Latest news with #DepartmentofNeurology
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Popular Supplement May Help With Alzheimer's Symptoms
Creatine is everywhere on social media right now, with recs coming from influencers and health experts. Research is starting to find that the popular supplement can do more than help you build muscle. In a small pilot trial published in a journal, researchers found that creatine monohydrate may help improve cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer's Disease. It's hard to cruise your For You feed right now without being faced with yet another testimonial about the perks of taking a creatine supplement. While creatine is the supplement du jour, there is solid data to support its use—mostly around fitness. But a growing body of research suggests that creatine may do more than help you build muscles, including easing depression and helping with brain fog after a bad night's sleep. Now, a new study suggests that there may be some benefit to using creatine to boost cognition in people with Alzheimer's disease. The research is very early and this is technically a pilot trial (which is basically a trial run). But the findings bring up a number of questions about whether something as simple as adding a creatine supplement could help improve symptoms in people with such a devastating condition. Here's what the study, found plus what doctors and nutritionists recommend keeping in mind. Meet the experts: Amit Sachdev, MD, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University; Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, is co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab; Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD, is a study co-author, assistant professor, and director of the KU Brain Nutrition Laboratory at University of Kansas Medical Center; Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, looked into the 'feasibility' of patients with Alzheimer's disease taking 20 grams a day of creatine monohydrate (the most widely studied form of creatine) for eight weeks. The researchers looked at how compliant the patients were (i.e. how likely they were to take the supplement). They also monitored levels of creatine in the patients' blood at the start, four weeks, and eight weeks later, along with levels of creatine in their brains. They also tested the patients' cognition at the start of the study and after eight weeks. The researchers found that 19 of the 20 participants were more than 80 percent compliant with taking the creatine during the study. They also found that creatine levels went up in their blood after four and eight weeks, and that creatine in the brain increased by 11 percent. And here's the really interesting part: The researchers discovered that the patients had better improvements in cognitive tests, including sorting and reading, along with tests to measure attention and response, after eight weeks of creatine supplementation. The researchers concluded that the findings provide 'preliminary evidence' for more research. 'We decided to do this study because there were a couple of recent studies in mice suggesting that, in a mouse model of Alzheimer's, creatine monohydrate supplementation may be beneficial,' says study co-author Matthew Taylor, PhD, RD, assistant professor and director of the KU Brain Nutrition Laboratory at University of Kansas Medical Center. 'Prior to this study, no work had been done in humans with Alzheimer's, so it was the right time to start looking at it as a potentially beneficial supplement for Alzheimer's.' The study didn't look into this, but there are some theories. 'The brain requires a lot of energy, but in Alzheimer's, brain energy metabolism drastically declines,' Taylor explains. 'Creatine is a very important substance for transporting energy produced by our mitochondria and increasing creatine levels may even encourage mitochondria to produce more energy.' Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab, co-signs that theory. Creatine helps to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 'and ATP is the brain's primary energy source,' he says. Adding more creatine to the body could, in theory, help support cognition in people with Alzheimer's disease, Matheny adds. Creatine may also have other roles, like decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which could potentially help with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, Taylor says. 'Each of these roles could help with cognitive function in Alzheimer's, but we still have so much to learn about the roles of this molecule in the brain,' he says. We're not there yet. Again, this was a pilot study and it simply found that people who have Alzheimer's disease may be able to regularly take creatine supplements and might have a boost in cognition as a result. But this doesn't mean that people with Alzheimer's disease should take creatine, says Amit Sachdev, MD, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'I would not advise the use of creatine with the goal of improving cognition,' he says, noting that there's not yet 'well-established data to support this use.' Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, agrees. "We are not at a point that creatine supplementation for brain health is an accepted supplement," he says. Taylor agrees. 'Our study is far from a definitive study,' he says. 'Well-designed, placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed to determine whether creatine is beneficial for Alzheimer's. I would suggest Alzheimer's patients and their families discuss taking any supplement with their neurologist.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Euronews
5 days ago
- Health
- Euronews
Is 'brain rot' real? Brain experts weigh in on the impact of screens
