Month: June 2016

New Gene Linked to Parkinson’s Disease

Mutations in a gene have been linked to confirmed cases of Parkinson’s disease. The gene TMEM230 is only the third to be definitively linked to the disease and was discovered by researchers at Northwestern Medicine.

The scientists published findings in Nature Genetics of evidence that TMEM230 mutations occurred in patients with Parkinson’s in both North America and Asia. The findings provide new clues about how the disease develops in the brain and could help find therapies for Parkinson’s disease. Currently, there is no cure and few known causes.

“Previous research has associated Parkinson’s disease with various factors in the environment, but the only direct causes that are known are genetic,” principal investigator Teepu Siddique, MD, the Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert C. Wenske Foundation Professor of Neurology and of Cell and Molecular Biology, said in a statement. “Many genes have been claimed to cause Parkinson’s disease, but they haven’t been validated. We show that mutations in this new gene lead to pathologically and clinically proven cases of the disease.”

TMEM230 is responsible for producing a protein involved with packaging dopamine in neurons. The researchers believe that the protein is involved in the movement of synaptic vesicles that release dopamine to cells that project into parts of the brain controlling motor activity and other organ systems affected by Parkinson’s.

“Our new findings suggest that normalizing synaptic vesicle trafficking may be a strategy for future therapeutic development,” study first author Han-Xiang Deng, MD, PhD, research professor of Neurology, said. We can develop drugs to promote this critical pathway.”

Only 15% of Parkinson’s disease cases are thought to be caused by genetics. The other genes known to be associated with the disease are SNCA and LRRK2. The researchers discovered TMEM230 after they began investigating a family with 15 members who had symptoms of Parkinson’s in 1996. The scientists then performed an analysis of the DNA of the entire family—those with and without the disease—in order to find a common mutation. Eventually, they identified TMEM230 as the gene with the disease-causing mutation.

“This particular gene causing Parkinson’s disease is not just limited to one population in North America,” Dr. Siddique said. “It’s worldwide, found in very different ethnic and environmental conditions. These mutations are that strong.”

Plant-Based Diet Could Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Everyone knows the key to good health is a healthy diet. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston has showed that a plant-based diet may significantly lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study contained information from over 200,000 Americans that completed a series of questionnaires about their diet, lifestyle, medical history and current health. This information was collected over a period of 20 years. “This study highlights that even moderate dietary changes in the direction of a healthful plant-based diet can play a significant role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes,” said lead author of the study Ambika Satija, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School.

The study presents clear evidence that current dietary recommendations are supported by the findings. The results are clear, the healthier the diet, the lower the risk for type 2 diabetes. Those that followed a plant-based diet low in animal-based foods had a 20 percent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes than those who didn’t. A plant-based diet is one that contains plenty of healthy vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Those in the study that followed a less healthy plant-based diet had a 16 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This less healthy diet includes vegetables, fruits and whole grains but also included refined grains, potatoes and sugar-sweetened beverages. This shows that a healthy diet needs to contain less sugar and less simple carbohydrates in order to be effective.

The study also showed that a healthy version of the plant-based diet that included whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes lowered the risk for type 2 diabetes by 34 percent. “A shift to a dietary parent higher in healthful plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods, especially red and processed meats, can confer substantial health benefits in reducing risk of type 2 diabetes,” said the study’s senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard. This study was published this Tuesday, June 14th, in the journal PLoS Medicine and funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Artificial Pancreas For Diabetics

The pancreas is an organ that is responsible for producing important hormones such as insulin. Insulin is needed to keep blood sugar levels within normal range. Those suffering from diabetes know that a lack of insulin can lead to high blood sugar. Those suffering from type 1 diabetes know that insulin injections are critical for survival.

Medical technology is currently developing a completely new option for those suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus and it involves the so-called “artificial pancreas”. Type 1 diabetes, also called diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes that occurs when the autoimmune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

The artificial pancreas is a concept that started 20 years ago with the goal of automating the delivery of insulin for type 1 diabetics to normalize their blood sugar levels. The idea is that this is not a solution for diabetes but is meant to improve quality of life for diabetics. The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) is the engineering core in this project responsible for the algorithm and design being tested in clinical trials.

