Gut Bacteria Enterotype Shows Link to Depression

The first population-level study on the link between gut bacteria and mental health identifies specific gut bacteria linked to depression and provides evidence that a wide range of gut bacteria can produce neuroactive compounds.

In their manuscript entitled ‘The neuroactive potential of the human gut microbiota in quality of life and depression’ the researchers studied the relation between gut bacteria and quality of life and depression. The authors combined faecal microbiome data with general practitioner diagnoses of depression from 1,054 individuals enrolled in the Flemish Gut Flora Project. They identified specific groups of microorganisms that positively or negatively correlated with mental health. The authors found that two bacterial genera, Coprococcus and Dialister, were consistently depleted in individuals with depression, regardless of antidepressant treatment.

Prof. : ‘The relationship between gut microbial metabolism and mental health is a controversial topic in microbiome research. The notion that microbial metabolites can interact with our brain - and thus behaviour and feelings - is intriguing, but gut microbiome-brain communication has mostly been explored in animal models, with human research lagging behind. In our population-level study we identified several groups of bacteria that co-varied with human depression and quality of life across populations.’

Previously, Prof. and his team identified a microbial community constellation or enterotype characterized by low microbial count and biodiversity that was observed to be more prevalent among Crohn’s disease patients. In their current study, they surprisingly found a similar community type to be linked to depression and reduced quality of life.

Prof.: ‘This finding adds more evidence pointing to the potentially dysbiotic nature of the Bacteroides2 enterotype we identified earlier. Apparently, microbial communities that can be linked to intestinal inflammation and reduced well-being share a set of common features.’

The authors also created a computational technique allowing the identification of gut bacteria that could potentially interact with the human nervous system. They studied genomes of more than 500 bacteria isolated from the human gastrointestinal tract in their ability to produce a set of neuroactive compounds, assembling the first catalogue of neuroactivity of gut species. Some bacteria were found to carry a broad range of these functions.

"Many neuroactive compounds are produced in the human gut. We wanted to see which gut microbes could participate in producing, degrading, or modifying these molecules. Our toolbox not only allows to identify the different bacteria that could play a role in mental health conditions, but also the mechanisms potentially involved in this interaction with the host. For example, we found that the ability of microorganisms to produce DOPAC, a metabolite of the human neurotransmitter dopamine, was associated with better mental quality of life.’

These findings resulted from bioinformatics analyses and will need to be confirmed experimentally, however, they will help direct and accelerate future human microbiome-brain research.

The researchers are now preparing another sampling round of the Flemish Gut Flora Project that is going to start next spring, five years after the first sampling effort.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
                                                                                                                                                                      FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           
                                                                           FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com

Scientists link bacterial imbalances to breast cancer

Scientists have discovered for the first time that bacterial composition of tissues in women with breast cancer differ from those of healthy people, a finding which could offer a new perspective in the battle against the deadly disease.

Researchers found that breast tissues of healthy women contain more of a bacterial species Methylobacterium. Bacteria that live in the body, known as the microbiome, influence many diseases. Most research has been done on the "gut" microbiome, or bacteria in the digestive tract.

It has been long suspected that a "microbiome" exists within breast tissue and plays a role in breast cancer but it has not yet been characterised. Research took the first step towards understanding the composition of the bacteria in breast cancer by uncovering distinct microbial differences in healthy and cancerous breast tissue.

"To my knowledge, this is the first study to examine both breast tissue and distant sites of the body for bacterial differences in breast cancer," said a researcher.

"Our hope is to find a biomarker that would help us diagnose breast cancer quickly and easily," said a Dr. "In our wildest dreams, we hope we can use microbiomics right before breast cancer forms and then prevent cancer with probiotics or antibiotics," he said.

The study examined the tissues of 78 patients who underwent mastectomy for invasive carcinoma or elective cosmetic breast surgery. In addition, they examined oral rinse and urine to determine the bacterial composition of these distant sites in the body.

In addition to the Methylobacterium finding, the team discovered that cancer patients urine samples had increased levels of gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus and Actinomyces. Further studies are needed to determine the role these organisms may play in breast cancer.

