Home Tags Posts tagged with "brain health"
Tag:

brain health

brain
Neurology News

Cardiovascular disease linked to worse brain health in middle age: Research

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

“Cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke have been associated with an increased risk for cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults, but less is known about how having these diseases before age 60 impacts cognition and brain health over the course of life,” said study author Xiaqing Jiang, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco. “Our study found that cardiovascular events earlier in life are associated with worse cognition, accelerated cognitive decline and poor brain health in middle age.” 3,146 participants were examined for the study.

Participants in the study, who ranged in age from 18 to 30 at the start, were followed for up to 30 years. At the end of the trial, they were on average 55 years old. Early cardiovascular disease was defined as having coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, carotid artery disease, or peripheral arterial disease before the age of 60, and it afflicted 147 people, or 5% of the population. A first cardiovascular event was common at the age of 48.

Participants were given five cognitive tests after being observed for three decades. Global cognition, processing speed, executive function, delayed verbal memory, and verbal fluency were all tested in the assessments. On five out of five tests, people with early cardiovascular disease fared worse than those who did not. In a 10-minute recall test with scores ranging from zero to 15, people with early cardiovascular disease outperformed those without, with an average score of 6.4 vs an average score of 8.5.

In a global cognitive exam with a score range of zero to 30, those with early cardiovascular disease had an average score of 21.4, whereas those without cardiovascular disease had an average score of 23.9. A score of 26 or more is regarded usual, whereas a score of 22 is considered ordinary for those with mild cognitive impairment.

Six hundred participants got brain scans to assess white matter hyperintensities and white matter integrity. White matter hyperintensities are commonly associated with vascular damage to the brain’s white matter. Researchers discovered that early cardiovascular disease was associated with more white matter hyperintensities in the brain as well as higher white matter mean diffusivity, indicating a decrease in brain tissue integrity after controlling for cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Researchers discovered that early cardiovascular disease was associated with a three times greater likelihood of accelerated cognitive decline over five years in participants who had two sets of cognitive tests 25 and 30 years into the study, with 13% of people with early cardiovascular disease experiencing accelerated cognitive decline compared to 5% of people who did not have the disease.

“Our research suggests that a person’s 20s and 30s are a crucial time to begin protecting brain health through cardiovascular disease prevention and intervention,” Jiang said. “Preventing these diseases may delay the onset of cognitive decline and promote a healthier brain throughout life.”

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
head
Neurology News

Researchers reveal head injury linked with doubled mortality rate in long term

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

Adults who sustained any form of brain injury during a 30-year study period had double the incidence of mortality as those who did not, according to new research, while mortality rates among those with moderate or severe head injuries were nearly three times higher. The study’s findings were reported in JAMA Neurology. Over 23 million persons aged 40 and over in the United States have a history of head injury with loss of consciousness. Head injuries can be caused by a variety of factors, including car accidents, inadvertent falls, and sports injuries. Furthermore, brain damage has been related to a variety of long-term health issues such as disability, late-onset epilepsy, dementia, and stroke.

Previous research has found an increase in short-term mortality related with head injuries, particularly among hospitalised patients. This 30-year study examined data from over 13,000 community-dwelling individuals (those who were not hospitalised or residing in nursing home facilities) to see if a brain injury affects adult death rates in the long run. The researchers discovered that 18.4% of the individuals reported one or more head injuries throughout the study period, and 12.4% of those who sustained a head injury were classified as moderate or severe. The median interval between sustaining a head injury and dying was 4.7 years.

Death from any cause was documented in 64.6 percent of those who experienced a head injury and in 54.6 percent of those who did not suffer a head injury. After controlling for participant characteristics, researchers discovered that the death rate from all causes among people with a head injury was 2.21 times that of those without a head injury. Furthermore, the death rate for individuals with more severe head injuries was 2.87 times that of those without a head injury.

