Saturday, 30 June 2018
Could psychedelics transform mental health?
Could a drug made from magic mushrooms have the potential to transform how the condition is treated? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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'NHS is becoming unrecognisable' over treatment changes
Samantha Lilley was born with a rare genetic condition which causes skin lesions, and it worried treatment will be discontinued. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Friday, 29 June 2018
Seeing the same doctor over time 'lowers death rates'
Continuity of care really is a matter of life and death, a review of studies suggests. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Boy going blind gets dream come true
Fred, 8, wanted to meet his hero Mickey Mouse before losing his sight to a degenerative eye condition. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Thursday, 28 June 2018
Asperger’s Syndrome: Hallmark of Genius, or Just Another Form of Autism?
Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin—what unites these three exceptional individuals? It is widely accepted that all three were geniuses, but there is something else. These days, neuroscientists believe that all three suffered from a specific neurological disorder called Asperger’s syndrome.
The whole definition of the term “neurological disorder” implies that something is going wrong in the brain. However, there is a growing recognition of the fact that when it comes to the processes in our brain, “going wrong” does not necessarily mean “going bad”. Our brain is too complicated a mechanism to be interpreted in simplistic terms. Some neurological disorders produce a peculiar state of mind often associated with high artistic and scientific achievements.
Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a developmental and neurological disorder that is often associated with symptoms of social withdrawal, motor clumsiness, and impaired communication skills. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders (DSM-5) classified AS in the same category as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is often referred to as ‘High-functioning’ Autism (HFA), as individuals with AS are more intellectually capable and show less severe abnormalities compared to ASD subjects.
The story of AS and autism started in the 1940s, when two Viennese Scientists, Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, described a syndrome observed in some children, with the unique characteristics of social isolation, impaired communication skills, and restrictive and obsessive interests. Both scientists used the term ‘autistic’ in their reports. While Kanner’s syndrome was published right away in 1943, Asperger’s report was written in German and remained undiscovered until 1991 when it reappeared in Uta Frith’s textbook Autism and AS.
Research and publications on Asperger’s syndrome reached its peak during 2000-2012. Different research groups proposed a set of criteria for AS diagnosis. While several of these criteria were overlapping, WHO’s International Classification of Diseases and Disorders set the following key characteristics that can be diagnostic for Asperger’s Syndrome:
- Qualitative social impairment involving dysfunctional social adaptivity, impaired non-verbal communication for interaction and lack of social reciprocity.
- Restrictive pattern of interest, motor clumsiness, repetitive behavior, and extreme obsessiveness to specific rituals.
- AS patients must show age-specific, normal cognitive and linguistic development.
Interestingly, the father of Asperger Syndrome, Hans Asperger, described AS patients to be characteristically distinct from ASD subjects. He characterized them as intellectually-able, abstract-loving, and even overachieving in some specific cognitive domains.
Decades after Asperger’s observation, recent studies have also found that AS patients often demonstrate high verbal IQ, strong grammatical skills and they often outperform others in fluid reasoning although they are reported to show a delayed reaction time with poor performance IQ, specifically in symbol coding and processing speed.
Surprisingly, AS is more common than classical autism. Epidemiological surveys report that about 4 out of every 10,000 children are autistic whereas about 25 out of 10,000 children are diagnosed with AS. AS is more common in boys than girls. No scientific explanation behind this observation exists at present.
Like with many other syndromes, no single specific cause is responsible for AS. Rather, a milieu of factors is associated with its development.
Children diagnosed with AS show a genetic pattern, like in autism, where at least one of the parents (most often the father) is diagnosed with AS or at least have some hallmark AS characteristics. The relatives of AS children are known to have anxiety or depression related disorders.
An important causal factor behind the development of AS might be the altered level of neurotransmitters. In AS patients, higher levels of N-Acetyl Aspartate/Choline (precursor of acetylcholine) intake and increased dopamine levels were reported, suggesting an overall altered dopaminergic neurotransmitter composition in major areas of the brain. Intranasal injection of oxytocin, a neuropeptide, was shown to improve facial emotion recognition abilities in AS patients.
