Lifestyle « Weekly Gravy

A variety of risks can make it more likely that someone develops Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Now you can add neighborhood environment to that list. A new study finds low income levels and a lack of green spaces are among the factors that can harm brain health. “Social determinants of health have a major impact on cognition, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health,” said lead author Lilah Besser. She’s a research assistant professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Comprehensive Center for Brain Health. “Understanding these interactions is crucial in developing interventions to improve brain health in individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods,” Besser explained in a university news release. Past research has shown that a type of brain damage known as white matter hyperintensities has been linked to higher risks of Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, as well as stroke. Other studies have found an increased risk of dementia in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. This study built on that, using MRIs of 1,260 people. The participants were cognitively normal and age 65 or older. Scans were taken approximately five years apart. The researchers measured changes in white matter hyperintensities and brain ventricle size. They also assessed associations between neighborhood green space, neighborhood income and the MRI scans. “We found that white matter worsening was more likely for individuals in lower… read on > read on >

Even a little exercise can counter the harms of sitting all day, a new study suggests. Prolonged sitting raises your odds for an early death, but just 20 to 25 minutes of physical activity a day may offset that risk, researchers found. “If people, for any reason, are sedentary for most of the day, small amounts of physical activity will still lower the risk of death substantially,” said lead researcher Edvard Sagelv, from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, in Tromso. That can even include light intensity exercise like cleaning. For the study, Sagelv and his team reviewed data on nearly 12,000 older adults. They found that being sedentary for over 12 hours a day — perhaps either watching TV or sitting at a desk — raised the risk of early death, but only in those getting less than 22 minutes of moderate exercise a day. “Individuals doing more than 22 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, the equivalent of the World Health Organization’s 150 minutes per week guidelines, had no increased risk of death with more sedentary time,” Sagelv said. This study, however, can’t prove that exercise alone lowered the risk of premature death, only that there appears to be an association. Still, the study “is a reaffirmation of our fundamental need to move our bodies if they are to reward us with… read on > read on >

Researchers say they have developed a simple blood test that can spot biomarkers associated with bipolar disorder, potentially easing diagnosis. For the study, British researchers used both an online psychiatric assessment and a blood test to diagnose the condition. Many patients had previously been misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder. “People with bipolar disorder will experience periods of low mood and periods of very high mood or mania,” said first author Jakub Tomasik, a senior research associate at the University of Cambridge. “But patients will often only see a doctor when they’re experiencing low mood, which is why bipolar disorder frequently gets misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder,” he said in a university news release. On its own, the blood test could diagnose up to 30% of patients, researchers said. It was even more effective when combined with a digital mental health assessment. While still a “proof of concept” study, the blood test could eventually complement existing diagnostic tools, the authors said. It could also help researchers understand the biological origins of mental health conditions. “When someone with bipolar disorder is experiencing a period of low mood, to a physician, it can look very similar to someone with major depressive disorder,” said study leader Dr. Sabine Bahn, a professor of neurotechnology at the University of Cambridge. “However, the two conditions need to be treated differently: if someone… read on > read on >

Health workers are experiencing ever-increasing levels of harassment and burnout in the wake of the pandemic, a new federal survey has found. Reports of harassment on the job more than doubled during the pandemic years, and nearly half of health care workers often experience feelings of burnout, according to survey results published Oct. 24 in a new Vital Signs report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey is the first to describe in detail the mental health crisis among health care workers that first developed during the pandemic, federal officials said. “To label our current and longstanding challenge a crisis is an understatement,” said study senior author Dr. Casey Chosewood, director of the Office for Total Worker Health at the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). “Many of our nation’s health care systems are at their breaking point,” Chosewood continued. “Staffing crises, lack of supportive leadership, long hours of work, and excessive demands and inflexibility in our nation’s health systems all must be addressed. We’re calling on employers to take this information to heart and take immediate preventive action.” The findings came from a survey on workplace quality that’s conducted on a regular basis by NIOSH. More than 13% of health workers said they had been harassed at work in 2022, compared with 6% in 2018 — before… read on > read on >

Older adults who live in distressed or disadvantaged communities are less likely to attend cardiac rehabilitation after common heart procedures, new research shows. The study looked at Medicare beneficiaries’ attendance at these medically supervised exercise and education programs after coronary revascularization between 2016 and 2018. Coronary revascularization includes procedures to improve blood flow to the heart, and can involve bypass surgery or receiving a stent to keep arteries open, according to the American College of Cardiology. The authors identified disadvantaged communities using a tool called the Distressed Community Index. It analyzes economic well-being and social determinants of health, such as educational disparities and poverty rate. In all, only 26% of patients from distressed communities use cardiac rehab, the research showed. That compared to 46% of patients from wealthier areas. No matter where they lived, any patient who attended cardiac rehab had a reduced risk of premature death, hospitalization and heart attack, the study found. “Addressing barriers to participation in cardiac rehabilitation in distressed communities may improve outcomes for these patients and reduce longstanding disparities in such outcomes,” said first author Michael Thompson, an assistant professor of cardiac surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School. “While some individuals who face geographic barriers to participation may benefit from transportation services or virtual options for cardiac rehab, there is a critical need to address socioeconomic barriers that… read on > read on >