“Our data reveals that head injury is associated with increased mortality rates even long-term. This is particularly the case for individuals with multiple or severe head injuries,” explained the study’s lead author, Holly Elser, MD, PhD, MPH a Neurology resident at Penn. “This highlights the importance of safety measures, like wearing helmets and seatbelts, to prevent head injuries.”

The data was also analysed for specific causes of death across all individuals by the investigators. Cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurologic illnesses were the leading causes of mortality overall (which include dementia, epilepsy, and stroke). Deaths from neurologic illnesses and accidental damage or trauma (such as falls) were more commonly among people with head injuries.

When researchers examined specific neurologic causes of mortality among individuals with head injuries, they discovered that neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease accounted for approximately two-thirds of all neurologic causes of death. These illnesses accounted for a higher proportion of total mortality among those who had suffered a head injury (14.2%) than those who did not (6.6 per cent).

“Study data doesn’t explain why the cause of death in individuals with head injuries is more likely to be from neurodegenerative diseases, which underscores the need for further research into the relationship between these disorders, head injury, and death,” said Andrea L.C. Schneider, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Neurology at Penn.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
liver
Gastroenterology News

Brain health is negatively impacted by fatty liver disease: Study

by Vaishali Sharma
written by Vaishali Sharma

In a study examining the connection between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and brain dysfunction, researchers at the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, affiliated with King’s College London and the University of Lausanne, found that an accumulation of fat in the liver results in a reduction in oxygen to the brain and inflammation of brain tissue, both of which have been linked to the onset of severe brain diseases. NAFLD affects more than 80% of morbidly obese patients and around 25% of the general population.

This study is thought to be the first to definitively correlate NAFLD with brain degradation and identify a possible treatment target. Several studies have documented the detrimental impact that an improper diet and obesity may have on brain function. Inserm, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, and the University of Poitiers collaborated on the study, which entailed giving mice two alternative diets. A diet meant to imitate one made up of processed foods and sugary drinks was given to one half of the rats, while the other half received calories that were 55% fat.

Researchers compared these diets’ effects on the body, and more especially, on the liver and the brain, after 16 weeks of testing. All of the mice who consumed the greater amounts of fat were discovered to be obese, have NAFLD, insulin resistance, and cognitive impairment. The University of Lausanne and Foundation for Liver Research-funded study also revealed that mice with NAFLD had reduced oxygen levels in their brains. This is owing to the disease’s effects on the quantity and thickness of brain blood arteries, which reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to the tissue, as well as the fact that some cells demand more oxygen when the brain is inflamed.

Additionally, these mice displayed depressive symptoms and were more agitated.
In contrast, the mice on the healthy diet did not have NAFLD or insulin resistance, exhibited normal behaviour, and had a fully functional brain.

“It is very concerning to see the effect that fat accumulation in the liver can have on the brain, especially because it often starts off mild and can exist silently for many years without people knowing they have it,” said lead author Dr Anna Hadjihambi, sub-team lead in the Liver-Brain Axis group at the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology and honorary lecturer at King’s College London.

Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 (MCT1), a protein that specialises in the transfer of energy substrates utilised by numerous cells for their appropriate function, was bred into mice with lower amounts in an effort to counteract the harmful effect that NAFLD has on the brain. These mice were protected against both diseases when given the same unhealthy diet high in fat and sugar as those in the previous trial. They showed no signs of brain malfunction and did not accumulate fat in the liver.

“Identifying MCT1 as a key element in the development of both NAFLD and its associated brain dysfunction opens interesting perspectives,” said Professor Luc Pellerin, director of the Inserm U1313 research unit at the University of Poitiers in France and senior researcher in the study. “It highlights potential mechanisms at play within the liver-brain axis and points to a possible therapeutic target.”

