Medical Bulletin 22/ November/ 2024
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Here are the top medical news for the day:
Can Jetlag Disrupt Our Metabolism?
A new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Aberdeen has found that disruptions to our body clock, such as those experienced during jetlag, impact our metabolism -- but to a lesser extent than sleepiness and the primary clock in the brain. Findings are published in iScience.
The research involved a controlled experiment where participants experienced a 5-hour delay in their bedtime and mealtimes.
The study highlights that the time shifts lead to:
Reduced energy spent processing meals.
Changes in blood sugar and fat levels.
Slower release of breakfast contents from the stomach.
These metabolic effects were temporary, however, and mostly recovered within 2-3 days of the 5-hour time delay.
This was in marked contrast to the main clock in the brain, plus feelings of sleepiness and alertness, which had not recovered within 5 days of the 5-hour time delay.
Professor Jonathan Johnston, Professor of Chronobiology and Integrative Physiology at the University of Surrey, said:
"Our research underscores the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, particularly in our fast-paced world in which long trips and shift work are ever so common. Even a small time shift can impact many aspects of metabolism, but it now seems that metabolic consequences of jetlag recover far more quickly than impairment of sleep and alertness. Understanding the impact of circadian rhythms on our health can help us make informed choices about our lifestyle. By optimising our sleep and eating patterns, we can improve our overall wellbeing."
Reference: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/new-study-investigates-how-jetlag-can-disrupt-our-metabolism
Earlier Diabetes Diagnosis May Be Associated with Dementia Risk
People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a younger age are at a higher risk for developing dementia than those diagnosed later in life, according to a study led by researchers at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The findings, published in PLOS ONE, show that the increased risk is especially pronounced among adults with obesity.
"Our study suggests that there may be cognitive consequences to earlier onset type 2 diabetes, and it points to the need for strategies to prevent dementia that consider both diabetes and obesity," said Xiang Qi, assistant professor at NYU Meyers and the study's first author.
To understand how the timing of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis relates to dementia risk, the research team analyzed data from 2002 to 2016 in the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. The study included 1,213 U.S. adults aged 50 and over with type 2 diabetes confirmed by blood tests -- and no dementia upon joining the study. Following participants for up to 14 years, 216 (17.8%) developed dementia based on follow-up telephone interviews.
The researchers found that adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at younger ages were at increased risk for developing dementia, compared to those diagnosed at 70 years or older. Adults diagnosed with diabetes before age 50 were 1.9 times as likely to develop dementia as those diagnosed at 70 and older, while those diagnosed between 50-59 years were 1.72 times as likely and those diagnosed between 60-69 years were 1.7 times as likely.
Using linear trend tests, the researchers found a graded association between age at diagnosis and dementia risk: for each year younger a person is at the time of their type 2 diabetes diagnosis, their risk for developing dementia increases by 1.9%.
In addition, obesity appeared to influence the relationship between type 2 diabetes and dementia. Individuals with obesity who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before age 50 had the highest dementia risk in the study.
Reference: https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2024/november/earlier-diabetes-diagnosis-dementia-risk.html
90% Pregnant Females Might Not Be Getting Sufficient Nutrients from Diet
It's generally estimated that around 10% of pregnant people struggle to meet their nutritional needs -- but the real number could be far higher, according to new research from Stevens Institute of Technology.
According to a recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition, over 90% of pregnant individuals are potentially failing to get enough iron, vitamin D, or vitamin E from the food they eat, while over one-third could be short of calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Troublingly, almost two-thirds of pregnant people were also found to be getting insufficient dietary folate -- a critical nutrient that helps prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spine.
The Stevens team asked pregnant people to take before-and-after photos of everything they ate over two 14-day periods. Experts then reviewed the photos to assess the amount of food actually eaten and determine the nutrients consumed during each meal.
That's a far more accurate approach, because people are notoriously bad at estimating portion size or accurately reporting what they've eaten, Dr. Kleinberg explains. A photo-based approach is also much less laborious for pregnant people, making it easy to collect data over a period of weeks instead of just a few days.
Using food photos also allowed the Stevens team to accurately track the exact timing of meals and snacks, and to explore the way that patterns of eating behavior correlated with total energy and nutrient intake. When pregnant people ate later in the day, the data shows, they were likely to consume significantly more total calories -- potentially an important finding as researchers explore connections between eating behaviors and health problems such as gestational diabetes.
Reference: https://www.stevens.edu/news/pregnant-people-might-not-be-getting-the-nutrients-they-need-according-to
Adolescent Psychotic-Like Experiences May Be Tied to Depression and Self Destructive Behaviour
According to a study recently conducted at the University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, psychotic-like experiences are abundant among adolescents referred to care, but are generally considered fairly neutral, with only some of the adolescents reporting them as frightening, worrisome or harmful.
In the study, the correlation between psychotic-like experiences and depressive symptoms turned out to be strong.
This link was not explained by connections between individual psychotic-like experiences and depressive symptoms, but by factors that more broadly measure paranoia and unusual thoughts.
In addition to depressive symptoms, paranoid thoughts and unusual thought content were also associated with self-destructive thinking.
The findings show that psychotic-like experiences should be systematically surveyed in all adolescents seeking psychiatric care.
It should also be assessed how frightening, worrisome or harmful they are considered to be. Particularly in the case of responses emphasising bizarre thinking and exaggerated suspiciousness, attention should also be paid to assessing mood and self-destructive thinking, as these factors can remain hidden without further enquiry.
"Our findings provide a clear recommendation for treatment practices: psychotic-like experiences should be assessed as part of routine procedures, but it is also important to determine how they are perceived. These phenomena cannot be uncovered unless separately and systematically asked," says the principal investigator, Docent Niklas Granö.
It should be clearly explained to adolescents and their families that these symptoms are common and often manageable.
In addition, applications of cognitive psychotherapy, even brief interventions, can help adolescents understand their symptoms and alleviate the strain they cause.
References: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/mental-health/psychotic-experiences-adolescents-linked-depression-and-self-destructive-behaviour
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