Living in an almshouse boosts life expectancy

Living in an almshouse can boost the longevity of its residents by as much as two-and-a-half years compared to their counterparts in the general population

May 25, 2023

Science Daily/City University London

Analysing up to 100 years' worth of residents' records from various almshouses in England, new research suggests that living in these communities can reduce the negative impact on health and social wellbeing which is commonly experienced by the older population in lower socioeconomic groups, particularly those individuals who are living in isolation.

Living in an almshouse can boost the longevity of its residents by as much as two-and-a-half years compared to their counterparts in the general population, according to a new Bayes Business School report.

Almshouses provide affordable community housing for local people in housing need. They are generally designed around a courtyard to provide a 'community spirit', that is synonymous with the almshouse movement. They offer independent living but provide friendship and support when needed.

Analysing up to 100 years' worth of residents' records from various almshouses in England, the research suggests that living in these communities can reduce the negative impact on health and social wellbeing which is commonly experienced by the older population in lower socioeconomic groups, particularly those individuals who are living in isolation.

The results are very encouraging. They show that, for several of the almshouses included in the study, residents can expect to live as long as wealthier members of the general population despite coming from the most deprived quintile. This shows that the disparity in longevity and health outcomes could be mitigated even after reaching retirement age, provided a suitable social infrastructure can be put in place.

The report, authored by Professor Ben Rickayzen, Dr David Smith, Dr Anastasia Vikhanova and Alison Benzimra, concludes that almshouses could help the Government's aims to reduce inequalities in mortality, which are observed between socioeconomic groups, by reducing the social isolation experienced by many in the older population.

Titled 'Almshouse Longevity Study -- Can living in an almshouse lead to a longer life?', the report's key findings are:

• Residents in almshouses in England receive a longevity boost relative to people of the same socioeconomic group from the wider population.

• The best-performing almshouses in the study so far have shown a longevity boost which increases life expectancy to that of a life in the second-highest socioeconomic quintile -- a remarkable outcome.

• As an example, the authors estimate that a 73-year-old male entering an almshouse such as The Charterhouse today would receive a longevity boost of 2.4 years (an extra 15% of future lifetime at the point of joining) compared to his peers from the same socioeconomic group, and 0.7 years when compared to an average 73-year-old from the general population.

• This longevity boost could be due to both the strong sense of community and social belonging within almshouses which lead to better physical and mental health. Enhanced wellbeing helps to mitigate loneliness which is endemic in older age groups.

Professor Ben Rickayzen, Professor of Actuarial Science at Bayes Business School, said:

"It is well known that, on average, the lower a person's socioeconomic status, the lower their life expectancy. However, intriguingly, our research has found that this doesn't have to be the case. We discovered that many almshouse residents receive a longevity boost when compared to their peers of the same socioeconomic status from the wider population.

"More research is needed to ascertain exactly what factors cause almshouse residents to have a longer life; however, we postulate that it is the sense of the community that is the most powerful ingredient. For example, a common theme within the almshouses included in the study is that they encourage residents to undertake social activities and responsibilities on behalf of their fellow residents. This is likely to increase their sense of belonging and give them a greater sense of purpose in their everyday lives while mitigating against social isolation.

"We would encourage the Government to invest in retirement communities, such as almshouses, which would be in keeping with their overarching levelling up agenda. While this agenda is commonly associated with enhancing equality on a regional basis, it is important that levelling up should also aim to combat health inequalities experienced by people from lower socioeconomic groups across the country. There is an opportunity to improve the Government's levelling up agenda by incorporating the best features of communal living into their social housing policy. This should make a significant difference to the quality of life experienced by the older population across the UK.

"The findings from this research are important as they could offer solutions to the social care problems currently being experienced in the UK."

Alison Benzimra, a co-author of the report and Head of Research at United St Saviour's Charity, said:

"Many almshouse trustees and staff members anecdotally believe that almshouse living is beneficial for residents. The results from this study demonstrate that the community spirit provided by almshouses does in fact result in longer life expectancy. These findings are encouraging to those living and working in the almshouse community and provide the motivation to continue to explore what it is about almshouses' physical design and support services that result in positive outcomes for older residents. This study strengthens the case that this historic form of housing is addressing the evolving needs of older people living in our modern-day society."

Nick Phillips, CEO, The Almshouse Association, said:

"We are delighted to read this report. It is further evidence that the almshouse model -- 1,000 years after its inception -- seems to be adding something special to the lives of residents. There is a growing body of research that is suggesting this model of community housing seems to be right for the future. This must now beg the question, where are the philanthropists to lead this robust charity housing model into the next century?"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230525141438.htm

People who live to be 90+ with superior thinking skills are resilient to Alzheimer's pathology in their brains

These oldest-old are also less susceptible to other types of neurodegenerative changes

May 24, 2023

Science Daily/University of California - Irvine

Researchers have discovered that the oldest-old, those who live to be 90+ and have superior cognitive skills, have similar levels of brain pathology as Alzheimer's patients, however, they also have less brain pathology of other neurodegenerative diseases that cause memory and thinking problems.

A University of California, Irvine-led team of researchers have discovered that the oldest-old, those who live to be 90+ and have superior cognitive skills, have similar levels of brain pathology as Alzheimer's patients, however, they also have less brain pathology of other neurodegenerative diseases that cause memory and thinking problems.

The study, "Superior Global Cognition in Oldest-Old is Associated with Resistance to Neurodegenerative Pathologies: Results from the 90+ Study," was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

"People who are 90+ and still have good memory and thinking abilities tend to have similar levels of Alzheimer's pathology in their brains," Roshni Biswas, post-doctoral scholar with The 90+ Study. "Our findings indicate that while Alzheimer's Disease neuropathological changes and vascular changes are common in their brains, these individuals are less susceptible to other types of neurodegenerative changes such as Lewy body disease."

Age is the primary risk factor for cognitive issues, such as Alzheimer's, Lewy body disease and other related dementias. Over the past 30 years, the number of people aged 90 and older in the U.S. has nearly tripled, and this number is projected to quadruple in the next four decades.

With this rise in age, many people see increased problems with memory and brain function. However, little data is available on the changes in the brains of 90+ people who maintain superior cognitive abilities, despite their age.

The objective of the study was to examine the brain features of people without cognitive impairment and their relation to superior cognitive skills and reasoning in those that are 90+.

"There are some individuals who can maintain high levels of cognitive function well into advanced ages," said María M. Corrada, ScD, co-principal investigator of the study and professor in the Department of Neurology at UCI School of Medicine. "Further research into the factors that enable these individuals to maintain their cognitive function could provide insights into how to preserve cognitive health despite advanced age."

The study results were derived by analyzing autopsy data from 102 cognitively normal individuals who died at a mean age of 97.6 years. They also used cognitive test scores from people taken between two to twelve months before death. The average age of study participants at the time of their last visit was 97.1 years of age.

"In our future research, we will examine how lifestyle habits and health conditions are associated with superior cognition in individuals who are 90+ and the factors that contribute to maintaining stable cognitive function over time," said Biswas.

The 90+ Study is a longitudinal study on aging and dementia that was initiated in 2003 to study the oldest-old population, which is the fastest growing age group in the United States.

With more than 2000 participants enrolled, it is now one of the largest studies of its kind in the world. The project has produced several significant findings regarding cognitive function, health and lifestyle habits in the oldest-old population information obtained during life.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524182040.htm

Researchers comprehensively assess the safety of using your head in youth soccer

May 24, 2023

Science Daily/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Repeatedly heading a soccer ball has been previously associated with negative long-term brain health for professional players. However, in a new study from researchers at the Minds Matter Concussion Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a small number of repeated soccer headers equivalent to a throw-in did not cause immediate neurophysiological deficits for teens, suggesting that limited soccer heading exposure in youth sports may not result in irreversible harm if players are properly trained.

The findings, which represent the most comprehensive real-time study of soccer headers in adolescent athletes, were published in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.

For some professional athletes, repeated head loading in sports -- using your head as part of the game -- is associated with negative long-term brain health even when there are no initial clinical symptoms. Despite the awareness of long-term consequences, short-term neurophysiological issues after repeated head impacts like soccer heading are poorly understood in youth athletes. Some studies have identified potential issues across an entire sports season. This study examined the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after the heading exposure with a battery of six different tests to examine a wider variety of potential clinical implications.

In 2015, the US Soccer Federation implemented limits on soccer headers for teens during practice -- no more than 30 minutes of header practice time and no more than 15 to 20 headers per week. The English Premier League also passed guidelines restricting the number of high-force headers to 10 in a single practice per week. This lab-based study simulated these limits conducting 10 repeated soccer headers within a single session with experienced teenage players. Based on their findings, researchers determined that this practice did not result in acute neurophysiological issues, as assessed by a comprehensive exam. The study did not assess the safety of regular soccer headers over the course of a season or scholastic career.

"Soccer is a sport where intentionally using your head to hit the ball is an integral part of the game, and concern over its long-term effects has parents, caregivers and coaches understandably concerned," said first study author Colin Huber, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at Emory University who conducted this research while with the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at CHOP. "We wanted to simulate these effects in a controlled laboratory setting and build upon the work of prior studies to quantitatively assess the neurophysiological effects of repeated soccer heading."

In this study, 19 participants (17 male, 2 female) between 13 and 18 years old were assigned to either a frontal heading group (directing the ball back to where it came from), an oblique heading group (directing the ball to the right) or a kicking control group. These participants completed neurophysiological assessments immediately prior to, immediately after and approximately 24 hours after completing 10 headers or kicks. These assessments included multiple eye movement tracking, pupil response and balance tests.

The study ultimately found no neurophysiological issues in either group when compared with the kicking control group, even when taking the six different assessments into account. However, oblique headers resulted in higher levels of angular head motion. Angular motion is associated with concussions and other brain injuries, suggesting that players should be properly trained to head the ball in a frontal fashion to reduce the risk of injury.

"This study represents the most comprehensive examination of the acute neurophysiological effects of soccer headers on youth to date, providing us with meaningful information regarding the safety of headers on the field," said senior study author Kristy Arbogast, PhD, Co-Scientific Director at CIRP and research director of the Minds Matter Concussion Program at CHOP. "We need to be clear that there still may be long-term consequences for repeated soccer headers over the course of an athletic career, but it appears that a small number of headers in a given session does not pose an immediate risk to properly trained youth athletes."

This study was supported by the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health grant R01NS097549 and internal funds from CHOP.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524181945.htm

Multivitamin improves memory in older adults

May 24, 2023

Science Daily/Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Taking a daily multivitamin supplement can slow age-related memory decline, finds a large study led by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard.

"Cognitive aging is a top health concern for older adults, and this study suggests that there may be a simple, inexpensive way to help older adults slow down memory decline," says study leader Adam M. Brickman, PhD, professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Many older people take vitamins or dietary supplements under the assumption that they will help maintain general health. But studies that have tested whether they improve memory and brain function have been mixed, and very few large-scale, randomized trials have been done.

Study methods

In the current study, more than 3,500 adults (mostly non-Hispanic white) over age 60 were randomly assigned to take a daily multivitamin supplement or placebo for three years. At the end of each year, participants performed a series of online cognitive assessments at home designed to test memory function of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is affected by normal aging. The COSMOS-Web study is part of a large clinical trial led by Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard called the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS).

By the end of the first year, memory improved for people taking a daily multivitamin, compared with those taking a placebo. The researchers estimate the improvement, which was sustained over the three-year study period, was equivalent to about three years of age-related memory decline. The effect was more pronounced in participants with underlying cardiovascular disease.

The results of the new study are consistent with another recent COSMOS study of more than 2,200 older adults that found that taking a daily multivitamin improved overall cognition, memory recall, and attention, effects that were also more pronounced in those with underlying cardiovascular disease.

"There is evidence that people with cardiovascular disease may have lower micronutrient levels that multivitamins may correct, but we don't really know right now why the effect is stronger in this group," says Brickman.

Good nutrition important for aging brain

Though the researchers did not look at whether any specific component of the multivitamin supplement was linked to the improvement in memory, the findings support growing evidence that nutrition is important for optimizing brain health as we age.

"Our study shows that the aging brain may be more sensitive to nutrition than we realized, though it may not be so important to find out which specific nutrient helps slow age-related cognitive decline," says Lok-Kin Yeung, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Columbia's Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain and first author of the study.

"The finding that a daily multivitamin improved memory in two separate cognition studies in the COSMOS randomized trial is remarkable, suggesting that multivitamin supplementation holds promise as a safe, accessible, and affordable approach to protecting cognitive health in older adults," says co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"Supplementation of any kind shouldn't take the place of more holistic ways of getting the same micronutrients," adds Brickman. "Though multivitamins are generally safe, people should always consult a physician before taking them."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524181916.htm

Vitamin D alters developing neurons in the brain's dopamine circuit

May 24, 2023

Science Daily/University of Queensland

Neuroscientists at The University of Queensland have uncovered how vitamin D deficiency affects developing neurons in schizophrenia, using new technology.

Professor Darryl Eyles has built on past research out of his laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute linking maternal vitamin D deficiency and brain development disorders, such as schizophrenia, to understand the functional changes taking place in the brain.

Schizophrenia is associated with many developmental risk factors, both genetic and environmental. While the precise neurological causes of the disorder are unknown, what is known is that schizophrenia is associated with a pronounced change in the way the brain uses dopamine, the neurotransmitter often referred to as the brain's 'reward molecule'.

Professor Eyles has followed the mechanisms that might relate to abnormal dopamine release and discovered that maternal vitamin D deficiency affects the early development and later differentiation of dopaminergic neurons.

The team at the Queensland Brain Institute developed dopamine-like cells to replicate the process of differentiation into early dopaminergic neurons that usually takes place during embryonic development.

They cultured the neurons both in the presence and absence of the active vitamin D hormone. In three different model systems they showed dopamine neurite outgrowth was markedly increased. They then showed alterations in the distribution of presynaptic proteins responsible for dopamine release within these neurites.

"What we found was the altered differentiation process in the presence of vitamin D not only makes the cells grow differently, but recruits machinery to release dopamine differently," Professor Eyles said.

Using a new visualisation tool known as false fluorescent neurotransmitters, the team could then analyse the functional changes in presynaptic dopamine uptake and release in the presence and absence of vitamin D.

They showed that dopamine release was enhanced in cells grown in the presence of the hormone compared to a control.

"This is conclusive evidence that vitamin D affects the structural differentiation of dopaminergic neurons."

Leveraging advances in targeting and visualising single molecules within presynaptic nerve terminals has enabled Professor Eyles and his team to further explore their long-standing belief that maternal vitamin D deficiency changes how early dopaminergic circuits are formed.

The team is now exploring whether other environmental risk factors for schizophrenia such as maternal hypoxia or infection similarly alter the trajectory of dopamine neuron differentiation.

Eyles and his team believe such early alterations to dopamine neuron differentiation and function may be the neurodevelopmental origin of dopamine dysfunction later in adults who develop schizophrenia.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524182026.htm

What marsupials can teach us about brain development

May 23, 2023

Science Daily/University of Queensland

University of Queensland research has revealed features of early human brain development are mimicked in the brains of marsupials.

Lead author Dr Rodrigo Suárez from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute and School of Biomedical Sciences, said the finding could lead to a better understanding of brain patterns linked to neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

"Marsupials are mammals born at extremely early stages -- the equivalent to mid-gestation in human terms," Dr Suárez said.

"Most marsupial brain development happens postnatally, inside the mothers' pouch.

"Because of this, we've been able to study patterns of neural activity in the Australian native fat-tailed dunnart and found they're similar to those in the human brain in utero."

The research used light indicators to record the electrical activity of neurons in marsupial joeys.

"We followed the onset and maturation of complex activity patterns, using advanced microscopy to read how the joey's developing brain cells first communicate," Dr Suárez said.

"There were distinct patterns from the outset indicating not only that neural activity begins before sensory experience, but that unique electrical features in newborn cells might be crucial for the healthy establishment of brain connections.

"Likewise, subtle defects in these patterns could lead to neurodevelopmental conditions like ASD."

Dr Suárez said it was well established that human babies respond to stimulation well before birth.

"But exactly when, where and how electrical activity begins in the developing brain has remained largely unknown," he said.

"This is mostly because only mammals have evolved a cerebral cortex -- the wrinkly surface of our brains that controls sensory motor and cognitive tasks -- and most experimental models can't survive at such early stages outside the uterus."

Dr Suárez said studying marsupials could help researchers go further back in brain evolution.

"These findings highlight early processes of brain development that arose millions of years ago, and are ongoing with little change, likely influencing the evolution and diversification of the cerebral cortex."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230523123734.htm

Exercise seems to protect against major brain hemorrhage

May 22, 2023

Science Daily/University of Gothenburg

Regular physical activity and exercise may reduce bleeding in individuals with intracerebral hemorrhage, a University of Gothenburg study shows. The researchers emphasize the importance of physical activity to protect the brain.

The study, published in the journal Stroke and Vascular Neurology, analyzed data on 686 people treated for intracerebral hemorrhage at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg during the years 2014 to 2019.

The results are based on a retrospective analysis. Causal connections cannot be identified, but the findings are nonetheless clear: Those who reported regular physical activity had smaller hemorrhages than those who reported being inactive.

Physically active was defined as engaging in at least light physical activity, such as walking, cycling, swimming, gardening, or dancing, for at least four hours weekly.

50 percent less bleeding volume

The main author of the study is Adam Viktorisson, a PhD student in clinical neuroscience at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and doctor in general practice at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

"We found that individuals who engage in regular physical activity had, on average, bleeding volumes that were 50 percent smaller upon arriving to the hospital. A similar connection has previously been seen in animal studies, but no prior study has demonstrated this in humans."

Everyone who comes to the hospital with a suspected intracerebral hemorrhage undergoes a computerized tomography (CT) scan of the brain. Depending on the severity of the hemorrhage, neurosurgery may be required. However, in most cases, non-surgical methods and medications are used to manage symptoms and promote patient recovery.

Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most dangerous type of stroke and can lead to life-threatening conditions. The risk of severe consequences from the hemorrhage increases with the extent of the bleeding.

"In cases of major intracerebral hemorrhages, there is a risk of increased pressure within the skull that can potentially lead to fatal outcomes" says Thomas Skoglund, associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Gothenburg, neurosurgeon at the University Hospital, and one of the study's co-authors.

Better understanding of intracerebral hemorrhages

The findings were significant regardless of the location within the cerebrum. Physically active individuals exhibited reduced bleeding in both the deep regions of the brain, which are often associated with high blood pressure, and the surface regions, which are linked to age-related conditions like dementia.

The study creates scope for further research on intracerebral hemorrhages and physical activity. Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen, professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Gothenburg and senior consultant physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, oversees the study.

"We hope that our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of intracerebral hemorrhages and aid in the development of more effective preventive measures" she concludes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131358.htm

You can satisfy your appetite just by looking at pictures of food on your phone

The results may lead to a new form of treatment for overeating

May 22, 2023

Science Daily/Aarhus University

The internet is overflowing with pictures of food: On news sites, social media and the banner ads that pop up everywhere.

Many of the food images are uploaded to sell specific foods. The idea is that the images on Facebook or Instagram will make us yearn for a McDonalds burger, for example. In other words, the image awakens our hunger.

New research from Aarhus University now shows that the images can actually have the opposite effect. At least if we see pictures of the same product repeatedly.

A number of experiments reveal that we can get a sense of satiety if we see the same image more 30 times. Tjark Andersen, who recently defended his PhD at Department of Food Science at Aarhus University, explains more.

"In our experiments, we showed that when the participants saw the same food picture 30 times, they felt more satiated than before they had seen the picture. The participants who were shown the picture many times also chose a smaller portion than those who had only seen the picture three times, when we subsequently asked about the size of portion they wanted," he says.

Tricking your brain into feeling full

It may sound strange that the participants felt full without actually eating anything. But this is really quite natural, explains Tjark Andersen. How we think about food has a large influence on our appetite.

"Your appetite is more closely linked with your cognitive perception than most of us think. How we think about our food is very important," he says, and continues:

"Studies have shown that if you make people aware of different colours of Jelly Beans, even if they have eaten all they can in red Jelly Beans, will still want the yellow ones. Even if both colours taste completely the same."

Within brain research, these findings are explained with so-called grounded cognition theory. For example, if you imagine putting your teeth in a juicy apple, the same areas of the brain are stimulated as if you actually take a bite of an apple.

"You will receive a physiological response to something you have only thought about. That's why we can feel fully satisfied without eating anything," he says.

A large online experiment

Tjark Andersen and his colleagues are not the first to discover that we can get feel full by looking at pictures of food. Other research groups have previously shown this.

The new research from Aarhus University is that they examined the number of repetitions needed -- and whether variation in the images removes the sense of satiety.

"We know from previous studies that images of different types of food don't have the same effect on satiety. That's why you can really feel full after the main course but still have room for dessert. Sweet things are a completely different type of food," he says.

To investigate whether variation in food completely removes the sense of satiety, Tjark Andersen and his colleagues designed a number of online experiments. They ended up getting more than 1,000 people through their digital experiments.

First they showed a picture of just orange M&Ms. Some participants were shown the picture three times, others 30 times. The group that saw most pictures the M&M felt most satiated afterwards, explains Tjark Andersen.

"They had to answer how many M&Ms between 1 and 10 they wanted. The group which had seen 30 images of orange chocolate buttons, chose a smaller amount than the other two groups."

Afterwards, they repeated the experiment. This time with M&Ms in different colours. The colours did not change the result.

Finally, they replaced the M&Ms with Skittles. Unlike M&Ss, Skittles taste different depending on the colour.

"If colour didn't play a role, it must be the imagined taste. But we found no major effect here either. This suggests that more parameters than just colour and flavour have to change before we can make a effect on satiety," he explains.

Could be used as a weight loss strategy

Since 1975, the number of overweight people worldwide has tripled. According to the WHO, obesity is one of the biggest health challenges facing humans. And the reason why we become too fat is that we eat too much food and too much unhealthy food and we do not take enough exercise.

This is where Tjark Andersen's results come into the play. Perhaps they can be applied as a method to control appetite, he says.

"Think if you developed an app based on a Google search. Let's say you wanted pizza. You open the app. Choose pizza -- and it shows a lot of photos of pizza while you imagine eating it. In this way, you could get a sense of satiety and maybe just stop wanting pizza."

Perhaps his results can best be used to ensure that you don't start a meal. The participants in the study only chose slightly fewer Skittles or M&Ms, corresponding to less than 50 calories.

"You won't save many calories unless you completely refrain from starting a meal. But perhaps the method can be used for this as well. It'd be interesting to investigate," he says.

Social media are overflowing with food

Tjark Andersen and a number of other researchers are studying how food advertisements on social media affect us, because we are constantly being confronted with delicious food.

A few years ago, an American research group tried to find out how many advertisements with food we encounter on average when we are on social media. The researchers monitored a number of young people and mapped out the content they met.

On average, the young people saw 6.1 of food-related posts in 12 hours. The vast majority of the posts were pictures of food -- and more than a third were about desserts or other sweet food.

The internet and, in particular, social media can be a contributory factor in our becoming increasingly overweight. But it may also be the solution.

Only the future will tell.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131327.htm

Married people who cheat don't often regret it

Infidelity survey reveals little remorse, high rates of satisfaction

May 22, 2023

Science Daily/Johns Hopkins University

Married people who have affairs find them highly satisfying, express little remorse and believe the cheating didn't hurt their otherwise healthy marriages, finds a new report on the psychology of infidelity.

The extensive survey of people using Ashley Madison, a website for facilitating extramarital affairs, challenges widely held notions about infidelity, particularly about cheaters' motivations and experiences. The work is newly published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.

"In popular media, television shows and movies and books, people who have affairs have this intense moral guilt and we don't see that in this sample of participants," said lead author Dylan Selterman, an associate teaching professor in Johns Hopkins University's Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences who studies relationships and attraction. "Ratings for satisfaction with affairs was high -- sexual satisfaction and emotional satisfaction. And feelings of regret were low. These findings paint a more complicated picture of infidelity compared to what we thought we knew."

Researchers conducted this study to better understand the psychological experiences of those who seek and engage in extramarital affairs. Working with researchers at the University of Western Ontario, Selterman surveyed nearly 2,000 active users of Ashley Madison, before and after they had affairs.

Participants were asked about the state of their marriage, about why they wanted to have an affair, and about their general well-being. Respondents, generally middle aged and male, reported high levels of love for their partners, yet low levels of sexual satisfaction.

Participants reported high levels of love for their spouses, yet about half of the participants said that they were not sexually active with their partners. Sexual dissatisfaction was the top-cited motivation to have an affair, with other motivations including the desire for independence and for sexual variety. Fundamental problems with the relationship, like lack of love or anger toward a spouse were among the least-cited reasons for wanting to cheat.

Having great marriages didn't make cheaters any more likely to regret affairs, the survey found. Participants generally reported that their affair was highly satisfying both sexually and emotionally, and that they did not regret having it.

The results suggest that infidelity isn't necessarily the result of a deeper problem in the relationship, Selterman said. Participants sought affairs because they wanted novel, exciting sexual experiences, or sometimes because they didn't feel a strong commitment to their partners, rather than because of a need for emotional fulfillment, the report found.

"People have a diversity of motivations to cheat," Selterman said. "Sometimes they'll cheat even if their relationships are pretty good. We don't see solid evidence here that people's affairs are associated with lower relationship quality or lower life satisfaction."

Selterman hopes to advance this work by looking closer at how other populations of cheaters compare to the Ashley Madison population.

"The take-home point for me is that maintaining monogamy or sexual exclusivity especially across people's lifespans is really, really hard and I think people take monogamy for granted when they're committed to someone in a marriage. People just assume that their partners are going to be totally satisfied having sex with one person for the next 50 years of their lives but a lot of people fail at it. It doesn't mean everyone's relationship is doomed, it means that cheating might be a common part of people's relationships."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131322.htm

Researchers analyze THC in breath of cannabis smokers

Distinguishing between recent use and past use remains an elusive goal

May 22, 2023

Science Daily/National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Researchers analyzed THC levels in the breath of people who use cannabis regularly, both before and after they smoked marijuana. The researchers found that THC levels spanned a similar range across pre- and post-use samples. 'In many cases, we would not have been able to tell whether the person smoked within the last hour based on the concentration of THC in their breath,' said study author.

Most states in the U.S. allow people to use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. Yet all states want their roadways to be safe. A breathalyzer that can accurately identify people who recently smoked cannabis might help them keep impaired drivers off the road -- if such a device existed.

But developing a breathalyzer for cannabis is far more difficult than for alcohol, which people exhale in large amounts when drinking. In contrast, the intoxicating component of cannabis, called THC, is thought to be carried inside aerosol particles that people exhale. The total volume of aerosols can be very small, making it difficult to accurately measure their THC content. Currently, there is no standard method for doing this.

Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder have conducted a study in which they collected breath samples from people both before and after they smoked high-THC cannabis, aka marijuana, and used laboratory instruments (not a handheld device) to measure the amount of THC in their breath. The goal of this study, published in the Journal of Breath Research, was to begin developing a protocol that yields reproducible results -- a necessary step toward a reliable, validated field-based method.

The samples collected before people smoked were important because THC can persist in the bodies of people who frequently use cannabis for a month or more, long after the effects of the drug have worn off.

"One key question that we cannot yet answer is whether breath measurements can be used to distinguish between a person who uses cannabis regularly but hasn't done so lately, and someone who consumed an hour ago," said NIST supervisory chemical engineer and study author Tara Lovestead. "Having a reproducible protocol for breath measurements will help us and other researchers answer that question."

The breath samples were collected in a mobile lab -- a comfortably appointed white van that would park conveniently outside participants' homes. This mobile pharmacology lab was developed by researchers at University of Colorado Boulder, including Cinnamon Bidwell, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience and a co-author of the study. In addition, all participants purchased and used a consistent kind of high-THC cannabis prepared by a licensed dispensary in Boulder, Colorado. This study design allowed the authors to conduct their research without handling high-THC cannabis or otherwise running afoul of federal laws.

At the appointed time, participants popped into the van, gave their pre-use breath sample and also provided a blood sample. They then went back into their residence, smoked cannabis according to their usual custom and returned immediately to the van to provide a second blood sample. Since THC concentrations in blood spike immediately after consuming the drug, researchers compared the before-and-after blood samples to confirm that the participants had in fact just used it. An hour later, the participants gave their second breath sample.

Participants provided breath samples by blowing into a tube containing an "impaction filter" that captured aerosols from their breath. Later in the lab, the researchers extracted the material caught in the filter and measured the concentration of THC and other cannabis compounds using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, a laboratory technique that identifies compounds and measures their amount.

Because this was a protocol development study that involved only 18 participants, the results of the analysis do not carry statistical weight. However, they do highlight the need for further study.

"We expected to see higher THC concentrations in the breath samples collected an hour after people used," Lovestead said. However, THC levels spanned a similar range across pre-use and post-use samples. "In many cases, we would not have been able to tell whether the person smoked within the last hour based on the concentration of THC in their breath."

This study was funded by a grant from the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice. NIJ has also awarded the research team an additional grant of $1.5 million over three years to continue its research. The next study will involve at least 40 participants providing more than a thousand breath samples. That should give the results more statistical heft.

"A lot more research is needed to show that a cannabis breathalyzer can produce useful results," said NIST materials research engineer and co-author Kavita Jeerage. "A breathalyzer test can have a huge impact on a person's life, so people should have confidence that the results are accurate."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131310.htm

Even slight traffic noise has a negative impact on work performance

May 19, 2023

Science Daily/Chalmers University of Technology

Researchers at Chalmers' Division of Applied Acoustics have conducted a laboratory study in which test subjects took concentration tests while being exposed to background traffic noise. The subjects were asked to look at a computer screen and react to certain letters, then to assess their perceived workload afterwards. The study shows that the subjects had significantly poorer results on the performance test, and also felt that the task was more difficult to carry out, with traffic noise in the background.

"What is unique about our study is that we were able to demonstrate a decline in performance at noise levels as low as 40 dB, which corresponds to the regular noise level in an office environment or a kitchen," says Leon Müller, Doctoral student at the Division of Applied Acoustics in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering.

The background noise consisted of two audio sequences simulating trucks passing by at a distance of ten and fifty metres. Both sequences were normalised to the same total indoor level of 40 dB.

"The audio sequence simulating the closer passages, where the sound changes significantly as the vehicle passes by, was usually the one that bothered the test subjects the most," Müller says. "This could be because traffic that is further away is perceived as a more constant drone."

Housing is built closer to roads now

The new results emphasise an already problematic situation of negative impact on health and job performance due to traffic noise. In recent years, the distance between roads and newly built housing in Swedish cities has been allowed to shrink -- a trend that can also be seen internationally.

Put somewhat simplistically, the Swedish regulations for where construction is permitted are based on the average outdoor noise level over a 24-hour period -- meaning that they do not take individual pass-bys into account. In addition, current regulations do not cover the peaks of low-frequency noise indoors, which is difficult to avoid and is, according to research, more disruptive and therefore more impacting on human health.

In one study modelling low-frequency noise, Jens Forssén, Professor of applied acoustics at Chalmers, showed that such noise is primarily generated by heavy traffic at low speeds, and is difficult to shut out even with well-insulated windows and buildings that comply with all the construction norms and guidelines for sound insulation.

Reduced vehicle speed can increase the noise exposure indoors

"The calculations for different types of facades show that it is difficult to achieve ideal indoor sound environments near heavily trafficked roads," Forssén says. "Reducing speeds is not a solution, as our calculations show that the indoor noise exposure can even increase at lower speeds."

Further, Forssén says that noise and the sound environment are a factor that is often considered too late in the planning process, and that there are advantages that could be achieved if adjustments were made in order to better utilise the space in terms of noise pollution.

The researchers also agree that the most effective solution would be to avoid urban densification in areas where traffic noise would have too great an impact on health and wellbeing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230519104544.htm

Forgetfulness, even fatal cases, can happen to anyone

May 18, 2023

Science Daily/University of Notre Dame

Since 1998, approximately 496 children have died of pediatric vehicular heatstroke in the United States because their caregiver forgot they were in the car, according to recent data from NoHeatStroke.org.

Advocacy groups have been lobbying Congress to enact laws to help protect against this particular forgetfulness by requiring certain safety mechanisms be installed into automobiles. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame set out to understand how and why this kind of forgetfulness is even possible.

Nathan Rose, the William P. and Hazel B. White Assistant Professor of Brain, Behavior and Cognition in the Department of Psychology, set up an experiment to better understand this lapse in what researchers call prospective memory, or the ability to remember critical but routine behaviors such as turning off the oven when you leave the house for the day.

In a study recently published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, Rose and doctoral candidates Abigail Doolen and Andrea O'Rear designed a naturalistic procedure to measure if and how college students could forget their cellphones -- something most are dearly attached to and that could have serious consequences for them if forgotten. Their "babies," so to speak.

The researchers took the cellphones of 192 Notre Dame students while they participated in an unrelated experiment and then examined how often the students forgot to retrieve their phone when they left the lab at the end of the experiment, and whether it mattered if they were given explicit reminders to grab the phone once the experiment was complete.

For the study, students were also given activity trackers to attach to the back of their waistbands. One group was reminded to ask for their cellphone and to return the tracker when finished; the other group was not. After the students finished the unrelated experiment, they were debriefed and guided to an exit, while the experimenters pretended to go on with business as usual -- watching to see if and when the participants remembered to retrieve their phone or return the tracker.

About 7 percent of students forgot their cellphones without the reminder, compared to almost 5 percent of those who were reminded. Nearly 18 percent of either category forgot to return the tracker.

The researchers discovered that forgetting occurs when environmental cues fail to trigger one's memory of that intention at the right moment, and the intention gets lost in the shuffle, Rose said. They also found that prospective memory errors can happen to anyone.

"You process those more automatically, so you can get lost in your thoughts because your behaviors are being driven by the environment," Rose said. "It's not that you forget what it is you're supposed to be doing; you're just forgetting to do it at the appropriate moment."

The same way the students missed the environmental cues to remind them to pick up their phone or return the tracker, so it is for parents who are driving to work or running errands with a baby in the backseat, the researchers theorized. Before laws were established in the 1990s requiring car seats to be placed rear-facing in the back seat, forgetting babies in cars was uncommon. "The absence of salient visual and auditory cues from a child who is sleeping in the backseat creates a scenario conducive to forgetting the child is in the car," the researchers wrote.

Or, Rose explained, if a parent is taking a child in the car but is not typically the caregiver who does that activity, and he or she gets into the routine and set pattern of driving to work, he or she may forget the child is even there.

Rose explained that memory errors occur at the same frequency between men and women. "When you talk about the forgotten baby scenarios, people often make assumptions about who forgets their babies, who the caregivers are," Rose said. "And there's no evidence to support the idea that men are more likely to commit this kind of error than women, or vice versa."

Rose and his co-authors believe this research can have serious implications when it comes to exonerating parents who mistakenly forget to retrieve their children out of their car seats, resulting in their deaths. "This study should help inform the public and judicial system about what does and does not cause such memory errors to happen," the researchers wrote, "even those with tragic consequences."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230518171959.htm

Psychological Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Guest Post: Susan Sami

Sleeping allows our body and mind to rejuvenate and recharge. But, sleep deprivation has become a common issue impacting our well-being. It can be due to multiple reasons, such as work schedules, personal commitments, or an uncomfortable mattress.

A recommended amount of sleep is undervalued by many, but the aftereffects of sleep deprivation can cause physiological effects.  

A 'good night's sleep' makes you feel refreshed and recharged in the morning. But, when you are not getting quality sleep, you wake up as a grumpier person. Sleep deprivation can increase stressors in the body, leading to increased negative emotional responses.

Getting back your quality sleep might be easier than you think. Maintaining a proper sleep schedule, ensuring sleep hygiene, and opting for a comfortable mattress and body pillows could be a few simple things to help.

This article addresses the psychological effects of sleep deprivation and why quality sleep is important. So, let’s dive into it.

What can be the possible psychological effects of sleep deprivation?

A night without quality sleep, tossing and turning, you already know you will feel tired and cranky the next day. Unfortunately, missing out on quality sleep will not just make you grumpy and groggy; it does a lot more to your body.

Impaired cognitive function:

Sleep deprivation is heavily linked with cognitive function. The absence of good sleep leads to poor concentration, focus and problem-solving abilities. Memory function is also affected. Hence it gets harder to retain and recall information. Cognitive impairment can also affect work performance and increases the chances of errors.

When a person is sleep deprived, the ability to think and solve problems is also compromised. Not to mention, sleep-deprived people struggle with innovative solutions and creative decisions. Insufficient sleep decreases the whole mechanism and decreases the reaction time. Chronic sleep deprivation is also linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.

Emotional instability and mood disorders:

Sleep deprivation isa  wreckage to our emotional well-being. Overworking and sleep deprivation mess up overall mental health. It can also lead to increased irritability, mood swings and emotional instability.

Even minor issues can frustrate sleep-deprived individuals and escalate matters to another level. Also, not taking quality sleep increases the risk of developing mood disorders, anxiety, and depression.

Impaired Decision-Making:

Sleep-deprived individuals are unable to make sound decisions. Their ability to assess the risk and take timely decisions is also impacted. Professional life is also highly compromised if a person cannot make sound decisions, increasing the chances of errors and mistakes.

Stress response:

Our bodies become more prone to stress when we do not get quality sleep. Sleep deprivation is one of the most prominent triggers of stress. The lack of quality sleep increases the production of stress hormones such as cortisol leading to anxiety and aggressiveness.

A well-rested body can cope with stress. But, a sleep-deprived body has a weakened coping mechanism incapable of handling stress. Sufficient sleep regulates stress levels and also enhances resilience.

Reduced Emotional Empathy and Social Interactions:

Sufficient sleep is important for maintaining healthy relationships. Sleep-deprived individuals are exhausted, frustrated and irritated, and they also experience reduced emotional empathy, making it harder to connect with a person emotionally.

Sleep-deprived individuals skip social interactions, affecting their personal and professional relationships.

Causes of sleep deprivation:

There can be multiple factors of sleep deprivation, both internal and external. Let's explore some of the common causes of sleep deprivation.

Lifestyle:

Lifestyle choices can also impact sleep quality. Routine in life is important to maintain sanity. Hectic work schedules forced commitments, and peer pressure also affects sleep quality. Excessive screen time and irregular sleep patterns contribute to sleep deprivation.

Professional life:

Individuals working at night and rotating shifts also need better quality sleep issues. Moreover, healthcare professionals and other professions also have demanding schedules which interfere with adequate sleep.

Environmental factors:

One of the most prominent causes of sleep deprivation. Noise pollution, room temperature, uncomfortable mattress, light exposure, etc., contribute to poor sleep quality. All of these factors make it challenging for an individual to sleep properly.

Medical conditions:

An individual suffering from a medical condition is also sleep deprived. Also, sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome all come under medical conditions.

Stress and anxiety:

Anxiety disorder and depression can also lead to sleep deprivation. Overthinking makes it difficult for a person to sleep properly. Racing thoughts, restlessness, and fear all come under stress and anxiety, contributing to poor sleep quality.

Use of substance:

The use of substances and certain medications also contributes to low quality of sleep. Substances such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol disturb sleep patterns. Medications such as antidepressants and stimulants may have sleep-disrupting side effects.

It is extremely important to understand the root cause of sleep deprivation. Healthy sleeping habits improve the quality of life.

Wrapping up:

Sleep deprivation is not just being tired and feeling cranky all day long. It is much more than that; it has significant psychological effects on the body. Some psychological effects of sleep deprivation are emotional instability, mood disorders, stress responses, and social interactions. An individual must understand the importance of quality sleep and start prioritizing it. A better sleeping pattern improves cognitive abilities and overall quality of life.

How to Maintain Your Health When Traveling for Work

Guest Post:

Data show that approximately 1.3 million business trips are taken every day in the U.S.. If you are one of the millions traveling for work, your health may be negatively affected. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. Today, the MindSpa Personal Development System presents a variety of ways to maintain your health, even when you’re away from home.

Eat Right 

At home, you can stock your kitchen with all your favorite healthy provisions, and you know which local restaurants serve nutritious foods. Traveling, however, requires a little more planning. Regardless of your method of transportation, pack plenty of healthy travel snacks. Nuts and fruits are especially convenient if you don’t have a way to keep the food chilled. If you’re able to pack a small cooler, consider including string cheese, hummus and sliced carrots.  

Staying in a room with a kitchenette allows you to prepare your own meals. Visit the grocery store on your first day in town. Plan ahead for a healthier dining experience when you do eat out. Order water instead of soda. If possible, look at the menu ahead of time to make a nutritious selection.  

Sleep Well 

If you are traveling to a different time zone, take steps to address jet lag. Try to adjust your sleep schedule before the trip to more closely align with your destination’s time. Get plenty of rest before the trip to minimize the effects of jet lag. Expose yourself to natural light once you have reached your destination to help your body adjust.  

Even if you don’t end up in a different time zone, it can still be difficult to sleep in an unfamiliar place. Fortunately, there are ways to get better hotel sleep. Try to keep your routine consistent with what you do at home, and take time to relax before bed. Consider packing the following items to help you sleep well: 

●      Your own pillow 

●      Eye mask 

●      Ear plugs 

●      Sound machine 

Comfortable sleepwear can help you sleep by regulating your body temperature, allowing for greater mobility and reducing skin irritation. Consider investing in a comfortable pair of pajamas or a flattering and soft nightgown.

You can also try the MindSpa Personal Development System. Its compact system fits easily in your suitcase and it will help you to get the restful sleep you need on your work travels.

Stay Active 

Travel can disrupt your workout routine, but it’s important to stay active. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to follow the same exercise regimen when traveling as you do at home. Try hotel room exercises, such as body-weight exercises and stretching. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

If your hotel is fairly close to where you will be going for work, walk instead of driving. You can also walk to nearby restaurants, or simply go for a stroll just to explore. Consider staying at a hotel with a gym.  

Minimize Stress 

Travel and work are often stressful, and traveling for work can be doubly so. Do your best to minimize travel stress. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport or train station. If you are driving, make sure you have paper directions in case your GPS goes out. You can easily create a PDF of all of your travel route options before you leave. It’s easy to add pages to your PDF before printing so everything is saved together and easily accessible. 

Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. Plan carefully and stay organized. Take time to relax when you get to the hotel and try to have some fun on your trip. Before leaving, see what entertainment options are available.  

Avoid Drinking Too Much Caffeine

Business trips can be long and exhausting, but having too much caffeine can make them even more difficult. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can help wake you up and keep you alert, but it can also lead to jitters, headaches, dehydration, or disrupted sleep patterns.

To avoid the potential negatives of too much caffeine during your business trip, it's important to take breaks throughout the day and get regular exercise. When consuming coffee drinks, look for drinks that don’t have too much caffeine, and try to avoid highly caffeinated options like espresso.

Focus on Healthy Travel Routines

Even though a healthy routine may take a little more planning when you are traveling, the basics for good health are the same whether you are home or away. Eat right, exercise, purchase some comfortable sleepwear so you get enough sleep, limit your caffeine intake, and control stress.

Losing sleep over losing sleep: how watching the clock impacts insomnia, use of sleep aids

May 16, 2023

Science Daily/Indiana University

Watching the clock while trying to fall asleep exacerbates insomnia and the use of sleep aids, according to research from an Indiana University professor -- and a small change could help people sleep better.

The research, led by Spencer Dawson, clinical assistant professor and associate director of clinical training in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, focuses on a sample of nearly 5,000 patients presenting for care at a sleep clinic.

Insomnia affects between 4 and 22% of adults and is associated with long-term health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.

Participants completed questionnaires about the severity of their insomnia, their use of sleep medication and the time they spent monitoring their own behavior while trying to fall asleep. They were also asked to report any psychiatric diagnoses. Researchers conducted mediation analyses to determine how the factors influenced each other.

"We found time monitoring behavior mainly has an effect on sleep medication use because it exacerbates insomnia symptoms," Dawson said. "People are concerned that they're not getting enough sleep, then they start estimating how long it will take them to fall back asleep and when they have to be up. That is not the sort of activity that's helpful in facilitating the ability to fall asleep -- the more stressed out you are, the harder time you're going to have falling asleep."

As the frustration over sleeplessness grows, people are more likely to use sleep aids in an attempt to gain control over their sleep.

The results are published in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. Additional co-authors are Dr. Barry Krakow, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health in the Mercer University School of Medicine; Patricia Haynes, associate professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman School of Public Health at the University of Arizona and Darlynn Rojo-Wissar, a postdoctoral fellow at Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Dawson said the research indicates a simple behavioral intervention could provide help for those struggling with insomnia. He gives the same advice to every new patient the first time they meet.

"One thing that people could do would be to turn around or cover up their clock, ditch the smart watch, get the phone away so they're simply not checking the time," Dawson said. "There's not any place where watching the clock is particularly helpful."

With 15 years of of research and clinical experience in the sleep field, Dawson is interested in comparing individuals' sleeping experiences with what is concurrently happening in their brains. He trains and supervises doctoral students in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science's Clinical Science Program.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230516115525.htm

Brain-belly connection: Gut health may influence likelihood of developing Alzheimer's

May 11, 2023

Science Daily/University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Could changing your diet play a role in slowing or even preventing the development of dementia? We're one step closer to finding out, thanks to a new UNLV study that bolsters the long-suspected link between gut health and Alzheimer's disease.

The analysis -- led by a team of researchers with the Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine (NIPM) at UNLV and published this spring in the Nature journal Scientific Reports -- examined data from dozens of past studies into the belly-brain connection. The results? There's a strong link between particular kinds of gut bacteria and Alzheimer's disease.

Between 500 and 1,000 species of bacteria exist in the human gut at any one time, and the amount and diversity of these microorganisms can be influenced by genetics and diet.

The UNLV team's analysis found a significant correlation between 10 specific types of gut bacteria and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease. Six categories of bacteria -- Adlercreutzia, Eubacterium nodatum group, Eisenbergiella, Eubacterium fissicatena group, Gordonibacter, and Prevotella9 -- were identified as protective, and four types of bacteria -- Collinsella, Bacteroides, Lachnospira, and Veillonella -- were identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Certain bacteria in humans' guts can secrete acids and toxins that thin and seep through the intestinal lining, interact with the APOE(a gene identified as a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease), and trigger a neuroinflammatory response -- affecting brain health and numerous immune functions, and potentially promoting development of the neurodegenerative disorder.

Researchers said their novel discovery of the distinct bacterial groups associated with Alzheimer's disease provides new insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and the world's most common form of dementia. The findings also advance scientists' understanding of how an imbalance of that bacteria may play a role in the disorder's development.

"Most of the microorganisms in our intestines are considered good bacteria that promote health, but an imbalance of those bacteria can be toxic to a person's immune system and linked to various diseases, such as depression, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease," said UNLV research professor Jingchun Chen. "The take-home message here is that your genes not only determine whether you have a risk for a disease, but they can also influence the abundance of bacteria in your gut."

While their analysis established overarching categories of bacteria typically associated with Alzheimer's disease, the UNLV team said further research is needed to drill down into the specific bacterial species that influence risk or protection.

The hope is to one day develop treatments that are customized for an individual patient and their genetic makeup, such as medications or lifestyle change. Studies have shown that changes in gut microbiome through probiotic use and dietary adjustments can positively impact the immune system, inflammation, and even brain function.

"With more research it would be possible to identify a genetic trajectory that could point to a gut microbiome that would be more or less prone to developing diseases such as Alzheimer's," said study lead author and UNLV graduate student Davis Cammann, "but we also have to remember that the gut biome is influenced by many factors including lifestyle and diet."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230511164633.htm

Science Daily/Viewing art can improve our mood and well-being

May 5, 2023

Science Daily/Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Art can have a positive effect on our mood. But does this also work when we look at paintings on a screen? An international research team involving the University of Vienna, the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) in Frankfurt am Main decided to investigate this question. The study was funded by the EU Horizon ART*IS Project. The results have now been published as an open access article in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.

240 study participants viewed an interactive Monet Water Lily art exhibition from Google Arts and Culture. By filling out a questionnaire, they provided information about their state of mind, how much pleasure they felt when looking at the pictures, and how meaningful they considered the experience to be. The results showed significant improvements in mood and anxiety after just a few minutes of viewing.

"Online art viewing is an untapped source of support for well-being that can be consumed as bite-sized bits of meaning-making and pleasure," says MacKenzie Trupp, first author from the University of Vienna.

The study also found that some participants were more receptive to art than others and were able to benefit more. This advantage could be predicted using a metric called "aesthetic responsiveness."

"Aesthetic responsiveness describes how people react to diverse aesthetic stimuli, like art and nature. The results showed that individuals with high levels of art and aesthetic responsiveness benefit more from online art viewing due to having more pleasurable and meaningful art experiences," explains Edward A. Vessel of MPIEA, developer of the Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment (AReA).

The findings of this study are particularly interesting for people who are unable to visit museums in person, such as those with health problems. Furthermore, the results suggest that interactive art exhibitions and similar online experiences should be designed with an awareness of individual differences in aesthetic responsiveness. The study thus expands insight into the benefits and limitations of art in digital media and points the way for increasing the wellness potential of online art.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230505101654.htm

Older people have better mental well-being than 30 years ago

May 4, 2023

Science Daily/University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto

This was observed in a study conducted at the Gerontology Research Center at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä (Finland). The study examined differences in depressive symptoms and life satisfaction between current 75- and 80-year-olds and the same-aged people who lived in the 1990s.

The results showed that 75- and 80-year-old men and women today experience fewer depressive symptoms than those who were 75 and 80 years old in the 1990s. The differences were partly explained by the better perceived health and higher education of those born later.

"In our previous comparisons, we found that older people today have significantly better physical and cognitive functioning at the same age compared to those born earlier," says Professor Taina Rantanen from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. "These new results complement these positive findings in terms of mental well-being."

Today, 75- and 80-year-olds are more satisfied with their lives to date. However, there was no similar difference in satisfaction with their current lives. In fact, 80-year-old men who lived in the 1990s were even more satisfied with their current lives than 80-year-old are men today.

"These men born in 1910 had lived through difficult times, which may explain their satisfaction with their current lives in the 1990s when many things were better than before," says postdoctoral researcher Tiia Kekäläinen.

"Individuals adapt to their situation and living conditions. Both in the 1990s and today, the majority of older adults reported being satisfied with their current lives."

The study was conducted at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and Gerontology Research Center at University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The first cohort consisted of 617 individuals born in 1910 and 1914 who participated in the Evergreen study in 1989-1990. The second cohort consisted of 794 individuals born in 1938-1939 and 1942-1943 who participated in the AGNES study in 2017-2018. In both cohorts, the participants were assessed at the age of 75 or 80 years. The study was funded by the Academy of Finland and the European Research Council.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230504094940.htm

Deep sleep may mitigate Alzheimer's memory loss

May 4, 2023

Science Daily/University of California - Berkeley

A deep slumber might help buffer against memory loss for older adults facing a heightened burden of Alzheimer's disease, new research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests.

Deep sleep, also known as non-REM slow-wave sleep, can act as a "cognitive reserve factor" that may increase resilience against a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is linked to memory loss caused by dementia. Disrupted sleep has previously been associated with faster accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. However, the new research from a team at UC Berkeley reveals that superior amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can act as a protective factor against memory decline in those with existing high amounts of Alzheimer's disease pathology -- a potentially significant advance that experts say could help alleviate some of dementia's most devastating outcomes.

"With a certain level of brain pathology, you're not destined for cognitive symptoms or memory issues," said Zsófia Zavecz, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley's Center for Human Sleep Science. "People should be aware that, despite having a certain level of pathology, there are certain lifestyle factors that will help moderate and decrease the effects.

"One of those factors is sleep and, specifically, deep sleep."

The research, published Wednesday in the journal BMC Medicine, is the latest in a large body of work aimed at finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease and preventing it altogether.

As the most prevalent form of dementia, Alzheimer's disease destroys memory pathways and, in advanced forms, interferes with a person's ability to perform basic daily tasks. Roughly one in nine people over age 65 have the progressive disease -- a proportion that is expected to grow rapidly as the baby boomer generation ages.

In recent years, scientists have probed the ways that deposits of beta-amyloid associate with Alzheimer's disease and how such deposits also affect memory more generally. In addition to sleep being a foundational part of memory retention, the team at UC Berkeley previously discovered that the declining amount of a person's deep sleep could act as a "crystal ball" to forecast a faster rate of future beta-amyloid buildup in the brain, after which dementia is more likely set in.

Years of education, physical activity and social engagement are widely believed to shore up a person's resilience to severe brain pathology -- essentially keeping the mind sharp, despite the decreased brain health. These are called cognitive reserve factors. However, most of them, such as past years of education or the size of one's social network, cannot be easily changed or modified retroactively.

That idea of cognitive reserve became a compelling target for sleep researchers, said Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of neuroscience and psychology and senior author of the study.

"If we believe that sleep is so critical for memory," Walker said, "could sleep be one of those missing pieces in the explanatory puzzle that would tell us exactly why two people with the same amounts of vicious, severe amyloid pathology have very different memory?"

"If the findings supported the hypothesis, it would be thrilling, because sleep is something we can change," he added. "It is a modifiable factor."

To test that question, the researchers recruited 62 older adults from the Berkeley Aging Cohort Study. Participants, who were healthy adults and not diagnosed with dementia, slept in a lab while researchers monitored their sleep waves with an electroencephalography (EEG) machine. Researchers also used a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to measure the amount of beta-amyloid deposits in the participants' brains. Half of the participants had high amounts of amyloid deposits; the other half did not.

After they slept, the participants completed a memory task involving matching names to faces.

Those with high amounts of beta-amyloid deposits in their brain who also experienced higher levels of deep sleep performed better on the memory test than those with the same amount of deposits but who slept worse. This compensatory boost was limited to the group with amyloid deposits. In the group without pathology, deep sleep had no additional supportive effect on memory, which was understandable as there was no demand for resilience factors in otherwise intact cognitive function.

In other words, deep sleep bent the arrow of cognition upward, blunting the otherwise detrimental effects of beta-amyloid pathology on memory.

In their analysis, the researchers went on to control for other cognitive reserve factors, including education and physical activity, and still sleep demonstrated a marked benefit. This suggests that sleep, independent of these other factors, contributes to salvaging memory function in the face of brain pathology. These new discoveries, they said, indicate the importance of non-REM slow-wave sleep in counteracting some of the memory-impairing effects of beta-amyloid deposits.

Walker likened deep sleep to a rescue effort.

"Think of deep sleep almost like a life raft that keeps memory afloat, rather than memory getting dragged down by the weight of Alzheimer's disease pathology," Walker said. "It now seems that deep NREM sleep may be a new, missing piece in the explanatory puzzle of cognitive reserve. This is especially exciting because we can do something about it. There are ways we can improve sleep, even in older adults."

Chief among those areas for improvement? Stick to a regular sleep schedule, stay mentally and physically active during the day, create a cool and dark sleep environment and minimize things like coffee late in the day and screen time before bed. A warm shower before turning in for the night has also been shown to increase the quality of deep, slow-wave sleep, Zavecz said.

With a small sample size of healthy participants, the study is simply an early step in understanding the precise ways sleep may forestall memory loss and the advance of Alzheimer's, Zavecz said.

Still, it opens the door for potential longer-term experiments examining sleep-enhancement treatments that could have far-reaching implications.

"One of the advantages of this result is the application to a huge population right above the age of 65," Zavecz said. "By sleeping better and doing your best to practice good sleep hygiene, which is easy to research online, you can gain the benefit of this compensatory function against this type of Alzheimer's pathology."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230504094948.htm

How is sleep affected by changing clocks and seasons?

Study finds problems only when getting an extra hour of sleep

May 3, 2023

Science Daily/American Academy of Neurology

How are you sleeping? A new study has found the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, when one hour is gained overnight, was associated with a brief increase in sleep disorders such as difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, but there was no such association when an hour is lost in the change from standard time to daylight saving time. The study is published in the May 3, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.It also found a small difference in the amount of sleep people get depending on the season.

"Sleep plays an essential role in maintaining good health, mood, cognition, job performance, and social activity, and it is influenced by the circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates body processes," said study author Ron B. Postuma, MD, MSc, of McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "The good news is that the sleep disruptions we observed following the change to standard time were brief and no longer evident two weeks after the shift."

The study involved 30,097 people, ages 45 to 85, who completed a questionnaire about sleep duration and satisfaction, ability to fall asleep, ability to remain asleep and excessive sleepiness during the day. Questions included, "Over the last month, how often did it take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep?" and "Over the last month, how often did you wake in the middle of the night or too early in the morning and found it difficult to fall asleep again?" Those who responded three or more times a week to either of these questions were considered to have sleep problems.

For the change to standard time in the fall, researchers compared people who completed the questionnaire one week before the transition to those who completed it one week after. After adjusting for age, sex and location, they found those who completed the survey one week after the transition had a 34% increased risk of sleep dissatisfaction, with 28% reporting sleep dissatisfaction compared to 23% of those interviewed one week before. Those who completed the questionnaire one week after also had a more than two times greater risk of difficulty falling asleep, a 64% increased risk of difficulty remaining asleep, and a two times greater risk of excessive sleepiness during waking hours.

For the transition to daylight saving time in spring, researchers compared people who completed the questionnaire one week before the change to those who completed it one week after. They found no difference in sleep problems. However, they did find a nine-minute decrease in sleep duration one week after this transition.

Researchers looked at when participants completed the questionnaire: spring, summer, fall or winter. While they found no difference for sleep problems, they did find a small difference in sleep duration.

People who completed the questionnaire in summer had the shortest sleep duration, an average of 6.76 hours of sleep daily. People who completed the survey in the winter had the longest sleep duration, an average of 6.84 hours of sleep daily, a difference of five minutes.

"As disruptive as these transitions may feel in the short term, there may be few long-term implications of the repeated switch back and forth from daylight saving time to standard time." said Postuma. "However, previous research has linked the transitions to and from daylight saving time with higher rates of accidents as well as an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. Future studies are needed that follow individuals over time, including people living in areas with different light exposure and seasonal changes."

A limitation of the study was that it included only middle-aged and older adults, and results may not be the same for younger adults.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230503200454.htm