It is time to embrace cannabis for medicinal use, say experts

September 21, 2020

Science Daily/BMJ

Attitudes towards cannabis products for medicinal use need to change with much greater appropriate use of such products to help alleviate patients' pain, suggests research published in the journal BMJ Open.

Researchers found that hundreds of thousands of UK patients were self-medicating with illegal cannabis-based products for medicinal use due to the fact that much of the medical and pharmacy professions have so far not embraced and prescribed legal cannabis-based products for their patients.

In November 2018 when the UK made cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) legal, most people assumed these would immediately be made available to patients, but this has not happened.

In the year since then, almost no NHS prescriptions have been issued and less than a hundred have been made available from private providers at a cost of at least £1,000 a month.

Consequently, some parents of children with severe epilepsy continue to go overseas to get their children access to the only treatment which has proven to be effective for their condition -- cannabinoid medication.

In addition, it is estimated that the vast majority of the estimated 1.4 million medical cannabis users source from the black market with its problems of illegality, unknown quality, content and provenance.

This is despite that fact that there is existing substantial evidence of effectiveness with cannabis products for medicinal use in many disorders as identified in the US National Academy of Sciences review in 2017.

Researchers from Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Drug Science (formerly known as the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs), therefore, set out to understand why the UK was lagging behind so many other countries which also have legalised medical cannabis.

They consulted with parents and patients, prescribers, pharmacists and decision makers.

They found that there appeared to be a series of distinct barriers to prescribing that needed to be overcome in order to improve patient access to medical cannabis in the UK.

These include concerns about a perceived lack of scientific evidence but the researchers said these concerns were misplaced because many patient-centred approaches including patient reported outcomes, pharmacoepidemiology (study of the uses and effects of drugs) and trials involving a single patient could be applied.

International database evidence suggested this new class of drug offered a significant advance in treatment for many in whom current medicines were either ineffective or poorly tolerated.

Various reasons to explain why there was resistance to use of these drugs were given, such as the fact the use of medicinal cannabis products were something being driven by patients and not doctors, which the latter group might resent.

In addition, the current government insistence that medical cannabis be considered as a "special' product, meant challenges for prescribers.

For example, they faced additional organisational bureaucracy and the prescriber had to hold responsibility for any untold harm caused unlike any other product for which responsibility lay with the manufacturer.

Another reason for the resistance to prescribing of these products was that for almost 50 years, the medical profession focused on the risks of cannabis with claims of harms, including male sterility, lung cancer and schizophrenia. Though these have now been largely debunked and were generally the result of recreational rather than prescribed medical use, many practitioners may not know this.

The researchers say that the many thousands of UK patients self-medicating with non-regulated cannabis products for medicinal use and the international evidence suggested these new medical products offered an advance in treatment for many people.

They also offered the potential of cost savings to the NHS in terms of reduced hospital stays and less prescribing of other medicines particularly opioids for chronic pain, they argued.

They conclude: "The failure of the medical and pharmacy professions to embrace CBPMs despite their being made 'legal' over 18 months ago is a great worry to patients" and may, they say, have led to preventable deaths from conditions such as epilepsy.

"We hope that this paper will help policymakers and prescribers understand the challenges to prescribing and so help them develop approaches to overcome the current highly unsatisfactory situation."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200921210847.htm

A scientific first: How psychedelics bind to key brain cell receptor

September 17, 2020

Science Daily/University of North Carolina Health Care

For the first time, scientists solved the high-resolution structure of these compounds when they are actively bound to the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor on the surface of brain cells. This discovery is already leading to the exploration of more precise compounds that could eliminate hallucinations but still have strong therapeutic effects. Psilocybin - the psychedelic compound in mushrooms - has already been granted breakthrough status by the FDA to treat depression.

Psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline cause severe and often long-lasting hallucinations, but they show great potential in treating serious psychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder. To fully investigate this potential, scientists need to know how these drugs interact with brain cells at the molecular level to cause their dramatic biological effects. Scientists at UNC-Chapel Hill and Stanford have just taken a big step in that direction.

For the first time, scientists in the UNC lab of Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, and the Stanford lab of Georgios Skiniotis, PhD, solved the high-resolution structure of these compounds when they are actively bound to the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor (HTR2A) on the surface of brain cells.

This discovery, published in Cell, is already leading to the exploration of more precise compounds that could eliminate hallucinations but still have strong therapeutic effects. Also, scientists could effectively alter the chemical composition of drugs such as LSD and psilocybin -- the psychedelic compound in mushrooms that has been granted breakthrough status by the FDA to treat depression.

"Millions of people have taken these drugs recreationally, and now they are emerging as therapeutic agents," said co-senior author Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. "Gaining this first glimpse of how they act at the molecular level is really important, a key to understanding how they work. Given the remarkable efficacy of psilocybin for depression (in Phase II trials), we are confident our findings will accelerate the discovery of fast-acting antidepressants and potentially new drugs to treat other conditions, such as severe anxiety and substance use disorder."

Scientists believe that activation of HTR2A, which is expressed at very high levels in the human cerebral cortex, is key to the effects of hallucinogenic drugs. "When activated, the receptors cause neurons to fire in an asynchronous and disorganized fashion, putting noise into the brain's system," said Roth, who holds a joint faculty appointment at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. "We think this is the reason these drugs cause a psychedelic experience. But it isn't at all clear how these drugs exert their therapeutic actions."

In the current study, Roth's lab collaborated with Skiniotis, a structural biologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "A combination of several different advances allowed us to do this research," Skiniotis said. "One of these is better, more homogeneous preparations of the receptor proteins. Another is the evolution of cryo-electron microscopy technology, which allows us to view very large complexes without having to crystalize them."

Roth credits co-first author Kuglae Kim, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in his lab, for steadfastly exploring various experimental methods to purify and stabilize the very delicate serotonin receptors.

"Kuglae was amazing," Roth said. "I'm not exaggerating when I say what he accomplished is among the most difficult things to do. Over three years in a deliberate, iterative, creative process, he was able to modify the serotonin protein slightly so that we could get sufficient quantities of a stable protein to study."

The research team used Kim's work to reveal the first X-ray crystallography structure of LSD bound to HTR2A. Importantly, Stanford investigators then used cryo-EM to uncover images of a prototypical hallucinogen, called 25-CN-NBOH, bound together with the entire receptor complex, including the effector protein Gαq. In the brain, this complex controls the release of neurotransmitters and influences many biological and neurological processes.

The cryo-EM image is like a map of the complex, which Kim used to illustrate the exact structure of HTR2A at the level of amino acids -- the basic building blocks of proteins such as serotonin receptors.

Roth, a psychiatrist and biochemist, leads the Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. This gives his lab access to hallucinogenic drugs for research purposes. Normally, these compounds are difficult to study in the lab because they are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency as Schedule 1 drugs.

Roth and colleagues are now applying their findings to structure-based drug discovery for new therapeutics. One of the goals is to discover potential candidates that may be able offer therapeutic benefit without the psychedelic effects.

"The more we understand about how these drugs bind to the receptors, the better we'll understand their signaling properties," Skiniotis says. "This work doesn't give us the whole picture yet, but it's a fairly large piece of the puzzle."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917181259.htm

Cannabis shows potential for mitigating sickle cell disease pain

July 17, 2020

Science Daily/University of California - Irvine

Cannabis appears to be a safe and potentially effective treatment for the chronic pain that afflicts people with sickle cell disease, according to a new clinical trial co-led by University of California, Irvine researcher Kalpna Gupta and Dr. Donald Abrams of UC San Francisco. The findings appear in JAMA Network Open.

"These trial results show that vaporized cannabis appears to be generally safe," said Gupta, a professor of medicine on the faculty of UCI's Center for the Study of Cannabis. "They also suggest that sickle cell patients may be able to mitigate their pain with cannabis -- and that cannabis might help society address the public health crisis related to opioids. Of course, we still need larger studies with more participants to give us a better picture of how cannabis could benefit people with chronic pain."

Opioids are currently the primary treatment for the chronic and acute pain caused by sickle cell disease. But the rise in opioid-associated deaths has prompted physicians to prescribe them less frequently, leaving sickle cell patients with fewer options.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was the first to employ such gold-standard methods to assess cannabis's potential for pain alleviation in people with sickle cell disease. The cannabis used in the trial was obtained from the National Institute on Drug Abuse -- part of the National Institutes of Health -- and contained equal parts of THC and CBD.

"Pain causes many people to turn to cannabis and is, in fact, the top reason that people cite for seeking cannabis from dispensaries," Gupta said. "We don't know if all forms of cannabis products will have a similar effect on chronic pain. Vaporized cannabis, which we employed, may be safer than other forms because lower amounts reach the body's circulation. This trial opens the door for testing different forms of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain."

Twenty-three patients with sickle cell disease-related pain completed the trial, inhaling vaporized cannabis or a vaporized placebo during two five-day inpatient sessions that were separated by at least 30 days. This allowed them to act as their own control group.

Researchers assessed participants' pain levels throughout the treatment period and found that the effectiveness of cannabis appeared to increase over time. As the five-day study period progressed, subjects reported that pain interfered less and less with activities, including walking and sleeping, and there was a statistically significant drop in how much pain affected their mood. Although pain levels were generally lower in patients given cannabis than in those given the placebo, the difference was not statistically significant.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200717133236.htm

5 Dietary Supplements to Add on In Your Fitness Program

Sponsored content: CBD-News

Are you getting the right supplements to support your fitness program? Getting physically fit and leading a healthier lifestyle is extremely important. A healthy balanced diet is perhaps even more crucial if you want to experience your fitness program's real long-term results. 

That said, supplements can go a long way in redressing any imbalances in your diet. For example, sarms canada has shown promising results in managing obesity and aiding in fat loss. 

Here are five other useful additives that will help keep your body in perfect working order and give you the best platform to meet your fitness goals. 

1.   Creatine

Creatine is one of the most popular performance-enhancing supplements used in fitness. It helps increase muscle mass, as well as increasing overall strength and energy levels.

 Creatine is the perfect supplement for anyone trying to gain muscle or performing exercises, which involves a short burst of a high-intensity activity such as splinting or lifting weights. Creatine is also thought to increase lean muscle mass and help muscles recover more quickly during exercise.

 This explains why it’s particularly popular among professional athletes such as wrestlers, footballers, hockey players, and gymnasts. You can take it either pre or post-workout and quickly mix into smoothies, protein shakes, or taken on its own. 

 Some of the benefits of taking creatine include:

 ●      It helps your muscle cells produce more energy.

●      Useful for adding muscle mass.

●      Improves exercise performance.

●      Speeds up muscle growth.

●      Helps lower your blood sugar.

●      Reduce tiredness and fatigue. 

 Creatine is clearly a great supplement and has powerful benefits for fitness and overall health. 

2.   Multi-Vitamins

Also known as multimineral, multis, or vitamins, these are the most commonly used supplements. They promote efficiency in your metabolism, muscle building, and performance and can also support your immune system. 

 They are a combination of many different vitamins that are found in foods and other natural sources. Many multivitamin products contain minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, which should be taken with a full glass of water. 

 Taking a high-potency multivitamin formula will help get essential nutrients necessary for optimum efficiency when leading an active lifestyle. 

 Benefits include:

 ●      Helps you build muscle 

●      Essential in delivering energy throughout your body

●      Essential vitamins help you recover and protect your tissue

 However, a good rule of thumb is taking no more than one multivitamin product at the same time. Doing this will lead to overdosing or severe side effects. 

3.   Whey Protein 

Whey is one of the best-studied supplements in the world, and for good reasons. 

It has excellent nutritional values and a vast range of health benefits. This is because whey protein is quickly consumed by the body and helps fill you up, which is excellent for weight loss and weight management. 

 Your body needs protein after an exercise session to help maintain muscle fibers and repair micro-tears during workouts. Whey protein is also so much more useful than simply helping you get the most out of your fitness exercises. 

 ●      It helps you build muscle mass and improve strength. This is why whey is so popular among athletes and bodybuilders.

●      Whey is satiating and keeps you full for longer resulting in fat loss.

●      It offers a complete profile of amino acids and is the best protein source, especially for vegetarians.

●      It helps boost your immune system by increasing the production of a certain type of white blood cell to protect the body from bacteria and viruses.

●      It aids in a quick recovery after intense exercise.

 Protein is a basic building block for your muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood. So if you are looking to build a superior, stronger, and leaner physique, consider investing in a high-quality whey protein. 

4.   BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids)

You may have heard a thing or two about BCAAs from your supplement-savvy gym partner. What’s the big fuss anyway, you ask? Branch Chain Amino Acids contain leucine, valine, and isoleucine, which play a vital role in protein synthesis and glucose uptake into your cells. 

BCAAs have gained enough popularity in the weights room to wager that of whey protein and are a must-have supplement for any serious sportsman. 

Amino acids supplements have important functions post workout to aid in muscle recovery and immune regulation and for overall healing, especially after sporting events. 

Other essential benefits include:

●      Help decrease muscle soreness after a workout.

●      Prevent muscle wasting or breakdown 

●      Delay fatigue during prolonged exercise 

●      Improve anaerobic performance when taken regularly

BCAAs are essential to any fitness program, and since your body does not produce them, it’s important to supplement them to provide the required benefits. 

5.   Caffeine

Caffeine, which can be found in coffee, tea, mate, and other products, is more than just a wake-up wonder! Its effects on energy go far beyond the buzz and can be an essential supplement in your fitness program. 

 Caffeine supplement is one of the most commonly used stimulants among athletes, and for good reasons. Caffeine can boost alertness and is linked to improvements in simple reaction time, training intensity, and volume. 

 It helps increase athletic performance, focus, and energy, especially for those who want to train hard. Other benefits include:

●      Increased endurance, especially during intense cardio workouts.

●      Boost in dopamine signals in the brain to reduce poor training/exercising performance.

●      Increased strength when taken an hour before training.

●      Boost fat burning during low-intensity exercises such as aerobics.

●      Decreases pain during resistance training.

●      Aids in recovery when taken after exercise.

However, taking caffeine can leave you dehydrated, hence crucial that you increase your water intake while using it. 

Final Thought 

Although fitness goals are best met with a nutritious diet, supplements can help you boost your routine and give you an upper hand in your training. Supplements make it much more efficient to get the necessary nutrients to lose weight, gain muscle, and achieve your overall fitness targets. 

 References: 

https://www.midwesthormonecenters.com/growth-hormone-mk-677/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/creatine-monohydrate-is-best#:~:text=Improves%20Exercise%20Performance%20Just%20as,7%20%2C%2013%20%2C%2014%20).

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/best-vitamins-to-take-daily

https://www.ibtimes.com/drinking-too-much-coffee-can-lead-dehydration-2803733

How to do a Mind Spa at Home

Independent submission by Liz Thomson, Health & Content Specialist

Have you wondered at some time of your day, that “I should get some relaxing time”? Get everything off the mind. De-stress and forget about all the pesky issues. Right now, you might think that going to a spa is a great way to do it.

But in this age of coronavirus looming at every nook and corner outside, it is better to avoid such services. You can get yourself a beautiful mind spa at your home too. Here are a few simple steps on how to do a mind spa at your home.

l Put On Some Music and Lights

The first thing you can do is to re-create a spa-like atmosphere. Get a playlist made of spa music, or your favorite music can do the work too. Whatever makes you feel comfortable and helps you to relax is your playlist. 

Switch on the ambient lights and switch off the bright lights. If you have fancy candles, you can use them too. Lovely smelling candles will do the job perfectly of creating a spa-like mood.

l Get Some Essence To Amp Up Your Mood

The most recognizable aspect of any spa is “the heavenly smell.” The beautiful essences take-over your mind and help to unwind. Get yourself a diffuser; it is beneficial in day to day life.

Lavender, sandalwood, cedarwood, or lemongrass essential oils are the perfect choice to lower your anxieties and stress.

l Clear Mind

Clearing the mind is easier said than done. Anxieties, stress, and overwhelming thoughts leading to depression are the most significant contributors to mental disorders.

You can also get yourself a medical marijuana card and buy some good medical weed from the marijuana dispensary. It is medically proven that medical marijuana can lower stress, anxiety, and depression.

l Give A Good Scrub To Your Body

Scrubbing your body will remove all the dirt, grime, and dead skin over the body. It will also help to stimulate healthy and glowing skin. You can use DIY body scrubs from your kitchen.

If you are lazy enough, body scrub of your favorite brand will do the job too. Apply scrub and gently not harshly massage your skin. Feel the blood rushing to your skin, making it supple and watch all the dirt that washes away.

l Perform Light Head Massage

Head massages are euphoric. Even a single head massage will eliminate your thoughts and will make you sleepy. Pour the right amount of coconut or almond oil over your head. Rub the scalp gently until you forget your worries.

l Mask Your Hair

Oils are an excellent mask for your hair. If you have already done a head massage and want more pampering – get yourself a lavish hair mask or a deep conditioner. Let your mane soak all the goodness.

l Master Simple Facial for Your Face

A home facial doesn’t need to be complicated or hard as you get one in your spa. For your face, you can follow a simple everyday routine. The best is a three-step face routine to cleanse, scrub, and mask your face with any desired product or DIY ingredient.

l Take A Satisfying Soak In Bathtub

Nothing beats like one satisfying dip in warm bathwater. You can add bath salts, bath bombs, flowers, and even milk like Cleopatra in your bathtub. Soak your body and feel all the pain, worries, and mind wrecking thoughts wash away.

 You can plug-in Mind Spa therapy to help your mind to undergo a deeply relaxed state. Let the mind and your body feel the comfort of your at-home spa treatment.

l Moisturize

The last but essential step is to moisturize your face and body. After a good spa day, you are always left with deeply moisturized skin. So don’t forget the moisturizing routine for healthy skin. Always drink water or calming chamomile tea to keep in all the hydration.

l Get Some Shut-Eye Time

After a luxurious time spent in self-care and pampering, if possible, take a good nap or sleep. Give your body and mind a well-deserved break. 

Takeaway

Self-care is one of the great ways to promote happiness. It is one of the sayings that you are essential and a well-deserved human being. Having a pure spa at home can work wonders on your mind and body.

Women less likely to receive pay for college internships

August 18, 2020

Science Daily Binghamton University

The odds of women receiving pay for a college internship are 34% lower than for men, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

A team of researchers led by Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Student Affairs Administration John Zilvinskis sought to find out whether women and other underserved groups were more or less likely to participate in paid or unpaid internships in college compared with their peers. They were prompted to examine this issue given that paid internships often lead to higher paying positions post-graduation and that women continue to earn less than men for the same position despite their level of education.

Using data from a 2018 experimental itemset of the National Survey of Student Engagement, the researchers examined the relationship between student identity and academic major to the outcome of receiving pay for an internship. Of the 2,410 seniors who participated in internships, 58% of men received pay during their internships, whereas only 35% of women received pay. After controlling for background and major, the odds of women receiving pay for their internship were almost 34% lower than for men.

"This finding aligns with general scholarship regarding inequity in compensation, and our findings demonstrate that discrepancies by gender can occur in the college internship process as well," said Zilvinskis.

Also contributing to this research from Binghamton University were Professor of Psychology Jennifer Gillis and Assistant Vice President for Student Success Kelli Smith.

"Although tremendous strides have been made for women in the workplace, we must continue to identify points of inequality," said Gillis.

To move toward equity in pay for college internships for female students, Smith recommends implicit bias training for those within university settings who advise students on career decision making, whether faculty or career advisors; having universities analyze and be transparent in sharing pay data disaggregated by gender; working with employers to ensure awareness; and providing educational sessions for students on internship seeking and salary negotiation.

"Since career advising and support is everyone's business within a university setting -- not just career centers -- it is important that all members directly serving students be informed of such findings to effect change," said Smith. "Career centers can play a leading role with both training for campus staff, faculty and employer partners, and designing relevant student educational content and programming."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818094024.htm

New study suggests ADHD- like behavior helps spur entrepreneurial activity

August 12, 2020

Science Daily University of Central Florida

Many people have experienced a few nights of bad sleep that resulted in shifting attention spans, impulsive tendencies and hyperactivity the next day -- all behaviors resembling ADHD. A new study found that this dynamic may also be linked to increased entrepreneurial behavior.

"We're not advocating depriving yourself of sleep to get ahead," said Jeff Gish, a professor of business at the University of Central Florida and co-author of the paper. "We're saying that there appears to be an interesting link between sleep and entrepreneurship. ADHD-like tendencies can be a benefit, rather than a hindrance in spurring ventures. But there is a potential downside. Even though sleep problems might lure an individual to an entrepreneurial career, if the sleep problems persist they can subsequently leave the individual without the cognitive and emotional competency to be an effective entrepreneur in-practice."

This paper suggests that sleep problems might nudge aspiring entrepreneurs to enter self-employment, but does not test the efficacy of subsequent venturing efforts.

Anecdotal information would appear to support the idea. According to multiple media reports, Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Cisco Systems CEO John T. Chambers, actor Jim Carrey and Hollywood personality Howie Mandel all have ADHD. They are recognized impresarios who have significantly impacted their industries.

The results of the study published today in the journal Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice complement previous research that links sleep deprivation with lower productivity, lethargy and the hindrance of the longer-term success by suggesting that unhealthy sleep may have a limited upside.

Although the findings may engender contrasts to recent work advocating for adequate sleep, the results may also "contribute to the de-stigmatization of individuals whose social or personal circumstances place healthy sleep out of reach, [contributing to] greater social acceptance of diversity in sleep patterns."

The authors reached their findings by conducting four distinct studies that connected the dots from sleep quality to temporary ADHD-like tendencies and then to entrepreneurial intentions.

Sleep Deprivation and ADHD-like Tendencies

The first study, an experiment with 350 participants, had them fill out pre-experiment surveys. The participants were asked about their sleep and ADHD tendencies in the past six months. Questions aimed to gauge ADHD-like tendencies included things like:

• How often do you have trouble wrapping up the fine details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?

·       How often do you have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?

To gauge entrepreneurial intention, they were asked about their intention to start or acquire a business in the next 5-10 years.

