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Exercise has been dubbed “nature’s antidepressant” by doctors for years, and now a new study confirms the notion. The finding follows a four-month look at the impact that running had on anxiety and depression when compared to a common antidepressant. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) work by boosting levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s a key player when it comes to regulating mood, depression and anxiety. But among 140 depression patients, those who engaged in regular group running — meaning two or three 45-minute runs each week — actually saw their depression levels drop a bit more than those who took the popular SSRI medication escitalopram (Lexapro). And those who treated their depression with exercise reaped an added reward, with improvements seen in their physical health as well. That group, said study author Brenda Penninx, also “lost weight, improved fitness and reduced heart rate and blood pressure.” The medication group did not see those benefits. Penninx, a professor of psychiatric epidemiology and vice chair of the department of psychiatry at Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands, presented her findings this weekend at the ECNP meeting, which focuses on the science and treatment of brain disorders. The research was published earlier this year in the Journal of Affective Disorders. All told, she said, the findings suggest that “we should pay much more attention to lifestyle… read on > read on >

Anyone with a cat knows the calm, low rumble of purring, but how does such a small animal make such a low sound? New research suggests it boils down to a pad embedded in feline vocal cord folds. That’s different than previously thought, which was that purring happened through a special mechanism, with cyclical contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the vocal folds within the larynx, and that it required constant control from the brain. “Anatomical investigations revealed a unique ‘pad’ within the cats’ vocal folds that may explain how such a small animal, weighing only a few kilograms, can regularly produce sounds at those incredibly low frequencies [20 to 30 Hz, or cycles per second] — far below even than lowest bass sounds produced by human voices,” researcher Christian Herbst, a voice scientist from the University of Vienna, said in a university news release. The findings, published online Oct. 3 in the journal Current Biology, aren’t an outright contradiction of the previous theory, but they are a clear indicator that the understanding of cat purring is incomplete, the researchers said. A controlled laboratory experiment showed that the domestic cat larynx can produce these low-pitched sounds with a mechanism similar to the human “creaky voice.” More information The U.S. Library of Congress has more on how cats communicate with each other. SOURCE: University of… read on > read on >

Former pro football players with symptoms of depression or anxiety are far more likely to receive an unverifiable diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) than players without those mental health conditions, a new study reports. Players with depression are 9.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with CTE, while players with both depression and anxiety are 12 times more likely, the study results showed. The problem: At this point CTE can only be diagnosed as part of a brain autopsy. “CTE can only be diagnosed after death,” said lead author Shawn Eagle, a research assistant professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “It shouldn’t be diagnosed in anyone while they’re living. Being told you have CTE when you’re alive is a problem because there’s no valid test to diagnose CTE in a living person.” Researchers argue that those players’ doctors are dropping the ball by handing out a CTE diagnosis, because there are effective treatments for the mood disorders that led to the diagnosis. “Depression, anxiety and sleep apnea produce cognitive symptoms, are treatable conditions, and should be distinguished from neurodegenerative disease,” Eagle said. “CTE is a neurodegenerative disease without available treatments or available diagnosis in a living person.” CTE is a degenerative brain disease that can be caused by repeated head impacts and concussions. It usually affects athletes who… read on > read on >

Long COVID, a constellation of symptoms that extend past the initial illness, is now a recognized condition. But researchers say COVID-19 may not be the only respiratory virus that causes these lasting health impacts — “long colds” may also exist. “Our findings shine a light not only on the impact of long COVID on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness — or even the lack of a common term — prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions,” said lead study author Giulia Vivaldi, a researcher from Queen Mary University of London. To study this, researchers compared the prevalence and severity of long-term symptoms after a COVID case versus illness with another acute respiratory infection that tested negative for COVID-19. Those recovering from COVID-19 were more likely to feel lightheaded or dizzy after the illness and to have problems with taste and smell compared to those who had a non-COVID respiratory infection. While those with a “long cold” didn’t seem to have those symptoms, among the symptoms they experienced were cough, stomach pain and diarrhea that lingered for more than four weeks. Severity of illness seemed to drive these other symptoms. Other respiratory illnesses can include colds, the flu and pneumonia. “As research into long COVID continues, we need to take the opportunity to investigate and consider the lasting effects… read on > read on >

New research suggests that concert goers may synchronize their breathing and more as they listen to the intricacies of a classical symphony performance. Previous studies have shown that music may be able to induce synchronization in listeners, but the authors of this study said there has been little investigation into whether concert audiences actually become synchronized. This new study, involving 132 participants, suggests that heart rate, breathing rate and the electrical conductivity of skin (which suggests excitement) may synchronize between audience members at classical concerts. People who rated more highly for personality traits such as agreeableness or openness were more likely to synchronize with other audience members. Those with neurotic or extravert traits were less likely to become synchronized. The researchers, led by Wolfgang Tschacher, from the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, in Bern, Switzerland, observed the 132 people while they listened to a concert in which three classical music pieces were played by a string quintet. They were Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Op. 104 in C minor,” Brett Dean’s “Epitaphs,” and Johannes Brahms’ “Op. 111 in G major.” The research team monitored participants’ movement using overhead cameras and measured their physical responses with wearable sensors. They also asked the participants to fill in questionnaires about their personality and mood both before and after the concert. While the investigators saw synchronization in a variety of… read on > read on >

FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Postpartum depression is commonly thought of as something new moms experience, but fathers can also suffer from these feelings when entering this phase of life. A pilot study from the University of Illinois Chicago suggests new dads should also be screened for the condition. Addressing their health may also be an important tool for improving the maternal health crisis, given that the physical health of these parent partners are so intertwined, according to the authors. “A lot of dads are stressed. They’re scared. They’re struggling with balancing work and parental and partner responsibilities,” said lead author Dr. Sam Wainwright, an assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics. “Men are often not doing well, but no one is asking them about it.” For the study, researchers interviewed and screened 24 dads using a tool commonly used for screening moms. About 30% of dads were positive for postpartum depression. “A woman at risk for postpartum depression is much more likely to get postpartum depression if she has a depressed partner,” Wainwright noted in a university news release. Nearly 90% of study participants were from groups facing structural racism and social factors such as crime and poverty that can worsen mental health. This may have led to more men screening positive for depression than in past studies, which have seen a… read on > read on >

FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) – Healthy steps: Living in a neighborhood that’s easy to walk in could be good for women’s health. New research finds that women who live in walkable neighborhoods have lower rates of obesity-related cancers. This was particularly true of postmenopausal breast cancer, but also of ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and multiple myeloma, according to researchers at several universities in New York City. “These results contribute to the growing evidence of how urban design affects the health and well-being in aging populations,” said researcher Andrew Rundle, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Researchers noted that interventions to increase physical activity and reduce obesity one by one are costly. They also tend to have temporary effects. “However, urban design can create a context that promotes walking, increases overall physical activity, and reduce car-dependency, which could lead to subsequent improvements in preventing diseases attributed to unhealthy weight,” Rundle said said in a Columbia news release. Past research has linked obesity to increased risk for 13 types of cancer in women, independent of body size. Physical activity lowers the risk for some of these cancers. The study included data from more than 14,000 women ages 35 to 65 who were recruited at a New York City mammography screening center between 1985 and 1991. Researchers followed the women… read on > read on >

Should Fluffy and Fido go vegan? A new study says yes — for the environment. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that livestock are responsible for 14.5% of the greenhouse gas emissions. In response, some experts say eating vegan — meaning a nutritionally sound diet without animal proteins or products — for two-thirds of meals could slash food-related emissions by 60%. “Vegan pet food is clearly associated with very large savings in greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, and a range of other environmental parameters,” said Dr. Andrew Knight, a professor of philosophy at Griffith University in Australia, who led the new study. “If implemented globally, such diets would also save the lives of billions of ‘food’ animals annually, and enable the feeding of billions of additional people (and dogs and cats), with the food energy saved.” The new study said American dogs and cats consume about one-fifth as much meat as their human counterparts and about one-tenth of that worldwide. Recent research suggests that nutritionally sound vegan diets — lacking meat, eggs and dairy — are safe for pets and may have comparable health benefits, the study noted. If all U.S.-based dogs and cats went vegan, researchers estimated that the lives of 2 billion livestock animals a year could be saved, along with billions of aquatic animals. If pets around the… read on > read on >

While many have raved about the powers of popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, new research confirms the medications can trigger some nasty gastrointestinal side effects. Known as GLP-1 agonists, they may increase the risk of stomach paralysis, pancreatitis and bowel obstruction, scientists found. “Although the incidence of these adverse events are relatively rare, affecting only about 1% of patients, with millions taking these medications, thousands of people are likely to be affected by these adverse events,” said lead researcher Dr. Mohit Sodhi, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “Patients need to weigh the risks and benefits before taking these medications for weight loss,” he said. “We encourage patients who are interested in using these medications to have a lengthy conversation with their physician to see if this medication is appropriate for their goals and what they hope to achieve.” GLP-1 agonists were originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar, but they also promote weight loss and have been used off-label for more than a decade. In 2021, some forms of these drugs were approved to treat obesity. Most patients experience symptoms like constipation and nausea, so the possibility of these more serious side effects is not surprising, said Dr. Caroline Messer, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Still, “patients really shouldn’t be… read on > read on >

A nasal spray containing a ketamine derivative appears to beat one of the standard drugs used for people with difficult-to-treat depression, a new clinical trial has found. The trial, of nearly 700 people with treatment-resistant depression, found that esketamine nasal spray was more effective at sending patients into remission than a standard oral drug called quetiapine (Seroquel). After eight weeks, 27% of esketamine patients were in remission, versus 18% of those given quetiapine. By week 32, half of esketamine patients were faring that well, compared with one-third of those on quetiapine. Experts said the findings, published in the Oct. 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, strengthen the case that esketamine is a good option for people with treatment-resistant depression. The condition, which plagues up to 30% of people with depression, is generally diagnosed when a person’s symptoms have failed to yield to at least two standard antidepressants. It’s a situation that places people at increased risk of hospitalization and suicide. There are a few medications approved in the United States as an “augmentation” therapy for treatment-resistant depression — meaning they are used along with a standard antidepressant. Quetiapine is one of them, and so is esketamine nasal spray, which has been available since 2019 under the brand-name Spravato. That approval was based on research testing esketamine against a placebo nasal spray. The… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Running vs. Meds: Which Works Best to Beat Depression?

Scientists Discover Secrets of the Cat’s Purr

Could Living Football Players Be Overdiagnosed for CTE?

Could Folks Suffer From ‘Long Colds,’ Similar to Long COVID?

Music Lovers’ Physiology ‘Synchronizes’ at Classical Music Concerts

New Dads Might Also Need Screening for Postpartum Depression

Living in ‘Walkable’ Neighborhoods Lowers Women’s Cancer Risk

Going Vegan Healthy for Dogs, Cats — and the Planet

Study Confirms Risk of Gastro Issues for People Taking Wegovy, Ozempic

Ketamine Nasal Spray Shows Promise Against Tough-to-Treat Depression