Latest news with #Neuroscience
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
Neuralink Rival Paradromics Tests Brain Implant in First Human
Takeaways NEW Paradromics Inc., a brain implant company and rival to Elon Musk's Neuralink, tested its device in its first human patient last month. Neurosurgeon Matthew Willsey put a chip smaller than a penny on the patient's brain while the person was undergoing surgery for epilepsy and left it there for 10 to 15 minutes. Needles half the diameter of a human hair poked into the brain tissue, aiming to pick up electrical signals from individual neurons.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Why do we need to talk more about menopause in the workplace?
Montreal Watch Neuroscientist Claudien Gauthier speaks about by we need to talk about menopause in the workplace more.
Medscape
09-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
No Psychological Harm in Knowing Alzheimer's Risk
Learning about one's Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk may not cause emotional distress — but it could curb motivation to adopt or maintain healthy habits to preserve brain health, according to the results of a survey of adults who were cognitively unimpaired and who underwent amyloid beta PET imaging. Individuals who were told they didn't have elevated amyloid beta had reductions in all emotional parameters assessed compared to baseline, while peers who were told they did have amyloid beta deposits experienced a modest decrease in anxiety and no change in depression. 'We observed no significant harm after disclosure. However, motivation to adopt lifestyle changes decreased after disclosing both elevated and nonelevated amyloid beta status and should be targeted,' the study team reported. 'The results highlight how easily people lose motivation to make lifestyle changes aimed at maintaining cognitive health. Strategies to sustain these healthy behaviors are crucial,' first author Sapir Golan Shekhtman, PhD candidate, The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a statement. The study was published online on May 7 in Alzheimer's & Dementia. Important Topic, Limited Data Amyloid beta deposition, an early hallmark of AD, is detectable through PET imaging years before cognitive symptoms manifest. With the increasing use of this and other AD biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment eligibility, there is a need to better understand how cognitively normal individuals emotionally react to learning their biomarker status. To investigate, Shekhtman and colleagues surveyed 199 at-risk, but cognitively normal, adults before and 6 months after they underwent amyloid PET scans to determine amyloid beta status. Most were enrolled in observational trials. Disclosure of nonelevated amyloid beta was associated with a significant decrease in anxiety and depression (P < .001), as well as subjective memory complaints (P < .001), suggesting a feeling of relief and decreased worry when ruling out the presence of AD pathology, the researchers said. Disclosure of elevated amyloid beta status was associated with no change in depression or memory complaints and, counter intuitively, with a modest decrease in anxiety (P = .026). The authors cautioned that the elevated amyloid beta group only included 21 individuals, which is 'too small to draw definitive conclusions.' The individuals with elevated amyloid beta were also older than those with nonelevated amyloid beta (median, 81 years vs 63 years). While both groups expressed strong motivation to implement lifestyle changes at baseline, after disclosure, a significant decrease in reported motivation to pursue lifestyle changes was observed in both groups, although to a lesser extent in the elevated amyloid beta group. In the nonelevated amyloid beta group, this may be attributed to the relief of not having AD pathology, the authors suggested. The causes for decreased motivation are less understood in the elevated amyloid beta group. However, it is concerning as maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle is a key recommendation for the prevention of AD, they added. Summing up, the researchers said the findings are in-line with previous studies showing that amyloid beta status disclosure has a low risk for psychological harm both in elevated and nonelevated amyloid beta levels. Looking ahead, they said research is needed to identify populations with elevated psychological vulnerability and develop personalized communication strategies. 'Mechanisms behind decreased motivation for lifestyle changes after disclosure should be further explored and targeted,' they added. Funding for this research was provided by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association. The authors declared having no relevant disclosures.
