Parental depression is associated with worse childhood mental health, educational attainment

Parental depression is a bigger risk factor if it occurs during a child's lifetime

November 17, 2021

Science Daily/PLOS

Children who live with a parent who has depression are more likely to develop depression and to not achieve educational milestones, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sinead Brophy of Swansea University, UK, and colleagues.

Maternal depression is a known risk factor for depression in children and is associated with a range of adverse child health and educational outcomes including poorer academic attainment. To date, however, risk factors associated with paternal depression have been less well examined. Understanding the effects of timing of both maternal and paternal depression of offspring outcomes has implications for prevention and early intervention.

In the new study, Brophy and colleagues used data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) databank assembled as part of the Born in Wales Study funded by the Welsh Government. Information on children born in Wales from 1987 to 2018, as well as their mothers and fathers -- or stable, adult male figure in the same household -- was used in the study. Both parental and child diagnosis of depression was attained from general practitioner records in the SAIL databank.

Overall, 34.5% of mothers and 18% of fathers/stable men had a diagnosis of depression. In offspring, 4.34% of all children, 2.85% of boys, and 5.89% of girls were diagnosed with depression. Children were more likely to develop depression if their mother had depression before their birth (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.21-1.43), after their birth (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.96-2.05), or both before and after their birth (HR 2.25, 95% CI 2.15-2.35). The risk of depression was also increased when their father/stable man had depression before their birth (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.18-1.74), after their birth (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.58-1.74), or both before and after their birth (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.25-1.73). In addition, the odds of achieving milestones at the end of primary school were significantly decreased if either parent had depression -- for instance, the odds of passing Key Stage 3 (KS3) tests was 0.57 (95% CI 0.55-0.60) if a child's mother had depression both before and after their birth and 0.56 (0.49-0.63) if their father/stable man had depression both before and after their birth. Other risk factors for children's depression identified in the study included being female, their mother taking antidepressants and having no stable man in the household. The authors conclude that the impact of paternal depression requires more attention than has previously been given, and suggest that holistic approaches to whole family wellbeing and depression will help ensure positive outcomes for children.

The authors add: "Children who live with a parent (mum or dad) who has depression are more likely to also develop depression and not achieve as well in school, compared to children who live with a parent with treated depression. Working with families and treating parental depression (in dads as well as mums) is likely to have long-term benefits for children's mental health and educational attainment. This has never been more important than after lockdown and COVID, as depression is contagious too."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211117161521.htm

Microbiome discovery could help save kids’ hearing

November 9, 2021

Science Daily/University of Queensland

Bacteria found in children's upper respiratory systems could help fight chronic middle ear infections, the leading cause of preventable hearing loss and deafness in Indigenous communities.

The University of Queensland's Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz said this discovery helped explain a long-held mystery, while providing hope for potential treatments.

"We've been puzzled for years now, trying to work out why some children never develop chronic ear disease, despite being in a high-risk category for contracting it," Dr Bialasiewicz said.

"By focusing on the microbiomes in the upper respiratory tracts of disease-resistant kids, we could investigate the ecological networks of bacterial interactions that seemed to be working together to protect against the condition.

"It was clear that these two groups of bacteria needed to not only be present, but to be interacting with each other, to provide protection from middle ear infections."

Dr Bialasiewicz said they were hoping to use this information to figure out what the exact mechanism of protection is, and then mimic it in the very young children, as a therapy or a preventative measure.

"This could take the form of a molecule that can be used as a drug for treatment, or as a protective probiotic so that these 'good' bacteria can be seeded in the nose early enough to offer protection against the incoming 'bad' bacteria," he said.

Dr Andrea Coleman, who completed her PhD work on the project this year, said the research provided a new perspective on how middle ear infections develop and could pave the way for new treatments.

"Chronic middle ear infections can affect between one third to one half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which is far above the four per cent threshold that the World Health Organisation considers as a disease needing urgent public health action," Dr Coleman said.

"This disease can cause hearing loss and can have life-long impacts on speech and language development, education, and future employment prospects, and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations contributes to the wide gap in educational and employment outcomes."

The study investigated the microbiomes of 103 children aged two to seven from two north Queensland communities.

Dr Bialasiewicz said chronic middle ear infections resulting in hearing loss was a major problem with Indigenous and other disadvantaged populations globally.

"Our discovery could be applied across the world, helping improve health and reducing the disadvantage gap for a wide range of people," he said.

The team has acknowledged the support of the Deadly Ears team, the Queensland Health's statewide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Program doing on-the-ground treatment and education, as well as the generous assistance of parents and children within the participating communities.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211109095341.htm

When bad things happen in childhood, what's the toll on your health?

November 5, 2021

Science Daily/University of Auckland

New research from the University of Auckland shows the lifelong toll that adverse events in childhood can take on your health. Poor mental health is almost three times more prevalent among people in New Zealand who experienced four or more "adverse childhood events" compared with people who experienced none, the research suggests.

The study covered eight types of childhood adversity: Emotional, physical or sexual abuse, and growing up in a household where there was violence, substance abuse, mental illness, divorce, or a household member behind bars. "Toxic stressors in childhood can take a lifelong toll on many aspects of our health," says Associate Professor Janet Fanslow, of the School of Population Health in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. "The effects ripple across society to create a huge burden on family and wh?nau, our health service and the economy."

Experiencing even just one type of childhood adversity -- such as having a household member in jail or witnessing interpersonal violence in the home -- is associated with an increased risk of poor mental health, the study suggests. Experiencing two or more is associated with higher odds of disability, and four or more with chronic physical health problems.

Increased risks of health problems such as heart disease or asthma can be linked to specific types of adverse events, according to researchers led by Dr Ladan Hashemi, also of the School of Population Health. The scientists analysed 2,888 responses to the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Survey, which was carried out in Waikato, Northland, and Auckland.

The odds of heart disease rose for people who had experienced emotional or sexual abuse, witnessed interpersonal violence, or lived in a household where there was substance abuse. The odds of asthma increased for those from a household with substance abuse, mental illness or divorce.

International research shows how adversity in childhood can affect neurological and hormonal development, inflammation pathways, cognitive, social, and emotional competencies, and propensity for risky behaviours such as smoking or substance abuse. Socio-economic factors didn't fully explain the associations in the New Zealand study. "Policy and programmes to address child poverty are important in their own right, but will not fully mitigate the effect of adverse childhood experiences," write Dr Fanslow, Dr Hashemi, Dr Pauline Gulliver, and Professor Tracey McIntosh in the research paper.

About 45 percent of the people in the study reported no adverse childhood events. A majority experienced at least one, and one-in-three reported more than one. In the study, a person's mental health was described as poor if they had been diagnosed with a long-term condition or had recently taken anti-depressants or sleeping medication. The paper, "Exploring the health burden of cumulative and specific adverse childhood experiences in New Zealand: Results from a population-based study," was published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect. The findings "should provide impetus to establish widespread prevention and intervention initiatives," the academics write. "Strategies that address socioeconomic inequities are needed, but will not, of themselves, fully mitigate the consequences of adverse childhood experiences."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211105103757.htm

New insights into how the infant microbiome impacts early childhood behavior in boys and girls

November 4, 2021

Science Daily/The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

A new Dartmouth-led study published in Pediatric Research has found a direct and sex-specific association between the composition of infant microbiome and early childhood behavioral health.

Previous studies have established a link between the gut microbiome -- the overall communities of microbes that colonize the intestinal tract and play an important role in immune system development and health outcomes -- and behaviors like depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. But until now, there has been little to no human data from which to characterize the role of the microbiome during infancy in relation to these outcomes in children, and how they may differ in boys and girls.

"A lot of the prior research has looked at participants who are already exhibiting depressive or anxious symptoms," explains Hannah Laue, ScD, a research associate at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and first author on the study. "We wanted to look very early on, before these behaviors were expressed, to see if we could establish if the microbiome was influencing the neurobehavior or if it was the other way around."

Focusing in on infancy also allowed the investigators to study a critical window of time, says Laue, when the microbiome and the brain are going through their most rapid periods of development, and when the brain may be particularly susceptible to changes in the microbiome.

To determine whether differences in the infant microbiome were related to neurobehavior, and whether that behavior varied in boys and girls -- the study team leveraged the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, which was established in 2009 to investigate the role of environmental factors on pregnancy and newborn outcomes. Through initiatives led by Dartmouth's Drs. Juliette Madan and Margaret Karagas, the cohort involves longitudinal follow-up of the developing microbiome beginning at birth to understand its influence on the health and well-being of children.

For the study, the researchers analyzed stool samples (collected by the caregivers) from 260 infants at multiple timepoints -- six weeks, one year, and two years. This allowed them to characterize the species of microbes present in each participant's gut and their functions. They then used the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, an instrument that measures a wide range of clinical and adaptive behaviors in children and young adults, to assess their behavioral development.

The study team was able to establish that microbiome changes occur before behavioral changes. They also found that infant and early-childhood microbiomes were related to neurobehaviors such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and social behaviors in a time- and sex-specific manner.

"For example, we found that increased diversity in the gut was better for boys, meaning it was associated with fewer behaviors like anxiety and depression, but not among girls," says Laue. "We saw differences in social behaviors with microbiomes measured at later stages, where there was evidence that diversity, again, could be beneficial for boys but not for girls. And we found there were differences in certain species of bacteria and the essential functions they perform -- such as the synthesis of vitamin B -- that were related to these outcomes, as well."

While their findings don't identify a microbial species that can immediately be used to help prevent children from developing neurobehaviors such as anxiety or depression, "We think the results do inform future studies that can look a little more deeply at some of our specific findings and clarify whether they could be developed as probiotics or other types of interventions such as the promotion of breastfeeding," says Laue.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211104140826.htm

Many new college students report pet separation anxiety

October 26, 2021

Science Daily/Washington State University

A survey of a sample of new first-year college students leaving pets at home and found that 75% experienced some level of pet separation anxiety -- with one in four reporting moderate to severe symptoms. The students who had higher anxiety tended to be those who treated their pets more like people, identifying them as friends, sleeping in the same room and generally spending a lot of time with them. Students who had dogs at home also tended to report more attachment to their pets -- and more separation anxiety -- than those with cats and other types of pets.

Pets are not the only ones who experience separation anxiety; their people do too.

Washington State University researchers surveyed a sample of new first-year college students leaving pets at home and found that 75% experienced some level of pet separation anxiety -- with one in four reporting moderate to severe symptoms.

"Students who are struggling with missing their pets should know that they're not alone," said Alexa Carr, the lead author of the study which is part of her WSU doctoral dissertation. "There's nothing necessarily wrong with them if they are experiencing a lot of distress from leaving their pets. It can be an isolating experience to lose that coping resource."

The students who had higher anxiety tended to be those who treated their pets more like people, identifying them as friends, sleeping in the same room and generally spending a lot of time with them. Interestingly, students who had dogs at home also tended to report more attachment to their pets -- and more separation anxiety -- than those with cats and other types of pets.

While there are many anecdotal accounts of students missing their pets, the study published in Anthrozoos, is the first known research investigating this kind of pet separation anxiety in humans.

Carr and co-author Patricia Pendry, a WSU associate professor of human development, surveyed a sample of about 150 incoming first-year students who had pets at home. The vast majority of respondents, 81%, were women -- which is a limitation of the study but also consistent with trends in college enrollment. In 2020, 60% of enrolled college students were women, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

The researchers surveyed the group before they arrived on campus and after their first two weeks of the semester in fall 2019 before the pandemic forced many universities online. The students answered questions related to their mental health, attachment to their pets and feelings about leaving them behind.

Even after controlling for pre-existing mental health issues, the researchers found that pet-related separation anxiety was very strong in the group during the transition to college, especially among students who were closely attached to their pets.

The findings indicate this is an issue for many students and should be taken seriously by campus counselors, Carr said. It also has implications for pet visitation programs now popular at many U.S. universities which bring animals to campus to help stressed students. A previous WSU study found that petting dogs or cats for just 10 minutes lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The authors said more research is needed to understand the implications of pet separation anxiety. For example, whether students' symptoms are stable or become less severe over the course of the semester; or whether pet visitation programs might have some unintended effects, such as potentially exacerbating separation anxiety for students missing their specific pets back home.

The researchers also cautioned that this study should not be used as justification for students to bring their pets with them when they go to college, particularly if they would be their sole caregivers.

"It's a big responsibility to take care of an animal, and would a student then able to balance their school responsibilities, social lives and jobs?" Carr said. "There are more things to take into consideration and explore before we could advocate for more pets on campus."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211026085415.htm

Spending time in nature promotes early childhood development

October 21, 2021

Science Daily/University of British Columbia

Want to ensure your child hits their expected developmental milestones? New UBC research suggests living in areas with high exposure to greenspace can help set them up for success.

For the study, researchers at the UBC faculty of forestry and faculty of medicine analyzed the developmental scores of 27,372 children in Metro Vancouver who attended kindergarten between 2005 and 2011. They estimated the amount of greenspace around each child's residence from birth to age five. They also assessed levels of traffic-related air pollution and community noise.

The results highlight the fundamental importance of natural green spaces like street trees, parks and community gardens, authors say.

"Most of the children were doing well in their development, in terms of language skills, cognitive capacity, socialization and other outcomes," says study author Ingrid Jarvis (she/her), a PhD candidate in the department of forest and conservation sciences at UBC. "But what's interesting is that those children living in a residential location with more vegetation and richer natural environments showed better overall development than their peers with less greenspace."

According to the researchers, the reason for this is partly greenspaces' ability to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution and noise -- environmental challenges that have been shown to adversely affect children's health and development through increased stress, sleep disturbances and central nervous system damage.

"Few studies have investigated this pathway linking greenspace and developmental outcomes among children, and we believe this is the first Canadian study to do so," adds Jarvis.

The researchers assessed early childhood development using the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a survey completed by kindergarten teachers for each child. The tool measures a child's ability to meet age-appropriate developmental expectations.

"More research is needed, but our findings suggest that urban planning efforts to increase greenspace in residential neighbourhoods and around schools are beneficial for early childhood development, with potential health benefits throughout life," says the study's senior author and UBC research associate, Matilda van den Bosch (she/her).

"Time in nature can benefit everyone, but if we want our children to have a good head start, it's important to provide an enriching environment through nature contact. Access to greenspace from a very young age can help ensure good social, emotional and mental development among children."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211021121016.htm

Stress, by itself, can lead to excessive drinking in women but not men

Study shows stress led to drinking more than intended in men only when they already had consumed alcohol

December 13, 2021

Science Daily/Arizona State University

A new study has shown that stress alone can drive women to excessive drinking.

Men who experienced the same stress only drank to excess when they had already started consuming alcohol.

Though rates of alcohol misuse are higher in men than women, women are catching up. Women also have a greater risk than men of developing alcohol-related problems.

Participants consumed alcoholic beverages in a simulated bar while experiencing stressful and non-stressful situations. Stress led women, but not men, to drink more than intended, a finding that demonstrates the importance of studying sex differences in alcohol consumption. The study was published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

"Some people can intend to have one or two alcoholic beverages and stop drinking, but other people just keep going. This impaired control over drinking is one of the earliest indicators of alcohol use disorders, and we know stress contributes to both impaired control over drinking and dysregulated drinking. The role of stress in impaired control over drinking is understudied, especially in women," said Julie Patock-Peckham, assistant research professor at ASU and lead author on the study.

The study took place in a research laboratory designed to simulate a bar, complete with a bartender, bar stools and lively conversations. The participants included 105 women and 105 men. They were randomized into different groups, with some either experiencing a stressful situation and others a non-stressful situation. Next, half the participants received an alcoholic drink that was equivalent to three cocktails, and the other half received three non-alcoholic drinks. After that, all participants had unrestricted access to alcoholic drinks from the bar for 90 minutes.

"We know that both genes and the environment play a role in problematic drinking. We can't do anything about the genes, but we can intervene with the environment. Stress and impaired control over drinking are tightly connected, and because stress is something we can manipulate, we tested whether stressors cause dysregulated drinking," said Patock-Peckham, who leads the Social Addictions Impulse Lab at ASU.

The experimental set-up let the research team determine whether stress, the initial drink or the combination of the two caused how much alcohol the participants consumed. The team measured alcohol consumption in total number of drinks consumed and by using breath blood alcohol content (BAC).

Exposure to stress led to heavier drinking in all participants. Men who received a first drink with alcohol in it and experienced stress drank more than men who received the placebo.

Whether the first drink was alcoholic or not did not matter for women: Experiencing stress led to heavy drinking.

"That women just needed the stress but men needed the push of already having alcohol on board shows how important this type of research is," Patock-Peckham said. "The outcomes from alcohol use are not the same for men and women, and we cannot keep using models that were developed in men to help women."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211213181537.htm

Lack of sleep affecting students’ mental health especially women

Daytime tiredness and sleep deprivation put students at risk of depression and high stress

November 2, 2021

Science Daily/Taylor & Francis Group

More than two thirds (65.5%) of students are experiencing poor sleep quality and this is linked to mental health problems, new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Human Biologysuggests.

The findings, based on more than 1,000 (1,113) men and women attending university full-time, also show those reporting depressive symptoms were almost four times as likely to suffer from inadequate sleep habits.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was a problem among over half (55%) the students -- they were almost twice as likely to have depression or experience moderate to high stress levels. In addition, the study highlights a gender divide, with poor quality sleep and EDS more prevalent among females.

The authors warn stressors, such as course demands, make college students vulnerable to sleep disorders which in turn affect academic performance and health. They're calling on universities to do more to promote positive sleep habits and good mental health.

"Sleep disorders are especially harmful for college students because they're associated with several negative effects on academic life," says lead author Dr Paulo Rodrigues from the Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

"These include failures in attention and perception, high absenteeism rate, and sometimes dropping out of the course.

"The university environment offers greater exposure to factors that may compromise sleep habits such as academic stress and social life. It's crucial to evaluate and monitor sleep habits, mental health, and the quality of life of students to reduce the risk of developing other chronic diseases.

"University managers should plan the implementation of institutional actions and policies. This is to stimulate the development of activities that promote good sleep habits and benefit students' mental health."

Living away from home for the first time, using stimulants that impair sleep and keeping erratic bedtimes are all factors that make students vulnerable to a lack of quality rest at night. An average of seven hours sleep has been reported by those attending college when nine hours is considered the ideal for young adults.

Poor sleep and EDS in those attending university has already been identified by studies, but few have investigated any link with stress/depression. This new research is part of the Longitudinal Study on the Lifestyle and Health of University Students (ELESEU) and used data from 2016 and 2017.

The authors surveyed 1,113 undergraduates and post-graduates aged from 16 to 25 years who were enrolled in a range of studies at the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Brazil. Participants were asked about their sleep quality, EDS, socioeconomic status, and their body mass index (BMI) was also assessed.

The data was used to estimate the level of association between poor sleep quality/EDS, and depressive symptoms and perceived stress levels. Results showed a significant link between these factors, and depressive issues and moderate to high stress levels.

In addition to the findings on gender, a link was identified between poor sleep quality and the degree course discipline. Students studying biological and health sciences were more likely to be affected as were those enrolled in social and human sciences.

The mechanism behind sleep disturbance and depression is not unclear, as is whether mental health issues trigger poor quality sleep (or vice versa). Hence, the authors suggest that more research is needed to understand this interaction better.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211102111148.htm

Study casts doubt on theory that women aren't as competitive as men

November 1, 2021

Science Daily/University of Arizona

As researchers investigate reasons for America's persistent gender wage gap, one possible explanation that has emerged in roughly the last decade is that women may be less competitive than men, and are therefore passed over for higher-ranking roles with larger salaries.

But a new study suggests that it's likely not that simple. Researchers found that women enter competitions at the same rate as men -- when they have the option to share their winnings with the losers.

The study, conducted by Mary L. Rigdon, associate director of the UArizona Center for the Philosophy of Freedom, and Alessandra Cassar, professor of economics at the University of San Francisco, is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Rigdon's research involves studying how market structure, information and incentives impact behavior. Her work over the last 20 years has explored questions about trust, reciprocity, competition, altruism, cheating and more, with a particular focus on gender differences, especially the gender wage gap.

"If we're finally going to close the gender pay gap, then we have to understand the sources of it -- and also solutions and remedies for it," said Rigdon, who is also a faculty affiliate in the Department of Political Economy and Moral Science in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

In 2021, women will earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, Rigdon said, meaning women work nearly three months extra to receive the same amount of pay. This statistic does not account for certain characteristics, such as an employee's age, experience or level of education.

But even when considering those characteristics, women are still paid about 98 cents for every dollar earned by men, Rigdon said. In other words, a woman is paid 2% less than a man with the same qualifications.

Economists have considered a few possible explanations for this, Rigdon said. One theory, known as the "human capital explanation," suggests that there are gender differences in certain skills, leading women to careers that pay less. Another theory -- perhaps the most widely considered -- is patent discrimination.

Rigdon and Cassar zeroed in on the relatively new theory that women are less competitive and less willing to take risks than men.

But if women were more reluctant to compete, then they would occupy fewer high-ranking positions at the tops of major companies, and that's not the trend that's taken shape over the last several years, Rigdon said. Women make up about 8% of the CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies. While that number is low overall, it's a record high.

"We thought it must be the case that women are as competitive as men, but they just exhibit it differently, so we wanted to try to get at that story and demonstrate that that is the case," Rigdon said. "Because that's then a very different story about the gender wage gap."

Rigdon and Cassar randomly assigned 238 participants -- split nearly evenly by gender -- to two different groups for the study. Participants in each of those two groups were then randomly assigned to four-person subgroups.

For all participants, the first round of the study was the same: Each was asked to look at tables of 12 three-digit numbers with two decimal places and find the two numbers that add to 10. Participants were asked to solve as many tables as possible -- up to 20 -- in two minutes. Each participant was paid $2 for every table they solved in the first round.

In round two, participants were asked to do the same task, but the two groups were incentivized differently. In the first group, the two participants in each four-person team who solved the most tables earned $4 per table solved, while their other two team members were given nothing. In the other group, the top two performers of each four-person team also earned $4 per table, but they had the right to decide how much of the prize money to share with one of the lower performing participants.

In the third round, all participants were allowed to choose which payment scheme they preferred from the two previous rounds. For half the study participants, this meant a choice between a guaranteed $2 per correct table, or potentially $4 per correct table if they became one of the top-two performers in their four-person subgroup. For the other half of the participants, the choice was $2 per correct table, or $4 per correct table for the top-two performers with the option to share the winnings with one of the losing participants.

The number of women who chose the competitive option nearly doubled when given the option to share their winnings; about 60% chose to compete under that option, while only about 35% chose to compete in the winner-take-all version of the tournament.

About 51% of men in the study chose the winner-take-all option, and 52.5% chose the format that allowed for sharing with the losers.

Rigdon said she and Cassar have a few theories about why women are more inclined to compete when they can share the winnings. One suggests female participants are simply interested in controlling the way the winnings are divvied up among the other participants.

Another theory that has emerged among evolutionary psychologists, Rigdon said, suggests that female participants may be inclined to smooth over bad feelings with losers of the competition.

"We really have to ask what it is about this social incentive that drives women to compete. We think it's recognizing the different costs and benefits that come from your different biological and cultural constraints," she said. "But at the end of the day, I think we still have this question."

Rigdon and Cassar are now developing an experiment that gets to the heart of that question, Rigdon said.

The researchers are careful to not propose policies for corporate America based on a line of research that still has many questions. But, Rigdon said, the latest finding suggests that corporations might do well to engage in more socially responsible activity.

"Maybe you'll attract a different set of applicants to your CEO positions or your board of director positions," she said. "Women might be more attracted to positions where there is this social component that isn't there in more traditional, incentive-based firms where it's all about CEO bonuses."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211101154808.htm

PTSD symptoms vary over course of menstrual cycle

Finding could have implications for diagnosis, treatment, study suggests

October 28, 2021

Science Daily/American Psychological Association

In women who have experienced trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may vary over the course of the menstrual cycle, with more symptoms during the first few days of the cycle when the hormone estradiol is low, and fewer symptoms close to ovulation, when estradiol is high, finds research published by the American Psychological Association.

The results could have implications for PTSD diagnosis and treatment, according to lead author Jenna Rieder, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. "When in the cycle you assess women might actually affect whether they meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD, especially for people who are right on the border," she said. "And that can have real practical implications, say for someone who is a veteran and entitled to benefits or for health insurance purposes."

The research was published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy.

Estradiol is a form of estrogen that regulates the reproductive cycle in women. During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, rising estradiol levels trigger a cascade of events that result in ovulation. Studies have linked low-estradiol portions of the cycle to greater activation in the limbic areas of the brain, which are related to emotion, and to lower activation in the prefrontal cortex when viewing emotional content. Low estradiol has also been linked to greater stress and anxiety as well as increased fear responses.

In order to examine whether those links might affect trauma response, researchers studied 40 women, ages 18 to 33, all of whom had experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as a serious injury or sexual violence. In the first part of the study, which took place in a research lab, researchers measured the participants' level of estradiol in their saliva, then asked them to describe the trauma that had happened to them and the PTSD symptoms they'd experienced in the past month. They found that lower estradiol was associated with greater self-reported symptom severity in the participants.

The researchers also measured two stress biomarkers in participants' saliva, the hormone cortisol and the enzyme salivary alpha-amylase, before and after the participants described their trauma. Salivary alpha-amylase is related to the "fight-or-flight" stress response and cortisol is related to the body's slower, more sustained stress response.

"In a healthy system we want a moderate, coordinated response of both of these biomarkers," Rieder said. In the women in the low-estradiol portions of their menstrual cycles, the researchers instead found low cortisol and high salivary alpha-amylase levels in response to retelling their trauma stories -- a pattern that's been linked in previous studies with maladaptive stress responses.

In the second part of the study, the researchers asked the participants to answer five daily questionnaires (upon waking, before bed, and at three times during the day), for 10 days spanning the high- and low-estradiol portions of their menstrual cycles. The questionnaires measured how participants were feeling at each time (from "extremely unpleasant" to "extremely pleasant," and "extremely non-stimulated or activated" to "extremely stimulated or activated"). Participants also completed a PTSD symptom checklist each evening.

On average, the researchers found that participants had greater variability in their daily moods during the low-estradiol days of their cycle and reported more severe PTSD symptoms on those days.

The findings could have implications for diagnosing and treating PTSD in women, who have long been underrepresented in PTSD research. "PTSD for a long time was mostly studied in men, in part because it was mainly studied in veterans, who were mostly men," Rieder said.

In addition to affecting diagnosis, knowing how the menstrual cycle affects PTSD symptoms could be useful for both clinicians and patients, according to Rieder. "I think this is something that clinicians would want to know, so they can impart this knowledge as part of psychoeducation," Rieder said. "For women who are naturally cycling, it may be useful to understand how the menstrual cycle affects their symptoms. When you can explain what's happening biologically, it often becomes less threatening."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211028093308.htm

Breastfeeding may help prevent cognitive decline

October 23, 2021

Science Daily/University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences

A new study led by researchers at UCLA Health has found that women over the age of 50 who had breastfed their babies performed better on cognitive tests compared to women who had never breastfed. The findings, published in Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, suggest that breastfeeding may have a positive impact on postmenopausal women's cognitive performance and could have long-term benefits for the mother's brain.

"While many studies have found that breastfeeding improves a child's long-term health and well-being, our study is one of very few that has looked at the long-term health effects for women who had breastfed their babies," said Molly Fox, PhD, lead author of the study and an Assistant Professor in the UCLA Department of Anthropology and the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. "Our findings, which show superior cognitive performance among women over 50 who had breastfed, suggest that breastfeeding may be 'neuroprotective' later in life."

Cognitive health is critical for wellbeing in aging adults. Yet, when cognition becomes impaired after the age of 50, it can be a strong predictor of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the leading form of dementia and cause of disability among the elderly -- with women comprising nearly two-thirds of Americans living with the disease.

Many studies also show that phases of a woman's reproductive life-history, such as menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause can be linked to a higher or lower risk for developing various health conditions like depression or breast cancer, yet few studies have examined breastfeeding and its impact on women's long-term cognition. Of those that have, there has been conflicting evidence as to whether breastfeeding might be linked to better cognitive performance or Alzheimer's risk among post-menopausal women.

"What we do know is that there is a positive correlation between breastfeeding and a lower risk of other diseases such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease, and that these conditions are strongly connected to a higher risk for AD," said Helen Lavretsky, MD, the senior author of the study and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

"Because breastfeeding has also been found to help regulate stress, promote infant bonding and lower the risk of post-partum depression, which suggest acute neurocognitive benefits for the mother, we suspected that it could also be associated with long-term superior cognitive performance for the mother as well," added Dr. Fox.

To find out, the researchers analyzed data collected from women participating in two cross-sectional randomized controlled 12-week clinical trials at UCLA Health: 1) The "Brain Connectivity and Response to Tai Chi in Geriatric Depression and Cognitive Decline," included depressed participants. 2) The "Reducing Risk for Alzheimer's Disease in High-Risk Women through Yoga or Memory Training that included non-depressed participants with some subjective memory complaints and a risk for heart disease.

Among the two trials, 115 women chose to participate, with 64 identified as depressed and 51 non-depressed. All participants completed a comprehensive battery of psychological tests measuring learning, delayed recall, executive functioning and processing speed. They also answered a questionnaire about their reproductive life-history that included questions about the age they began menstruating, number of complete and incomplete pregnancies, the length of time they breastfed for each child and their age of menopause.

Importantly, none of the participants had been diagnosed with dementia, or other psychiatric diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, alcohol or drug dependence, neurological disorders or had other disabilities preventing their participation or taking any psychoactive medications. There was also no significant difference in age, race, education or other cognitive measures between the depressed and non-depressed participants.

Key findings from the researchers' analysis of the data collected from questionnaires on the women's reproductive history revealed that about 65% of non-depressed women reported having breastfed, compared to 44% of the depressed women. All non-depressed participants reported at least one completed pregnancy compared to 57.8% of the depressed participants.

Results from the cognitive tests also revealed that those who had breastfed, regardless of whether they were depressed or not, performed better in all four of the cognitive tests measuring for learning, delayed recall, executive functioning and processing compared to women who had not breastfed.

Separate analyses of the data for the depressed and non-depressed groups also revealed that all four cognitive domain scores were significantly associated with breastfeeding in the women who were not depressed. But in the women who were depressed, only two of the cognitive domains -- executive functioning and processing speed -- were significantly associated with breastfeeding.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that longer time spent breastfeeding was associated with better cognitive performance. When they added up all the time a woman spent breastfeeding in her life, they found that women who did not breastfeed had significantly lower cognitive scores in three out of four domains compared to women who had breastfed for 1-12 months, and in all four domains compared to the women who had breastfed for more than 12 months. Women who had breastfed the longest had the highest cognitive test scores.

"Future studies will be needed to explore the relationship between women's history of breastfeeding and cognitive performance in larger, more geographically diverse groups of women. It is important to better understand the health implications of breastfeeding for women, given that women today breastfeed less frequently and for shorter time periods than was practiced historically," said Dr. Fox.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211023122141.htm

A good night’s sleep may mitigate infant obesity risks

October 22, 2021

Science Daily/Brigham and Women's Hospital

Scientists have long suggested that getting enough sleep at night is vital to staying healthy. Few studies, however, highlight the necessity of sufficient sleep during the first months of life. New research from investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and collaborators suggests that newborns who sleep longer and wake up less throughout the night are less likely to be overweight in infancy. Their results are published in Sleep.

"While an association between insufficient sleep and weight gain is well-established in adults and older children, this link has not been previously recognized in infants," said study co-author Susan Redline, MD, MPH, senior physician in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at the Brigham. "In this study, we found that not only shorter nighttime sleep, but more sleep awakenings, were associated with a higher likelihood of infants becoming overweight in the first six months of life."

To conduct this research, Redline and colleagues observed 298 newborns born at Massachusetts General Hospital between 2016 and 2018. They then monitored their sleep patterns using ankle actigraphy watches -- devices that measure patterns of activity and rest over multiple days. Researchers extracted three nights' worth of data at the one- and six-month marks while parents kept sleep diaries, recording their children's sleep and wake episodes.

To collect growth measurements, scientists measured infant height and weight and determined their body mass index. Infants were classified as overweight if they fell into or above the 95th percentile on the World Health Organization's growth charts.

Notably, researchers found that just one additional hour of sleep correlated with a 26 percent decrease in infants' risk of being overweight. In addition, infants that woke up less throughout the night faced a lower risk of excess weight gain. While it's unclear exactly why this correlation exists, scientists speculate that getting more sleep promotes routine feeding practices and self-regulation, factors that mitigate overeating.

Investigators note that African American individuals and families of lower socioeconomic statuses were underrepresented in their dataset. Additionally, confounding variables, such as breastfeeding duration, could have impacted infant growth. In the future, the researchers aim to extend this study to evaluate how sleep patterns impact growth within the first two years of life and identify key factors that mediate the correlation between sleep and weight gain. They also aim to evaluate interventions for promoting healthy sleep habits.

"This study underscores the importance of healthy sleep at all ages," said Redline. "Parents should consult their pediatricians on the best practices to promote healthy sleep, like keeping consistent sleep schedules, providing a dark and quiet space for sleeping, and avoiding having bottles in bed."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211022081153.htm

A diet rich in plant-based products reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in the elderly

Metabolomics to study the impact of diet on health

December 9, 2021

Science Daily/University of Barcelona

A diet rich in plant products reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly. This is the result of a study by the Biomarkers and Nutritional Food Metabolomics Research Group of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona (UB) and the CIBER on Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES).

The paper, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, is led by Cristina Andrés-Lacueva, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and head of the Biomarkers and Nutritional Metabolomics of Food Research Group of the UB and the Biomedical Research Network Center in Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), which is also part of the Food Innovation Network of Catalonia (XIA).

This European study, part of the Joint Programming Initiative "A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life" (JPI HDHL), was carried out over 12 years with the participation of 842 people aged over 65 in the Bordeaux and Dijon regions (France).

Metabolomics to study the impact of diet on health 

The study analyses the relationship between the metabolism of dietary components, intestinal microbiota, endogenous metabolism and cognitive impairment. As Mireia Urpí-Sardà, from the Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Gastronomy and CIBERFES, notes, "what we analysed in the cohorts under study is the modulating role of the diet in the risk of suffering cognitive impairment." Urpí-Sardà points out that "the results show a significant association between these processes and certain metabolites."

The results reveal a protective association between metabolites derived from cocoa, coffee, mushrooms and red wine, microbial metabolism of polyphenol-rich foods (apple, cocoa, green tea, blueberries, oranges or pomegranates) and cognitive impairment in the elderly.

The analysis of plasma samples indicated that some metabolites are related to the progression of cognitive impairment and dementia. As Professor Cristina Andrés-Lacueva explains, "for example, 2-furoylglycine and 3-methylanthine, which are biomarkers of coffee and cocoa consumption, had a protective profile, while saccharin -derived from the consumption of artificial sweeteners- is associated with a damaging role."

Mercè Pallàs, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and member of the Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro) of the UB, stresses that "the study of the relationship between cognitive impairment, the metabolism of the microbiota and food and endogenous metabolism is essential to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies that help to take care of our cognitive health."

Dietary changes for a healthy cognitive aging 

Therefore, changes in lifestyle and diet are decisive as a strategy to prevent cognitive deterioration and its progression in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and other dementias. "A higher intake of fruits, vegetables and plant-based foods provides polyphenols and other bioactive compounds that could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline due to ageing," says Cristina Andrés-Lacueva.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211209124448.htm

Trends in binge drinking among older men and women in the United States

December 8, 2021

Science Daily/Wiley

Binge drinking has increased in recent years among older U.S. men but not among older women, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study included 18,794 adults aged 65 years and older who participated in the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Binge drinking was defined as consuming 5 or more drinks on the same occasion for men and 4 or more drinks for women.

Binge drinking among older men increased from 12.8% in 2015 to 15.7% in 2019 but remained stable among older women (7.6% to 7.3%). Having a college degree was associated with a higher risk of binge drinking among women but a lower risk among men. Men who were separated or divorced were also at higher risk, but women were not. Both men and women who reported use of tobacco or cannabis in the past month were at higher risks of binge drinking.

"Our study brings the most up-to-date findings on trends in binge drinking in older age, especially the unnoticed importance of understanding the unique demographic characteristics of binge drinking that differ in men and women given gender norms and expectations of societies that are consistently evolving. For example, we noted an increased frequency in education among binge drinking older women. Women with more education may have more opportunities to drink and may be less constricted by gender norms against women consuming alcohol," said lead author Tala Al-Rousan, MD, MPH, of the University of California, San Diego. "Moreover, our findings would encourage health providers who care for older men and women with chronic conditions who are at risk of binge drinking to offer tailored messages that are targeted at certain chronic conditions."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211208090023.htm

Taking it easy as you get older? Wrong

New research outlines how longer lives are tied to physical activity

November 22, 2021

Science Daily/Harvard University

A team of evolutionary biologists and biomedical researchers lay out evolutionary and biomedical evidence showing that humans, who evolved to live many decades after they stopped reproducing, also evolved to be relatively active in their later years. The researchers say that physical activity later in life shifts energy away from processes that can compromise health and toward mechanisms in the body that extend it. They hypothesize that humans evolved to remain physically active as they age -- and in doing so to allocate energy to physiological processes that slow the body's gradual deterioration over the years. This guards against chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers.

Just about everyone knows that exercise is good for you. Some people can even rattle off reasons it keeps your muscles and joints strong, and how it fights off certain diseases. But how many people can tell you the story of why and how physical activity was built into human biology?

A team of evolutionary biologists and biomedical researchers from Harvard are taking a run at it (sometimes literally) in a new study published in PNAS. The work lays out evolutionary and biomedical evidence showing that humans, who evolved to live many decades after they stopped reproducing, also evolved to be relatively active in their later years.

The researchers say that physical activity later in life shifts energy away from processes that can compromise health and toward mechanisms in the body that extend it. They hypothesize that humans evolved to remain physically active as they age -- and in doing so to allocate energy to physiological processes that slow the body's gradual deterioration over the years. This guards against chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers.

"It's a widespread idea in Western societies that as we get older, it's normal to slow down, do less, and retire," said Harvard evolutionary biologist?Daniel E. Lieberman, the paper's lead author. "Our message is the reverse: As we get older, it becomes even more important to stay physically active."

The research team, which includes Aaron Baggish and I-Min Lee from Harvard Medical School, believes the paper is the first detailed evolutionary explanation for why lack of physical activity as humans age increases disease risk and reduces longevity.

Baggish, 47, who also serves as team cardiologist for the New England Patriots and U.S. Soccer, and Lieberman, 57, are longtime running buddies and often discussed the ideas that went into the paper during 5-to-10-mile morning runs.

The study uses humans' ape cousins as a jumping off point. The researchers point out that apes, which usually live only about 35 to 40 years in the wild and rarely survive past menopause, are considerably less active than most humans, suggesting that there was selection in human evolution not just to live longer but also to be more physically active.

"We evolved basically from couch potatoes," said Lieberman, who has twice observed wild chimpanzees in Tanzania and been surprised by how much of their day is spent "sitting on their butts, digesting."

This is especially jarring when contrasted against contemporary hunter-gatherers, who average about 135 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day. That level of movement -- about six to ten times more than average Americans -- may be one of the keys to why hunter-gatherers who survive childhood tend to live about seven decades, approximately 20 years past the age at which humans generally stop having children. Fossil evidence indicates that these extended lifespans were common by 40,000 years ago, contrary to the belief that human lifespans until recently were short.

The team emphasized that the key health benefit of physical activity is to extend the human healthspan, which is defined as the years of life spent in good health.

Researchers examined two pathways by which lifelong physical activity reallocates energy to improve health. The first involves dealing excess energy away from potentially harmful mechanisms, like excess fat storage. The team also identified how physical activity allocates energy to repair and maintenance processes. The paper shows that besides burning calories, physical activity is physiologically stressful, causing damage to the body at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. The body's response to this damage, however, is essentially to build back stronger.

This includes repairing tears in muscle fibers, repairing cartilage damage, and healing microfractures. The response also causes the release of exercise-related antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and enhances blood flow. In the absence of physical activity, these responses are activated less. The cellular and DNA repair processes have been shown to lower the risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, and depression.

"The key take-home point is that because we evolved to be active throughout our lives, our bodies need physical activity to age well. In the past, daily physical activity was necessary in order to survive, but today we have to choose to exercise, that is do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness," Lieberman said.

The research team, which includes the graduate students Timothy Kistner and Daniel Richard, hope the study makes that message harder to ignore.

Physical activity levels have been decreasing worldwide as machines and technology replace human labor. A recent study from Lieberman's lab showed that Americans are engaging in less physical activity than they did 200 years ago.

The researchers' advice? Get out of your chair and get in some exercise.

"The key is to do something, and to try to make it enjoyable so you'll keep doing it," Lieberman said. "The good news is that you don't need to be as active as a hunter-gatherer. Even small amounts of physical activity -- just 10 or 20 minutes a day -- substantially lower your risk of mortality."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211122172720.htm

Latte lovers rejoice! Drinking coffee could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Good news for those of us who can’t face the day without their morning flat white: a long-term study has revealed drinking higher amounts of coffee may make you less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease

November 23, 2021

Science Daily/Edith Cowan University

Good news for those of us who can't face the day without their morning flat white: a long-term study has revealed drinking higher amounts of coffee may make you less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

As part of the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of ageing, researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) investigated whether coffee intake affected the rate of cognitive decline of more than 200 Australians over a decade.

Lead investigator Dr Samantha Gardener said results showed an association between coffee and several important markers related to Alzheimer's disease.

"We found participants with no memory impairments and with higher coffee consumption at the start of the study had lower risk of transitioning to mild cognitive impairment -- which often precedes Alzheimer's disease -- or developing Alzheimer's disease over the course of the study," she said.

Drinking more coffee gave positive results in relation to certain domains of cognitive function, specifically executive function which includes planning, self-control, and attention.

Higher coffee intake also seemed to be linked to slowing the accumulation of the amyloid protein in the brain, a key factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr Gardener said although further research was needed, the study was encouraging as it indicated drinking coffee could be an easy way to help delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

"It's a simple thing that people can change," she said.

"It could be particularly useful for people who are at risk of cognitive decline but haven't developed any symptoms.

"We might be able to develop some clear guidelines people can follow in middle age and hopefully it could then have a lasting effect."

Make it a double

If you only allow yourself one cup of coffee a day, the study indicates you might be better off treating yourself to an extra cup, although a maximum number of cups per day that provided a beneficial effect was not able to be established from the current study.

"If the average cup of coffee made at home is 240g, increasing to two cups a day could potentially lower cognitive decline by eight per cent after 18 months," Dr Gardener said.

"It could also see a five per cent decrease in amyloid accumulation in the brain over the same time period."

In Alzheimer's disease, the amyloid clumps together forming plaques which are toxic to the brain.

The study was unable to differentiate between caffeinated and de-caffeinated coffee, nor the benefits or consequences of how it was prepared (brewing method, the presence of milk and/or sugar etc).

Dr Gardener said the relationship between coffee and brain function was worth pursuing.

"We need to evaluate whether coffee intake could one day be recommended as a lifestyle factor aimed at delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease," she said.

More than just caffeine

Researchers are yet to determine precisely which constituents of coffee are behind its seemingly positive effects on brain health.

Though caffeine has been linked to the results, preliminary research shows it may not be the sole contributor to potentially delaying Alzheimer's disease.

"Crude caffeine" is the by-product of de-caffeinating coffee and has been shown to be as effective in partially preventing memory impairment in mice, while other coffee components such as cafestol, kahweol and Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide have also been seen to affect cognitive impairment in animals in various studies.

'Higher Coffee Consumption Is Associated With Slower Cognitive Decline and Less Cerebral A?-Amyloid Accumulation Over 126 Months: Data From the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle Study' was published in Frontiers of Ageing Neuroscience.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211123131427.htm

Coffee and tea drinking may be associated with reduced rates of stroke and dementia

Intake of 4-6 total cups daily was associated with lowest risks

November 16, 2021

Science Daily/PLOS

Drinking coffee or tea may be associated with a lower risk of stroke and dementia, according to a study of healthy individuals aged 50-74 publishing Nov. 16 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine. Drinking coffee was also associated with a lower risk of post-stroke dementia.

Strokes are life-threatening events which cause 10 percent of deaths globally. Dementia is a general term for symptoms related to decline in brain function and is a global health concern with a high economic and social burden. Post-stroke dementia is a condition where symptoms of dementia occur after a stroke.

Yuan Zhang and colleagues from Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China studied 365,682 participants from the UK Biobank, who were recruited between 2006 and 2010 and followed them until 2020. At the outset participants self-reported their coffee and tea intake. Over the study period, 5,079 participants developed dementia and 10,053 experienced at least one stroke.

People who drank 2-3 cups of coffee or 3-5 cups of tea per day, or a combination of 4-6 cups of coffee and tea had the lowest incidence of stroke or dementia. Individuals who drank 2-3 cups of coffee and 2-3 cups of tea daily had a 32% lower risk of stroke (HR, 0.68, 95% CI, 0.59-0.79; P <0.001) and a 28% lower risk of dementia (HR, 0.72, 95% CI, 0.59-0.89; P =0.002) compared with those who drank neither coffee nor tea. Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was also associated with lower risk of post-stroke dementia.

The UK Biobank reflects a relatively healthy sample relative to the general population which could restrict the ability to generalize these associations. Also, relatively few people developed dementia or stroke which can make it difficult to extrapolate rates accurately to larger populations. Finally, while it's possible that coffee and tea consumption might be protective against stroke, dementia and post-stroke dementia, this causality cannot be inferred from the associations.

The authors add, "Our findings suggested that moderate consumption of coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with lower risk of stroke and dementia."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211116144813.htm

Listening to favorite music improves brain plasticity

November 9, 2021

Science Daily/University of Toronto

Researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T) and Unity Health Toronto have demonstrated that repeated listening to personally meaningful music induces beneficial brain plasticity in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease.

Changes in the brain's neural pathways correlated with increased memory performance on neuropsychological tests, supporting the clinical potential of personalized, music-based interventions for people with dementia.

The landmark multi-modal study was published today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

"We have new brain-based evidence that autobiographically salient music -- that is, music that holds special meaning for a person, like the song they danced to at their wedding -- stimulates neural connectivity in ways that help maintain higher levels of functioning," says Dr. Michael Thaut, senior author of the study, director of the Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, Tier One Canada Research Chair in Music, Neuroscience and Health, and professor at U of T's Faculty of Music and Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

"Typically, it's very difficult to show positive brain changes in Alzheimer's patients. These preliminary yet encouraging results show improvement in the integrity of the brain, opening the door to further research on therapeutic applications of music for people with dementia -- musicians and non-musicians alike."

The research team reported structural and functional changes in neural pathways of study participants, notably in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's control centre where deep cognitive processes occur. Researchers showed that exposing the brains of patients with early-stage cognitive decline to autobiographically salient music activated a distinct neural network -- a musical network -- comprised of diverse brain regions that showed differences in activation after a period of daily music listening. Differences were also observed in the brain's connections and white matter, providing further evidence of neuroplasticity.

"Music-based interventions may be a feasible, cost-effective and readily accessible intervention for those in early-stage cognitive decline," says Dr. Corinne Fischer, lead author, director of Geriatric Psychiatry at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto and associate professor at U of T's Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

"Existing treatments for Alzheimer's disease have shown limited benefit to date. While larger controlled studies are required to confirm clinical benefits, our findings show that an individualized and home-based approach to music-listening may be beneficial and have lasting effects on the brain."

For the study, 14 participants -- eight non-musicians and six musicians -- listened to a curated playlist of autobiographically relevant, long-known music for one hour a day over the course of three weeks. Participants underwent structural and task-based functional MRI before and after the listening period to determine changes to brain function and structure. During these scans, they listened to clips of both long-known and newly composed music. Heard one hour before scanning, the new music was similar in style yet held no personal meaning.

When participants listened to the recently heard, newly composed music, brain activity occurred mainly in the auditory cortex, centered on the listening experience. However, when participants listened to long-known music, there was significant activation in the deep-encoded network of the prefrontal cortex, a clear indication of executive cognitive engagement. There was also strong engagement in subcortical brain regions, older areas minimally affected by Alzheimer's disease pathology.

The researchers reported subtle but distinct differences in structural and functional brain changes associated with music listening in musicians relative to non-musicians, though further studies in larger samples are needed to verify these findings. Repeated exposure to music with autobiographical salience improved cognition in all participants, regardless of musicianship.

"Whether you're a lifelong musician or have never even played an instrument, music is an access key to your memory, your pre-frontal cortex," says Thaut.

"It's simple -- keep listening to the music that you've loved all your life. Your all-time favourite songs, those pieces that are especially meaningful to you -- make that your brain gym."

This paper builds on a previous study in the same participant group that first identified the brain mechanisms that encode and preserve musical memories in people with early-stage cognitive decline.

Next, the researchers plan to replicate the study in a larger sample and institute a strong control condition to investigate the role of musicianship in moderating brain responses, and whether it is the music or the autobiographical content that induces changes in plasticity.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211109120324.htm

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and related dementias reduces social activity

November 9, 2021

Science Daily/Rutgers University

Despite the belief that early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is crucial, a new Rutgers study found that the diagnosis may unintentionally impact social relationships and activity.

The study, published in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, examined how receiving a recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias impacts social networks, social engagement and social support.

"Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are a public health priority that has a significant impact on people with these diseases, their families and society," said lead author Takashi Amano, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at Rutgers University-Newark. "In recent years, health professionals have wanted to diagnose people earlier because of benefits like better long-term care planning and less anxiety. While there are benefits to receiving an earlier diagnosis, negative consequences may include an increased risk of suicide or requesting physician-assisted suicide."

The study found that a person's social network and social support do not increase following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's and related dementias, which may be especially problematic for disadvantaged populations who have fewer resources.

According to the study -- which found that such a diagnosis reduces time talking on the phone, face-to-face contact and attending sports and other social events -- more than 6 million people in the United States were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in 2020.

The researchers used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a national study that surveys adults and their spouses age 51 and older. Researchers tracked adults in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Those who received a diagnosis in 2014 were compared to those who did not. The researchers measured their social relationships two years after their diagnosis, looking at social and informal engagement, such as meeting and talking on the phone, and formal engagement, like volunteering, attending educational programs, sports games or social events with clubs or non-religious organizations. Social network included the number of close ties a person had. Social support was perceived as either positive or negative.

The findings indicate that receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias may have unintended impacts on social relationships, including decreased formal and informal social engagement.

Researchers suggest that practitioners and policymakers be aware of the consequences, identify strategies to alleviate the negative impact of receiving a diagnosis and look for ways to mobilize support networks after a diagnosis.

"Social relationships are an essential feature of our quality of life and can buffer against cognitive decline," said coauthor Addam Reynolds, a doctoral candidate at the Rutgers School of Social Work-New Brunswick. "Given the lack of a cure of these diseases, we must focus on ways people can maintain or improve their quality of life after receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias."

Researchers say it may be especially important to promote informal social engagement -- face-to-face and telephone contact -- which is more accessible than formal social engagement.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211109095336.htm

For women, greater exposure to estrogen in life may protect brain regions that are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s

November 4, 2021

Science Daily/Weill Cornell Medicine

The drop in estrogen levels that occurs with menopause brings declines in the volumes of "gray matter," the cellular matter of the brain, in key brain regions that are also affected in Alzheimer's disease. But a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, in collaboration with the University of Arizona, suggests that greater cumulative exposure to estrogen in life, for example from having had more children or from having taken menopause hormone therapy, may counter this brain-shrinking effect.

The findings, reported Nov. 3 in Neurology, come from an analysis of personal histories, MRI scans and cognitive tests on 99 women in their late 40s to late 50s. The researchers confirmed an earlier finding linking menopause to lower gray matter volume (GMV) in brain areas that are also vulnerable to Alzheimer's. But they also linked indicators of higher overall estrogen exposure, such as a longer span of reproductive years (menarche to menopause), more children and the use of menopause hormone therapy and hormonal contraceptives, to higher GMV in some of these brain areas.

The study was an observational study rather than a clinical trial, but it adds to the evidence that estrogen may have a protective effect on the female brain, limiting the loss of gray matter that normally comes with menopause, and thereby potentially reducing Alzheimer's risk.

"Our findings suggest that while the menopause transition may bring vulnerability for the female brain, other reproductive history events indicating greater estrogen exposure bring resilience instead," said study senior author Dr. Lisa Mosconi, an associate professor of neuroscience in neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine and director of the Women's Brain Initiative, and associate director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Researchers estimate that nearly two thirds of those living with Alzheimer's in the United States are women. The higher prevalence of Alzheimer's in women may be due in part to women's greater longevity, among other reasons. A leading hypothesis is that that vulnerability relates to estrogen.

Receptors for estrogen molecules are found in cells throughout women's brains, and the sex hormone has long been known not just to help steer brain development and behavior but also generally to have a nourishing and protecting role in the central nervous system. That protection doesn't last forever, though. Estrogen levels decline steeply during the transition through menopause, and as recent research from Dr. Mosconi and others has shown, women tend to experience significant GMV loss during this transition.

The volume loss occurs especially in brain regions that are the most heavily affected in Alzheimer's, and at roughly the same time of life when the long, slow process of late-onset Alzheimer's is believed to start. Thus, women's mid-life loss of estrogen may be a key factor behind the higher risk of Alzheimer's.

The flip side of this hypothesis is that more estrogen, in particular a cumulatively greater estrogen exposure, could serve as a counter to the brain-weakening effect of menopause. That possibility is what Dr. Mosconi and her team sought to investigate in the new study.

The analysis covered 99 women aged 46-58 and a comparison group of 29 similarly aged men. It confirmed that the post-menopausal and peri-menopausal (starting menopause) women, compared with the pre-menopausal women and the men, had significantly lower GMV -- adjusted for age and head size -- in brain areas such as the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and temporal lobe regions, which are heavily affected by Alzheimer's.

By contrast, among the women, having more estrogen exposure as implied by various factors was associated with greater GMV in certain brain areas. Longer reproductive span, for example, was significantly linked to more GMV in a cluster of regions near the top of the brain including the superior parietal lobule and precuneus of the left hemisphere. Having had more children was significantly associated with more GMV in inferior and middle frontal gyri, and middle and inferior temporal gyri. Having used hormone replacement therapy was associated with more GMV in superior frontal gyrus and several other brain regions. All these brain regions are known to be affected by aging and Alzheimer's.

The results support the idea that estrogen can be protective, the researchers say, and suggest that further investigation of the specific biological pathways underlying this effect could yield medical or lifestyle changes that help women reduce their risk of cognitive decline with aging as well as Alzheimer's dementia risk.

"We're hoping now to get further into the details of these links between estrogen and GMV, for example by comparing the effects of surgical menopause and spontaneous menopause, and by focusing specifically on certain types of estrogen exposure, such as menopause hormone therapy," said study first author Eva Schelbaum, research assistant in Dr. Mosconi's laboratory. "The goal as always is to understand why Alzheimer's affects more women than men, and how we can reduce that risk.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211104140355.htm