Mental Attitude: Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults Associated with Dementia Risk.
After reviewing the available data on nearly 52,000 individuals in California who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), researchers believe the data indicate that such persons may have a 1.45 times greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. In particular, the risk was greatest among older individuals (ages 65 and up) who suffered a mild TBI, and those between ages 55 and 64 who suffered a moderate-to-severe TBI. The authors of the study add that the brains of younger adults may be more resilient to the effects of a traumatic brain injury.
JAMA Neurology, October 2014
After reviewing the available data on nearly 52,000 individuals in California who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), researchers believe the data indicate that such persons may have a 1.45 times greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. In particular, the risk was greatest among older individuals (ages 65 and up) who suffered a mild TBI, and those between ages 55 and 64 who suffered a moderate-to-severe TBI. The authors of the study add that the brains of younger adults may be more resilient to the effects of a traumatic brain injury.
JAMA Neurology, October 2014
Health Alert: Biggest Cause of Fatal Allergic Reactions is Medications.
More than half (59%) of allergy-related deaths are caused by medications, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In 40% of cases in which a specific drug was identified, it was an antibiotic. The next most common allergy-inducing drugs were radiocontrast agents, followed by chemotherapy medications. The researchers say that the number of fatal drug reactions nearly doubled between 1999 and 2010, and this increase could be due to increased medication use, more tests with contrast material, and to some degree, coding changes entered by hospital personnel.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, September 2014
More than half (59%) of allergy-related deaths are caused by medications, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In 40% of cases in which a specific drug was identified, it was an antibiotic. The next most common allergy-inducing drugs were radiocontrast agents, followed by chemotherapy medications. The researchers say that the number of fatal drug reactions nearly doubled between 1999 and 2010, and this increase could be due to increased medication use, more tests with contrast material, and to some degree, coding changes entered by hospital personnel.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, September 2014
Diet: Fried Foods Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes.
Research involving over 21,000 single-child pregnancies reveals that regularly eating fried food before conception increases the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. Investigators found that those who ate fried food one to three times a week before becoming pregnant had a 13% higher risk of gestational diabetes. Those who ate fried foods four to six times a week were at a 31% increased risk, and the risk more than doubled in women who consumed seven or more servings per week.
Diabetologia, October 2014
Research involving over 21,000 single-child pregnancies reveals that regularly eating fried food before conception increases the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. Investigators found that those who ate fried food one to three times a week before becoming pregnant had a 13% higher risk of gestational diabetes. Those who ate fried foods four to six times a week were at a 31% increased risk, and the risk more than doubled in women who consumed seven or more servings per week.
Diabetologia, October 2014
Exercise: Yoga Pose Improves Spine Curvature in Scoliosis Patients.
Performing a single yoga pose for 90 seconds three times a week may reduce spine curvature in patients with scoliosis in as little as three months. In a recent study, scoliosis patients who did the side plank pose on the side their spine was curved toward experienced a significant improvement in their spinal curvature. Researchers found that spinal curvature improved by about 32% in all patients and it improved by 40.9% for the patients who performed the pose for at least three days a week. Among these patients, adolescents saw a 49.6% improvement in curvature, while adults saw a 38.4% improvement. The authors of the study conclude that asymmetrically strengthening the convex side of the primary scoliosis curvature with a side plank exercise performed daily appears to reduce curvature.
Global Advances in Health and Medicine, September 2014
Performing a single yoga pose for 90 seconds three times a week may reduce spine curvature in patients with scoliosis in as little as three months. In a recent study, scoliosis patients who did the side plank pose on the side their spine was curved toward experienced a significant improvement in their spinal curvature. Researchers found that spinal curvature improved by about 32% in all patients and it improved by 40.9% for the patients who performed the pose for at least three days a week. Among these patients, adolescents saw a 49.6% improvement in curvature, while adults saw a 38.4% improvement. The authors of the study conclude that asymmetrically strengthening the convex side of the primary scoliosis curvature with a side plank exercise performed daily appears to reduce curvature.
Global Advances in Health and Medicine, September 2014
Chiropractic: Spinal Manipulation Helps Child with Chronic Headaches.
A recent case study involved the chiropractic treatment of a 6-year-old boy who had experienced chronic headaches for previous two years. Past medical care consisted of ibuprofen, which provided minimal relief. After ten chiropractic treatments to address joint dysfunction found in the boy’s neck, the patient had complete resolution of his headache symptoms. This finding supports the use of spinal manipulation in the care of children with cervicogenic headaches.
The Journal of Headache and Pain, September 2014
A recent case study involved the chiropractic treatment of a 6-year-old boy who had experienced chronic headaches for previous two years. Past medical care consisted of ibuprofen, which provided minimal relief. After ten chiropractic treatments to address joint dysfunction found in the boy’s neck, the patient had complete resolution of his headache symptoms. This finding supports the use of spinal manipulation in the care of children with cervicogenic headaches.
The Journal of Headache and Pain, September 2014
Wellness/Prevention: RNA Biomarker Could Be New Screen for Prostate Cancer.
Screening for prostate cancer currently involves testing a blood sample to see whether or not high concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are present; however, many researchers consider this method to be imperfect. Soon, the PSA screening test may be a thing of the past as scientists have observed higher levels of a biomarker known as lncRNA in urine samples of prostate cancer patients when compared with samples provided by men without prostate cancer. Researcher Dr. Ranjan J. Perera explains, “We have identified a set of lncRNAs that appear to have an important role in prostate cancer diagnostics. The findings advance our understanding of the role of lncRNAs in cancer biology and, importantly, broaden the opportunity to use lncRNAs as biomarkers to detect prostate cancer.”
The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, October 2014
Screening for prostate cancer currently involves testing a blood sample to see whether or not high concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are present; however, many researchers consider this method to be imperfect. Soon, the PSA screening test may be a thing of the past as scientists have observed higher levels of a biomarker known as lncRNA in urine samples of prostate cancer patients when compared with samples provided by men without prostate cancer. Researcher Dr. Ranjan J. Perera explains, “We have identified a set of lncRNAs that appear to have an important role in prostate cancer diagnostics. The findings advance our understanding of the role of lncRNAs in cancer biology and, importantly, broaden the opportunity to use lncRNAs as biomarkers to detect prostate cancer.”
The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, October 2014