Apart from alterations in neurotransmitter levels, neuroimaging studies show that there are structural changes in major areas of the brain that could be associated with the development of Asperger’s Syndrome. Altered grey and white matter volumes were observed in major brain regions, and an abnormal thickness of the hippocampus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex was reported to be the major contributing factor for dysregulated cognitive functions in AS.
Some researchers also proposed that environmental factors can contribute indirectly to the development of AS. Viral or bacterial infection and smoking during pregnancy particularly increases the risk factor, although no concrete evidence supporting these views was found.
Due to the substantial number of overlapping similarities between Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, it is very easy to confuse one with the other.
Studies in recent decades showed differences between AS and ASD on both quantitative and qualitative levels. The AS subjects displayed age-specific or earlier verbal development, meticulous speech ability, higher desire for social reciprocation, and supreme imagination compared to ASD patients.
On a cognitive level, AS subjects are more perceptive, they possess superior verbal performance and visual-spatial ability compared to ASD patients.
But the major limitations of these studies is the huge variability within the study groups and contradictions in the data patterns, as with age, the distinction between AS and ASD significantly reduces. It is particularly difficult to categorize AS from other disorders as there are no known biomarkers specific to AS only.
As there is not sufficient evidence of distinguishable characteristics for AS that can class the syndrome as ‘one biologically and clinically diagnosed entity’, the DSM-V in 2013 revised and categorized Asperger’s Syndrome as another variant of ASD. Although this decision was criticized by the scientific community, most of the researchers agreed that there is a need to conduct more studies that could help in distinguishing AS from other ASDs.
The most general misconception about Asperger’s syndrome or, as a matter of fact, about autism spectrum disorders in general, is that they develop because of poor parenting and a lack of bonding between parents and their child. This concept was even termed as ‘Refrigerator Mother’ to describe cold and distant parenting. But this notion was challenged from the 1960’s when research on these neurological disorders started to grow and scientists found that it is not parenting, but rather the genetic and neurological makeup of the child that is responsible for these syndromes. Even today, the belief that neurodevelopmental disorders are caused by a traumatic childhood are common. The reality, however, is more complicated than our guesses based on limited information.
References
Barahona-Correa, J. B. and C. N. Filipe (2015) A Concise History of Asperger Syndrome: The Short Reign of a Troublesome Diagnosis. Front Psychol 6: 2024. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02024
Faridi, F. and R. Khosrowabadi (2017) Behavioral, Cognitive and Neural Markers of Asperger Syndrome. Basic Clin Neurosci 8(5): 349-359. doi: 10.18869/nirp.bcn.8.5.349
Weiss, E. M., B. Gschaidbauer, et al. (2017) Age-related differences in inhibitory control and memory updating in boys with Asperger syndrome. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 267(7): 651-659. doi: 10.1007/s00406-016-0756-8
Image via BarbaraALane/Pixabay.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..The man who saved thousands from HIV
How one HIV-positive man stopped thousands getting the virus by helping them obtain a "game-changing" treatment not then available on the NHS. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Noel Conway: Terminally-ill man loses assisted dying challenge
Noel Conway has motor neurone disease and has been trying to change the law on assisted dying. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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'Tax and regulate more to improve health'
There is no need to fear the "nanny state" tag, experts say, as polling shows support for tough action. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Tuesday, 26 June 2018
'Stolen babies' case: Spanish doctor Vela goes on trial
Eduardo Vela is accused of taking Inés Madrigal from her mother as part of a major Spanish scandal. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Vitamin D supplements plea from mother after baby death
Beverley Thahane's son Noah died after developing rickets. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Papua New Guinea polio outbreak declared
The virus was detected in a six-year-old boy in April and confirmed in two healthy children last week. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Why petroleum jelly may not be the best thing to heal cuts
Scientists think it might actually be a bad idea to apply the ointment immediately to wounds. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Women's top reproductive worries revealed
Periods, the menopause, sexually transmitted infections or fertility? What do women say? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Monday, 25 June 2018
University suicides: 'I tried to take my own life'
Chris Coombs describes how depression led him to attempt suicide in his first year at university. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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The 5 Second Rule: Task Initiation
The title—The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage—intrigued me.