"If we can target specific pro-cancer bacteria, we may be able to make the environment less hospitable to cancer and enhance existing treatments, said a Dr. "Larger studies are needed but this work is a solid first step in better understanding the significant role of bacterial imbalances in breast cancer," said another Dr.

The study provides proof-of-principle evidence to support further research into the creation and utilisation of loaded nanoparticles targeting these pro-cancer bacteria.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES. PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-                      

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/
FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                           

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/
FOR CROCHET DESIGNS
HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Researcher discovers link between toxicants and lipid metabolism

A recent study has uncovered the link between toxicants and lipid metabolism.

While working for an environmental nonprofit organization, a researcher  investigated how poor waste management and sanitation practices can impact the environment and public health. Her work sparked an interest in environmental toxicology and led her as a doctoral student in the field. She spent her time in graduate school using Daphnia magna, or water fleas, as model organisms for studying environmental health. She started investigating how these organisms respond to different environmental toxicants.

The culmination of her research indicates that certain toxicants can disrupt the maturation of Daphnia by altering the level of lipids (fats, waxes and their relatives) present in the species. These findings take a step toward understanding how a specific pathway - one of sphingomyelin metabolism - affects development.
Sphingomyelin, the key lipid of the study, was first noticed by Sengupta and colleagues because it isn't present in embryonic or in adult Daphnia, but rather in newborns, indicating it plays a significant role in development and progression to reproductive maturity.

"That's actually one of the coolest findings, not even toxicology-related, but a basic biochemical finding," said and co-author. "Sphingomyelin is very important in the maturation of this species." This age-specific presence of sphingomyelin is supported by previously published data that implicated sphingomyelin and the alcohol it breaks into, sphingosine, in the reproduction and development in fruit flies, roundworms and mice.

To uncover this role in Daphnia, Sengupta and colleagues first honed in on the HR96 receptor found in cell nuclei that is responsible for a variety of functions, such as sensing foreign chemicals in the body and regulating genes involved in energy metabolism and lipid distribution. They then exposed adult Daphnia to toxicants and fatty acids that either jump-started or inhibited the function of HR96.

When exposed to atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides, HR96 activity was activated. Exposure to triclosan, an antibacterial agent found in personal care products, inhibited HR96 activity. The adult Daphnia were then deprived of nutrition to investigate their ability to reproduce or survive under stress conditions. The nutritional-control aspect of the study's design was one variable that separated it from prior studies in Daphnia.

"In toxicology, when you do these tests, you always do them under ideal conditions, but that's not what really happens in the environment. Sometimes there's plenty of food, and sometimes there's not," said a researcher. "All of a sudden, triclosan, which looks like it doesn't have much of an effect, might actually have affects depending on the time of year and the food that's available. This indicates interplay between the natural environment and the toxicant that we don't look at in the laboratory very often."

When stressed with lack of food, the Daphnia showed a number of effects, depending on what toxicant or fatty acid they were treated with. Exposure to triclosan increased the level of lipids in the adult Daphnia, more so than any other treatment, but this resulted in a struggle to reproduce. If triclosan-treated adults did bear offspring, their newborns had very low levels of lipids present, indicating that lipids are not being allocated properly in newborn Daphnia. However, triclosan-newborns saw an increase in the level of sphingomyelin present, again clueing the researchers into sphingomyelin's role in maturation. The triclosan-newborns also exhibited stunted growth and development, though they did survive for a long period of time.

This result might incite a correlation between high sphingomyelin levels and stunted growth, but Baldwin was quick to point out that this isn't necessarily the case. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, was supplemented to a separate group of nutritionally deprived Daphnia. Like triclosan, DHA is an inhibitor of HR96 activity, though it is naturally occurring in the environment.

Atrazine, the toxicant HR96 activator in the study, was the only treatment that affected reproduction rates under normal conditions. What was poor reproduction before depriving the Daphnia of nutrition was only heightened by forcing them into a starved state. Atrazine-treated Daphnia also bore newborn with decreased levels of sphingomyelin. These results, combined with those of triclosan, suggest that commonly used toxicants can severely alter the allocation of fats in Daphnia magna, thereby causing a disruption in their maturation process. Such a conclusion was further confirmed after the researcher and colleagues found that most HR96 genes involved in sphingomyelin metabolism were disrupted after toxicant exposure.

