Health

2024-02-25 13:02:38

“For the first time, we have shown that leaky blood vessels in the human brain, along with a hyperactive immune system, may be the main cause of brain fog associated with Long Covid,” Campbell explained. He and his colleagues began studying this form of clouding of consciousness, also known as brain fog, in the early stages of the corona pandemic in March and April 2020 by analyzing blood samples from 76 Covid patients at St James’s Hospital. They found increased levels of the protein S100-beta, which is, among other things, a marker for a disturbed blood-brain barrier.

The boundary between the bloodstream and the central nervous system is called the blood-brain barrier. Thanks to special cells that lie on the outside of the vessel wall, only certain substances can pass into the brain. This protects the brain from harmful substances and pathogens. When the blood-brain barrier is disrupted, substances enter the brain that would otherwise be shielded.

The researchers have not yet been able to elucidate the exact mechanism of the weakening of this system. They also made the disruption of the blood-brain barrier visible using imaging techniques. To do this, they used a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dynamic contrast-based perfusion MRI. What is measured is the way in which a contrast agent flows through a tissue. The special MRI images show that in brain fog patients more contrast medium reaches the brain tissue outside the blood capillaries.

Campbell, Doherty and colleagues are convinced that Corona is not the only viral infection that damages the brain in this way. “The results are now likely to change the way we understand and treat post-viral neurological diseases,” said Doherty. In recent years it has been shown that in many neurological diseases – such as multiple sclerosis (MS) – a viral infection is probably the triggering factor for the disease, according to a statement from Trinity College. The study authors are currently examining in more detail what role the blood-brain barrier plays in this.

A corona infection can result in persistent health problems, for which the term Long Covid has become established. Symptoms include exhaustion, dizziness and problems concentrating./fm/DP/jha

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#Brain #fog #Long #Covid #caused #disruption #blood #supply

2024-02-25 05:00:57

Ulcerative colitis belongs, along with Crohn’s disease, to chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. This pathology is particularly debilitating and profoundly harms the quality of life of patients, sometimes affected from adolescence. During the 19th congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO), which was held in Stockholm from February 21 to 24, 2024, promising results were presented on a drug candidate, obefazimod. Explanations.

What are the current treatments for ulcerative colitis?

Currently no treatment provides a definitive cure. chronic inflammatory diseases (IBD), as the Crohn’s disease et ulcerative colitis. Different medications are used to treat flare-ups of the disease (symptomatic phases) and prevent new flare-ups. These treatments include:

Derivatives of aminosalicylic acid or aminosalicylates; Corticosteroids; Azathioprine; Biotherapies.

Biotherapies are the most recent treatments. These are antibodies specifically developed to act on immune and inflammatory reactions, in order to reduce chronic inflammation linked to the disease. The antibodies available to date are:

Infliximab; Adalimumab; Golimumab; Vedolizumab; Ustekinumab; Tofacitinib.

For some patients, surgical treatment is also necessary.

Read also – May 19, World Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Day

A new drug candidate

The mechanisms behind ulcerative colitis remain poorly understood, even if scientists put forward several factors:

A genetic predisposition; An imbalance between the intestinal immune system and the intestinal microbiota; Exposure to environmental factors.

To develop new treatments once morest the disease, researchers are trying to target immune and inflammatory reactions. Among the most promising drug candidates is l’obefazimod. Interesting results have recently been presented in the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Obefazimod is a medicine administered orally dailythe subject of several clinical trials carried out in humans since 2022, in ulcerative colitis and soon in .

Read also – Vaccinate once morest Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis?!

Promising efficacy and tolerance in clinical trials

The latest clinical trials conducted on this drug are showing great promise. Obefazimod has a unique mechanism of action (improvement of the expression of a small RNA, microRNA-124) and exercises anti-inflammatory activity, which helps stabilize the immune response in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. One of the trials concluded that the drug was effective and well tolerated following 8 weeks of treatment. The continuation of this treatment showed persistence of effectiveness and safety following 48 and 96 weeks of treatment.

A reduction in the dose administered (from 50 to 25 mg per day) was then evaluated on a group of patients. Once once more, the data appears promising regarding the effectiveness and tolerance of this drug candidate. Building on these results, the pharmaceutical laboratory should continue the development of obefazimod, which might soon become a new treatment for ulcerative colitis. Hope for the approximately 200 patients living in France with chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Read also – Intestinal flora transplant for ulcerative colitis

Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy

Sources

– Efficacy and safety of obefazimod in UC patients at weeks 48 and 96 of an open-label maintenance study among clinical responders at week 8 of the Phase 2b induction trial. 19th Congress of ECCO – Stockholm.cm.ecco-ibd.eu. Consulté le 19 février 2024.
– Efficacy of once-daily, orally administered obefazimod in patients with moderately to severely active UC at weeks 8, 48, and 96 broken down by induction treatment dose. cm.ecco-ibd.eu. Consulté le 19 février 2024.
– Obefazimod and its active metabolites ABX-464-N-Glu act by stabilizing protein-protein interaction among key RNA biogenesis partners, CBC and ARS2. cm.ecco-ibd.eu. Consulté le 19 février 2024.
– Efficacy and safety of de-escalation from 50 mg to 25 mg of oral, once-daily, obefazimod for the third and fifth year of open-label maintenance treatment in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC): An interim analysis. cm.ecco-ibd.eu. Consulté le 19 février 2024.
– Ulcerative colitis. www.ameli.fr. Accessed February 19, 2024.
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#Ulcerative #colitis #promising #treatment

2024-02-25 13:44:00

A Sh A Sunday, February 25, 2024 03:44 PM

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced new funding to address the reproductive healthcare crisis in the Gaza Strip, worth £4.25 million.

According to a statement published on the official website of the British government on Sunday, British aid will work to ensure the ability of the United Nations reproductive health agency to provide life-saving support to vulnerable women and girls.

This support is expected to reach regarding 111,500 women, or regarding 1 in 5 adult women in Gaza, and will support up to 100 community midwives, as well as distributing 45,000 clean birth kits.

Cameron stressed that this additional funding is a response to the urgent United Nations appeal for the occupied Palestinian territories. He said, “Women are bearing the brunt of the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza today, as several thousand women are currently pregnant and will be concerned regarding giving birth to their children safely.”

He added: “This new British funding will help make childbirth safer and improve the lives of mothers and their newborns.” He continued, “We need to see an immediate halt to the fighting so that we can secure the safe release of the hostages, obtain more aid, and allow For organizations like UNFPA to carry out their vital work effectively.”

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#Britain #announces #funding #million #pounds #sterling #address #reproductive #health #crisis #Gaza

2024-02-25 11:00:44

A little-known ally in the fight once morest fat

Science reveals a secret

Of the recent research, led by an American university team and highlighted by Marmiton, highlighted the importance of consuming a certain category of foods daily. This study demonstrated how this specific diet contributes to improve lipid profile and amino acid levels in the bloodproviding greater resistance to certain prediabetic conditions and enriching the body with vital nutrients.

Eggs: everyday nutritional heroes

This superfood, often relegated to the background, is none other than the egg. Three eggs a day : this is the recommendation of the researchers to take advantage of its multiple advantages. Thanks to their rich and varied composition, eggs play a significant role in maintaining good cholesterol levels and cardiovascular healthwithout forgetting their contribution to better management of body weight.

Benefits beyond the silhouette

Regularity in egg consumption does not only influence silhouette. It impacts the preservation of muscle mass, the strengthening of bones, and dental health, thanks in particular to their intake of high quality protein and vitamin D.

Responsible choice: favor free-range eggs

To maximize benefits, moving towards eggs fromopen-air breeding is recommended. (…)

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#food #consumed #times #day #helps #burn #fat