Dr Hadjihambi added: “This research emphasises that cutting down the amount of sugar and fat in our diets is not only important for tackling obesity, but also for protecting the liver to maintain brain health and minimise the risk of developing conditions like depression and dementia during ageing, when our brain becomes even more fragile.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
alcohol
Dietetics News

More booze, less brain: Link begins with just one drink per day on average

by Pragati Singh
written by Pragati Singh

According to a new study, even light-to-moderate drinking is linked to brain damage. Researchers evaluated data from more than 36,000 participants and discovered a relationship between drinking and decreased brain capacity that starts at less than one alcohol unit per day (about half a beer) and increases with each successive drink.

Using a dataset of over 36,000 participants, the study discovered that increasing from one to two drinks per day was connected to brain alterations comparable to two years of ageing. Drinking more heavily was linked to a higher toll.

Heavy drinking and the brain have an unhealthy relationship, according to scientists. People who drink heavily have structural and size changes in their brains, which are linked to cognitive deficits.

However, a recent study suggests that even moderate alcohol usage, such as a few beers or glasses of wine a week, may pose a risk to the brain. Light-to-moderate alcohol intake was linked to reductions in total brain capacity, according to a study performed by a team from the University of Pennsylvania that looked at data from over 36,000 participants.

The researchers discovered that the association became stronger as the amount of alcohol consumed increased.

For instance, among 50-year-olds, increasing average daily drinking from one alcohol unit (about half a beer) to two units (a pint of beer or a glass of wine) causes brain alterations comparable to two years of ageing. At the same age, going from two to three alcohol units was like ageing three and a half years. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

“The fact that we have such a big sample size allows us to discover subtle trends, even between drinking the equivalent of half a beer and one beer a day,” says Gideon Nave, a corresponding author on the research and Wharton School faculty member.

He worked alongside former postdoctoral researcher and co-corresponding author Remi Daviet, who is now at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as Perelman School of Medicine colleagues Reagan Wetherill and Henry Kranzler, as well as other researchers.

“These findings contradict scientific and regulatory standards on safe drinking limits,” adds Kranzler, who is the director of the Penn Center for Addiction Studies. “For example, while the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women consume no more than one drink per day on average, men’s recommended limits are twice as high, exceeding the consumption level linked to lower brain capacity in the research.”

The relationship between drinking and brain health has been studied extensively, with mixed results. While there is strong evidence that heavy drinking causes structural changes in the brain, including significant reductions in grey and white matter throughout the brain, other studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may have no effect, or even that light drinking may benefit the brain in older adults.

However, these previous studies lacked the power of massive datasets. Nave, Daviet, and colleagues have previously undertaken research utilising the UK Biobank, a dataset of genetic and medical information from half a million British middle-aged and older persons, to look for patterns in large amounts of data.

“Having this dataset is like having a microscope or a telescope with a more powerful lens,” Nave says. “You get a better resolution and start seeing patterns and associations you couldn’t before.”

It was necessary to adjust for confounding variables that may muddy the association in order to acquire an understanding of probable connections between drinking and the brain. Age, height, handedness, sex, smoking status, socioeconomic position, genetic heritage, and county of residency were all taken into account. They also adjusted the brain-volume data to account for the size of the entire head.

The Biobank’s volunteer members had answered survey questions on their alcohol usage levels, which ranged from total abstinence to an average of four or more units per day. When the researchers divided the subjects into groups based on their average consumption levels, they noticed a subtle but noticeable pattern: the grey and white matter volume that would ordinarily be predicted by the individual’s other features was lowered.

Rising from zero to one alcohol unit per day had no effect on brain volume, but going from one to two or two to three units per day was linked to grey and white matter decreases.

“It’s not linear,” says Daviet. “It gets worse the more you drink.”

Even removing the heavy drinkers from the analyses, the associations remained. The lower brain volume was not localized to any one brain region, the scientists found.

The researchers compared the changes in brain size associated with drinking to those associated with ageing to get a feel of the impact. According to their calculations, each additional unit of alcohol drank each day resulted in a larger ageing impact in the brain. While going from zero to a daily average of one alcohol unit was related with a half-year of ageing, going from zero to four drinks was associated with more than ten years of ageing.

