Neurogenic Niches in the Young and Aged Hippocampus. Stem Cells Transl Med [Epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.5966/sctm.2015-0270
Videman, M., Tokariev, A., Saikkonen, H., Stjerna, S., Heiskala, H., Mantere, O., & Vanhatalo, S. (2016). Newborn Brain Function Is Affected by Fetal Exposure to Maternal Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Cerebral Cortex DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw153
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Academies warn Brexit 'damaging science'
An open letter to the government from UK academies representing science, medicine and engineering warns that Brexit is already harming science. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Royal College of Nursing concern over fall in district nurses in Wales
The number of district nurses in Wales falls to its lowest level in six years, prompting concern patients who are cared for at home could be at risk. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
Get Outside, Get Moving to Prevent 'Gamer's Thumb'
Playing video games hour after hour can trigger repetitive stress injuries, doctors warn
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..
Are your sperm up to scratch? Phone microscope lets you check
A cheap clip-on microscope could spare some men a potentially embarrassing visit to a fertility clinic via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Research exposes flaws in ‘weekend effect’ argument
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Quality of care varies across the whole week and not exclusively at weekends Related items from OnMedica Stroke and other vascular disorders NHS stroke care getting better Standardised mortality ratio should not be used as an indicator of avoidable deaths Study questions higher weekend hospital death rates BMJ accuses Jeremy Hunt of misusing academic data |
Lords to investigate NHS sustainability
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Inquiry attempts to identify what the NHS of the future will be Related items from OnMedica GP ambassadors to help drive NHS reform NHS England reveals leaders for change MPs question NHS budget claims Fewer staff in NHS needed to get finances balanced It ‘beggars belief’ that seven-day NHS plans are uncosted, say MPs |
MPs question NHS budget claims
| And they express ‘grave doubts’ about ability to deliver Five Year Forward View Related items from OnMedica NHS funding system ‘not fit for purpose’ NHS overspend in England hit £2.45bn last year Government ‘in denial’ about state of NHS funding crisis, say doctors’ leaders Fewer staff in NHS needed to get finances balanced It ‘beggars belief’ that seven-day NHS plans are uncosted, say MPs |
PHE issues heatwave health warning
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Met Office says that temperatures are set to top 30 degrees today Related items from OnMedica Prevention better than cure, NICE chair tells GPs Annual diabetes checks still being missed NICE guidance delays hinder good diabetes care Flu nasal spray fine for children with egg allergy Zika virus: pregnant women advised to avoid Olympics |
Large GP organisations can sustain general practice
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But they have made limited progress in providing new services or taking on strategic roles Related items from OnMedica Federations not a miracle answer Collaboration key to coping with GP challenges GP funding has reached dangerous levels Primary Care Home has positive impact on care and services Five year plan for general practice unveiled |
Optimism over cancer treatments should always be cautious
Efforts to turn everyday drugs into cancer treatments bring a glimmer of hope, but dangers of hype too via New Scientist - Health Read More Here..
Unusual US Zika virus case baffles experts
Experts are trying to work out exactly how a US carer has caught Zika after tending to a dying elderly man with the virus. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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