Medical Bulletin 24/February/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day:

“Forever chemicals” disrupt key biological processes: Keck School of Medicine study

Known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, these man-made chemicals are used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. PFAS are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly and accumulate in the environment and human tissue.

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that exposure to a mixture of synthetic chemicals found widely in the environment alters several critical biological processes, including the metabolism of fats and amino acids, in both children and young adults. The disruption of these biological processes is connected to an increased risk of a very broad range of diseases, including developmental disorders, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease and many types of cancer.

Reference:

Jesse A. Goodrich et al,Metabolic signatures of youth exposure to mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl 2 substances: A multi-cohort study,Environmental Health Perspectives,doi 10.1289/EHP11372

Stuy finds Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients to suffer significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation

IBS is a chronic disorder of the stomach and intestines affecting up to 15 percent of the population. It causes cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

New research from the University of Missouri School of Medicine has established a link between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The research highlights the need for health professionals to evaluate and treat associated psychiatric co-morbidities in IBS patients to improve their overall health and quality of life.

This study looked at more than 1.2 million IBS patient hospitalizations from 4,000 U.S. hospitals over a three-year period and found that more than 38-percent had anxiety, and more than 27-percent had depression. Both figures were double the rate of anxiety and depression found in those without IBS. The prevalence of psychiatric problems including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, suicidal attempt/ideation, and eating disorders was significantly higher in the IBS patient population when compared to the general adult population.

Reference:

“Burden of anxiety and depression among hospitalized patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a nationwide analysis” , Irish Journal of Medical Science,10.1007/s11845-022-03258-6

Regular use of laxatives may heighten risk of dementia, finds study

Regular use of laxatives may increase the risk of developing dementia by more than 50% according to a study published in the February 22, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found people who used only osmotic laxatives, a type of laxative that attracts water to the colon to soften stool, had an even greater risk. Other types of laxatives are bulk-forming, stool-softening, and stimulating. The study does not prove that laxatives cause dementia. It only shows an association.

“Constipation and laxative use are common among middle-aged and older adults,” said study author Feng Sha, PhD, of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangdong, China. “However, regular laxative use may change the microbiome of the gut, possibly affecting nerve signaling from the gut to the brain or increasing the production of intestinal toxins that may affect the brain. Our research found regular use of over-the-counter laxatives was associated with a higher risk of dementia, particularly in people who used multiple laxative types or osmotic laxatives.”

Reference:

Feng Sha et al,AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY,Neurology.

Groundbreaking approach for treating Alzheimer's disease shows remarkable success in mouse models

Accumulated evidence points to an impairment of the metabolic mechanism in Alzheimer's patients that develops several decades before the onset of dementia and deterioration of cognitive function. Reduced metabolism results from a dysfunction of the mitochondria, which is responsible for producing most of the energy in the cell but is also involved in cell death, inflammation and immune response. The growing number of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) cases, projected to reach 135 million by 2050, highlights the urgent need for effective therapeutics.

Despite the disease being linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, currently, no drug candidates have targeted this aspect. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are proposing a new treatment approach by targeting the mitochondrial gatekeeper, the voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC1), which controls mitochondrial activity and controls cell life and death.

Reference:

Targeting the overexpressed mitochondrial protein VDAC1 in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease protects against mitochondrial dysfunction and mitigates brain pathology,Translational Neurodegeneration,doi 10.1186/s40035-022-00329-7