Medical Bulletin 7/October/2022 - Video
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Overview
Here are the top medical news for the day:
Dementia risk more than doubled by Schizophrenia
People with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are 2.5 times more likely than those without a psychotic disorder to eventually develop dementia, according to a review of the evidence led by UCL researchers. The new meta-analysis found that psychotic disorders may have a stronger link with dementia than other mental health disorders like depression or anxiety.
Schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders are severe illnesses that involve symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, and social withdrawal. Many people also experience impairments in cognitive and functional skills.
Reference:
Dr Jean Stafford et al, Non-affective Psychotic Disorders and Risk of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Psychological Medicine, DOI: 10.1017/S0033291722002781
Lifelong stress-related wear and tear can increase cancer mortality
The wear and tear on the body from chronic and lifelong stress can also lead to an increased risk of dying from cancer, according to Medical College of Georgia researchers.
That wear and tear, called allostatic load, refers to the cumulative effects of stress over time. "As a response to external stressors, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol, and then once the stress is over, these levels should go back down," says Dr. Justin Xavier Moore, epidemiologist at the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia Cancer Center.
Reference:
Dr. Justin Xavier Moore et al, Exploring racial disparities on the association between allostatic load and cancer mortality: A retrospective cohort analysis of NHANES, 1988 through 2019,SSM - Population Health
Mouthwashes may have antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2
A team of researchers led by Professor Kyoko Hida at Hokkaido University has shown that low concentrations of the chemical cetylpyridinium chloride, a component of some mouthwashes, have an antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2.
Commercially available mouthwashes contain a number of antibiotic and antiviral components that act against microorganisms in the mouth. One of these, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), has been shown to reduce the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in the mouth, primarily by disrupting the lipid membrane surrounding the virus. While there are other chemicals with similar effects, CPC has the advantage of being tasteless and odorless.
Reference:
Antiviral effect of cetylpyridinium chloride in mouthwash on SARS‐CoV‐2,Scientific Reports, DOI 10.1038/s41598-022-18367-6
Mother's ultra-processed food is associated with obesity risk in children
A mother's consumption of ultra-processed foods appears to be linked to an increased risk of overweight or obesity in her offspring, irrespective of other lifestyle risk factors, suggests a US study published by The BMJ.
According to the World Health Organization, 39 million children were overweight or obese in 2020, leading to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and early death.
Ultra-processed foods, such as packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks and sugary cereals, are commonly found in modern Western style diets and are associated with weight gain in adults. But it's unclear whether there's a link between a mother's consumption of ultra- processed foods and her offspring's body weight.
Reference:
Maternal consumption of ultra-processed foods and subsequent risk of offspring overweight or obesity: results from three prospective cohort studies doi: 10.1136/ bmj-2022-071767 Journal: The BMJ
Speakers
Isra Zaman
B.Sc Life Sciences, M.Sc Biotechnology, B.Ed
Isra Zaman is a Life Science graduate from Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, and a postgraduate in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a flair for writing, and her roles at Medicaldialogues include that of a Sr. content writer and a medical correspondent. Her news pieces cover recent discoveries and updates from the health and medicine sector. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.
