Medical Bulletin 31/December/2025 - Video

Here are the top medical news for today:

Researchers Find Sleep Apnea May Affect Mental Health in Older Adults

Troubled nights might lead to troubled minds. A large national study from Canada has found that middle-aged and older adults at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are significantly more likely to experience depression, psychological distress, and worsening mental health over time. The findings, published in JAMA, draw a clear line between poor sleep and deteriorating emotional well-being—offering new evidence that OSA screening could be just as vital for mental health as it is for heart and metabolic health.

OSA, a common yet underdiagnosed disorder, causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. It affects nearly 936 million adults worldwide, but up to 90% remain undetected, often mistaken for fatigue or snoring. To shed light on how sleep-disordered breathing interacts with long-term mental health, researchers analyzed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a nationally representative cohort tracking adults between 45 and 85 years across social, psychological, and physical domains of aging.

The study included over 30,000 participants from baseline (2011–2015) and nearly 28,000 follow-ups through 2018, with an average gap of three years. The team used the well-validated STOP questionnaire—covering snoring, daytime sleepiness, witnessed apnea, and hypertension—to identify individuals at risk of OSA. Anyone with a score of two or more was classified as high risk. Mental health outcomes were determined from a combined measure of depression, psychological distress, physician-diagnosed disorders, or antidepressant use.

At baseline, about 23.5% of participants were at high risk for OSA—rising to 27% by follow-up. Poor mental health affected roughly one-third of the group. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, and chronic conditions, those at high OSA risk had about 40% higher odds of poor mental health at both measurement points. Notably, among participants who were mentally healthy at the start, those at high OSA risk showed a 20% greater chance of developing poor mental health three years later. Longitudinal models further confirmed a 44% increased likelihood when changes over time were considered.

The researchers conclude that sleep apnea is a potentially modifiable risk factor for declining mental health in older adults. They call for incorporating OSA screening into community and primary care programs to help protect emotional well-being—proving yet again that when it comes to aging gracefully, a healthy mind truly starts with a good night’s sleep.

REFERENCE: Tetyana Kendzerska; Ranjeeta Mallick; Wenshan Li; et al; Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk and Mental Health Conditions Among Older Canadian Adults in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging; JAMA Netw Open; 2025;8;(12):e2549137. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.49137

Comprehensive Scientific Review Evaluates Effectiveness of Alternative Autism Treatments

Parents often turn to alternative therapies hoping for a miracle cure for autism—but a massive scientific review warns that most lack solid proof. Researchers from Paris Nanterre University, Paris Cité University, and the University of Southampton analyzed 248 meta-analyses from over 200 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 participants, finding little reliable evidence that popular complementary and alternative treatments work. Published in Nature Human Behaviour, the study also flags a major gap: safety data is missing for nearly half of these approaches.

Autism spectrum disorder brings challenges like communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, repetitive behaviors, and trouble navigating social situations. With up to 90% of families trying complementary, alternative, and integrative medicines (CAIMs)—from acupuncture and herbal remedies to music therapy, probiotics, animal-assisted interventions, and vitamin D—the demand is huge. Yet rigorous evidence has been scattered. This umbrella review—the most comprehensive assessment to date—synthesized all available meta-analyses to deliver a clear, big-picture verdict.

Led by Dr. Corentin Gosling and Professor Samuele Cortese, the team evaluated 19 different CAIM interventions. They graded evidence quality, effectiveness, and safety using strict scientific standards. The verdict? Most treatments showed weak or low-quality results, with any reported benefits too unreliable to trust. A handful hinted at possible gains, but none stood up to scrutiny across studies. Alarmingly, fewer than half had been tested for side effects, tolerability, or acceptability, leaving families in the dark about potential risks.

To make findings accessible, the researchers launched a free online platform where anyone can explore the evidence behind specific CAIMs. Professor Richard Delorme from Robert Debré Hospital added that parents and autistic adults deserve rigorous randomized trial data before trying unproven options.

The review calls for better safety testing and high-quality trials to guide informed choices. Until then, it reminds families that hope alone isn’t enough—evidence-based decisions protect autistic individuals from unproven risks while paving the way for truly effective supports.

REFERENCE: Corentin J. Gosling, Laure Boisseleau, Marco Solmi, Micheal Sandbank, Lucie Jurek, Mikail Nourredine, Gabriella Porcu, Elisa Murgia, Joaquim Radua, Paolo Fusar-Poli, Klara Kovarski, Serge Caparos, Ariane Cartigny, Samuele Cortese, Richard Delorme. Complementary, alternative and integrative medicine for autism: an umbrella review and online platform. Nature Human Behaviour, 2025; 9 (12): 2610 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02256-9

Researchers Assess Health Risks and Benefits of Vegan Diets in Kids

Plant-based diets for kids can be a smart choice—but only if parents plan carefully. A massive global meta-analysis involving nearly 49,000 children and teens from 18 countries has confirmed that vegetarian and vegan eating patterns support healthy growth and may even boost heart health, provided key supplements fill nutritional gaps. Published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the review—the largest of its kind—shows these diets deliver many benefits but require attention to essentials like vitamin B12 and calcium.

As more families adopt meat-free meals for health, ethical, or environmental reasons, questions linger about their impact on growing bodies. Children need precise nutrients for bone development, brain function, and energy. This study compared lacto-ovo-vegetarians (7,280 kids including dairy/eggs), vegans (1,289 excluding all animal products), and omnivores (40,059 eating meat) across growth, nutrient intake, and health markers from 59 studies worldwide.

Researchers pooled data on everything from height and BMI to cholesterol levels and vitamin status. Vegetarian kids ate more fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C, and magnesium than meat-eaters, but lower energy, protein, fat, B12, and zinc. Vegans faced even steeper shortfalls, especially in calcium, iodine, and B12 without fortified foods or supplements. “B12 levels were inadequate without help, and vegan calcium intake was particularly low,” noted co-author Dr. Jeannette Beasley from New York University.

Despite gaps, plant-based kids shone in health metrics. They had lower total and LDL cholesterol—key for heart protection—and were leaner, with reduced BMI, fat mass, and body weight. Vegetarians were slightly shorter with lower bone density, while vegans showed similar trends, but overall growth remained normal when diets were balanced.

While cross-sectional studies limit some conclusions, the evidence supports plant-based eating as viable—and potentially superior for hearts—when thoughtfully managed. Families get the green light, but with a clear roadmap to avoid pitfalls.

REFERENCE: Sofia Lotti, Giona Panizza, Daniela Martini, Wolfgang Marx, Jeannette M. Beasley, Barbara Colombini, Monica Dinu. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of nutritional and health outcomes. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2025; 1 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2025.2572983