According to the publisher, Mel Robbins’s self-help book is “based on a simple psychological tool that the author developed to motivate herself. Using a technique that involves counting down backwards from five to one, she gave herself the extra push she needed to complete dreaded tasks, become more productive.”
Could this technique help solve my task-initiation problem?
I am a brain injury survivor. I have clusters of thin-walled blood vessels in my brain. Two of them bled. To prevent additional bleeds, I underwent brain surgeries, which left me with a number of challenging symptoms, including difficulties initiating tasks.
Though similar to procrastination in its end result, brain injury-related issues with task initiation feel very different. I am fully aware when I procrastinate, and I often laugh at myself in the process. When I procrastinate, I make conscious choices. Instead of working on the annual report, I choose to do the laundry, edit an essay, or take my dog for a walk. And when I run out of excuses or get too close to the deadline, I get started.
Trouble initiating tasks is more akin to the difficulty of shifting to a new undertaking after completing a long and involved project, when it feels almost impossible to switch to the next activity.
I usually have no idea that I’m having trouble initiating a task. I know with absolute certainty that I will get to the task—just not right now. In my mind, starting isn’t an issue, because this internal conviction that “of course I’ll do it” is so strong. It’s as if there’s a disconnect between the belief that I’ll do the task and the cognitive action required to actually initiate it. I’m not choosing to distract myself, and I’m not trying to postpone the inevitable. There’s simply no conscious awareness and no control over it.
Compounding the challenge is that brain injury-related task initiation problems don’t follow any recognizable pattern. They arise without warning and are frequently unrelated to the nature of the task, interfering equally with tasks I enjoy and those I’d rather avoid. They can last anywhere from several days to several years. They often end abruptly, for no apparent reason. When my brain releases me, I’m off and running, all signs of struggle gone, as if the problem never existed.
To combat my difficulties beginning an activity, my neuropsychologist suggested I keep a daily list and block off chunks of time in my calendar to work on those tasks. Fortunately, my brain injury brought on a level of rigidity—once an item is on that list, I feel compelled to address it.
Alas, identifying problematic tasks to include on the list is not straightforward, because the same “I know I’ll get to it” belief means there’s no problem, and it doesn’t occur to me that it belongs on the list. And I sometimes can’t initiate writing the list—I know I’ll write it, just not right now.
I’d recently been having trouble beginning a new essay on a topic I wanted to explore. It had been simmering in my mind for a while, and I felt ready to begin writing. But I couldn’t. I tried tricking my brain into cooperating by breaking the task into smaller and hopefully more manageable chunks.
I was able to sit down in front of my computer, but my brain refused to attempt the next task. Later, I managed to open a new file, but my mind wouldn’t move beyond that chunk. I left the file open, knowing I’d get to it (just not now). A few days later, I typed a title, but couldn’t start the body of the essay. I knew exactly how I wanted it to begin. The words were there. But I wasn’t.
Galvanized into action by Robbins’ five second rule, I was determined to try it the next morning.
As I finished getting dressed, I thought about working on the essay. “5-4-3-2-1” and there I was, at my computer, tapping away, the essay taking form just as I’d imagined it.
Every time my inner voice suggested I needed to take a breather, before I had time to question my motive, I applied the five second rule. “5-4-3-2-1” and I was back on track. After finishing a first draft, I wondered about working on another troublesome essay. Five seconds later, I was back at the keyboard. Feeling like I was on a roll and afraid that I’d fall prey to my damaged brain if I paused, I moved on to sending email queries about speaking engagements and book events.
The next problematic item that came to mind gave me pause—I needed to grade a pile of essays. This time, the five second rule failed, because common sense kicked in. I had reached my limit—fatigue overwhelmed me and my brain blanked out. I absolutely had to rest, or I’d be in no shape to do anything.
I came away from that day feeling good about myself. I’d been more productive than I’d been in a long time. But I was also exhausted. Applying the five second rule had thoroughly drained me.