Doomscrolling. Instagram obsessions. Mindless YouTube video viewing. Distracting behaviours, yes, but can they actually rot a person's brain? Last year, Oxford University Press designated "brain rot" as its word of the year, defining it as the "supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state" caused by overconsuming "trivial or unchallenging" material found on social media and other online platforms. "It's what happens when you consume too much low-quality online content, which is like junk food for the brain," said Dr Andreana Benitez, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina in the United States. But whether that content is actually harming the brain – and how – remains unclear. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of teenagers in the US spend four hours or more looking at screens each day, and global estimates suggest adults may be online an average of more than six hours per day. There are no federal health guidelines for how many hours of daily screen time are appropriate for teens or adults. Researchers lack sufficient data to fully understand the concept of brain rot and what it might lead to. "There really isn't a coherent science around it," Benitez said. There is, however, CDC data showing that 1 in 4 teenage frequent scrollers report feeling anxious or depressed. Some research suggests problems with heavy online use may begin quite young. Adolescents who spend greater amounts of time in front of screens may be more likely to experience mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder, and related physical symptoms such as pain, dizziness, or nausea. That's according to a 2024 analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest long-term child brain development study in the US. Other studies have potentially linked brain rot to emotional desensitization, cognitive overload, negative self-worth, and impaired executive function skills, including memory, planning, and decision-making. While there's no evidence that hours of daily screen time are changing the structure of the human brain, it's what's not happening during those hours that could be harmful, especially for young people whose brains are still developing, said Dr Costantino Iadecola, director and chair of Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. The more time young people spend in front of screens, the less time they spend being physically active or having face-to-face human interactions that supply the developing brain with critical, complex sensory and emotional input, he said. "Brain development requires diversity of exposures," Iadecola said. "When you are on your phone, you are not getting these other experiences. We are substituting artificial interactions for human interactions, and artificial interactions lack the complexity of the human experience – the verbal, sensory, and emotional reactions we have after interacting with people". It's not just screen time that matters – it's also screen content, Benitez said. "If you consume excessive amounts of low-quality online content, you are more likely to be exposed to information that might distort your perception of reality and harm your mental health," she said. Cycling through large amounts of negative content can also leave a person mentally exhausted, she said. But how much is too much has yet to be determined, Benitez said. Sticking to her junk food analogy, she likened short periods of screen time to the occasional junk food snack. "One bag of chips might not be that bad, but if you're eating three at a time, that might be a problem," she said. Helping kids – and adults – consume a healthier online diet isn't easy, Benitez said, because so much of modern life, from schoolwork to shopping, entertainment, and socializing, involves online applications. "With kids, screens are a part of their lives," she said. "It's how they get a lot of information". But, she said, "it's incumbent upon adults to curate the content, make sure they are consuming content that's good for them and in a way that does not result in mental fatigue. We need to make sure they are engaging in critical thinking as they engage with screens". For both children and grown-ups, Benitez also cautioned against scrolling before bedtime. "Consuming arousing information and being exposed to light when your body should be winding down for sleep might affect your sleep," she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families develop screen-time plans together and encourage usage that builds creativity and connections with family and friends. It also suggests parents emphasise the importance of offline activities such as sports, music, art, and other hobbies. The AAP also notes that some screen use may be "healthy and positive," a point both Benitez and Iadecola agreed with. "You could be consuming good content," Benitez said. "There's a value judgment in this". Iadecola suggested making sure online usage is "purpose-appropriate. It's OK to use the technology for whatever task is at hand. The problem is when it becomes addictive behavior. Everything in moderation". As bird flu spreads across Europe and jumps to more animal species, health experts warn that gaps in surveillance and preparedness could leave the region vulnerable to future threats to human health. Avian influenza has been spreading at elevated levels worldwide over the past five years, including in wild and farm birds in the European Union. Hungary has reported the most outbreaks since last autumn, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, and poultry giant Poland. But in recent years, bird flu has also spread to mink, cats, a captive bear, and other mammals, raising the risk that the virus will eventually reach people. Tens of millions of birds and other animals have been culled to keep that from happening, but gaps in surveillance systems increase the likelihood that the virus could circulate undetected and become harder to control. Since 2003, about half of the nearly 1,000 people infected with H5N1 bird flu globally have died. Now, EU health officials say public health risks remain low, and there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. But preparations are already underway: the European Commission recently clinched a deal to secure more than 27 million influenza vaccines in case of a pandemic. Officials are also eyeing an outbreak among dairy cows in the United States – which has spread to people, infecting 70 and killing one – as a reminder to monitor animals beyond birds and mink, which are more prone to infection. "It's not a time to really sit back and relax and say, 'oh well, this is just business as usual,'" Marion Koopmans, who directs the centre of excellence at the Global Virus Network and leads the viroscience department at Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, told Euronews Health. "It has really changed compared with just a few years ago," she added. "It's not a good situation to have". EU countries actively monitor wild birds and poultry for avian influenza. When they find infections, they must take steps to stamp out the virus, such as culling birds and imposing farm restrictions. Now, with the US cattle outbreak in mind, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is working with member states to boost surveillance in cows and other mammals, according to Alessandro Broglia, one of the agency's senior scientists. "There is a kind of reactivity and enhanced preparedness in Europe, also to prevent the infection in cattle and other farm animals," Broglia told Euronews Health. Vaccination is also playing a bigger role. In 