The study is published in a medical journal.

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations 
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement       

Air Pollutants Could Increase the Risk of Dementia

New research offers powerful evidence of a link between air pollution and the risk of developing  dementia.
 
A recent study has found that older women who breathe in air that has been polluted by vehicle exhaust fumes and other fine particulates from other sources  are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia. Furthermore, the cognitive effects of air pollution are dramatically more pronounced in women who carry the APOE-e4 gene - this puts them at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

 

A ten year nationwide study, carried out in the United States, explored the cognitive health of women between the ages of 65-79. It found that those who carry the APOE-e4 gene are nearly three times more likely to develop dementia if exposed to high levels of air pollution than those APOE-e4 carriers who are not.

While scientists have always linked air pollution to asthma, lung disease and cardiovascular disease, the negative impact of air pollutants on brain health has only just come to the fore. The aforementioned study provides new insight into how urban smog scrambles the aging brain.

The research looked at a large population of American women, lab mice, and at brain tissue in petri dishes to see if there was a link between cognitive decline and the small particles of pollution that are emitted by motor vehicles, power plants, and the burning of biomass products such as wood.

All three research methods suggested that exposure to high levels of fine air pollutants increases disorientation and memory loss - two classic behavioral signs of dementia.

A study published in 2011 found that those who live near to heavily trafficked roads are way more at risk of developing dementia or having a stroke than those who do not. In 2012, a team led by Alzheimer's disease researcher Dr. Samuel Gandy at Mt. Sinai in New York found that air pollutants induced cell death, inflammation, and the buildup of amyloid protein in the brains of mice.

 

This new study builds on these findings. This new study estimates that before the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) decided to set new air pollution standards in 2012, around 21% of new dementia cases and accelerated cognitive decline could be attributed to air pollution.

Air pollution has been on a steady decline ever since 2012. However, Dr. Jiu-Chiuan Chen, an environmental health specialist at USC's Keck school of Medicine, and the study's senior author, has stated that even though there has been a decline in the levels of air pollution over the last five years, it's still not clear whether the current standards are safe for aging brains, or those brains that are genetically vulnerable to Alzheimer's.

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes 
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

High iron levels may up gestational diabetes risk

Higher levels of iron in pregnant women may lead to an increased risk of gestational diabetes, a new study has warned.

The study by researchers from US National Institutes of Health (NIH) also raises questions about routine recommendations on iron supplementation in pregnancy.

Iron is regarded as a double-edged sword in living systems, as both its deficiency and excess can be harmful, researchers said.

While many guidelines recommend screening and treatment only as necessary for iron deficiency, several other groups such as the  World Health Organisation (WHO recommend routine iron supplementation among pregnant women.

Emerging evidence has pointed to a possible link between higher iron stores and abnormal blood sugar control (including type 2 diabetes) in non-pregnant individuals.

Researchers did a case-control study of 107 gestational diabetes (GDM) cases and 214 controls (matched on age, gestational week of blood collection and race/ethnicity).

They looked at several biomarkers of iron status, including plasma hepcidin, ferritin, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and these data were used to calculate the sTfR:ferritin ratio, which captures both cellular iron need and availability of body iron stores.

These markers were longitudinally measured or calculated four times during pregnancy, twice before GDM diagnosis (gestational weeks 10-14 and 15-26), and twice afterwards (gestational weeks 23-31 and 33-39).

GDM diagnosis was ascertained from medical records based on oral glucose tolerance test results.

Statistical modelling was then used to calculate the odds ratio of GDM with iron status, accounting for factors such as demographics, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and other major risk factors.

Researchers found that for both hepcidin and ferritin, in the second trimester of pregnancy, those in the top 25 per cent of levels of these markers had around a 2.5 times increased subsequent risk of developing GDM compared with those in the bottom 25 per cent.

Similar findings were observed for ferritin levels in the first trimester. Describing the findings as biologically plausible, researchers offer various potential explanations.

