Medical Bulletin 28/December/2023

Here are the top medical news of the day: 

Risk of young-onset dementia could be reduced through targeting health and lifestyle factors - study

Researchers have identified a wide range of risk factors for young-onset dementia. The findings challenge the notion that genetics are the sole cause of the condition, laying the groundwork for new prevention strategies.

The largescale study identified 15 risk factors, which are similar to those for late-onset dementia. For the first time, they indicate that it may be possible to reduce the risk of young-onset dementia by targeting health and lifestyle factors.

Relatively little research has been done on young-onset dementia, though globally there are around 370,000 new cases of young-onset dementia each year.

Published in JAMA Neurology, the new research by the University of Exeter and Maastricht University followed more than 350,000 participants younger than 65 across the United Kingdom from the UK Biobank study. The team evaluated a broad array of risk factors ranging from genetic predispositions to lifestyle and environmental influences.

Reference: Risk of young-onset dementia could be reduced through targeting health and lifestyle factors – study; JAMA Neurology, DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.4929 

Microbiome Changes Linked to Kidney Stone Formation

A recent study by Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University, published in the journal Microbiome, has unveiled a significant link between alterations in the microbiome across various body sites and the development of kidney stones.

Researchers investigated the gut, urinary, and salivary microbiomes in 83 individuals who had experienced kidney stones, comparing them with 30 healthy controls. The findings revealed distinct changes in all three microbiomes associated with kidney stone formation.

Dr. Jeremy Burton, Lawson Scientist and Research Chair of Human Microbiome and Probiotics at St. Joseph's Health Care London, emphasized the increasing prevalence of kidney stone disease, affecting roughly 10% of the population. Dr. Burton highlighted the study's intent to advance understanding and potential treatments by exploring connections between kidney stones and various microbiomes beyond the gut.

Reference: Al, K. F., Joris, B. R., Daisley, B. A., Chmiel, J. A., Bjazevic, J., Reid, G., Gloor, G. B., Denstedt, J. D., Razvi, H., & Burton, J. P. Multi-site microbiota alteration is a hallmark of kidney stone formation. Microbiome,2023;11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01703-x

Unraveling the mystery of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer

Gastric cancer, a formidable foe in the global health arena, casts a long shadow over millions of lives each year. While its tendrils reach far and wide, a distinct subset – hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) – emerges as a particularly aggressive and enigmatic adversary.

Unravelling the secrets of HDGC has led scientists to a crucial player: the CDH1 gene. This gene, the blueprint for a protein called E-cadherin, acts as the glue that binds cells together, forming the tight-knit communities that make up healthy tissues. The study is published in egastroentrology.

Reference: Unraveling the mystery of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer; eGastroenterology, DOI: 10.1136/egastro-2023-100017