2023, France began immunising birds, a move it says has helped its poultry industry recover after outbreaks ravaged its farms and annihilated tens of millions of birds. And last summer, Finland became the first EU country to offer bird flu vaccines to people, doling out jabs to 10,000 workers who were at higher risk of infection. Even so, EU audits have identified gaps in these systems that could be just large enough for the virus to slip through undetected. Over the past two years, they have found delays in setting up restriction zones to prevent the virus from spreading in Poland; "limited effectiveness" in Portugal's early warning system for poultry infections; shortcomings in investigations of suspected cases in Spain; and poor risk assessment, a lack of surveillance, and inadequately trained staff in Hungary that constitute "crucial weaknesses" that have not been rectified since the country was last audited in 2020. A Commission spokesperson told Euronews Health that Spain and Portugal have taken steps to fix these issues, but that it is 'seeking additional commitments' from Hungary and Poland, which suspended poultry exports last month due to outbreaks. Alexandre Fediaevsky, acting head of preparedness and resilience at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), said that 'in all countries, Europe included, there is still some room for improving biosecurity and early warning systems'. But there has been some resistance from some farmers and poultry industry groups, who fear new rules and restrictions could threaten their businesses. "We need to have some strategic dialogue with the industry," Fediaevsky told Euronews Health, but "it will be a long process to really transform the production systems". The EU and the US are not the only places grappling with elevated bird flu risks. Last week, the Commission said poultry and meat imports from Brazil had been halted after the country confirmed its first bird flu outbreak on a farm. For now, bird flu appears to pose a greater risk to the EU's food supply than to public health. However, Koopmans warned that without stronger measures to curb the virus' spread among birds, the bloc could be caught off guard if human infections begin to emerge. "Let's also not become negligent," she said, "because this is how these viruses eventually trigger pandemics".
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Birth control pill may triple risk of cryptogenic stroke in women: Study
New Delhi: Taking birth control pills or combined oral contraceptives containing both oestrogen and progestin may triple the risk of cryptogenic stroke in young women, according to a study. Strokes without a known cause are called cryptogenic. It accounts for up to 40 per cent of all ischaemic strokes in young adults. Despite its prevalence, the contribution of sex-specific risk factors, such as contraceptive use, has remained underexplored. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking hormonal contraception to vascular risk in women of reproductive age. 'Our findings confirm earlier evidence linking oral contraceptives to stroke risk,' said lead author Dr. Mine Sezgin, Department of Neurology, Istanbul University. 'What's particularly notable is that the association remains strong even when accounting for other known risk factors, which suggests there may be additional mechanisms involved – possibly genetic or biological,' she added. The research included 268 women aged 18-49 years with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke (CIS) and 268 age-matched stroke-free controls across 14 centres in Europe. Of the participants, 66 patients and 38 controls were using combined combined oral contraceptives. While the researchers note that further prospective studies are needed, they advise clinicians to exercise caution when prescribing combined oral contraceptives to women with known vascular risk factors or a history of ischaemic stroke. 'Our findings should prompt more careful evaluation of stroke risk in young women, particularly those with additional risk factors,' Dr. Sezgin said. Next, the researchers plan to explore biological and genetic mechanisms underlying the observed association between combined oral contraceptive use and increased stroke risk to better understand how hormonal contraceptives may independently elevate stroke risk. The findings were presented at the ongoing European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2025 in Helsinki, Finland.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's Symptoms May Surface in Your 20s, Study Finds
Alzheimer's symptoms and changes in cognitive function typically start to appear after age 65. A new study published in Lancet Regional Health-Americas finds that Alzheimer's symptoms can present much earlier than thought, as early as the mid-20s. Experts say that in addition to staying active, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco, and limiting alcohol, it's a good idea to try to use your brain "vigorously" to stay sharp. When you close your eyes and think about Alzheimer's disease, you're probably conjuring up an image of an older person. That makes sense, because the symptoms usually start to rear their ugly heads after age 65. But new research suggests that the devastating disease may actually influence a person's cognitive function decades before they're actually diagnosed. The groundbreaking study, which was published in the journal Lancet Regional Health – Americas, is raising a lot of questions about early biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease—and how to keep your brain healthy, starting from a younger age. Here's what the study found, plus what neurologists want you to keep in mind when digesting the information. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. For the study, researchers analyzed data from Waves IV and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which is a long-term health study that has tracked teens since the mid-90s. The researchers did a slew of in-home interviews, cognitive tests, and physical exams, and collected blood samples from thousands of participants in their 20s and 30s. Ultimately, 1,112 study participants who did in-home interviews were given cognitive tasks like immediate word recall, delayed word recall, and backward digit span. They also provided a sample for genetic testing. The researchers then tied those scores to Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) scores in 529 people. The researchers discovered that certain risk factors and biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may influence a person's cognitive function starting in their mid-20s and continuing onwards. 'Key risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are linked to cognitive function as early as ages 24–44, highlighting the need for early prevention in the US,' the researchers wrote in the conclusion. The study focused on a few different factors, including the CAIDE score. The list included things like a person's age, education, sex, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading), body mass index, cholesterol, physical activity, and the gene variant apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE ε4), a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The researchers also discovered that ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration), and immune biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease may be present and related to cognition in people in their 40s and younger. Sort of. 'When I see younger patients concerned with getting dementia when they are elderly, I 'risk stratify' and do the same tests I would do in an octogenerian concerned they have dementia,' says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. That means doing blood tests to look for reversible causes of memory loss—including thyroid tests and checking vitamin levels like B12. 'I would also obtain a structural picture of their brain to see if they have had silent strokes or atrophy,' Dr. Segil says. The only actual available "test" for Alzheimer's disease in younger people would be to check someone's APOE 4 levels, which is considered the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Segil says. 'But this [test] being positive in a young patient would be challenging to say has any clinical significance,' he adds. There are a few things you can do right now to make sure you have the healthiest brain as you get holder. Aside from eating a healthy diet, staying active, avoiding tobacco, and limiting your alcohol consumption, it's a good idea to 'vigorously' use your brain, says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This is best achieved through self-investment in education but also through socialization and human interaction,' he says. 'Working on finding and cultivating new friends and interests in youth helps to develop those old friendships that are so important later in life.' Dr. Segil also recommends keeping your body and mind busy to maintain your brain health. Ultimately, if you're concerned about your dementia risk or if you have a family history of the disease, check in with your primary care physician, who should be able to offer some personalized guidance. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors Say This Easy Habit Can Protect Your Brain As You Age—And Might Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
New research suggests being curious can protect brain health as you age. Older adults who stay curious and learn new things may be able to offset Alzheimer's disease. By tapping into your senses, you can easily experience newness in a known environment. Little kids ask questions about absolutely everything: why you have to flush the toilet, what the backstory is for a stranger's tattoo, what love means. The list goes on and nothing is off-limits. But that curiosity tends to drop off as we grow up and get older. And apparently, recent research says that's not a good thing for your brain. A new study suggests that older adults who maintain a healthy dose of curiosity and try to learn new things may be able to help offset or even prevent Alzheimer's disease. And yes, that almost sounds too easy to be true. So, what's behind this curiosity-dementia link? Women's Health tapped neurologists for more. Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA; Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, is the medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University The study, which was published in PLOS One, recruited more than 1,200 people between the ages of 20 and 84, and asked them to fill out an online questionnaire with the goal of figuring out how curious they were in general. The researchers then asked participants to guess the answers to hard trivia questions that most people likely wouldn't know. For example, What was the first country to give women the right to vote? (Answer: New Zealand!) After they guessed the answer, participants were asked how interested they were to know the answer before they were shown it. The researchers discovered that people who have more "state curiosity" (which is a fleeting desire to know something) also have more "trait curiosity" (i.e. they're naturally curious), and vice versa. But the researchers also discovered that the drive to learn new things dropped in early adulthood, increased sharply after middle age, and continued upward into older age. The researchers said in a press release that older adults who are able to stay curious and want to learn new things may be able to offset or even prevent Alzheimer's disease (even though the study didn't explicitly look at data to support this conclusion). But those who aren't interested in learning new things may be at risk for dementia. This conclusion isn't groundbreaking, by the way: Other studies suggest that older adults who are highly curious have better long-term memory retention than their less-curious counterparts. There are a few things going on that make your curiosity protective to your brain health. 'New interests develop robust connections in the brain,' says Amit Sachdev, MD, MS, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. 'This network of connections is what builds a more resilient brain.' Doing the same thing repeatedly also gets old, points out Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. 'As we age, trying to avoid this repetition is healthy,' he says. 'Reading a new book is likely better for your brain than reading an old book again.' Ultimately, Dr. Segil says that seeking out new things 'may create new brain pathways rather than strengthening old pathways.' Dr. Segil recommends that you try to touch on your five senses (vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) while experiencing new things. That means eating new foods, looking at new art, and going to a concert and hearing something different, he says. A lot of the scientific findings on this topic have similar conclusions when it comes to supporting good brain health: Don't smoke. Do moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. Limit how much alcohol you have. Try to do brain-stimulating activities, like reading, playing games, and visiting museums, regularly. Eat a healthy, varied diet, like the MIND diet. Oh, and of course, stay curious. You never know where it can lead you—and your mind. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