Iron may play a role in the development of GDM through several potential mechanisms. As a strong pro-oxidant, free iron can promote several cellular reactions that generate reactive oxygen species and increase the level of oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress induced from excess iron accumulation can cause damage to and death of pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin and consequently, contribute to impaired insulin synthesis and secretion.

The study was published in the journal Diabetologia.
 

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations

https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

How menopause 'crushes your motivation to exercise'

• Many postmenopausal women experience weight gain, no drive to work out
• Scientists have struggled to explain the exact reason for this side effect
• Now a study has found a link between ovaries and dopamine in the brain
• Exercise drives up dopamine levels in the brain's pleasure center

For many women, working out is completely different after menopause hits.

They feel lethargic, unmotivated, and don't get the same buzz from a run or a zumba class as they did before.

 

But scientists have struggled to offer a specific reason for this, aside from general hormonal changes.

Now, however, a team at the University of Missouri has identified a link between ovarian hormones and dopamine levels in the brain, which make exercise feel so good. 

 

It could signal the start of new research to help women treat overwhelming lethargy and improve their motivation to stay active.

'Postmenopausal women are more susceptible to weight gain and health issues,' said Dr Victoria Vieira-Potter, who specializes in nutrition and exercise physiology at MU.

'This is especially frustrating for women, who already are dealing with significant changes to their bodies.

'We found that the decrease in physical activity that leads to weight gain may be caused by changes in brain activity.'

The menopause, which tends to strike by the early 50s, can cause mood swings, depression and anxiety.

In many cases, it affects a woman's drive to move, and many women gain weight during this time.  

To examine this side effect, Dr Vieira-Potter's study tracked the physical activity of rats - some that were physically fit and some that were not.

First they monitored their fitness levels and the level of activity in the pleasure center of their brains

.

Then they removed their ovaries to mimic the effects of menopause, when women stop producing estrogen in such significant quantities.

Both groups - no matter how physically active they were before - showed dramatic reductions in their motivation to run on a running wheel.

All of the rats also experienced a drop in the amount of dopamine in the pleasure center of their brain.

It suggests the hormonal changes experienced during menopause could impact on the brain, and that could be the process that hampers physical activity.

'We found that in both groups of rats, the hormonal changes from menopause led to changes in the brain that translated to less physical activity,' Dr Vieira-Potter said.

'The findings confirm previous evidence in humans and rodents that weight gain that occurs after menopause is likely due to decreased overall physical activity rather than increased energy intake from diet.

'Understanding what is causing the decrease in activity and subsequent weight gain may allow us to intervene, possibly by activating dopamine receptors, to preserve the motivation to be physically active.'

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

New study confirms link between sleep apnea and diabetes

A new study of more than 8,500 Canadian patients has demonstrated a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the development of diabetes.

It confirms earlier evidence of such a relationship from smaller studies with shorter follow-up periods.

"Our study, with a larger sample size and a median follow-up of 67 months was able to address some of the limitations of earlier studies on the connection between OSA and diabetes," lead author Tetyana Kendzerska, said.

"We found that among patients with OSA, the initial severity of the disease predicted the subsequent risk for incident diabetes," Kendzerska said.

The study included 8,678 adults with suspected OSA without diabetes at baseline who underwent a diagnostic sleep study between 1994 and 2010 and were followed through May 2011 using provincial health administrative data to examine the occurrence of diabetes.

Sleep apnea severity was assessed with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), which indicates severity based on the number of apneas (complete cessation of airflow) and hypopneas (partial cessation of airflow) per hour of sleep. Patients were classified as not having OSA, or having mild, moderate or severe OSA.

During follow-up, 1,017 (11.7 percent) patients developed diabetes.

In analyses adjusting for known risk factors for diabetes, including age, sex, body mass index, neck circumference, smoking, income status and comorbidities at baseline, patients with an AHI greater than 30 had a 30 percent higher risk of developing diabetes than those with an AHI less than 5.
Patients with mild or moderate OSA had a 23 percent increased risk of developing diabetes.

Other risk factors for diabetes included AHI during rapid eye movement sleep and measures of the physiologic consequences of OSA, including oxygen desaturation, sleep deprivation and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, as indicated by a higher mean heart rate during sleep.

The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS

HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM