Medical Bulletin 03/ February/ 2025
Here are the top medical news for the day:
Changing Cholesterol Levels May Be Linked to Dementia Risk: Study
Older adults whose cholesterol changes over time may be more likely to develop dementia than people whose cholesterol is stable, regardless of the actual cholesterol level, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology®.
The study does not prove that changing cholesterol causes dementia; it only shows an association.
The study involved 9,846 people with an average age of 74 who did not have dementia or other memory problems. Cholesterol levels were measured at the beginning of the study and at three following annual visits. Participants were followed for an average of 5.5 years after the third visit. They took tests of memory skills annually.
The participants were divided into four equal groups based on the amount of change between their first and fourth cholesterol measurements. The difference between consecutive yearly measurements was 91 mg/dL on average in the group with the largest amount of change in total cholesterol and 22 mg/dL in the group with the smallest amount of change.
During the study, 509 people developed dementia. After adjusting for other factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as age, smoking status and high blood pressure, researchers found that those in the high change group were 60% more likely to develop dementia than those in the low change group.
The study also found a link between changing cholesterol levels and cognitive impairment or memory problems that did not meet the criteria for dementia.
“Older people’s cholesterol should be monitored for changes over time to help identify people who may be at risk of cognitive impairment or dementia and could benefit from interventions, which could include lifestyle changes or making sure they start or keep taking statin to prevent fluctuations in their cholesterol and potentially reduce the risk of dementia,” said study author Zhen Zhou, PhD, of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Reference: https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5229
Lancet Study Unveils Association Between Childhood Trauma and Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents
A new study has revealed a strong connection between childhood trauma and the development of psychiatric disorders in adolescents living in low-and middle-income countries. Findings are published in The Lancet Global Health.
The research findings are based on the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Brazil, which has tracked more than 4,000 children born in Pelotas from birth to age 18. The study looked at how trauma exposure from childhood affects risk for mental health disorders during adolescence.
The results showed that by age 18, 81% of the adolescents had been exposed to some form of trauma, such as witnessing a violent crime, abuse or neglect. The more different types of trauma experienced, the greater the chances of adolescents developing mental health problems, particularly anxiety, mood, and conduct disorders. By the age of 18, one third of all mental disorders were potentially explained by trauma exposure.
This study builds upon the researchers’ earlier findings in the same cohort, which showed that one in Lead researcher Megan Bailey from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath said:
"Our findings show that childhood trauma has a lasting impact on mental health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where trauma is very common. In combination with previous studies that have also shown these effects in both young people and adults in high-income countries, it is clear that childhood trauma exposure is a key risk factor for developing mental health problems across the board. Our finding that trauma accounts for at least 31% of all mental health problems by age 18 further underscores this relationship. Early interventions are critical to reduce exposure to trauma and help those most at risk of developing mental health disorders."
Reference: Associations between childhood trauma and adolescent psychiatric disorders in Brazil: a longitudinal, population-based birth cohort study, Bailey, Megan et al. The Lancet Global Health, Volume 13, Issue 2, e309 - e318
Can Mediterranean Diet Enhance Brain Health?
Closely following a Mediterranean diet was associated with having better brain health among Hispanic/Latino adults in a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025.
Researchers noted that the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet on brain health is not entirely influenced by cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar, nor by behavioral risk factors such as smoking and physical activity, all known to affect brain health.
Researchers tapped into a multisite, population-based longitudinal study of Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18 to 74 years to explore how to preserve their brain integrity.
Researchers used specialized imaging techniques to investigate the microscopic and the visible changes in the brain. Adherence to Mediterranean diet intake was measured at baseline, and each participant received a score between 0-9, with higher scores indicating higher adherence. The average Mediterranean diet score was 5.01.
After considering other factors that could affect brain health, the analysis found that for each point increase in the Mediterranean diet score:
there was an improvement in white matter integrity (organization and communication within the brain); and
there was less evidence of structural damage in the brain, as assessed by the white matter hyperintensity burden (an important marker of small vessel brain disease).
“This suggests that even small improvements in diet improved brain integrity,” said lead researcher Gabriela Trifan, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. “It has been suggested that healthy diets, and particularly the Mediterranean diet, improve white matter integrity by reducing inflammation, reducing oxidative stress and through maintaining the health of the brain's blood vessels’ function and stable blood sugar levels, all important factors for optimal brain health.”
Reference: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/eating-a-mediterranean-style-diet-improved-brain-health-in-study-of-hispaniclatino-adults#:~:text=Closely%20following%20a%20Mediterranean%2Dstyle,beyond%20heart%20health%2C%20researchers%20said.
Protective Properties of Amniotic Fluid: Study Finds
A new study, published in the journal Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, found that the addition of amniotic fluid to plasma — the liquid portion of blood — improves the blood’s ability to thicken and clot, which is a critical and likely a protective function throughout pregnancy and during delivery for both the birthing parent and the baby.
Researchers analyzed the properties of amniotic fluid obtained by amniocentesis, a prenatal test that involves sampling a small amount of amniotic fluid to examine the health of the pregnancy, from both human and non-human primates at gestational-age matched timepoints. The findings showed that amniotic fluid increases blood clotting through key fatty acids and proteins that change each trimester and help regulate coagulation.
With the untapped potential for amniotic fluid to aid in diagnosing and treating various prenatal conditions, researchers are now collaborating with Sanjay Malhotra, Ph.D., professor of cell, developmental and cancer biology in the OHSU School of Medicine, to target disorders of pregnancy — including disorders that affect the blood and blood-forming organs — that could benefit from the protective properties of proteins and other compounds within amniotic fluid.
“We have always known that amniotic fluid is very important for fetal development and growth, but we don’t know much about it beyond that,” said the study’s corresponding author Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology (maternal-fetal medicine) in the OHSU School of Medicine, and Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, or ONPRC. “We examined amniotic fluid across the pregnancy and found that indeed the composition and proteins in the amniotic fluid do change to match the growing needs of the developing baby.”
Reference: Characterization of the procoagulant phenotype of amniotic fluid across gestation in rhesus macaques and humans, Yang, Chih Jen et al., Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Volume 9, Issue 1, 102676
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