Positive thinking

Sim K. Singhrao, University of Central Lancashire   For most people, teeth cleaning may just be a normal part of your daily routine. But what if the way you clean your teeth today, might affect your chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease in years to come? There is an increasing body of evidence to indicate that gum (periodontal) disease could be a plausible risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies even suggest your risk doubles when gum disease persists for ten or more years. Indeed, a new US study published in Science Advances details how a type of bacteria called Porphyromonas gingivalis – or P. gingivalis – which is associated with gum disease, has been found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Tests on mice also showed how the bug spread from their mouth to the brain where it destroyed nerve cells. The report in question was carried out and self-funded by founders of a US pharmaceutical company Cortexyme , which is researching the cau...

Ruth Itzhaki, University of Manchester   More than 30m people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia. Unfortunately, there is no cure, only drugs to ease the symptoms. However, my latest review , suggests a way to treat the disease. I found the strongest evidence yet that the herpes virus is a cause of Alzheimer’s, suggesting that effective and safe antiviral drugs might be able to treat the disease. We might even be able to vaccinate our children against it. The virus implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), is better known for causing cold sores. It infects most people in infancy and then remains dormant in the peripheral nervous system (the part of the nervous system that isn’t the brain and the spinal cord). Occasionally, if a person is stressed, the virus becomes activated and, in some people, it causes cold sores. We discovered in 1991 that in many elderly people HSV1 is also present in the br...

Scott Lear, Simon Fraser University In Canada, approximately one in five adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, with similar numbers reported in the United States . Preventing mental illness is just as important as preventing other chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. As with these chronic conditions, regular physical activity plays a key role. A recent meta-analysis (a large study combining other studies together) with a total of 266,939 participants reported that being active for 150 minutes or more per week was associated with a 20 per cent reduction in risk for depression . Mental health week in Canada — which runs from May 7-13, 2018 — offers us an opportunity to consider what science says about the impacts of exercise on mind and body. Reduce your stress and anxiety Exercise offers immediate as well as long-term benefits. Research shows that after just one session people have a greater chance of experiencing p...

   Kieron Rooney , University of Sydney The World Health Organisation recommends limiting “free sugars” to less than 10% of our total energy intake. This equates to around 12 teaspoons a day for an average adult. But more than half of Australian adults exceed this limit , often without knowing. “Free sugars” don’t just come from us sweetening coffees and teas or home-cooked dinners; they are added by manufacturers during processing. It’s often a surprise to learn just how many teaspoons of sugar are added to popular foods and drinks: The Conversation , CC BY-ND Most of the concern about excess sugar consumption has been focused on weight gain, and rightly so. Our livers can turn sugar into fat . Too much sugar – and too much soft drink, in particular – can cause fat to be deposited on our waist . This is known as visceral fat. Visceral fat is especially harmful because it...

Setor Kunutsor, University of Bristol Things are hotting up in the world of sauna research. Previously, anecdotal claims of possible benefits were rarely backed up by medical evidence. But recent studies have shown that taking a regular sauna can be extremely good for your health – alleviating and preventing the risk of common acute and chronic conditions. Sauna “bathing” is a form of passive heat therapy which originates from Finland and is mostly associated with Nordic countries. It is used mainly for pleasure and relaxation, and involves spending short periods of time (usually five to 20 minutes) in temperatures of 80°C to 100°C, interspersed with moments of cooling-off in a pool or shower. Although there are other forms of heat therapy such as Turkish baths, infrared saunas, and Waon therapy, the traditional Finnish sauna is the most examined to date. In a 2015 study , scientists from the University of Eastern Finland recorded the sauna bathing habits of 2,300 men...

Carl J Hodgetts, Cardiff University Reliving and sharing our personal past is part of what makes us human. It creates a sense of who we are, allows us to plan for the future and helps us form relationships. But we don’t all remember our past in the same way. In fact, the nature and quality of memory differs considerably between people. For instance, when asked to remember something about a party, one person might describe vividly their sixth birthday: how the gifts were laid out, the sweet, chocolatey taste of the hedgehog cake and going to bed really late. Another person might not recall this precise detail, but remember that their aunt despised parties and that hedgehog cakes were massive in the 80s . So, our personal memories contain different types of information. Some of this is very specific about when and where things happened – and what it felt like. This collection of personal experiences is known as “episodic memory”. Other bits are general facts about the w...

Melissa J. Armstrong, University of Florida Lewy body dementia reached the public eye in 2014 after reports that Robin Williams died with diffuse Lewy body disease . But, despite the fact that Lewy body dementia is the second most common dementia , it remains frequently unrecognized. In one study, almost 70 percent of people diagnosed with Lewy body dementia saw three consultants before receiving the diagnosis. For a third of people with the disease, getting the correct diagnosis took more than two years . October is Lewy Body Dementia Awareness Month. As a physician specializing in Lewy body dementia, I often hear patients and families describe delays in getting a diagnosis. It doesn’t have to be this way. Awareness is critical, particularly as new opportunities emerge for diagnosis and treatment. What is Lewy body dementia? The word “dementia” describes a condition affecting a person’s memory and thinking that is a decline from how he or she used to funct...

Gill Livingston, UCL - United Kingdom Dementia is by no means an inevitable result of ageing. In fact, one in three dementia cases can be prevented, according to new findings published in The Lancet . For the report – the first for The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention and Care – my colleagues and I analysed a number of studies and developed a model showing how lifestyle changes, at different ages, can reduce a person’s risk of developing dementia. We considered potentially reversible risk factors from different life stages – not just old age. Based on this, we propose a new model to demonstrate the possible impact of eliminating these risk factors across the lifespan. We have detailed the compelling international evidence for nine lifestyle factors that may reduce, or increase, an individual’s risk of developing dementia. These are more childhood education, exercise, being socially active, stopping smoking, managing hearing loss, depression, diabetes...