This artificial pancreas is not a replica of the pancreas organ; instead it is an automated insulin delivery system designed to mimic a healthy person’s glucose function. This closed-loop system consists of an insulin pump, a glucose monitor placed under the skin, and advanced control algorithm software in a smartphone that provides the brains of the system. The pump will deliver the needed insulin based on a series of variables such as stress, sleep, meals consumed, physical activity, and metabolism.

The first of two trials planned as part of the new $12.7 million National Institutes of Health funded study will test the safety and effectiveness of the artificial pancreas in 240 patients with type 1 for six months. The second trial will follow 180 patients that completed the first study for an extra six months to test the advanced adaptive control algorithm developed by the Harvard team led by dean Francis J. Doyle III and Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard Elizabeth S. Armstrong.

Also involved in the study is the University of Virginia School of Medicine Center for Diabetes Technology, that is also developing the artificial pancreas system. The institutions that make up the International Diabetes Closed Loop Consortium that will be participating in the clinical trials include Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, Stanford University, the Mayo Clinic, University hospitals in France, Amsterdam, and Italy among others. With clinical trials already underway, there is finally hope for an optimal and easier way to deliver insulin that will soon be accessible to anyone with type 1 diabetes.

Suicide, Drug Overdose, Alzheimer’s Drive Increase in US Mortality Rate

For the first time in a decade, the mortality rate in the United States has risen, and researchers are speculating that Americans between the ages of 45 and 54 may be a “lost generation” with a future that is less bright than those who preceded them.

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the death rate for all causes of death increased from 823.9 per 100,000 in 2014 to 841.9 per 100,000 in 2015.

A total of 18 causes of death rose between 2014 and 2015, lead mostly by increases in the death rates from Alzheimer’s disease, drug overdose, suicide, and heart disease. The death rate for Alzheimer’s disease rose from 29.3 per 100,000 in 2014 to 34.3 in 2015. The rate deaths from heart disease rose from 192.7 in 2014 to 196.2 in 2015. Deaths from drug overdose rose from 14.2 per 100,000 population in the second quarter of 2014 to 15.3 for the same quarter in 2015. Death rates for suicide increased from 13.2 per 100,000 in the third quarter of 2014 to 13.6 in the same quarter of 2015.

In comparison, CDC reported that death rates for only 2 diseases declined from 2014 to 2015: HIV (2.1 deaths per 100,000 in 2014 to 2 in 2015) and cancer (185.6 deaths per 100,000 in 2014 to 185.1 in 2015).

In a similar study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), researchers found that whites in particular are dying younger than ever. Specifically, white Americans between the ages of 45 and 54 years are dying at higher rates. Meanwhile mortality rates at midlife for all other racial groups have fallen.

“…if the epidemic is brought under control, its survivors may have a healthy old age,” the authors of the PNAS study concluded. “However, addictions are hard to treat and pain is hard to control, so those currently in midlife may be a “lost generation” whose future is less bright than those who preceded them.”

The PNAS study reported that there are 3 main culprits for the increased mortality rate among whites in midlife: drug and alcohol poisoning, chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis, and suicide.

“The increase in midlife morbidity and mortality among US white non-Hispanics is only partly understood,” the authors of the PNAS study admitted.

There is a hot line for people who are depressed or are just looking to end their lives, which is 1-800-273-8255.  There are people who will answer 24/7 to talk to you about your problems.

Parkinson’s Disease – What is It?

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease of the brain. It affects parts of the brain that are associated with normal movement and balance. The disease is caused when nerve cells or neurons in an area of the brain die or become impaired by the loss of brain cells that produce dopamine.

Dopamine enables smooth, coordinated movements.  The classic symptoms of this condition are a tremor or shaking of the hand or other limbs while at rest.  

When actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with the disease, the illness as well as its effects on humans became headline news. But how can we combat it? First, we need to understand what Parkinson’s Disease does to the body.

In addition to motor symptoms such as slowness of movement, tremors, and stiffness, most people develop other health problems related to Parkinson’s. These symptoms are known as non-motor symptoms.

Non-motor symptoms include:

    • Mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and irritability
    • Cognitive changes such as problems with focused attention and planning, slowing of thought, language and memory difficulties, personality changes, dementia
    • Hallucinations and delusions
    • Drop in blood pressure when standing, or light-headedness
    • Constipation and a feeling of fullness after eating small amounts
    • Pain
    • Fatigue
    • Vision problems
    • Excessive sweating
    • Increase in dandruff or oily skin
    • Urinary urgency, and frequency
    • Loss of sense of smell
    • Weight gain
    • Impulsive control issues

How is it Acquired?

About 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year affecting about 50 percent more men than women.  No one is sure why people get the disease. Exactly what causes Parkinson’s disease is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible. The average age of diagnosis is 60 years old, however, 5 to 10 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease have “early-onset” disease that begins before the age of 50. Early-onset forms of the disease are often inherited, though not always. People with one or more close relatives who have Parkinson’s disease have an increased risk of developing the disease themselves.

What are the Signs of Parkinson’s Disease?

Early signs of the condition include:

    • Constipation
    • Sleepiness or drowsiness
    • Difficulty swallowing
    • Decreased sense of smell
    • REM behavior disorder  (In this the individuals act upon their dreams by kicking, hitting, or talking during a dream or REM sleep).

Parkinson’s disease is not a fatal illness, it is a progressive illness. At early years most patients with adequate response to medications can lead a normal or near-normal life with normal life expectancy.  However, it’s a degenerative disorder that usually progresses until it leaves its patients completely debilitated. The condition usually worsens over an average of 15 years. Once a patient is diagnosed with Parkinson’s, there are many things that they may do to maintain their quality of life and live with Parkinson’s.  They may learn about nutrition; daily living changes; sexual health; freezing (when a body part is unable to move); and safety at home.

The National Parkinson Foundation has programs to support Parkinson’s patients as well as caregivers.  The Foundation has made great strides in Parkinson’s care, research, and community outreach. Donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation go directly to support and develop treatments for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Your gift can help make life better for people with Parkinson’s. Go to Parkinsons.org to donate.                

The NINDS and the National Institute of Mental Health jointly support two national brain specimen banks. These banks supply research scientists around the world with nervous system tissue from patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. They need tissue from patients with Parkinson’s disease so that scientists can study and understand the disorder. Those who may be interested in donating should contact: Rashed M. Nagra, Ph.D., Director or contact the Human Brain and Spinal Fluid Resource Center at Neurology Research (127A) W. Los Angeles Healthcare Center.

Muhammad Ali and Parkinson’s Disease

Doctors think the head trauma Muhammad Ali suffered during his boxing career might have contributed to his Parkinson’s disease. Approximately 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson’s disease and 60,000 more are diagnosed with it each year. Boxing may have influenced Ali’s disease, but the data are far from conclusive. His family has suggested that his disease was due to the exposure to pesticides he had experienced earlier in life. But the truth is that we may never know what caused his Parkinson’s—or that of the vast majority of those diagnosed.

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder in which cells in a part of the brain that controls movement begin to die. As a result, patients slow down, lose coordination, and tremble.

Ali referred to his condition as a “trial” from God and spoke of preparing for death. He said he thought about it during each of his five daily prayers, but he did not give the impression it prayed on his mind. If anything he seemed at peace with the idea.

He would say that speaking in public was something he had to strive to overcome: “I realize my pride would make me say no, but it scares me to think I’m too proud to appear in public  because of my condition.”

Ali never complained. He would wake, shower and sit in his arm chair watching old boxing reels.  There were no complaints.  No time blaming others for his fate. “He would always say to his family, ‘These are the cards I was dealt, so don’t be sad.”  