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Chronic pain sent Jabez into a spiral of despair. Behaviour therapy brought her back
W hen Jabez Allies developed chronic lower back pain 10 years ago, her doctor sent her to the physio, who recommended different types of stretching and exercises – some that helped, some that didn't help at all – as well as hot-water bottles and painkillers. But as the pain got progressively worse every year, so too did Allies' feelings of being overwhelmed – frustrated she couldn't do the things she could before and spiralling into hopelessness that there was nothing she could do to fix it. The effectiveness of the physio's exercises depended on regularity, but often feelings of being depressed about her pain got in the way of being disciplined in doing them – and actually compounded her pain. Yet health professionals only ever discussed treatments for the sensory physical experience, never the emotions that accompanied them. Bu according to a new study led by the University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia, helping people with chronic pain manage their emotions can lessen their experience of pain. Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Jabez Allies says the range of techniques from the study continue to help her feel like she has more control, rather than being a 'victim of the pain'. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian The researchers assessed the efficacy of a new online course that has adapted dialectical behaviour therapy specifically for chronic pain over eight therapist-guided sessions delivered in an online group setting. The trial, which began recruitment in March 2023 and was completed by September 2024, involved 89 people with chronic pain, half of whom participated in the online therapy over nine weeks, which was reinforced by an accompanying app and a handbook for self-learning, in addition to their usual treatment. The other half of the participants only received their usual treatment. Of the participants, 83% were female, which is approximately representative of the chronic pain population, the authors said. The results, published on Wednesday in the American Medical Association's JAMA Network Open journal, showed those who received the new treatment reported better emotional regulation as well as pain reduction equal to a 10-point decrease on a 100-point scale for pain intensity within a six-month follow-up. Prof Sylvia Gustin, one of the co-lead authors who developed the course, said those living with chronic pain are often stigmatised and told that it is all in their head – 'but this is simply not true'. 'There is a real measurable change happening in the brain. In 2021 we showed that chronic pain can result in a decrease in a brain chemical called GABA in the prefrontal cortex … the part of the brain that helps us manage and control our emotions,' Gustin said. GABA helps calm down brain activity, Gustin said, 'so when there isn't enough, the brain can become overactive and this over-activity of the brain in the prefrontal cortex can lead to increased emotional distress and worsening pain'. Co-lead author Dr Nell Norman-Nott said she and Gustin developed the online course to meet the specific needs of people living with chronic pain, 'retraining the brain to dampen down the over-activity that we know occurs due to chronic pain'. Norman-Nott said the three key areas of the course are mindfulness (being present in the moment with awareness), emotional regulation (understanding emotions and how to change emotional responses) and distress tolerance skills to help survive an emotional crisis using strategies such as distraction, breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and self-soothing. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Following the trial involving Jabez Allies, the researchers' next step will be to conduct a bigger trial involving more than 300 participants. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian Norman-Nott said while prescription and non-prescription pain medications continue to play an important role, the treatment of chronic pain has shifted to a more holistic model that also addresses social and psychological experiences. Gustin said the study was inclusive of all types of chronic pain – from neuropathic to musculoskeletal pain, migraine and fibromyalgia – because 'it doesn't matter which type of pain you have, the emotions suffered are very similar'. Having completed the course more than a year ago, Allies said the range of techniques continue to help her feel like she has more control, rather than being a 'victim of the pain'. 'It's not just [that] my experience of the pain is less, but I'm also able to do more,' she said. 'Now I'm going out and I'm playing pickleball, I'm doing more strengthening exercises, and I'm going to the gym because I don't have to spiral down out of control and be depressed about my pain.' The researchers' next step will be to conduct a bigger trial in 2026 with more than 300 participants. Prof Lorimer Moseley, a pain scientist at the University of South Australia, said chronic pain is 'one of the most challenging and burdensome health problems we face'. 'This clinical trial shows that psychological treatment can help, just as it can help people without chronic pain. That's not very surprising. It also raises the possibility – but does not prove it – that treating emotional dysregulation can also improve pain levels,' he said. 'Old ideas of how pain works can't explain that, but modern ideas can. Our pain system is extraordinarily complex and the sensitivity of our pain system can be modified moment to moment and gradually over time through a wide range of strategies.'
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Gut Microbiome Link To ADHD Reinforced In Scientific Review
Press Release – University of the Sunshine Coast The link between a gut imbalance and symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been further supported by a University of the Sunshine Coast scientific review. The paper, published in Neuroscience, reviewed more than 280 studies and found mounting evidence that the immune system, neuroinflammation and a disturbed balance of bacteria in the gut played a role in ADHD symptoms. Lead author Naomi Lewis said two types of bacteria were particularly implicated: the Bacteroides species and Faecalibacterium. 'What we found was that there are compositional differences in the types of bacteria in the gut that may contribute to inflammation, brain functioning differences, and symptoms, in ADHD,' Ms Lewis said. In particular, certain Bacteriodes species that may improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier were found in less abundance in people with ADHD. 'Similarly, low levels of Faecalibacterium in the gut, also implicated in ADHD, has been linked with inflammatory conditions. 'Systemic inflammation cuts through the blood-brain barrier and can cause neuroinflammation, potentially from a very young age.' Ms Lewis said although ADHD was highly heritable, there were still environmental links to the severity of symptoms. 'It's important to remember there is a lot of complexity here, so no one thing is causing ADHD,' she said. 'Genetics still play a major role, but this research suggests you may want to look at the best support for minimising inflammation, particularly going into pregnancy.' 'The research in this space is still quite limited, but what we do know is that gut health plays an enormous role in mental health and neurological conditions,' Ms Lewis said. 'Gut bacteria can affect neurological processes in the brain, impacting behaviour and emotional regulation.' Co-author, UniSC Nutrition and Dietetics senior lecturer Dr Anthony Villani, said the review added to the global understanding on the impact of the gut microbiome on mental health. 'Most studies have found children with ADHD have poorer diets, with more added sugars and more processed foods compared to those without. 'But whether that is cause or affect we don't know, but there is certainly a need for more research,' Dr Villani said. Across the hundreds of papers reviewed, the evidence supports adopting lifestyle choices that nurture the gut microbiome. This includes minimising antibiotics, stress, and alcohol, saturated fats and refined sugar, eating more fibrous foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts – or adopting a Mediterranean-type diet as much as possible.
