Treatment with lithium may help decrease the risk of developing dementia

Researchers have identified a link suggesting that lithium could decrease the risk of developing dementia, affecting nearly 10 million people every year. 

With more than 55 million people living with dementia worldwide, dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.

The study, led by researchers from the University of Cambridge, suggested that patients who received lithium were less likely to develop dementia than those who did not, although the overall number of patients who received lithium in the study was small.

The team conducted a retrospective analysis of the health records of nearly 30,000 patients, all over the age of 50.

Their findings, reported in the journal PLoS Medicine, support the possibility that lithium could be a preventative treatment for dementia, and could be progressed to large randomised controlled trials.

"The number of people with dementia continues to grow, which puts huge pressure on healthcare  systems," said first author Dr Shanquan Chen from Cambridge's Department of Psychiatry.

"It's been estimated that delaying the onset of dementia by just five years could reduce its prevalence and economic impact by as much as 40 per cent," Chen added.

Previous studies have proposed lithium as a potential treatment for those who have already been diagnosed with dementia or early cognitive impairment, but it is unclear whether it can delay or even prevent the development of dementia altogether, as these studies have been limited in size.

Lithium is a mood stabiliser usually prescribed for conditions such as bipolar affective disorder and depression. "Bipolar disorder and depression are considered to put people at increased risk of dementia, so we had to make sure to account for this in our analysis," said Chen.

Further, the researchers said they expected to find that patients with bipolar disorder were more likely to develop dementia, since that is the most common reason to be prescribed lithium, "but our analysis suggested the opposite," said Chen.

"It's far too early to say for sure, but it's possible that lithium might reduce the risk of dementia in people with bipolar disorder," Chen noted, adding further experimental medicine and clinical studies are needed to see if lithium really is helpful in these conditions.

 

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Reasons for losing salt taste

Disorders of the nervous system can also cause an altered sense of taste. Nervous system disorders affect how your nerves send messages to the rest of your body. The organs that control taste may also be affected by nervous system impairment.

Other causes of impaired taste include:

• smoking
• gum inflammation, such as gingivitis or periodontal diseases
• medication, including lithium, thyroid medications, and cancer treatments
• Sjorgen's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes dry mouth and dry eyes
• head or ear injuries
• nutritional deficiencies, especially Vitamin B 12 and zinc   
  

   

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Understanding Psoriasis

What is Psoriasis? People with psoriasis, (pronounced suh-RY-uh-sus) have a fault in their immune systems that cause too many skin cells to be produced. Their bodies don’t know how to get rid of these extra cells, and they cause build ups on the skin, resulting in red scaly patches. It is not a contagious disease.

Plaque Psoriasis is the most common form and affects 90% of psoriasis patients. The skin features inflamed raised patches, usually seen on elbows, knees, the scalp and the lower back. These patches are typically covered with white or silver scales, which can itch and burn. Guttate Psoriasis is more common in children or teenagers and is often triggered by upper respiratory infections. It features small pink to red spots and are located on the buttocks, upper arm, thigh, and Scalp areas. Psoriatic Arthritis. This is a when you have psoriasis and then develop arthritis (inflammation of the joints). The symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and swelling of fingers and toes. Inverse Psoriasis is seen in areas of the body with folds, including armpits, groin, under the breasts, and around the genitals and buttocks. These skin regions feature smooth red plaques of skin.  Erythrodermic Psoriasis is rare and very serious. The symptoms are fiery red skin, peeling, itching, burning, an increased heart rate and changes in body temperatures. This causes protein and fluid loss, leading to infection, pneumonia, or congestive heart failure. If you have these symptoms, go to a doctor or a hospital immediately. Pustular Psoriasis mostly occurs in adults. Pustules, which are pus-filled bumps, surround red skin and form in one area of the skin. If this skin irritation is body wide, this is a more severe condition. You should seek medical attention immediately.

Treatments Topical Medication. These are creams that can be spread over the affected areas. Usually they include steroids or vitamin D3, which aims to slow the growth of the excess skin cells. Some are available over the counter such as corticosteroid. Other well known topical medicines are calcipotriene, anthralin or tars. Phototherapy. This is also called light therapy and employs ultraviolet light to slow down the excessive skin cells growth. Sometimes doctors use creams together with the lights to treat psoriasis. Oral Medications. Only prescribed for more severe psoriasis cases these pills or biologics that work to slow the growth of skin cells. Doctors are cautious in prescribing these as they have dangerous side effects on the kidney and liver.

Things to Avoid Cold dry climates. It is thought that cold weather worsens symptoms while hot and humid weather conditions are said to alleviate symptoms. Scratching, picking or peeling skin. Be gentle with your skin by avoiding cuts or scrapes. Patches of psoriasis often form around injuries. Be careful when trimming your nails, as this is a common site for psoriasis to flare. Stress and anxiety can worsen symptoms or causes flares.    Smoking and alcohol cause flares. Quit smoking and limit daily alcohol intake. Overexposure to sunlight. Sunburn can lead to flares of psoriasis, and of course skin damage and skin cancer. Shorter periods of sun exposure help relieve psoriasis. Some medications have been linked to aggravating psoriasis symptoms including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-blockers, and lithium.

Treating Psoriasis at Home Occlusion therapy. This therapy involves applying moisturize to an area of skin, and then covering it with a wrap of fabric or plastic overnight. In the morning you should exfoliate. The occlusion keeps the skin moist and can allow for the medicated creams to work more effectively. It’s best to discuss this method with your doctor as certain steroids and creams can have dire side effects. Water Therapy & Dead Sea Salts. A 15-minute soak in a bath full of Dead Sea salts has been shown to soothe itchy skin and remove some of the scales. It is recommended to put a moisturizer on afterwards.  Swimming in seawater can also help as the salt in the water helps remove dead skin and scales caused by psoriasis can be loosened. It is also recommended that you shower and moisturize afterwards. Cayenne Pepper Paste. Application of this to the skin reduces pain and itching. Initially you will experience a burning sensation but with subsequent applications the burning will be diminished. Cayenne features capsaicin, the main ingredient in peppers, which produces heat and is an often used ingredient in pain relief creams. It’s important to be cautious when using this method as contact with other areas of your skin or eyes can be painful. 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