Atai Shares Rise on Beckley's Psychedelic Drug Study Success
The study focused on patients with treatment-resistant depression who hadn't responded to at least two prior antidepressants. A single dose of the drug, known as BPL-003, reduced symptoms within a day, with the effects lasting up to eight weeks, the two companies said in a statement.
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Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Depression Rates Differ By Occupation, Industry
TOPLINE: Employment in retail, food service, media, and healthcare support was associated with higher rates of depression and/or distress than employment in other industries and occupations, a new study showed. Depression rates were also higher among younger people and women. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using telephone survey data of more than 536,000 actively employed civilian adults from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected between 2015 and 2019 and across 37 US states. Primary outcomes were self-reported lifetime diagnosed depression and number of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs). Secondary outcomes were frequent mental distress (FMD, 14 or more MUDs in the past 30 days) and extreme distress (30 MUDs in the past 30 days). TAKEAWAY: The prevalence rates of lifetime diagnosed depression, FMD, and extreme distress in all workers combined were 14%, 10%, and 4%, respectively. Among industries, the highest prevalence of mental health issues was observed in workers in retail (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] for lifetime diagnosed depression, 1.15; APR for FMD, 1.23) and in accommodation and food services (APR for lifetime diagnosed depression, 1.13; unadjusted extreme distress, 6.8%). Among occupations, the highest prevalence of FMD was observed in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (APR, 1.32), healthcare support (APR, 1.19), and food preparation and serving (APR, 1.20). The mean number of MUDs was higher among workers who were aged 18-34 years (11.3), single (11.0), or without healthcare coverage (11.9) than in the respective reference groups, irrespective of having lifetime diagnosed depression. Uninsured vs insured workers also reported higher prevalence of FMD (14% vs 9%) and extreme distress (7% vs 4%). Women had significantly higher prevalence of lifetime diagnosed depression (20% vs 10%), FMD (12% vs 8%), and extreme distress (5% vs 3%) than men. IN PRACTICE: 'Workplaces can play a role in identifying and reducing psychosocial hazards and promoting workers' mental health. More research is needed to evaluate work-related factors and workplace intervention effectiveness,' the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Aaron L. Sussell, PhD, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Spokane, Washington. It was published online on June 6 in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: The study relied on self-reported diagnoses and symptoms of mental health conditions, possibly introducing recall or reporting bias. Industry and occupation classifications were based on participants' free-text responses, potentially leading to misclassification. The cross-sectional design also limited the ability to infer causality. Additionally, certain industry and occupation groups had small sample sizes, reducing the precision of some subgroup estimates. DISCLOSURES: The investigators reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Could your gut protect you from toxic plastics?
Could your gut protect you from the toxic impacts of forever chemicals? Forever chemicals, also known as 'PFAS,' are long-lasting, synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since the 1950s. They're found in waterproof clothing, non-stick pans, plastic food packaging, and firefighting foams. Exposure to the chemicals may be tied to negative health impacts, including fertility, developmental delays in children, a weakened immune system, increased cholesterol levels, and a heightened risk of some cancers. There are thousands of forever chemicals that have potentially varying effects and toxicity levels. Now, scientists say they've discovered that some bacteria found in the human gut have the ability to absorb the chemicals — and potentially protect from associated health impacts. 'We found that certain species of human gut bacteria have a remarkably high capacity to soak up PFAS from their environment at a range of concentrations, and store these in clumps inside their cells,' Dr. Kiran Patil, a member of the British University of Cambridge's MRC Toxicology Unit, explained in a statement. 'Due to aggregation of PFAS in these clumps, the bacteria themselves seem protected from the toxic effects.' Patil was the senior author of the research, which was published in the journal Nature Microbiology. To reach these conclusions, the researchers inserted several species of bacteria from the human gut into mice. The study found that nine species of the bacteria gathered the forever chemicals the rodents ate and then pooped out. When exposed to increasing levels of the chemicals, the bacteria worked even harder, consistently removing the same percentage of the toxic chemicals. Within just minutes of exposure, the bacterial species soaked up between a quarter and nearly two-thirds of the forever chemicals. The same effect has not yet been tested in humans, but the researchers said they plan to use their findings to create probiotic dietary supplements that boost the levels of these species in the gut to shield against any PFAS-related health harms. They are also looking at how they could turbo-charge the species' performance. 'The reality is that PFAS are already in the environment and in our bodies, and we need to try and mitigate their impact on our health now,' Dr. Indra Roux, a researcher at the University of Cambridge's MRC Toxicology Unit and a co-author of the study, said. Until then, the researchers say the best thing people can do to protect themselves is to avoid known risks for exposure. Although, even tap water has been contaminated: nearly half of all tap water in America. Under the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency moved to weaken Biden-era standards limiting the pollution of potentially-toxic 'forever chemicals' in U.S. drinking water sources earlier this year. 'PFAS were once considered safe, but it's now clear that they're not,' added fellow researcher Dr. Anna Lindell. 'It's taken a long time for PFAS to become noticed because at low levels they're not acutely toxic. But they're like a slow poison.'
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
France bans smoking in most public areas, enacting stricter anti-smoking laws with costly fines
The iconic image of a smoking Parisian is becoming a thing of the past as France has banned smoking in most public areas. France's new law dictates that tobacco must disappear where there are children, and parents, as well as the majority of the country, agree. Those who choose to smoke in public in areas like the beach or the park could face a fine. The ban also applies to bus shelters, areas near libraries, swimming pools and schools. Violators could face a fine of 135 euros ($160) up to a maximum of 700 euros ($826), according to French news agency AFP. However, the health ministry is expecting an initial grace period as the new rules go into effect this week. For decades, lighting up a cigarette was less a vice than a vibe — part of the cultural mise-en-scène. More than 200 people in France die each day of tobacco-related illness, Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said in a statement Saturday. That adds up to 75,000 people dying from smoking each year, and the French government wanted the chapter to fade to black. The ban aims "to promote what we call denormalization. In people's minds, smoking is normal," Philippe Bergerot, president of the French League Against Cancer, told the Associated Press. "We aren't banning smoking; we are banning smoking in certain places where it could potentially affect people's health and ... young people." It has been illegal to smoke in restaurants, bars and public buildings since a series of bans in 2007 and 2008. Ever-higher taxes mean a pack now costs upwards of 12 euros ($14). Yet more than 30% of French adults still smoke cigarettes, most of them daily, one of the higher rates in Europe and globally. The Health Ministry is particularly concerned that tobacco remains popular among young people, citing public health statistics showing that 15% of 17-year-olds smoke. Black market cigarette trading is common. There remains one final refuge for smokers — at café terraces on many sidewalks. Catherine Querard, the president of France's national restaurant lobby, told CBS that the terraces are "a space of freedom." "Terraces are relationships, socialization and it's very important for us," Querard said. They are also a pillar of France's identity and economy. Querard says a third of all café terrasse sales happen outside. Some smokers say they get the new ban, but others think their right is being restricted. "I'm a smoker. I smoke because I'm stressed, not because it's my pleasure," one smoker on the street of Paris told CBS News. "To us, this is the last defense for smoking. But honestly? It's part of the freedom we enjoy in France. If you restrict that … another freedom disappears." contributed to this report.
