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2023-10-01 02:55:43

▲ Research has shown that increased intake of refined carbohydrates may lead to greater weight gain in middle age. (Photo = DB)

[메디컬투데이=조민규 기자] Increased consumption of refined carbohydrates may lead to greater weight gain in middle age, a study has found.

A study published in the journal BMJ found that increased intake of refined carbohydrates from refined grains, high-starch vegetables, and sugar-containing beverages may lead to greater weight gain in middle age.

Refined carbohydrates are sugar chunks made by refining carbohydrates to remove the fiber. Noodles, bread, white rice cakes, sugar, honey, caramel, etc. are known as refined carbohydrates.

It is known that consumption of refined carbohydrates can lead to excessive secretion of insulin, carbohydrate addiction, and accumulation of visceral fat, leading to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and myocardial infarction. It is known that you can reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates by consuming mainly whole grains, raw vegetables, and non-sweet fruits.

The researchers analyzed data from 136,432 men and women under the age of 65 registered in the Nurses’ Health Study. At the time of registration, participants had no health problems such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, or neurodegenerative disease.

The researchers followed the participants for regarding 25 years and collected information regarding them through questionnaires every two to four years. The study found that participants gained 3 pounds every four years, or regarding 19 pounds over the study period. In particular, they noted that this association with weight gain was stronger in women and overweight people.

The researchers concluded that increased consumption of refined carbohydrates led to greater weight gain throughout middle age.

Medical Today Reporter Jo Min-gyu ([email protected])

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

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#Eating #refined #carbohydrates #leads #weight #gain #middle #age

2023-09-29 04:33:18

▲ Research results have shown that mutations in several genes involved in the survival of nerve cells can cause Parkinson’s disease. (Photo = DB)

[메디컬투데이=이승재 기자] Research has shown that mutations in several genes involved in the survival of nerve cells can cause Parkinson’s disease.

The results of a sister study revealing a genetic predisposition related to the development of Parkinson’s disease were published in Neuron.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease following Alzheimer’s disease. There are more than 1 million Parkinson’s disease patients in the United States alone and more than 10 million worldwide. Parkinson’s disease is more common in men than women, and the risk of developing it increases with age.

The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is not known, but 10% to 15% of Parkinson’s disease patients have a genetic predisposition, and environmental factors such as some chemicals and head trauma are also involved. At the cellular level, Parkinson’s disease occurs when the amount of dopamine, a substance that mediates signal transmission between brain cells, decreases. It is known that this decrease in dopamine concentration occurs because a large number of dopamine neurons die in an area called the substantia nigra of the midbrain. The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include slowed movement, tremors, stiffness, sleep disorders, and mood disorders.

The researchers studied the genetic predisposition involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease by analyzing the genetic information of a sister who developed Parkinson’s disease at an early age. One of the sisters developed Parkinson’s disease at age 16, and the other at age 49. Analysis of genetic information revealed that both sisters had mutations in the ‘PINK1’ gene, a gene that protects nerve cells.

A woman who developed Parkinson’s disease at the age of 16 also had a mutation in a gene called ‘parkin’. Parkin is a gene involved in endoplasmic reticulum recycling, and if there is a mutation in the Parkin gene, dopamine is not recycled properly and remains oxidized. Oxidized dopamine is toxic and, if accumulated in large amounts, can cause loss of nerve cells.

The researchers explained that the level of oxidized dopamine was very high in a woman who developed Parkinson’s disease at the age of 16, and that a mutation in the Parkin gene may have been involved in this. She also added that having mutations in both the PINK1 and Parkin genes also inhibits the process by which mitochondria, which produce energy within cells, are recycled at the synapse.

From these results, the researchers concluded that several genes involved in the survival of nerve cells are involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Medical Today Reporter Seungjae Lee ([email protected])

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

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#genes #involved #nerve #cell #survival #influence #development #Parkinsons #disease

2023-09-11 09:16:35

[메디컬투데이=김준수 기자] Rhinitis is a nasal mucosa inflammatory disease that causes runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and itching. Most people mistake rhinitis symptoms for a cold and often miss important treatment times.

Rhinitis, which is divided into acute and chronic, symptoms disappear following regarding a week without medication, but chronic rhinitis requires special attention. In particular, in the case of chronic rhinitis, active treatment is more difficult in children, so the treatment period is missed. At this time, it is important to prevent secondary complications from occurring.

Missing the right time to treat pediatric rhinitis will affect the growth and brain activity of growing children. Additionally, secondary complications such as nasal congestion, chronic headaches, sleep disorders, growth disorders, decreased brain activity and concentration, atopy, and asthma may occur.

▲ Director Jeong Mi-jeon (Photo = Provided by Hamsoa Oriental Medicine Clinic)
If treatment and management are done well during this period, the risk of developing adult rhinitis later can be reduced. In Oriental medicine, rhinitis is treated by comprehensively considering the individual’s constitutional characteristics. The approach and treatment for nasal congestion when a child has a lot of fever and the heat is concentrated in the upper part of the body and when the child has a cold body and is sensitive to cold require different approaches and treatment, and the prescription for a child who is prone to a sticky nose is different from a child who has a runny nose.

Among the various herbal medicines and prescriptions that help with nasal ventilation, relieve mucous membrane swelling, and have anti-allergic effects, the treatment finds and treats the prescription that best suits the individual’s constitution and symptoms, which has the advantage of improving the overall condition.

Jeong Mi-jeon, director of the Changwon branch of Hamsoa Oriental Medicine Clinic, advised, “It is most important to receive treatment for rhinitis when the initial symptoms appear, and it is good to alleviate symptoms by creating a proper living environment and developing habits.”

Medical Today Reporter Kim Jun-su ([email protected])

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

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#Rhinitis #children #growth #hindered #treatment #missed

2023-09-07 22:47:25

A study has been published showing that education has a preventive effect that outweighs major genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. (Photo = DB)

[메디컬투데이=한지혁 기자] Education has been shown to have a protective effect that outweighs major genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

The results of a study investigating the effect of education on the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Recently, researchers at Harvard Medical School challenged the notion that genes are the only factor determining the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and investigated the effect a person’s level of education may have on this.

They studied 675 participants with a mutation in the gene called PSEN1 E280A, which is known to cause early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. It is known that people with this mutation usually show symptoms of dementia around the age of 49.

After analyzing the initial data, the researchers confirmed that participants with the ‘APOE e4’ gene mutation, along with the mutation, experienced more rapid cognitive decline.

In these subjects, the researchers investigated how education level affected the rate of cognitive decline. As a result, participants with high final education or educational achievement showed a significant cognitive preservation effect even when they had these major gene mutations.

The research team said, “The cognitive ability of patients with Alzheimer’s disease caused by the PSEN1 E280A mutation was found to be influenced by other genetic factors and educational achievement.”

They argued that the level of education of the participants provided protection once morest the strongest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, so education might be one important preventive measure for those at risk.

Experts also positively evaluated the results of the study, saying, “Several follow-up studies will be needed to explain the biological mechanism underlying the association observed in this study and to develop prevention strategies tailored to individual risk profiles.”

Equity issues in education, including access to higher education, are complex issues involving multiple interests, including government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and communities. However, this study suggests that generalization of education is a very important factor not only from a pedagogical point of view, but also from a health and well-being point of view.

Medical Today Reporter Han Ji-hyeok ([email protected])

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

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#Higher #education #lowers #risk #Alzheimers #disease