Medical Bulletin 24/December/2022

A recent study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health challenged prior definitions of healthy or successful aging by adopting a broader perspective. The researchers Mabel Ho et al, observed older adults in Canada and identified unique attributes among people who age optimally. They also assessed how well people age despite any chronic illnesses that may develop as they grow older.

Reference:

Ho, M.; Pullenayegum, E.; Burnes, D.; Fuller-Thomson, E. Successful Aging among Immigrant and Canadian-Born Older Adults: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 13199. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013199

Older adults who walked up to 9000 steps had healthier hearts: Study

Findings from the latest study led by Amanda Paluch, assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, show that older adults who walked between 6,000 and 9,000 steps per day had a 40-50% reduced risk of a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, compared to those who walked 2,000 steps per day.

The evidence-based health benefits of walking continue to accumulate, according to ongoing research by a University of Massachusetts Amherst physical activity epidemiologist, who leads an international consortium known as the Steps for Health Collaborative.

Reference:

Amanda Paluch et al, Prospective Association of Daily Steps With Cardiovascular Disease: A Harmonized Meta-Analysis, Circulation, DOI 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.061288

Mystery behind a deadly brain cancer cracked by CHSL researchers

Glioblastomas, also known as GBMs, are grade 4 malignant (cancerous) tumours in which a sizable percentage of tumour cells are actively dividing and reproducing at any given time. They are fed by a plentiful and unusual blood supply from tumour vessels.

The brain cancer, glioblastoma, is a fierce and formidable opponent. Its millions of victims include Senator John McCain, President Biden's son, Beau, and famed film critic Gene Siskel, to name just a few. Most patients succumb within two years and few make it past five, a statistic that hasn't improved in decades due to lack of effective treatment options.

Reference:

Alea Mills et al,BRD8 maintains glioblastoma by epigenetic reprogramming of the P53 network,Nature,DOI:10.1038/s41586-022-05551-x

Smoking heightens the likelihood of having mid-life memory loss, confusion, finds study

The self-reported experience of greater or more frequent confusion or memory loss is known as subjective cognitive decline (SCD). One of the first obvious signs of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is this type of cognitive impairment.

Middle-aged smokers are far more likely to report having memory loss and confusion than nonsmokers, and the likelihood of cognitive decline is lower for those who have quit, even recently, a new study has found.

Reference:

Jenna Rajczyk et al,Journal of Alzheimer s Disease,DOI10.3233/JAD-220501