Then the group was split into two and they filled out additional surveys under two conditions. One group had an uninterrupted night of sleep and woke up the next day to fill out the survey, which asked questions about their sleep quality, ADHD-like tendencies and intent to start a new business.

The second group filled out a total of 10 surveys beginning at 10 pm one night and every hour on the hour until 7 am the following day. This was to elicit sleep deprivation.

The results provided experimental evidence for a causal relationship between sleep problems and ADHD-like tendencies. "Our results suggest that disrupted sleep may help nudge people toward acting on their entrepreneurial ideas rather than continuing to ponder them," said Brian Gunia, a coauthor and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

Sleep, ADHD-like Tendencies, and Entrepreneurial Intentions: Studies 2-3

About 300 people filled out surveys that measured entrepreneurial intentions, followed by measures of ADHD-like tendencies, and sleep problems. Finally, they completed some demographic questions. The results were similar.

Poor sleep quality was associated with heightened ADHD-like tendencies, which was associated with heightened entrepreneurial intentions; poor sleep quality was also directly associated with heightened entrepreneurial intentions.

Extension to Practicing Entrepreneurs: Study 4

The previous studies looked at general populations, but the researchers wanted to see whether their predictions extended to practicing entrepreneurs. So, they surveyed a multi-national panel of 176 practicing entrepreneurs recruited from a mailing list maintained by a business planning software company on the U.S. West Coast. The participants in this group on average were 43 years-old, had started about two businesses and had been self-employed for at least seven years. Slightly more than half were men. They had the participants fill out similar surveys on sleep, ADHD behavior and their intent to start another business.

The results: Impermanent sleep problems elicit ADHD-like tendencies and can spur on entrepreneurial intent even among practicing entrepreneurs.

"We were surprised that sleep problems so consistently influenced the entrepreneurial intentions of people who know the challenges of starting a business," says Brian C. Gunia, an associate professor at John Hopkins University's Carey Business School and co-author of the paper.

The paper concludes by saying that we need to carefully weigh the costs and benefits of sleep problems. On the one hand, they may nudge people toward entrepreneurship. On the other, they may undermine entrepreneurial performance if they continue unabated.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812164926.htm

Yoga linked with improved symptoms in heart patients

August 24, 2020

Science Daily/European Society of Cardiology

Yoga postures and breathing could help patients with atrial fibrillation manage their symptoms, according to new research. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder. One in four middle-aged adults in Europe and the US will develop the condition, which causes 20-30% of all strokes and increases the risk of death by 1.5-fold in men and 2-fold in women.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder. One in four middle-aged adults in Europe and the US will develop the condition, which causes 20-30% of all strokes and increases the risk of death by 1.5-fold in men and 2-fold in women. Reduced quality of life is common, and 10-40% of patients are hospitalised each year.

Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include palpitations, racing or irregular pulse, shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain and dizziness.

"The symptoms of atrial fibrillation can be distressing. They come and go, causing many patients to feel anxious and limiting their ability to live a normal life," said study author Dr. Naresh Sen of HG SMS Hospital, Jaipur, India.

This study investigated whether yoga could ease symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation. The study enrolled 538 patients in 2012 to 2017. Patients served as their own controls. For 12 weeks they did no yoga, then for 16 weeks patients attended 30-minute yoga sessions every other day which included postures and breathing. During the yoga period, patients were also encouraged to practice the movements and breathing at home on a daily basis.

During both study periods, symptoms and episodes of atrial fibrillation were recorded in a diary. Some patients also wore a heart monitor to verify atrial fibrillation episodes. Patients completed an anxiety and depression survey3 and a questionnaire4 assessing their ability to do daily activities and socialise, energy levels and mood. Heart rate and blood pressure were also measured. The researchers then compared outcomes between the yoga and non-yoga periods.

During the 16-week yoga period, patients experienced significant improvements in all areas compared to the 12-week non-yoga period. For example, during the non-yoga period, patients experienced an average of 15 symptomatic episodes of atrial fibrillation compared to eight episodes during the yoga period. Average blood pressure was 11/6 mmHg lower after yoga training.

Dr. Sen said: "Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation and could be added on top of usual therapies."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200824092010.htm

Yoga shown to improve anxiety

August 12, 2020

Science Daily/NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine

Yoga improves symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, a condition with chronic nervousness and worry, suggesting the popular practice may be helpful in treating anxiety in some people.

Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a new study found that yoga was significantly more effective for generalized anxiety disorder than standard education on stress management, but not effective as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the gold standard form of structured talk therapy that helps patients identify negative thinking for better responses to challenges.

"Generalized anxiety disorder is a very common condition, yet many are not willing or able to access evidence-based treatments," says lead study author Naomi M. Simon, MD, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health. "Our findings demonstrate that yoga, which is safe and widely available, can improve symptoms for some people with this disorder and could be a valuable tool in an overall treatment plan."

For the study, publishing online Aug. 12 in JAMA Psychiatry, 226 men and women with generalized anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to three groups -- either CBT, Kundalini yoga, or stress-management education, a standardized control technique.

After three months, both CBT and yoga were found to be significantly more effective for anxiety than stress management. Specifically, 54 percent of those who practiced yoga met response criteria for meaningfully improved symptoms compared to 33 percent in the stress-education group. Of those treated with CBT, 71 percent met these symptom improvement criteria.

However, after six months of follow-up, the CBT response remained significantly better than stress education (the control therapy), while yoga was no longer significantly better, suggesting CBT may have more robust, longer-lasting anxiety-reducing effects.

Study Details

The study involved an evidence-based protocol for CBT treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, including psychoeducation, cognitive interventions (focused on identifying and adapting maladaptive thoughts and worrying), and muscle relaxation techniques.

Kundalini yoga included physical postures, breathing techniques, relaxation exercises, yoga theory, and meditation/mindfulness practice.

The stress-management education control group received lectures about the physiological, psychological and medical effects of stress, as well as the antianxiety effects of lifestyle behaviors, such as reducing alcohol and smoking, and the importance of exercise and a healthy diet. Homework consisted of listening to educational material about stress, nutrition, and lifestyle.

Each treatment was administered in groups of three to six participants, over weekly two-hour sessions for 12 weeks with 20 minutes of daily homework assigned.

Can Yoga Help Treat Anxiety?

According to researchers, generalized anxiety disorder is a common, impairing, and undertreated condition, currently affecting an estimated 6.8 million Americans. While most people feel anxious from time to time, it is considered a disorder when worrying becomes excessive and interferes with day-to-day life. CBT is considered the gold standard first-line treatment. Medications, including antidepressants and sometimes benzodiazepines, may also be used. Yet, not everyone is willing to take medication which can have adverse side effects and there are challenges with accessing CBT for many, including lack of access to trained therapists and long waitlists.

"Many people already seek complementary and alternative interventions, including yoga, to treat anxiety," says Dr. Simon. "This study suggests that at least short-term there is significant value for people with generalized anxiety disorder to give yoga a try to see if it works for them. Yoga is well-tolerated, easily accessible, and has a number of health benefits."

According to Dr. Simon, future research should aim to understand who is most likely to benefit from yoga for generalized anxiety disorder to help providers better personalize treatment recommendations.

"We need more options to treat anxiety because different people will respond to different interventions, and having more options can help overcome barriers to care," she says. "Having a range of effective treatments can increase the likelihood people with anxiety will be willing to engage in evidence-based care."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812144124.htm

Meditation-relaxation therapy may offer escape from the terror of sleep paralysis

August 12, 2020

Science Daily/University of Cambridge

Sleep paralysis -- a condition thought to explain a number of mysterious experiences including alleged cases of alien abduction and demonic night-time visits -- could be treated using a technique of meditation-relaxation, suggests a pilot study published today.

Sleep paralysis is a state involving paralysis of the skeletal muscles that occurs at the onset of sleep or just before waking. While temporarily immobilised, the individual is acutely aware of their surroundings. People who experience the phenomenon often report being terrorised by dangerous bedroom intruders, often reaching for supernatural explanations such as ghosts, demons and even alien abduction. Unsurprisingly, it can be a terrifying experience.

As many as one in five people experiences sleep paralysis, which may be triggered by sleep deprivation, and is more frequent in psychiatric conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also common in narcolepsy, a sleep disorder involving excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden loss of muscle control.

Despite the condition being known about for some time, to date there are no empirically-based treatments or published clinical trials for the condition.

Today, in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, a team of researchers report a pilot study of meditation-relaxation therapy involving 10 patients with narcolepsy, all of whom experience sleep paralysis.

The therapy was originally developed by Dr Baland Jalal from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge. The current study was led by Dr Jalal and conducted in collaboration with Dr Giuseppe Plazzi's group at the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna/IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Italy.

The therapy teaches patients to follow four steps during an episode:

1. Reappraisal of the meaning of the attack -- reminding themselves that the experience is common, benign, and temporary, and that the hallucinations are a typical by-product of dreaming

2. Psychological and emotional distancing -- reminding themselves that there is no reason to be afraid or worried and that fear and worry will only make the episode worse

3. Inward focused-attention meditation -- focusing their attention inward on an emotionally-involving, positive object (such as a memory of a loved one or event, a hymn/prayer, God)

4. Muscle relaxation -- relaxing their muscles, avoiding controlling their breathing and under no circumstances attempting to move

Participants were instructed to keep a daily journal for four weeks to assess sleep paralysis occurrence, duration and emotions. Overall, among the 10 patients, two-thirds of cases (66%) reported hallucinations, often upon awakening from sleep (51%), and less frequently upon falling asleep (14%) as rated during the first four weeks.

After the four weeks, six participants completed mood/anxiety questionnaires and were taught the therapy techniques and instructed to rehearse these during ordinary wakefulness, twice a week for 15 min. The treatment lasted eight weeks.

In the first four weeks of the study, participants in the meditation-relaxation group experienced sleep paralysis on average 14 times over 11 days. The reported disturbance caused by their sleep paralysis hallucinations was 7.3 (rated on a ten-point scale with higher scores indicating greater severity).

In the final month of the therapy, the number of days with sleep paralysis fell to 5.5 (down 50%) and the total number of episodes fell to 6.5 (down 54%). There was also a notable tendency towards reductions in the disturbance caused by hallucinations with ratings dropping from 7.3 to 4.8.

A control group of four participants followed the same procedure, except participants engaged in deep breathing instead of the therapy -- taking slow deep breaths, while repeatedly counting from one to ten.

In the control group, the number of days with sleep paralysis (4.3 per month at the start) was unchanged, as well as their total number of episodes (4.5 per month initially). The disturbance caused by hallucinations was likewise unchanged (rated 4 during the first four weeks).

"Although our study only involved a small number of patients, we can be cautiously optimistic of its success," said Dr Jalal. "Meditation-relaxation therapy led to a dramatic fall in the number of times patients experienced sleep paralysis, and when they did, they tended to find the notoriously terrorising hallucinations less disturbing. Experiencing less of something as disturbing as sleep paralysis is a step in the right direction."

If the researchers are able to replicate their findings in a larger number of people -- including those from the general population, not affected by narcolepsy -- then this could offer a relatively simple treatment that could be delivered online or via a smartphone to help patients cope with the condition.

"I know first-hand how terrifying sleep paralysis can be, having experienced it many times myself," said Dr Jalal. "But for some people, the fear that it can instil in them can be extremely unpleasant, and going to bed, which should be a relaxing experience, can become fraught with terror. This is what motivated me to devise this intervention."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812094900.htm

Deep chest compressions can prevent brain damage during cardiac arrest

August 24, 2020

Science Daily/European Society of Cardiology

Deep chest compressions can crack ribs, but they reduce brain damage during cardiac arrest, reports a study presented today at ESC Congress 2020.

Study author Dr. Irene Marco Clement of University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain said: "Deep chest compressions improve blood flow to the brain, improving survival and brain function."

CPR guidelines are updated every five years and are used to train health professionals and members of the public. The 2010 recommendation for deeper chest compressions generated concerns over the possibility of increasing CPR-related injuries.

This study examined the impact of this advice on neurological outcomes in survivors of cardiac arrest. It also assessed the rate of CPR-related injuries and their association with prognosis.

The study limited participation to comatose survivors of cardiac arrest, since they would have received prolonged resuscitation. In contrast, survivors who regain consciousness have generally received an immediate electric shock and brief chest compressions to restore circulation. "We wanted to analyse the effect of deep chest compressions during prolonged resuscitation, when they could make a real difference to outcomes," said Dr. Marco Clement.

In 2006 to 2020, the study enrolled consecutive patients admitted to an acute cardiac care unit after a cardiac arrest in hospital or in the community. Patients were divided into three groups corresponding to updates of the CPR guidelines: 2006-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2020.

The study included 510 patients who survived cardiac arrest and were admitted to hospital while unconscious. The average age was 63 years and 81% were men. CPR by lay bystanders and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) progressively increased over the study period.

After 2010, there was a higher proportion of CPR-related injuries: 12.7% in 2006-2010, 23.5% in 2011-2015, 22.7% in 2016-2020 (p=0.02). Just over half of patients survived and were discharged from the hospital (51.6%). Brain performance at three months significantly increased over the course of the study (i.e. it was highest in the 2016-2020 group).

Patients with CPR-related injuries were more likely to have better brain performance. Nearly two-thirds (65.1%) of patients with injuries had high brain function compared to 43.2% without injuries (p<0.01). The most common injuries were rib or sternal fractures.

"Survival and neurological outcome improved significantly during the 14-year study," said Dr. Marco Clement. "Members of the public increasingly came to the rescue with CPR and there was greater use of AEDs. Injuries from CPR rose, but these patients were less likely to have brain damage."

She noted that lay people have been reluctant to do CPR during the COVID-19 pandemic due to fear of infection. She said: "Personal safety always comes first, and resuscitators should only do what they feel comfortable with. If you are concerned about possible contagion, you could omit mouth-to-mouth breaths: chest compressions alone may be as effective as conventional CPR."

How to improve survival and prevent brain damage from cardiac arrest

* Ask a bystander to call emergency services and find an AED.

* Start deep chest compressions immediately.

* Do not delay CPR by trying to find a pulse.

Study pinpoints five most likely causes of post-traumatic stress in police officers

August 11, 2020

NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine

A combination of genetic and emotional differences may lead to post-traumatic stress (PTS) in police officers, a new study finds.

Based on biological studies of officers in major cities, the study showed that the most significant PTS predictors are the tendency to startle at sudden sounds, early career displays of mental health symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression), and certain genetic differences, including some known to influence a person's immune system.

"If we can identify major risk factors that cause PTS and treat them before they have the chance to develop into full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, we can improve the quality of life for police officers and perhaps other emergency responders, and better help them deal with the stressors of their work," says senior study author Charles Marmar, MD, the Lucius N. Littauer Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Publishing online Aug. 10 in the journal Translational Psychiatry, the study authors employed a mathematical computer program developed by scientists at NYU Langone Health and the University of Minnesota. They used a combination of statistical analyses to test which of a large number of features linked by past studies to PTSD were the best at predicting its occurrence in police officers.

Some of this winnowing that determined the best predictors was accomplished using machine learning, mathematical models trained with data to find patterns. These algorithms enabled researchers to track how experiences, situations, and characteristics may have interacted over time to lead to PTS symptoms, and represent the first use of such techniques in PTS research in police officers, the authors say.

"Based on these techniques, our study identified specific causes of PTS, rather than possible links," says Marmar, also chair of the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone.

He adds that the need for better information is urgent. An estimated eight out of every 100 people experience PTS in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Police officers are particularly vulnerable, he says, facing an average of three traumatic experiences for every sixth months of service. Common symptoms include nightmares, aggression, and distressing flashbacks of the traumatic event, which can lead to poor sleep, anxiety, depression, and increased risk of suicide.

In the new study, the investigators analyzed data collected on 207 police officers from departments in New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose who had PTS. All officers had experienced at least one life-threatening event during their first year on the job.

Using the computer program, the investigators searched for patterns in 148 different characteristics previously thought to be involved in PTS. They mapped out 83 different possible combinations of factors, or pathways, which could have influenced the officers as they developed the condition.

Then, they identified factors which appeared most frequently, and found that every pathway to PTS shared one of five causes. Besides the tendency to startle easily, severe distress following a traumatic experience, and a set of emotional health problems, such as anxiety and depression, played a key role in PTS. Genetic causes included mutations in the HDC gene, which is linked to problems in the immune system and mutations in the MR gene, which is involved in the body's immediate reaction to threats, known as the fight-or-flight response. If all five factors were eliminated, researchers say, the officers would not be expected to develop PTS.

"Because the factors we identified are causal, they should be actionable as well," says lead study investigator Glenn Saxe, MD, a professor in NYU Langone's Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Several of the causal factors we identified -- the HDC gene, the MR gene, and the startle response -- point to well-mapped nerve circuits, which should allow us to find drugs and behavioral therapies that might help. Down the road, we see the possibility of using information collected from patients about causal factors to select the interventions that would provide the most benefit to them."

Saxe says other future interventions might target factors that may not cause PTS on their own, but frequently contribute to its development. For example, the study found that difficulty adjusting to work contributed to PTS development in 60 percent of the causal pathways. Therefore, a straightforward solution, like giving more support to new police officers who are having difficulty adjusting to police work, may reduce their risk of getting PTS, according to Saxe.

Moving forward, the researchers plan to apply the same algorithm technique in a much larger group of traumatized adults and children, focusing on a more extensive set of characteristics and experience

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200810213211.htm

Half of parents report butting heads with child's grandparent over parenting

August 17, 2020

Science Daily/Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Nearly half of parents describe disagreements with one or more grandparent about their parenting, with one in seven going so far as to limit the amount of time their child sees certain grandparents.

Cookies for breakfast, staying up late and maybe a little more TV than usual.

For some families, what happens at grandma's house stays at grandma's house.

But for others, clashes over parenting choices and enforcing parents' rules can cause major strife between a child's parents and grandparents, a national poll suggests.

Nearly half of parents describe disagreements with one or more grandparent about their parenting, with one in seven going so far as to limit the amount of time their child sees certain grandparents, finds the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at Michigan Medicine.

Disputes most commonly involve discipline (57 %), meals (44 %), and TV/screen time (36 %.) Other thorny subjects: manners, safety and health, bedtime, treating some grandchildren differently than others and sharing photos or information on social media.

"Grandparents play a special role in children's lives and can be an important resource for parents through support, advice and babysitting. But they may have different ideas about the best way to raise the child and that can cause tension," says Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark.

"If grandparents contradict or interfere with parenting choices, it can have a serious strain on the relationship."

The nationally representative survey is based on 2,016 responses from parents of children ages 18 and under.

Discipline was the biggest source of contention. Among parents who report major or minor disagreements, 40% say grandparents are too soft on the child, and 14% say grandparents are too tough.

Nearly half of parents say disagreements arise from grandparents being both too lenient and overly harsh.

"Parents may feel that their parental authority is undermined when grandparents are too lenient in allowing children to do things that are against family rules, or when grandparents are too strict in forbidding children to do things that parents have okayed," Clark says.

Some disagreements may stem from intergenerational differences, Clark says. For example, grandparents may insist that "the way we used to do things" is the correct way to parent. New research and recommendations on child health and safety may also lead to disagreements if grandparents refuse to put babies to sleep on their back or do not use a booster seat when driving grandchildren to preschool.

In many cases, parents have tried to get grandparents to be more respectful of their parenting choices and household rules. These requests have mixed results: while about half of grandparents made a noticeable change in their behavior to be more consistent with how parents do things, 17 % outright objected.

"Whether grandparents cooperated with a request or not was strongly linked to parents' description of disagreements as major or minor," Clark says. "The bigger the conflict, the less likely grandparents were to budge."

Parents who said that grandparents refused such a request were also more likely to put limits on the amount of time their child spent with them.

"Parents who reported major disagreements with grandparents were also likely to feel that the conflicts had a negative impact on the relationship between the child and the grandparent," Clark says.

"These findings indicate that grandparents should strive to understand and comply with parent requests to be more consistent with parenting choices -- not only to support parents in the difficult job of raising children, but to avoid escalating the conflict to the point that they risk losing special time with grandchildren."

Further information: http://mottpoll.org/reports/when-parents-and-grandparents-disagree

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200817104303.htm

Pregnant mother's immunity tied to behavioral, emotional challenges for kids with autism

Study finds that male offspring are at higher risk to maternal immunity activation

August 14, 2020

Science Daily/University of California - Davis Health

Children with autism born to mothers who had immune conditions during their pregnancy are more likely to have behavioral and emotional problems, a UC Davis Health study has found. The study examined maternal immune history as a predictor of symptoms in children with autism.

"We tested the ability of maternal immune history to predict ASD symptoms and the possible role that the sex of the offspring plays," said Paul Ashwood, professor of microbiology and immunology and faculty member at the UC Davis MIND Institute.

Published Aug. 14 in Translational Psychiatry, the study found that offspring sex may interact with maternal immune conditions to influence outcomes, particularly in terms of a child's cognition.

Maternal immunity conditions and autism

Maternal immune conditions are caused by a dysfunction of the mother's immune system. They include allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, autoinflammatory syndromes and immunological deficiency syndromes. Previous studies have shown that maternal immune conditions are more prevalent in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The researchers enrolled 363 mothers and their children (252 males and 111 females) from the Autism Phenome Project (APP) and Girls with Autism Imaging of Neurodevelopment (GAIN) study at the UC Davis MIND Institute. The median age of the children was three years.

The researchers measured the children's autism severity and assessed a set of behavioral and emotional problems such as aggression and anxiety. They also measured the children's development and cognitive functioning.

The study found that around 27% of the mothers had immune conditions during their pregnancy. Of these mothers, 64% reported a history of asthma, the most common immune condition. Other frequent conditions included Hashimoto's thyroiditis (hypothyroidism), Raynaud's disease (blood circulation disease), alopecia (hair loss), psoriasis (skin disease) and rheumatoid arthritis (joint tissue inflammation).

The study also found that maternal immune conditions are associated with increased behavioral and emotional problems but not reduced cognitive functioning in children with autism.

Does the sex of the offspring interact with the influence of maternal immune conditions on autism symptoms?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ASD is four times more common among boys than among girls.

"Our study explored whether offspring sex interacts with the presence of maternal immune conditions to influence behavioral outcomes in children," said Ashwood. "Maternal immune conditions may be one environmental factor which contributes to the higher male prevalence seen in ASD."

The study found that a history of maternal immune conditions was more common in male children with ASD (31%) compared to female (18%). Specifically, asthma was twice as common in mothers of male children with ASD than in mothers of female children with ASD.

The study also showed that in cases of ASD where maternal immune conditions are present, female offspring are less likely to be susceptible to adverse cognitive outcomes in response to maternal inflammation than male offspring.

"This critical finding links offspring sex and maternal immune conditions to autism," said Ashwood. "It provides more evidence that male offspring are at higher risk of adverse outcomes due to maternal immunity activation compared to female offspring."

Future studies would include identifying the type, severity and gestational timing of immune conditions, and then examining offspring outcomes over time.

Co-authors on this study are Brianna Heath, Christine Nordahl and Sally Rogers in the department of psychiatry at UC Davis and at the UC Davis MIND Institute, Destanie Rose in the department of medical microbiology and immunology and at the UC Davis MIND Institute, Shrujna Patel, Russell Dale and Adam Guastella in the Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School at the University of Sydney.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200814163307.htm

Excess weight among pregnant women may interfere with child's developing brain

August 11, 2020

Science Daily/NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine

Obesity in expectant mothers may hinder the development of the babies' brains as early as the second trimester, a new study finds.

Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the investigation linked high body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity, to changes in two brain areas, the prefrontal cortex and anterior insula. These regions play a key role in decision-making and behavior, with disruptions having previously been linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and overeating.

In their new study, publishing online August 11 in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the investigators examined 197 groups of metabolically active nerve cells in the fetal brain. Using millions of computations, the study authors divided the groups into 16 meaningful subgroups based on over 19,000 possible connections between the groups of neurons. They found only two areas of the brain where their connections to each other were statistically strongly linked to the mother's BMI.

"Our findings affirm that a mother's obesity may play a role in fetal brain development, which might explain some of the cognitive and metabolic health concerns seen in children born to mothers with higher BMI," says Moriah Thomason, PhD, the Barakett Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health.

As obesity rates continue to soar in the United States, it is more important than ever to understand how the condition may impact early brain development, says Thomason, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone.

Previous studies showing an association between obesity and brain development had mostly looked at cognitive function in children after birth. The new investigation is believed to be the first to measure changes in fetal brain activity in the womb, and as early as six months into pregnancy.

Thomason says this approach was designed to eliminate the potential influence of breast feeding and other environmental factors occurring after birth and to examine the earliest origins of negative effects of maternal BMI on the developing child's brain.

For the investigation, the research team recruited 109 women with BMIs ranging from 25 to 47. (According to the National Institutes of Health, women are considered "overweight" if they have a BMI of 25 or higher and are "obese" if their BMI is 30 and higher.) The women were all between six and nine months' pregnant.

The research team used MRI imaging to measure fetal brain activity and map patterns of communication between large numbers of brain cells clustered together in different regions of the brain. Then, they compared the study participants to identify differences in how groups of neurons communicate with each other based on BMI.

The investigators caution that their study was not designed to draw a direct line between the differences they found and ultimate cognitive or behavioral problems in children. The study only looked at fetal brain activity. But, Thomason says, they now plan to follow the participants' children over time to determine whether the brain activity changes lead to ADHD, behavioral issues, and other health risks.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200811120149.htm

Prenatal depression can alter child's brain connectivity, affect behavior

Weakened brain connections may mediate prenatal depression's influence on child behavior

August 10, 2020

Science Daily/Society for Neuroscience

Altered brain connectivity may be one way prenatal depression influences child behavior, according to new research in JNeurosci.

Up to one fifth of women experience depression symptoms during pregnancy, with unknown effects on the fetus. Prenatal depression is correlated with behavioral and developmental issues in the child, as well as an increased risk of developing depression at age 18. But how prenatal depression leads to these changes remains unclear.

Hay et al. studied 54 mother/child pairs. Mothers answered a survey about their depression symptoms at several points during their pregnancy. The research team employed diffusion MRI, an imaging technique that reveals the strength of structural connections between brain regions, to examine the children's white matter.

Greater prenatal depression symptoms were associated with weaker white matter connections between brain regions involved in emotional processing. This change could lead to dysregulated emotional states in the children and may explain why the children of depressed mothers have a higher risk of developing depression themselves. The weakened white matter was associated with increased aggression and hyperactivity in the male children. These findings highlight the need for better prenatal care to recognize and treat prenatal depression in order to support the mother and the child's development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200810141012.htm

Miscarriage risk increases each week alcohol is used in early pregnancy

August 10, 2020

Science Daily/Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Each week a woman consumes alcohol during the first five to 10 weeks of pregnancy is associated with an incremental 8% increase in risk of miscarriage, according to a study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) researchers.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, examine the timing, amount and type of alcohol use during pregnancy and how these factors relate to miscarriage risk before 20 weeks' gestation.

Impact of alcohol use rises through the ninth week of pregnancy, and risk accrues regardless of whether a woman reported having fewer than one drink or more than four drinks each week. Risk is also independent of the type of alcohol consumed and whether the woman had episodes of binge drinking.

Though most women change their alcohol use after a positive pregnancy test, consuming alcohol before recognizing a pregnancy is common among both those with a planned or unintended pregnancy. Half of the 5,353 women included in the analysis reported alcohol use around conception and during the first weeks of pregnancy.

The median gestational age for stopping alcohol use was 29 days. Although 41% of women who changed their use did so within three days of a positive pregnancy test, those who stopped consumption near their missed period had a 37% greater risk of miscarriage compared to women who did not use alcohol.

"Abstaining from alcohol around conception or during pregnancy has long been advised for many reasons, including preventing fetal alcohol syndrome. Nonetheless, modest levels of consumption are often seen as likely to be safe," said Katherine Hartmann, MD, PhD, vice president for Research Integration at VUMC and principal investigator for the Right from the Start cohort, from which participants were enrolled in the study.

"For this reason, our findings are alarming. Levels of use that women, and some care providers, may believe are responsible are harmful, and no amount can be suggested as safe regarding pregnancy loss."

According to the researchers, one in six recognized pregnancies ends in miscarriage, which brings great emotional cost and leaves unanswered questions about why the miscarriage occurred.

Biologically, little is known about how alcohol causes harm during early pregnancy, but it may increase miscarriage risk by modifying hormone patterns, altering the quality of implantation, increasing oxidative stress or impairing key pathways.

Because alcohol use is most common in the first weeks -- when the embryo develops most rapidly and lays down the pattern for organ development -- understanding how timing relates to risk matters.

Risk did not peak in patterns related to alcohol use in specific phases of embryonic development, and there was no evidence that a cumulative "dose" of alcohol contributed to level of risk.

The study recruited women planning a pregnancy or in early pregnancy from eight metropolitan areas in Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas. Participants were interviewed during the first trimester about their alcohol use in a four-month window.

"Combining the facts that the cohort is large, comes from diverse communities, captures data early in pregnancy and applies more advanced analytic techniques than prior studies, we're confident we've raised important concerns," said Alex Sundermann, MD, PhD, the study's first author and recent graduate of the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program.

To avoid increased risk of miscarriage, the researchers emphasize the importance of using home pregnancy tests, which can reliably detect pregnancy before a missed period, and ceasing alcohol use when planning a pregnancy or when pregnancy is possible.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200810102430.htm

Persistence of ADHD into adulthood is an important predictor of car crash risk

August 18, 2020

Science Daily/Elsevier

A new study reports that the risk of being involved in car crashes increases for those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, looked specifically at the rate of car crashes by adulthood, which was 1.45 times higher in those with a childhood history of ADHD compared to adults with no ADHD.

The authors also found that children whose ADHD symptoms have decreased by adulthood have no increased risk for car crashes.

Lead author Arunima Roy, MBBS, PhD, and research fellow at the Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa said: "ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. Between 5 percent and 75 percent of children with ADHD can continue to have the disorder into adulthood. Extant research shows that ADHD is associated with more traffic violations, speeding violations, license suspensions, and risky driving behaviors.

"The likelihood of risky driving behavior increases with persistence of childhood ADHD symptoms into adulthood. Prior research from our group as well as by others also shows that, aside from driving behaviors, a persistence of ADHD into adulthood can impair functioning in other domains. These domains can include occupational performance, educational attainment, emotional functioning, substance use, and justice involvement."

The findings, based on the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD, a multisite study with six centers in the United States and one in Canada. The MTA is one of the largest studies on treatment strategies for ADHD and include a follow-up arm spanning 16 years.

A cohort of 441 children with ADHD and 231 age- and sex-matched comparison children without ADHD from the same classrooms were studied between the ages of 7 and 25 years.

The researchers tracked data on ADHD symptoms, driving outcomes as well as a number of comorbid conditions, such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and substance use during childhood and into adulthood.

The researchers found that rates of licensure and ages at licensure were comparable between adults with and without a history of ADHD. However, the two groups differed in rates of car crash involvement by adulthood. Importantly, adults with continuing ADHD symptoms had the highest rate of car crash involvement compared to adults with no history of ADHD (1.81 times higher). Finally, rates of car crashes did not differ between adults whose ADHD symptoms remitted and adults who never had any ADHD.

"Clinicians must keep in mind the long-term effects of childhood ADHD on quality of life while attending to patients and take a holistic approach to treatment and management," Dr. Roy concluded.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818142135.htm

Teens' social media use does not raise risk for depression

August 12, 2020

Science Daily/Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

Contrary to popular wisdom, daily social media use is not a strong or consistent risk factor for depressive symptoms among adolescents, according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health researchers. The results are published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

"Increasingly, teenagers are active on social media, particularly during the pandemic, as they have to rely on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms to stay in touch with friends," says first author Noah Kreski, MPH, who conducted the research as a practicum project as a Columbia Mailman School student and currently works as a data analyst in the Department of Epidemiology. "While some adults have voiced concerns over the potential mental health risks of this behavior, our research finds no compelling evidence to suggest that social media use meaningfully increases adolescents' risk of depressive symptoms."

The researchers analyzed survey data collected by Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of Americans from adolescence through adulthood, representing 74,472 8th and 10th grade students between 2009 to 2017. They assessed depressive symptoms to establish underlying depression risk, which they controlled for in their analysis to understand how daily social media use might contribute to depression.

Daily social media use among 8th and 10th grade students increased from 61 percent to 89 percent among girls, and from 46 percent to 75 percent among boys, from 2009 to 2017. Daily social media use was not associated with depressive symptoms after accounting for the fact that the adolescents who frequently use social media have worse mental health to begin with. However, among girls who had the lowest risk for depressive symptoms, daily social media use was weakly associated with symptoms, though due to low risk, the overall prevalence of symptoms in that group was small. Among boys, daily social media use was not linked to increased depressive symptoms, and some evidence suggested that daily social media use may actually be protective against depression.

"Daily social media use does not capture the diverse ways in which adolescents use social media, which may be both positive and negative depending on the social context," says senior author Katherine Keyes, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School. "Future research could explore the specific behaviors and experiences of young people using social media, as well as more frequent engagement with the various platforms."

Background on Adolescent Depression and Social Media Use

After almost 50 years of stability, recent evidence has indicated unprecedented increases in adolescent depression, depressive symptoms, and suicidal behavior, particularly among girls. There has been widespread speculation that increasing use of smartphones and social media has contributed to these trends. Proponents of this hypothesis note that adolescents are increasingly isolated from face-to-face interaction, experience cyber-bullying, and face challenges to self-esteem and self-worth through curated online images of peers. On the other hand, social media is often a positive outlet, and its use may have positive effects on adolescent self-esteem. Social networking sites provide a space for content that is positive or humorous, particularly valuable to adolescents who are depressed. Many young people seek out support and advice on social media, particularly those with moderate to severe depressive symptoms.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812094844.htm

Schooling is critical for cognitive health throughout life

August 10, 2020

Science Daily/Association for Psychological Science

New research suggests that education provides little to no protection against the onset of cognitive declines later in life. It can, however, boost the cognitive skills people develop earlier in life, pushing back the point at which age-related dementia begins to impact a person's ability to care for themselves.

Investing time in education in childhood and early adulthood expands career opportunities and provides progressively higher salaries. It also conveys certain benefits to health and longevity.

A new analysis published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest (PSPI), however, reveals that even though a more extensive formal education forestalls the more obvious signs of age-related cognitive deficits, it does not lessen the rate of aging-related cognitive declines. Instead, people who have gone further in school attain, on average, a higher level of cognitive function in early and middle adult adulthood, so the initial effects of cognitive aging are initially less obvious and the most severe impairments manifest later than they otherwise would have.

"The total amount of formal education that people receive is related to their average levels of cognitive functioning throughout adulthood," said Elliot M. Tucker-Drob, a researcher with the University of Texas, Austin, and coauthor on the paper. "However, it is not appreciably related to their rates of aging-related cognitive declines."

This conclusion refutes the long-standing hypothesis that formal education in childhood through early adulthood meaningfully protects against cognitive aging. Instead, the authors conclude that individuals who have gone further in school tend to decline from a higher peak level of cognitive function. They therefore can experience a longer period of cognitive impairment before dropping below what the authors refer to as a "functional threshold," the point where cognitive decline becomes so obvious that it interferes with daily activities.

"Individuals vary in their rates of aging-related cognitive declines, but these individual differences are not appreciably related to educational attainment," notes lead author Martin Lövdén, formerly with the Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University in Sweden and now with the University of Gothenburg.

For their study, the researchers examined data from dozens of prior meta-analyses and cohort studies conducted over the past two decades. The new PSPI report evaluates the conclusions from these past studies to better understand how educational attainment affects both the levels of and changes in cognitive function in aging and dementia.

Although some uncertainties remain after their analysis, the authors note, a broader picture of how education relates to cognitive aging is emerging quite clearly. Throughout adulthood, cognitive function in individuals with more years of schooling is, on average, higher than cognitive function in those with fewer years of schooling.

This review highlights the importance of formal education for cognitive development over the course of childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. According to the researchers, childhood education has important implications for the well-being of individuals and societies not just during the years of employment, but throughout life, including old age. "This message may be particularly relevant as governments decide if, when, and how to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such decisions could have consequences for many decades to come," said Tucker-Drob.

The authors conclude that improving the conditions that shape development during the first decades of life carries great potential for improving cognitive ability in early adulthood and for reducing public-health burdens related to cognitive aging and dementia.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200810145450.htm