How did Ali stay so positive? “He would say, ‘I’ve got the best-known face on the planet. I’m the three-time heavyweight champion of the world. I’ve got no reason to be down.”

Ali will be remembered as more than just “the greatest”.  He was a powerful force on humanitarian missions. He spoke out against racism, war and religious intolerance, while projecting an unshakable confidence that became a model for African-Americans at the height of the civil rights era and beyond.

Ali was known to be a friend of the Jewish people.  Although he railed against Jewish promoters at times and slammed ‘Zionist control of the world’, he also attended his grandson’s bar-mitzvah and appealed to Muslim extremists to release Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl. In an article in USA Today, written by Ali’s good friend, Billy Crystal, boycotted a country club after being told they did not allow Jews.  Ali never attended that club again.

Through expert care, research and grants, it is the goal of the Parkinson’s Foundation and patients everywhere to make the world a better place for people suffering with Parkinson’s until there is a tomorrow without this dreadful disease.

Olympics Danger – Journalists and Athletes Concerned About Zika

SZika Mosquitoince the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus outbreak a public health emergency, there has been a lot of international concern. This summer, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is hosting the Summer Olympics, but unfortunately, Rio lies in a Zika virus-affected area. Some Rio officials are saying that the Zika risk at the Rio Olympics is low and “close to zero”.

However, recent reports show that the estimated rate of virus infections in Rio is 157 per 100,000 people, which is more than triple the national average of Brazil. Within the first three months of this year, there were close to 26,000 reported cases of Zika in Rio.

It is understandable that both athletes participating in the Olympics, as well as journalists, are starting to back out. NBC’s Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie recently announced she will not be covering the Rio Olympics because she is pregnant. NBC will be sending 2,000 employees to cover the Olympics but stated that no one will be required to travel if they think their health could be at risk.

Cyclist Tejay van Garderen also announced he is pulling out of the games due to the fear of catching Zika and passing it to his currently pregnant wife. Aussie golfer Marc Leishman also announced he will not be competing in Rio due to fear of contracting Zika due to his immune-compromised wife.

Even though Rio de Janeiro Olympic officials are deeming the games safe, experts (who aren’t concerned about monetary loss) are worried that game officials are overlooking the risks amid fears of losing profits.

Harvard Public Health Review recently published an article that half a million visitors to Rio for the Olympics pose a risk of spreading the virus once they return to their home countries. The study’s lead author Amir Attran said, “Zika infection is more dangerous, and Brazil’s outbreak more extensive than scientists reckoned a short time ago. Which leads to a bitter truth: the 2016 Olympics and Paralympic Games must be postponed, moved, or both, as a precautionary concession.”

Depression and Diabetes

A recent study shows that a diabetic is twice as likely to be suffering from depression compared to those suffering from depression without diabetes. This new link is making doctors change their treatment into something more “holistic and very patient-centered,” said Dr. Sherita Golden, professor at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

Golden is a diabetes management expert that learned early in her career about the dangerous diabetes-depression connection. Golden recalls a very distressed patient that struggled with diabetes for such a long time to the point of wanting to commit suicide. Golden agrees that treating both mental and physical aspects of diabetes together is incredibly important. Golden’s patients have seen an evaluated blood sugar during stressful times in their lives.

Studies are currently being conducted at Johns Hopkins in order to understand the depression-diabetes link. Golden states that “20% of our clinic population with Type 2 diabetes screens positive for depressive symptoms.” More research needs to be done in order to understand whether diabetes causes depression and depressive symptoms or if depression and its symptoms impact blood sugar levels to the point of possibly worsening diabetic symptoms.

Golden and other diabetes experts agree that most of their diabetic patients do best when treated not only in a familiar setting but also in conjunction with mental health services in a clinic or office where they get their primary care. On the American Diabetes Associations website one can find tips for spotting depression and those that have several of the symptoms for two weeks or more are urged to seek professional help.

Predicting Local Transmission of Zika in the United States

A study has determined that while weather conditions may be suitable for the mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus throughout the the United States, typically we see the Aedes (Ae.) aegypti mosquito during summer months (July-September). The highest concentration of these mosquitoes will occur in the Southeast and South Texas.

The researchers who published their work in PLOS Current Outbreaks, analyzed 50 US cities in or near the range where the specific type of mosquito, Ae. aegypti, carries and transmits the Zika virus is known to appear. They note that socioeconomic factors will likely influence contact with mosquitoes that carry the virus with impoverished communities at a higher risk due to elevated risk factors, such as lower use of air conditioning, poorer housing infrastructure, and decreased access to safe water and sanitation.

While the abundance of the mosquitoes was zero or near zero in the United States in January, with the exception of Southern Florida and Texas, the authors expect that to change as the weather warms. For example, by mid-summer, cities like Denver, Albuquerque and Louisville, which are not always in the range for Ae. aegypti, will see a potential abundance of the infected mosquitos.

However, the summer months are not the only times of risk. Conditions for the Ae. aegypti will remain suitable through November for southern and western states. Then, by December, most of the country will be unsuitable again with the exceptions of Southern Florida and Texas.

Furthermore, introduction of the virus into local populations of Ae. aegypti is more likely seen in cities that have high volumes of people arriving from areas where there is already transmission of the Zika virus going on, such as Houston, Texas; Miami, Florida and Orlando, Florida, as well as towns along the US-Mexico border.

However, one limitation of the study is that it only included the contiguous United States, so states and territories where risk of transmission of Ae. aegypti-transmitted viruses is already high, such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico and areas in the South Pacific were excluded.

“Despite the limitations, our analysis is a step towards simultaneously mapping the geographic and seasonal suitability of the vector mosquito Ae. aegypti in the contiguous United States,” the authors concluded. “There is a need for enhanced, long-term, nationally-coordinated, local-level surveillance of both Aedes mosquitoes and Aedes-transmitted viruses, particularly in areas where simulations indicate Ae. aegypti populations may be high and coincide with more frequent travel between the U.S. and countries where Zika is circulating.”

What Is Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder?

April is National Autism Month!
Learn About Autism and Donate to an Autism Charity Today!

Unlike many health conditions, autism, a disorder that involves abnormal development and function of the brain, is unique in that it is considered a spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) results in difficulties in social interaction and in verbal and nonverbal communication. ASD is also characterized by the presence of repetitive movements, such as hand flapping or body rocking, an insistence on sameness, and a resistance to change. In some cases, people with ASD show behaviors of aggression or self-injury.

Brief History

Prior to 2013, autism disorders were recognized as distinct subtypes, such as autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Asperger syndrome. However, in 2013, the DSM-5 diagnostic manual merged all of these disorders under the umbrella diagnosis of ASD.

Major Brain Structure Implicated in Autism
Major Brain Structure in Autism

ASD is associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination, and attention and physical health issues. However, some people with ASD do excel in specific areas, such as music, math or art. Not all individuals with autism have cognitive impairments and some have typical or even above average IQs.

While signs of ASD don’t emerge until between ages 2 and 3, the roots of ASD appear to be in early brain development. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that around 1 in 68 children in the United States are identified as being on the autism spectrum. Autism was first characterized in 1943 by Leo Kanner. At the time, the prevalence of autism was thought to be 1 out of every 2,000 children.

Source of Autism

While the prevalence of autism has increased in the US, there is no established explanation for the rise in ASD, but improved diagnosis and awareness may be one explanation, according to Autism Speaks. The popular theory that vaccines cause autism has been disproven by numerous studies conducted worldwide, confirmed the Autism Science Foundation.

While the cause of autism is unknown, researchers have determined that autism is a strongly inherited disorder. For example, scientists have found that if one identical twin has autism then there is an 80% to 90% chance that the other twin will be diagnosed with ASD. Among non-identical twins, the chance drops drastically to just 3% to 10% that both twins will develop ASD. The chance that siblings will both be effects is also around 3% to 10%.