Globe Health Tours News

Mar 31: A sleepless night will affect the mood of all of us. But a new research has revealed that women who missed a good night’s sleep will get grumpier than men. The findings of the research revealed that poor sleep will also affect the overall health of women than in men and it will increase the risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke. The study pointed out that less sleep that is measured by the total amount of sleep, the degree of awakening during night and time taken to fall sleep will have major impact in women than men.

While responding to this the lead researcher Dr Edward Suarez of Duke University said: “For women poor sleep is associated with high level of mental disturbance, depression and anger. But this stage is not associated with same level of sleep disruption in men.”

The research included 210 men and women who are healthy and don’t have any previous record of sleep related disorders. Their blood was taken and their mental condition was analysed. The researchers found that nearly 40 percent of the men and women are classified as poor sleepers, those who have frequent problems of falling asleep, and those who take 30 or more minutes to fall asleep or awake frequently during night.

The researchers noted that the sleep quality ratings were similar beyond gender but the risk profile shows huge variation. The after effects of poor sleeps including the feelings of hostility, depression and anger affects men more then women.

The findings of the study is remarkable as among the women who are considered as poor sleepers 33 percent of them had C-reactive protein that is linked with the risk of heart related ailments. Rather than overall poor sleep quality the length of time it takes for a person to fall asleep is considered as the main reason behind the risk. Women who took half an hour or more to fell asleep showed the worst risk profile.

Mar 29: Scientists then conducted behavioural test by comparing normal and sweet blind mice on the basis of their fondness for sugar solution and those containing the non-caloric sweetener sucralose. The analysis showed that the sweet blind mice preferred calorie rich sugar water than the non-sugar one.

After examining the brain of the sweet blind mice the researchers found that the reward circuitry was switched on by caloric intake that is independent of the animal’s ability to taste. Researchers also find that the level of the chemical dopamine increased in mice, which determines the central and the reward circuitry.

Adding to this the electrophysiological studies revealed that the neurons in the food-reward region known as the nucleus accumbens get activated by caloric intake which is independent of taste. The revelation of the research about the brain’s reward system being switched on by the ‘sixth sense’ mechanism is believed to have far reaching implications for understanding the reason of obesity.

Mar 28: A study conducted by the researchers at the Pacific Health Research Institute in Hawaii has revealed that smell impairment in men will lead to Parkinson’s disease within four years time. According to the research difficulty in identifying the smell is considered as an early symptom for Parkinson’s disease. The findings of the study were published in the official journal of the American Neurological Association named Annals of Neurology.

The research team was headed by G. Webster Ross of the V A pacific Islands Health Care System and the Pacific Health Research Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii. In total 2267 men who underwent an olfactory test were considered for the study and they were observed for the period of eight years to find any symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. During the time of the research 35 men were affected by the disease.

The outcome of the study revealed that the smell imparity in people particularly men will lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease. The main reason attributed for the smell deficit are smoking, older age, more coffee consumption, less frequent bowel movements, lesser cognitive function and too much daytime sleepiness. Even after adjusting those factors the people with odour problem still have the risk of getting affected by Parkinson’s disease.

The origin of smell disorder in Parkinson’s disease is not fully understood. But other symptoms like formation of Lewy bodies, nerve loss, and excess clumps of proteins inside nerves cells are considered to happen in the olfactory structure of the patients with the disease.

Similar study conducted earlier involving dissection of the brain of dead patients who are affected by neurological disease revealed that the olfactory structures are the earliest brain region that is affected by Lewy degeneration. This finding also stressed on the point that smell disorder is the early sign of Parkinson’s disease.

Mar 28: Tattoos are no longer a mere fashion statement it is gaining medical significance. In what could be considered as significant research German scientists have found that compared with intramuscular injection tattoos are more effective in delivering DNA vaccines.

The research team was led by Martin Mueller of German Cancer Research Centre based in Heidelberg. The findings of the research were published in the online journal named Genetic Vaccines and Therapy. As part of the research a coat protein from human papilloma virus (HPV), the main source of cervical cancer is used as the model DNA vaccine antigen.

The researchers then tattooed the skin of the mice using the standard intramuscular injection with and without molecular adjuvant, which is mainly used to enhance immune response. Tattoo method gave a strong antibody and cellular response than intramuscular injection even when it was tested using adjuvant at later stage.

Mar 27: Obesity is related to many health related problems including Alzheimer’s as according to the study conducted by US researchers. The research shed light on the fact that not only obese persons but also persons who have normal weight who have big waist lines are prone to get affected by Alzheimer’s. The study includes 6583 people and identified that obesity and bulging stomach is the risky combination. The findings of the research were published in the Neurology journal.

According to Dr Rachel Whitmer, lead of the research team of Kaiser Permenente Research, waistline is the ideal indication of the health related problems that arise in future. The waistline one has in their midlife plays a key role in dementia risk. If a person has big waistline in his or her 40s the threat of them being affected by dementia in old age will increase triple.

Even though the research fails to answer the question of how obesity affects the ageing brain many experts believe that the obesity related problems like blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol might be the reason behind this. The research also suggests that measuring body mass index is the ideal way to diagnose the health related risk. After analysing 6583 people the researchers found that 20 per cent of the people with big waistline had a 270 per cent more risk of getting affected by dementia than those with small waist.

While commenting on this Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said: “Waistline is better than body mass index in predicting the risk of diseases in future. Several physicians also consider this as the reliable indicator. By calculating the BMI at home one can identify something is wrong and this could be confirmed by the doctors by calculating the waistline.”

Meanwhile Professor Clive Ballard of the Alzheimer’s society opined that: “This is an important research but the results are not that much astonishing as the waist size is linked to major risk factors of dementia like blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.”

Further studies are needed to confirm the outcome of the research and to reveal how Alzheimer’s develops.

Mar 26: A latest research has revealed the secrets of maintaining the health of older women. The findings of the research point out that older woman should include plenty of protein in their daily diet as their body finds difficult to replace the muscle loss as they grow age. The difference in the body metabolism of men and women is considered as the main reason for this. The research was conducted by the researchers of Nottingham and Washington. In total 29 men and women who are aged between 65 and 80 are considered for the study.

Women aged above 65 include protein rich diets that include meat and eggs and they also did resistance exercise. The researchers noticed that even after doing resistance exercise women did not put up muscles as their male counterparts did. It was found that the male body is able to store protein in the muscle than women. The scientists after study found that the female body lacks certain ability that male body have. This is due to the hormonal imbalance that happens after the menopause stage.

While commenting on the outcome of the research Michael Rennie, professor of clinical physiology at the University of Nottingham said: “Older people should include food that has high proportion of protein in it. Oestrogen that plays a key role in maintaining body mass and preserve muscle decline during this period is the main reason behind this. The finding of the research has a far reaching impact in maintaining health of people during their old age and there by reduce of the demands of the National Health Service.”

It was earlier found that from 50 years onwards people will start losing 0.4 per cent of muscle mass every year. Women are more vulnerable to the reduction in the muscle even in the early middle-age. Their body will have more fat and less muscle than men. This is the first research of its kind to focus on the mechanistic difference between men and women in muscle loss.

Mar 25: New Scientist magazine published an article quoting that the massages will control nerve cells and activates them when the amputee watches someone doing massage. The scientists in the UK also agreed with this as the illusion effect will bring benefit to the amputees.

“During the massage the neurons in the brain get active either when they perform the action themselves or when they see others performing it. To bring maximum effect the patient has to accept the illusion as real,” said Kate MacIver of Pain Research Institute at Liverpool University.

As part of the study ex-soldiers were subjected to study by Vilayanur Ramachandran.
A mirror box is designed for this purpose and the amputees were asked to put their remaining limbs in the case. While standing in front of the mirror they felt an illusion that the mirror image is their working hand. The sensory cells in their brain fail to give a right signal.

In another similar experiment when the amputees see the hands of the volunteers being patted the amputees began to feel the stroking sensation in their remaining limb. One of them really felt the disappearance of pain for 10 to 15 minutes. The findings of the study will also benefit the stroke victims. At early stage the stroke victims will regain movements by watching other people doing massage.

Mar 24: India with its most modern medical facilities is considered as one of the top medical tourism destination in South Asia. Quality treatment in affordable price is the main reason behind the boom of medical tourism sector in India. To add more value to that the health ministry of India is planning to introduce Medical Parks all across the country. Medical parks provide perfect base for the manufactures of diagnostic equipments to set up their plants. This effort will help in reducing the manufacturing cost of diagnostic equipments and enables easy availability.

While commenting on this the Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said: “Medical parks will be set up all over the country and will be open for diagnostic equipment manufacturers. The first medical plant will be introduced in Chennai. About 75 to 80 percent of the manufactured products will be used in India. This is an attempt to bring down the price of the diagnostic equipment that is being imported now. The manufactures have assured that they will ensure that the price of the products will be kept low.”

While responding to the raising cost of healthcare the minister said that the pharmaceuticals and the medical treatment procedures are already very low when compared to other countries. In future we can expect it to reduce with the implementation of medical parks.”

A health insurance policy is also on the chart and it will help to reduce the problems associated with health spending. The National Health Mission will also be introduced within five months and it will take care of the health insurance needs of urban poor and slum dwellers.

Mar 22: Allowing cancer patients to write their inner fears about the disease is expected to improve their quality of life according to a study conducted in the US. The study was conducted by Nancy Morgan, a writing clinician at Lombardi Centre; she selected the cancer patients at the cancer centre in Washington DC. The findings of the study published in the science journal named The Oncologist revealed that about half of the patients who participate in the study experienced a positive change in their approach towards the disease. Young people and those recently diagnosed will get the full benefit of it.

The writings by the patients clearly depict their emotional feelings and their approach towards cancer. This study was conducted as part of the Arts and Humanities Program at the Lombardi Centre. The expressive writing exercise initiated by Nancy Morgan carries a questionnaire for leukaemia or lymphoma patients on how they feel about the changes the disease caused in them.

After this exercise those patients were contacted after few weeks time and the analysis showed that about 49 per cent of the patients told felt the exercise had changed their thoughts about the disease and 38 per cent of them told that their perspective towards the disease had changed a lot.

While commenting on this Ms Morgan said: “The study gives importance to thoughts and feelings about the changes cancer made in them. While writing about the facts will not create any change in the mental health of the patients.”

The head of haematology at Lombardi, Dr Bruce Cheson said: “We are delighted over the outcome of the exercise in patients, as many of our patients were keen in this kind of therapy. As a next step we are planning to integrate this exercise in the busy clinic setup.”

Meanwhile the study didn’t give enough evidence about the direct impact of the writing process on the extent of illness. By gaining a positive outlook towards the disease this approach helps to improve the quality of life of the patients and this was evident in the follow-up session given by the doctors.

Mar 20: A study had revealed the decisive factors that judge the health related quality of life of patients who are suffering from prostrate cancer. The study also gave emphasis on the effectiveness of the treatment in patient and the satisfaction level among their kin.

The research conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre included 1201 patients and 625 partners as its sample. The patients who are affected by prostrate cancer are undergoing treatments like external-beam radiotherapy and prostatectomy. Researches focussed on the factors that can influence the quality of life, the extent of satisfaction the patient get from the treatment is also given importance in the research.

After analysis it was found that the adjuvant hormone therapy gives negative result in patients who are subjected to radiotherapy or brachytherapy, while considering the factors of healthy living. Patients who undergo brachytherapy are affected by other health related problems like bowel ailments, sexual symptoms, urinary irritation and hormonal functioning. Nerve-sparing procedure was used to minimise the problem on sexual function in patients who undergo prostatectomy.

In patients with larger prostates after prostatectomy the problem of urinary irritation gets intensified. Anyhow no deaths were reported and reaching critical stage is also rare. The above mentioned treatment related symptoms get increase if the patients have large prostate, obesity, high antigen score and older age.

In a nutshell the research pointed out that based on the kind of treatment the quality of life of the prostrate cancer patients will vary. Problems related to hormonal function, urinary, bowel, sexual etc will affect the satisfaction level of the patients and their partners after the course of the treatment.