To give a sense of the impact, the researchers compared the reductions in brain size linked with drinking to those that occur with aging. Based on their modeling, each additional alcohol unit consumed per day was reflected in a greater aging effect in the brain. While going from zero to a daily average of one alcohol unit was associated with the equivalent of a half a year of aging, the difference between zero and four drinks was more than 10 years of aging.

In future work, the authors hope to tap the UK Biobank and other large datasets to help answer additional questions related to alcohol use. “This study looked at average consumption, but we’re curious whether drinking one beer a day is better than drinking none during the week and then seven on the weekend,” Nave says. “There’s some evidence that binge drinking is worse for the brain, but we haven’t looked closely at that yet.”

They’d also like to be able to more definitively pin down causation rather than correlation, which may be possible with new longitudinal biomedical datasets that are following young people as they age.

“We may be able to look at these effects over time and, along with genetics, tease apart causal relationships,” Nave says.

And while the researchers underscore that their study looked only at correlations, they say the findings may prompt drinkers to reconsider how much they imbibe.

“There is some evidence that the effect of drinking on the brain is exponential,” says Daviet. “So, one additional drink in a day could have more of an impact than any of the previous drinks that day. That means that cutting back on that final drink of the night might have a big effect in terms of brain aging.”

In other words, Nave says, “the people who can benefit the most from drinking less are the people who are already drinking the most.”

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Neurology News

Lifestyle Choices for Brain Health

by Renu Vohra
written by Renu Vohra

Article Compiled by Renu Vohra , Member Secretary , Alzheimer’s Related Disorders Society of India (Delhi Chapter) 

Living a brain healthy lifestyle is particularly important once you reach middle age, as this is the time when changes in the brain start to occur. They may start decades before symptoms appear. This means that it is important to look after the brain throughout your life. It is never too late or too early to bring lifestyle changes as brain function can be improved at any age.

 

Exercise your brain:

Any activity that involves thinking, learning and active networking regularly challenges your brain. These stimulating activities can improve your brain health.

The best activities are those that you enjoy.

Hobbies like painting, woodwork , sewing, knitting and writing provide stimulus to the brain.

Doing jigsaw puzzles, crossword , suduko, chess , card games learning to dance , playing an instrument, learning a new language challenge the brain.

Regular and enjoyable interaction with friends like travelling , volunteering with a local charity, walking with friends and family, joining a book club, catching up with friends and talking to your neighbours is active networking which is beneficial to the brain. Passive networking such as Whattsapp or Facebook do not give such benefits.

Physical exercise is neuro-protective:

Regular physical exercise can reduce the risk of Dementia. It can also slow down further deterioration in those who are showing early symptoms of Dementia.

Exercise for 30 mins, walk, jog, cycle,hike,swim or join a dance group….. not gyming !!

To avoid risk of fall balance and coordination exercises can help you stay agile. Exercises like Yoga , Pilates, Tai chi go a long way to improve balance and coordination and avoid fall or head injury.

You can also introduce exercise in your daily routine by taking some simple steps. Walk while you are on your mobile phone, take stairs instead of lift. If you have to work for long hours while sitting on a desk, take frequent breaks and walk around or stand up for a couple of minutes.

Some of the offices are providing standing work stations in the place of work and conference rooms. Opt for that option if available , or request for that healthy change in your work place.

The human brain is an organ which improves through mental stimulation. It continues to adapt, grow and rewire itself through the growth of new neurons.

Using your non-dominant hand to write, use is to control computer mouse, television remote, brushing your teeth, opening doors etc will strengthen neural connections.

Exercise also improves body posture . Walking with a hunch slows down your gait is associated with increase risk of Dementia.

There is clear evidence that physical exercise helps in sprouting of neurons to prevent neuro-generative disease like Alzheimer’s.

Healthy Diet:

The foods we eat can have a big impact on the structure and health of our brains. Eating a brain-boosting diet can support both short- and long-term brain functions.

Indian home cooked diet of Roti ,dal ,legumes vegetables , salads ( washed well) is good for brain health. Red meats, beef , pork and chicken should be limited in your daily intake.

Fish could be included in your diet but make sure it is not bred in toxic waters with high content of mercury.

All Vegetables and fruits of different colours like capsicum, green, yellow and red, cabbage , green leafy vegetables , zucchini , cauliflower, kale, carrots , brocolli ( it has glutathione a very powerful antioxidant, which prevents memory decline) and fruits like apples guava, mangoes, pears, grapes bananas etc should be included in our diet regularly.

Antioxidant-rich berries that can boost brain health:

Include strawberries,

blackberries,blueberries

blackcurrants and mulberries in your diet.

Eating more nuts and seeds may be good for the brain, as these foods contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants and healthful unsaturated fats .

Walnuts and Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds and peanuts can give you protection against chronic diseases.

Sunflower seeds,flaxseed and chia seeds also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Eggs are a source of

vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12

and folic acid.

Recent research suggests that these vitamins may prevent brain shrinkage and delay cognitive decline.

Yoghurt :

Yoghurt contain beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. These bacteria stimulates the Vagus nerve, and that, in turn stimulates the production of various neurotransmitters , which get depleted under stress.

Turmeric:

Turmeric is a super spice. It contains Curcumin a natural anti- inflammatory compound and a potent antioxidant. It keeps the memory sharp, boosts the brain and helps it to heal.

Healthy oils:

Include healthy oils in your diets such as mustard oil , peanut oil,sunflower oil , soyabean oil, olive oil and a small amount of Ghee.

Palm oil is unhealthy and is used mostly in bakery products like cakes, biscuits , sweets etc. Also these processed food have high sugar and salt content which is unhealthy as it promotes obesity , diabetes and high cholesterol which is toxic to brain and body .

Avoid snacking on junk food, sugary drinks, sweets and inculcate this habit in children as it will provide many benefits to them in their mid life and beyond in protecting their brain health.

Sleep Deprivation:

Sleep is absolutely essential for good mental health. Sleep is not a passive but active function of the brain.

In the daytime we all make Beta amyloid proteins in the brain. During sleep the brain cells known as glymphatics enlarge and pulsate to remove toxins from the brain. Due to lack of sleep the brain does not have enough time to drain beta amyloids and other neuro toxic waste . These substances continue to accumulate day after day in form of plaques and tangles in the brain, which is the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease .

Harmful effects of inadequate sleep can start at the age of 50 if not earlier. It is essential to have 6-8 hours of sleep. Avoid sleeping pills as it does not give you the deep sleep required for memory consolidation in the permanent memory centres of brain.

Quit Smoking:

Smoking or inhaling of tobacco smoke or passive smoking has been linked to oxidative stress. Due to this the risk of Alzheimer’s/ Dementia becomes significantly higher.

Brain uses 20% of body oxygen supply from the blood. Smoking damages the structures of blood vessels making it harder for the blood to flow freely around body and brain. Due to this the brain is deprived of oxygen rich blood supply and the brain cells do not get adequate nutrients to survive, thrive and resist damage.

Alcohol in moderation.

Long term exposure to excessive alcohol can shrink the brain. It can change a person’s typical behaviour without mental clarity , interfere with his or her long term memory and may cause hallucinations. All these factors can substantially increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s/ Dementia.

Laughter is the best medicine:

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel good chemicals. Endorphins promote overall sense of well-being and

de-stress the brain.

So how do we bring more laughter in our lives?

Practice smiling at someone like your coworkers or someone you meet regularly in the lift or bus. You will notice that smile like laughter is contagious.

When you hear laughter move towards it. Spend time with playful friends. Join a laughter club.

Learn to laugh at yourself to make an embarrassing moment funny. Put up a funny poster in your home or office. Choose a computer screen saver which makes you laugh. You may think of countless other ways of humour to improve the brain health.

Laughter is also as effective as antipsychotic medications for reducing anxiety in the elderly people with Dementia.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail