New weekly injection may eliminate need for daily pills in Parkinson's
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Two key factors of dementia risk that outweigh all others
Tackling hearing loss early and making an effort to maintain social relationships could delay the development of dementia later in life, promising new research has found. Studies have long suggested that around four in ten cases of the memory-robbing condition could be preventable. Addressing vision loss, treating depression and doing plenty of exercise are all ways of reducing the risk. Now Swiss scientists, who tracked more than 30,000 adults, have revealed a significant link between hearing loss, loneliness and memory decline. Writing in the journal Communications Psychology, scientists at the University of Geneva said: 'Addressing hearing impairment alongside loneliness—even in socially integrated individuals—may be crucial for promoting cognitive health in later life. With increasing longevity, understanding the relationship between hearing impairment and cognitive functioning is of utmost importance for ageing societies.' In the study, the researchers analysed 33,741 adults aged 50 and over enrolled in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Over a 17 year period they found that older adults who said they felt lonely—even if they were not socially isolated—showed steeper cognitive decline as their hearing deteriorated compared to socially integrated individuals. Participants who were both isolated and lonely consistently performed worse across all cognitive tasks including immediate and delayed recall and verbal fluency. According to the researchers, this could be because memory processes like retrieving information are used more by people who interact with others on a regular basis. Additionally, researchers found that lonely individuals found hearing loss more distressing than their non-lonely peers, highlighting the psychological burden of the condition which could contribute to memory loss. The researchers concluded that their findings support the theory that both objective and subjective social isolation are relevant to dementia risk. 'Our design uncovered a significant role for loneliness in shaping the extent to which sensory decline is linked to cognition,' the researchers added. However, the researchers acknowledged that causality could not be inferred. They added: 'Our findings indicate that both hearing impairment and psychosocial factors such as loneliness and social isolation may be relevant to cognitive functioning in later life. This underscores the importance of a holistic approach that combines auditory health with psychosocial support to maintain cognitive health in later life.' In response to studies such as this, experts at Alzheimer's Research UK are now calling on the government to include a hearing check in the NHS Health Check for over-40s. Dr Isolde Radford, from the charity, said: 'We don't yet know if hearing loss directly causes dementia or whether it causes other conditions that, in turn increase our risk. What we do know is that hearing loss, like dementia, isn't an inevitable part of ageing. This simple step could help millions identify hearing loss earlier and take appropriate action, such as wearing hearing aids, that may help reduce their risk of dementia.' It comes as a landmark study last year also suggested almost half of all Alzheimer's cases could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors. To reduce dementia risk throughout life, the commission also made 13 recommendations for both people and governments. These include making hearing aids available for all those who need it, reducing harmful noise exposure, and increased detection and treatment access for high cholesterol among the over-40s. Experts claimed the study, published in medical journal The Lancet, provided more hope than 'ever before' that the memory-robbing disorder that blights the lives of millions can be prevented. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia and affects 982,000 people in the UK. It is thought to be caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How the cost-of-living crisis is making younger Aussies ditch expensive alcohol for a deadly drug
Overdoses related to the deadly 'don't wake up' drug have skyrocketed among Australians in recent years as some fear financial pressures may be pushing young people towards hard substances. Gamma hydroxybutyrate, better known as GHB, is being used by an increasingly large number of younger Aussies. Many believe its low cost, accessibility, and mind-altering effects are making it an increasingly popular alternative to alcohol. The drug has attracted global attention due to the notoriously small margin of error between the amount used for an average recreational dosage and an overdose. The effects - relaxation, sociability, euphoria and an increased sex drive - can be felt within 15 minutes. But, even a slight overdose of the drug can prove fatal. The number of GHB-related ambulance callouts has surged across Australia in recent years according to new research from Monash University and Turning Point. Victoria is the national capital for GHB-related ambulance attendances, with 65.8 attendances per 100,000 people in 2023. It represented a 67 per cent increase from the year prior, following a 147 per cen t increase across the state between 2012 and 2019. Attendances also spiked in Tasmania, increasing by 346 per cent between 2022 and 2023. Reformed ice dealer Braiden Tonks recently told Daily Mail Australia GHB was on the rise nationwide for its sought-after side-effects. 'It just slows your heart right down, puts you into a completely relaxed state where your heart will just slowly beat and just slowly just stop, that's how you die from it,' he said. 'It's not like an instant bang of being stabbed, I'm dead. It's just slow, just like, go to sleep, don't wake up.' Young people are more likely both to abuse the drug and to require emergency help following GHB use. Affordability aside, some believe financial pressures are contributing to an appetite for harder substances. Canberra emergency consulant Dr David Caldicott told ABC News its promise of 'escape' from reality was more influential than its afforability. 'I think young people are looking for an escape from what really does not appear to be a very attractive future for them,' he said. 'I think that's probably a considerably more important element than the cost.' Uncover Mental Health Counselling founder and psychotherapist Kristie Tse said financial pressures were engendering a 'need for relief'. 'One of the biggest drivers is the desire to escape or cope with stress, which has been exacerbated by rising financial pressures and uncertainty about the future,' she told NewsWire. 'The cost of living plays into this, as financial strain can lead to heightened anxiety and a need for relief, which some may seek through substance use.' One Touch finance founder Maria Rosey told NewsWire cost-of-living pressures can create circumstances where substance use is seen as more acceptable. 'As money stress becomes more common, so does the acceptance of substances as coping mechanisms,' she said. 'The increase in GHB use during the money crisis shows us that substance use problems can't be solved by focusing only on the substances themselves. 'We need to address the conditions that make people turn to substances in the first place.'
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
New breast cancer test predicts if disease could return
A new test has been developed to predict whether breast cancer is likely to return just two weeks after treatment begins. Experts suggest this innovation could spare thousands of breast cancer patients from receiving unnecessary treatment. The test targets oestrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive breast cancer, a type accounting for around 200,000 global cases annually. Developed by scientists at The Institute for Cancer Research, London, the test identifies the 6 per cent of patients at highest risk of relapse. The findings aim to facilitate more precise and personalised treatment plans, guiding doctors on which patients need more intensive therapy.