Heated yoga classes can help some people with depression feel a lot better within a couple months — even if they practice just once a week, a small clinical trial suggests. The study, of 65 people with moderate-to-severe depression, found that those randomly assigned to heated yoga classes saw a greater symptom improvement over eight weeks than those assigned to a waitlist. Overall, 16 patients, or 59%, “responded” to the yoga classes — meaning the severity of their depression symptoms dropped by at least half. Only two patients on the waitlist (6%) saw their symptoms improve that much. Beyond that, 12 patients in the yoga group, or 44%, saw their depression go into remission. The findings, published Oct. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, add to evidence that yoga can help people deal with mental health conditions. The twist was the heat. Study participants took class in a room heated to 105 degrees and followed a traditional Bikram yoga sequence — a set of 26 postures that is the same each class. It’s not clear, though, whether the heat was the key ingredient, said lead researcher Maren Nyer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of yoga studies at Massachusetts General Hospital. Because the comparison was a waitlist, she said, the benefits could have come from the yoga, the heat… read on > read on >

The party drug ketamine has gotten a lot of notice for its potential to help people with severe and persistent depression who haven’t responded to other treatments. But a new study has discovered the drug’s effect may be in the heads of patients who take it. Researchers from Stanford Medicine administered either ketamine or a placebo to 40 patients with depression who were already getting anesthesia while undergoing surgery. Importantly, none of the patients or their doctors knew whether they got the drug or the placebo. What the team found came as a surprise: People in both groups reported a large improvement in depression symptoms. “What we expected was that patients who received placebo… would continue to not do much better after their procedure and their infusion and that the patients who got ketamine would do better,” said lead study author Dr. Theresa Lii, a postdoctoral scholar in the Heifets Lab at Stanford Medicine in California. “That was what we predicted. And, actually, what really surprised us is that everyone got better,” Lii said. An explanation could be that something more nebulous, maybe hope and a person’s expectations, may play a role in the drug’s success, the authors suggested. Ketamine is an anesthetic that was developed in the early 1960s. In the early 2000s, a psychiatrist started testing the drug in patients who had treatment-resistant… read on > read on >

Rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins, a Mediterranean style of eating consistently earns accolades for its long list of health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Now, new research from Spain shows this way of eating, when combined with regular exercise and fewer calories, can slash dangerous belly fat in older folks while helping to preserve their muscle mass. Fat that accumulates around the midsection is known to cause inflammation and has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Muscle mass is known to decline with advancing age, and this can lead to weakness, less mobility and a greater chance of falls. The study, led by researcher Dora Romaguera, from the Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, included just over 1,500 middle-aged and older people who were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of disorders that signal a person’s increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. One group of people followed a Mediterranean diet while cutting their calories by 30% and increasing their physical activity. They were also told to limit their consumption of processed foods, meats, butter, added sugar and to eat more whole grains. But the advice did not stop with food: They were also encouraged to increase their physical activity progressively, with a goal of walking 45 minutes per day or more on… read on > read on >

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to ban a cancer-causing chemical commonly used as a furniture cleaner and degreaser. The ban would prohibit most uses of trichloroethylene (TCE) within one year. Limited remaining commercial and industrial uses would be phased out over a longer period and would require stringent worker protections. “Today, EPA is taking a vital step in our efforts to advance President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot and protect people from cancer and other serious health risks,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “The science is loud and clear on TCE. It is a dangerous toxic chemical and proposing to ban it will protect families, workers, and communities,” McCabe said in an agency news release. In addition to liver and kidney cancer, health risks associated with the toxin include disruption of the nervous and reproductive systems, and damage to fetal development, the EPA said. TCE is used in cleaning and furniture care products, degreasers, brake cleaners, and tire repair sealants. The EPA says safer alternatives exist. The proposal was made under the Toxic Substances Control Act. It would ban manufacturing, processing and distributing TCE for any use. “TCE has left a toxic legacy in communities across America. Today, EPA is taking a major step to protect people from exposure to this cancer-causing chemical,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety… read on > read on >

Use of steroids among high school athletes is a continuing problem, and now new research finds these youths are also more likely to suffer a concussion while they play. The study was published Oct. 20 in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. “The neurobehavioral shifts of steroid use may lead to increased aggressive play and a subsequent heightened risk for concussions,” said researcher Kennedy Sherman, of Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at Cherokee Nation. “Moreover, athletes using steroids are likely to have higher muscle volume and increased muscle strength, amplifying the momentum and impact of head-on collisions,” Sherman added in a journal news release. “Steroid use and concussions each have numerous health consequences, and when occurring together in a person, these effects may be amplified.” Researchers used data from a Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey, finding that 3.7% of young athletes reported previous steroid use. About 20.7% of all athletes reported having sustained a concussion. Among those who did not use steroids, nearly 20% reported a concussion, compared to about 55% of those who did use steroids. The good news? The prevalence of steroid use among high school athletes decreased from 3.4% in 1999 to 1.9% in 2019. The highest rates were in 2001 and 2003, at 5.3% and 4.4%, respectively. Use varied across ethnic groups. The highest rate was seen in the… read on > read on >