I have since realized that the five second rule doesn’t work for me exactly the way Mel Robbins explained it. I haven’t abandoned it, but as with so many other things post-injury, I am learning to adapt it to my particular circumstances. I have to pace myself, and as soon as I recognize the early signs of fatigue, I use the rule to take a nap.
My conclusion?
The five second rule rules.
References
Robbins, M. (2017). The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage. Savio Republic. ISBN-10: 1682612384
Image via JESHOOTScom/Pixabay.
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..John Caudwell offers over £1m for Lyme Disease research
The Phones4U founder says he'll give the money, if the NHS match it. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Cancer patients face 'absurd' travel insurance costs
Patients are struggling to find affordable travel insurance, long after any key treatment is finished. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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MP Carol Monaghan leads campaign for new ME treatment
Patients, carers and MPs say exercise therapy prescribed for chronic fatigue syndrome can be harmful to patients. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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An insole with GPS tracking for dementia patients
The NHS in Dorset is trialling a 'smart insole' that can help to keep dementia patients safe. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Woman 'humiliated' by Walgreens over drugs to end pregnancy
Nicole Mone says a pharmacist rejected her prescription for pills to end her abnormal pregnancy. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Cyan colour hidden ingredient in sleep
Adding or removing the colour cyan can have an impact on sleep, according to biologists. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Child obesity plan targets sweets at checkouts
New measures also aim to limit junk food ads and end the sale of energy drinks to children. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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NHS use of 'unsafe' syringes to be examined
It follows claims the devices, used to give powerful painkillers, could have caused widespread deaths. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Saturday, 23 June 2018
Artists create Supershoes for children with cancer
The custom-made shoes feature characters and designs to suit the child's tastes. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Friday, 22 June 2018
WHO gaming disorder listing a ‘moral panic’, say experts
Experts say the WHO's decision risks "pathologising" a behaviour that is harmless for most people. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Wednesday, 20 June 2018
'Charlie changed our lives completely'
The parents of Charlie Gard say they want a change in the law and 'will try and help anyone else who is in the same boat as us'. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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NHS at 70: How Moorfields Eye Hospital changed the world
The London hospital has transformed eye care and saved the sight of millions since the start of the NHS. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Are Dyslexics More Entrepreneurial?
Dyslexia is rather common: it is estimated that around 5-10% of individuals are dyslexic. Despite an apparent disability, some are famous, like Tom Cruise or Richard Branson. Obviously, they do not suffer from a lack of intelligence and are, in fact, quite successful in the business world. So what is going on in their brains? Are they developing some compensatory mechanisms that help them to do things better?
Epidemiological research studies indicate that dyslexics develop coping strategies to compensate for their weaknesses, which helps them in later life. The resilience that they acquire while in school often helps them to be more successful in developing a business, in being an entrepreneur.
Statistics show that there are twice more dyslexics among entrepreneurs when compared to the general population. However, dyslexics are uncommon in higher management. They also tend to have a different business management style. Thus, they do better in startups and are better at handling particular types of businesses.
Dyslexia is usually first identified when a child goes to school and struggles with scrambled text. Dyslexic children have difficulty in reading texts, interpreting them, and explaining the meaning of the text to others, even though they can be very intelligent otherwise. Dyslexia often results in poor academic performance, undue pressure, and psychological trauma. Each dyslexic child needs to learn to cope with these challenges.
Although dyslexic children are as intelligent as their peers at school, they are often labeled as less capable. Children with dyslexia are often targets of bullying in school. Poor self-image at school often leads to worsening of self-esteem in many of these kids. As helping dyslexic children is not easy, they are often left to themselves.
What’s going on in the dyslexic brain? Neurological basis of dyslexia
As a common disorder, dyslexia is the subject of multiple studies. Researchers agree that those living with dyslexia may have differences in the brain relative to non-dyslexic children, and these differences are the subject of intense clinical research. The recent explosion in brain imaging technology is helping us gain a deeper understanding of the matter.
The neurological theory of dyslexia is one of the earliest. The theory was proposed about a century ago when British physicians Morgan and Hinshelwood described dyslexia as a “visual word blindness.”
The study of adults living with brain trauma in the left parietal region demonstrated that many of these people develop reading difficulties. They find it challenging to process the optical image of letters. Thus, the early theory was that those with dyslexia have developmental defects in the parietal region of the brain.
Left parietal involvement was also somewhat confirmed during pathological examination of the brains of those who died at an earlier age and were known to be dyslexic.
Another important theory focuses on delayed brain lateralization in dyslexia. It is thought that some people have weak or insufficient brain lateralization that hinders the understanding of languages. This theory was the subject of multiple studies in the second half of last century.
The latest research into the neurophysiology of those living with dyslexia seems to indicate that dyslexia is phonological in nature: dyslexics have difficulty in manipulating the phoneme parts of speech. It is possible that there are developmental issues in the visual tract or other visual mechanisms in the brain may be contributing to the difficulty.
Apart from defects in a specific subsystem of the vision pathway, researchers think that there are other brain developmental issues involved as well. It is entirely possible that people with dyslexia have temporal processing impairment, and therefore they are not able to process information fast enough. Thus, dyslexia is considered the result of multi-system deficits
In conclusion
Dyslexia is probably the result of deficits in the brain at multiple levels. There is an impaired phoneme discrimination resulting in difficulty in understanding spelling. Visual perceptual impairment leads to further worsening of word recognition, and phonological awareness impairment causes speech disturbances. In the center of all this is delayed temporal processing. The end result is delayed speech development, difficulties in reading and comprehending texts, and poor academic performance.
What makes a dyslexic a successful person?
From Leonardo da Vinci to Einstein, children with learning disabilities prove that there is a limited link between disability and intelligence. Children with dyslexia are at least equally intelligent to non-dyslexic children.
The higher success of individuals with dyslexia in certain professions is probably the result of resilience or compensatory mechanisms that they cultivate during the school days to overcome their difficulties.
Some of these kids may develop better skills for interacting with others. They may focus more on specific arts or sciences. Many of them may not concentrate on studies and instead start doing business at an early age. This means that they can be found in any profession, and in the long run they are equally successful.
The compensatory mechanisms developed at a young age may provide an edge over others in specific areas when the children grow up. Even though dyslexics may score poorly in school, they may outscore other children in practical life since they spend more time perfecting their verbal skills.
As an entrepreneur, dyslexics are known to be good at delegating tasks, they are excellent mentors, and they are often creative. All of these qualities usually make them more successful entrepreneurs, though they may not be that good in roles where there is less space for creativity.
Achieving success with dyslexia is perhaps about learning different skills, mastering different approaches to solving the tasks, and developing strategies to compensate for certain limitations.
References
Habib, M. (2000) The neurological basis of developmental dyslexia: An overview and working hypothesis. Brain, 123(12), 2373–2399. 10.1093/brain/123.12.2373
Locke, R., Scallan, S., Mann, R., & Alexander, G. (2015) Clinicians with dyslexia: a systematic review of effects and strategies. The Clinical Teacher, 12(6), 394–398. 10.1111/tct.12331
Logan, J. (2009) Dyslexic entrepreneurs: the incidence; their coping strategies and their business skills. Dyslexia, 15(4), 328–346. 10.1002/dys.388
Logan, J. (2018) Analysis of the incidence of dyslexia in entrepreneurs and its implications.
Toffalini, E., Pezzuti, L., & Cornoldi, C. (2017) Einstein and dyslexia: Is giftedness more frequent in children with a specific learning disorder than in typically developing children? Intelligence, 62, 175–179. 10.1016/j.intell.2017.04.006
Yu, X., Zuk, J., & Gaab, N. What Factors Facilitate Resilience in Developmental Dyslexia? Examining Protective and Compensatory Mechanisms Across the Neurodevelopmental Trajectory. Child Development Perspectives, 0(0). 10.1111/cdep.12293
via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Teenage volunteers make dementia residents 'feel alive'
Young people are giving up their time to provide comfort for care home residents living with dementia. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Gosport hospital deaths: Prescribed opioids 'shortened 456 lives'
An inquiry found that painkillers were prescribed without medical justification to older patients. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Gosport hospital deaths: Prescribed painkillers 'shortened 456 lives'
A report finds there was a "disregard for human life" at Gosport War Memorial Hospital from 1989 to 2000. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Oxford neurosurgeon helps thousands overcome tremors
Professor Tipu Aziz and his team have inserted electrodes into 2,000 patients' brains. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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The health impact of separating migrant children from parents
Experts say there is no downplaying the trauma that taking a child away from a parent causes. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Medicinal cannabis use to be reviewed by government
But Home Secretary Sajid Javid says the ban on recreational use of the drug will continue. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Emotional eating 'learned by children not inherited'
Genes are significant in most eating behaviours but not emotional under- or overeating, say experts. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Cannabis oil row: Billy Caldwell discharged from hospital
The 12-year-old is treated in hospital for his severe epilepsy with the oil, which is illegal in the UK. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Conjoined twins' joy at watching news report of birth
Anna and Barbara Rozycki made headlines around the world following their birth in 1970. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Monday, 18 June 2018
How Weather Influences the Brain?
We all know that the weather can strongly influence our mood and productivity. Many people feel better when the weather is nice and sunny. It is thus not surprising that people more often feel unhappy and depressed in winter. There is even a medical condition known as winter depression. Still, some researchers believe that our brain functions better during the cold days. In this article, I’ll briefly analyze what happens in our brain in relation to weather-related mood and mind changes.
Scientific studies indicate that weather conditions such as high temperature and humidity can impair mental performance by affecting brain neurochemistry. For instance, it is believed that thermal stress can cause cognitive impairment.
One recent study has investigated the impact of thermal stress on cognitive functions in soldiers spending at least one year in desert conditions. The evaluation of memory and cognitive functions indicated there is a decline in cognitive performance in hot climates when compared to normal weather. The decline was most pronounced for attention, concentration, verbal memory, and psychomotor performance.
Another recent study has investigated the impact of sand and dust storms on children’s cognitive function. Using mathematical analysis and word-recognition test scores, how prenatal exposure to sand and dust storms affects the cognitive performance of children was evaluated. The authors found a decline in both test scores, as well as a later beginning of counting and speaking in whole sentences in children prenatally exposed to storms. The findings imply that this kind of weather jeopardizes the cognitive functions of the next generation.
However, results from scientific research on the effects of temperature on cognitive functions are quite mixed and contradictory.
One study investigated how temperature affects the cognitive performance of subjects with multiple sclerosis. Healthy subjects were included as controls. The researchers correlated cognitive status with temperature in both study groups. In patients with multiple sclerosis, unlike in healthy subjects, the higher temperatures were associated with worsening cognitive status. These findings confirmed that warmer outdoor temperatures lead to a higher incidence of clinical exacerbation and T2 lesion activity in subjects with this condition (T2 lesions represent the white spots observed by MRI that are used to diagnose and track the progress of multiple sclerosis).
With regard to cognitive functions in cold weather, studies have shown both impairments and improvements.
For instance, one study investigated the impact of exposure to the cold and the following rewarming on working memory and executive functions in 10 young males. The results demonstrated a decline in the test results when the subjects were exposed to 10°C, and these impairments persisted for one hour during the rewarming period. Although the underlying mechanisms were not tested, the authors suggested that acute vascular changes in the brain could explain the observed changes. According to the authors, another explanation could be a deregulation of catecholamine levels, particularly important for complex attentional functions.
Other findings suggest that winter helps to wake up our mind and makes us think more clearly. It is well known that the brain utilizes glucose as its main energy source. Thus, when glucose is depleted, brain functioning is jeopardized. Energy, i.e., glucose, is also used for the regulation of body temperature, especially in extremely hot or cold conditions. It seems that more energy (glucose) is needed to cool down than to warm up the body. Thus, warm temperatures are more likely to deplete glucose levels and thus impair brain function and clarity of thinking.
It has been suggested that high temperatures increase the risk of mental disorders, especially in the elderly.
One recent study has analyzed data on emergency admissions linked to mental diseases and daily temperatures over a period of more than 10 years in 6 different cities. The results indicated that high temperatures might jeopardize mental health and be responsible for the exacerbation of symptoms of mental diseases. For instance, according to the results, more than 30% of admissions for anxiety were attributed to hot temperatures. Exposure to hot temperatures leads to reactions in the body that may cause an increase in stress hormone levels and brain temperature. Additionally, extremely hot weather may deregulate the dopamine and serotonin levels (these neuromediators are important for the feeling of happiness).
According to widespread belief, weather can affect our mood. Although a lack of sunshine is commonly linked to seasonal depression, some researchers believe that not all individuals respond similarly to weather changes.
Research has linked an individual’s self-reported daily mood with the objective weather over a 30 day period. Large individual differences have been found in how people react to the weather. Accordingly, four distinct types of weather responders have been identified: summer lovers (i.e., a better mood with warmer weather and more sun), summer haters (i.e., a worse mood with warmer weather and more sun), rain haters (i.e., a bad mood on rainy days), and unaffected (i.e., no particular association between weather and mood). Interestingly, adolescents and their mothers are often the same type, suggestive of familial weather reactivity.
The analysis of both scientific and popular literature permits the conclusion that extreme weather conditions can affect our cognitive function and mood. Most likely, this is caused by a decline in the brain’s energy source (glucose), which needs to be used for thermoregulation. Also, it is evident that extreme temperatures affect the level of catecholamines in the brain (such as dopamine and serotonin). Still, it seems that there is some individual variability in the brain’s response to weather, and it may run in the family.
References
Saini, R., Srivastava, K., Agrawal, S., Das, R. C. (2017) Cognitive deficits due to thermal stress: An exploratory study on soldiers in deserts. Med Journal Armed Forces India. 73(4):370-374. doi: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2017.07.011.
Li, Z., Chen, L., Li, M., Cohen, J. (2018) Prenatal exposure to sand and dust storms and children’s cognitive function in China: a quasi-experimental study. The Lancet. Planetary Health. 2(5): e214-e222. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30068-8.
Leavitt, V.M., Sumowski, J.F., Chiaravalloti, N., Deluca, J. (2012) Warmer outdoor temperature is associated with worse cognitive status in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 78(13): 964-968. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31824d5834.
Muller, M.D., Gunstad, J., Alosco, M.L., Miller, L.A., Updegraff, J., Spitznagel, M.B., Glickman, E,L. (2012) Acute cold exposure and cognitive function: evidence for sustained impairment. Ergonomics. 55(7): 792-798. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2012.665497.
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via Brain Blogger Read More Here..Theresa May is asked where NHS cash will come from
Theresa May is asked how the government will fund a £20bn cash increase for the NHS. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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How does gaming affect your brain?
Hamish loves playing the game Fortnite. Does his brain show signs of addiction? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Politicians unite to demand dignity for terminally ill
Politicians describe the current system as "cruel and lacking in dignity and compassion". via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Teenager's cowpox diagnosis surprises doctors
A 15-year-old boy is diagnosed with the historical disease now usually only found in animals. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Billy Caldwell: Senior MP urges reform over medical cannabis
An MP leading an all-party group looking at medical cannabis calls for "more fundamental reform". via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Hundreds of breast cancer patients 'denied reconstruction'
One in five NHS bodies is limiting access to corrective surgery, a breast cancer charity report says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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NHS funding: PM calls for 10-year plan to spend cash
The PM tells the NHS to plan how to spend a £20bn cash boost - amid questions on how it will be funded. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Saturday, 16 June 2018
The common condition that has no cure
One in five women in the UK are thought to have PCOS, a condition for which there’s no cure. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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The youngster challenging children's perceptions of disability
Paddy and his mum visit schools to help challenge children's perceptions of disability. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Friday, 15 June 2018
Babies most likely to be born at 4am, study finds
More than 70% of births took place outside working hours in England, a study of five million births found. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Thursday, 14 June 2018
Gene therapy reverses rat's paralysis
Experts say the findings could be life-changing for millions of patients. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Could your medications be making you depressed?
A US study finds many commonly-used drugs may increase the risk of the condition. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..
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