Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Top @WRY999 Neuroscience Twitter Posts: August 2016

Here are selected top Twitter posts from my @WRY999 feed for the month of August.

Follow me on Twitter by clicking HERE.

I used the Twitter analytics page to sort out the Twitter posts with the most impressions and engagements for August of 2016.

Photos from the trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico were popular and I have included the top photo of a Santa Fe sunset. This photo was taken from the Cross of the Martyrs park .




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Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Dyslexia Improvement in Medication Trial

Dyslexia or developmental reading disorder is a common learning disorder affecting about 5% of the school age population.

Treatment of dyslexia is difficult and typically is focused on special education classes and reading exercises.

Medication treatment for dyslexia is nearly unheard of as no FDA-approved drug is available for the condition.

However, a recent randomized clinical drug trial found evidence to support the potential use of atomoxetine for dyslexia.

Atomoxetine is a drug approved for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but it has not received much attention in dyslexia or other learning disorders.

Dr. Sally Shaywitz of Yale University along with colleagues recently published results of their clinical trial of atomoxetine in dyslexia with the following key design and results:
Study population: Children and adolescents between 10-16 years of age with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of dyslexia alone (N=58) or dyslexia and ADDH (N=124).
Medication intervention: atomoxetine 1.0 to 1.4 mg/kg/day or placebo
Outcome measures: Woodcock Johnson III, Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Gray Oral Reading Test and Test of Word Reading Efficacy
Results: Atomoxetine improved reading scores in both the dyslexia alone and dyslexia and ADHD groups compared to placebo

The authors note in the discussion that their study suggests the potential for atomoxetine as an adjunct to traditional behavioral and academic interventions in the treatment of dyslexia.

This study will need replication. It might also prompt further study of other stimulant medications such as methylphenidate in dyslexic populations.

Readers with more interest in this trial can access the free full-text manuscript by clicking on the PMID link in the citation below.

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Photo collage of hummingbirds is from my personal files.

Shaywitz S, Shaywitz B, Wietecha L, Wigal S, McBurnett K, Williams D, Kronenberger WG, & Hooper SR (2016). Effect of Atomoxetine Treatment on Reading and Phonological Skills in Children with Dyslexia or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Comorbid Dyslexia in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology PMID: 27410907

Monday, 29 August 2016

Mediterranean Diet and Cognition

The evidence for a beneficial effect of a Mediterranean style diet (MedDiet) on brain health grows on a regular basis.

For those interested in a good summary of the effects of the MedDiet on cognition, I recommend reading the free full text review recently published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

In this review, Roy Hardman and colleagues searched for research studies on cognition and the Mediterranean diet published between 2000 and 2015.

A figure in the review proposed several mechanisms where components in a MedDiet may contribute to brain function:

  • Cardiovascular: effect on blood pressure/blood lipids and arterial stiffness
  • Inflammation: lowering of blood inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein and cytokines
  • Neurotrophic effects: Increased levels of BDNF, insulin growth factor stimulating neurogenesis
  • Cell signalling
  • Cellular energy metabilism
  • Lowering of oxidative stress

Using a rigorous selection process, Hardman and colleagues identified 18 high-quality recent studies of the MedDiet and adult human cognition. These studies generally demonstrated an positive effect for subjects with higher compliance with MedDiet elements. These positive effects included research supporting:

  • A slower rate of cognitive decline with aging
  • A reduced risk of developing mild cognitive impairment
  • Improved recognition memory and delayed recognition memory
  • Improved cognitive reserve on the Mini-mental status examination test (MMSE)
  • Improved attention

The authors conclude that evidence to date supports prospective randomized clinical trials of MedDiet nutritional intervention. These studies should included standardized batteries of cognitive function that can be administered via a computer or tablet.

For readers with more interest in the review, you can access the free full-text manuscript by clicking on the PMID link in the citation below.

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Photo in this post of foods found in the Mediterranean diet is from my personal files.

Hardman RJ, Kennedy G, Macpherson H, Scholey AB, & Pipingas A (2016). Adherence to a Mediterranean-Style Diet and Effects on Cognition in Adults: A Qualitative Evaluation and Systematic Review of Longitudinal and Prospective Trials. Frontiers in nutrition, 3 PMID: 27500135

Tuesday, 23 August 2016

The Brain: Red Meat and Mediterranean Diet

Entorhinal Cortex Highlighted in Blue
Previous posts in this blog have highlighted some the research related to links between brain health and elements of the Mediterranean diet.

I want to inform readers of a new important research study from the Mayo Clinic.

In this study, researchers completed brain cortical thickness analyses on 672 cognitively normal adults. It is generally accepted that greater cortical thickness relates to improved cognitive performance.

The participants completed an extensive dietary history and brain cortical thickness measures were correlated to total and component Mediterranean diet intake. Here are the key findings from the study:

  • Higher Mediterranean diet total scores were linked to greater cortical thickness measures in frontal, parietal, occipital and total brain
  • Higher legume and fish component intake had the highest links to greater cortical thickness
  • Legume intake correlated with greater cortical thickness in parietal, precuneus, occipital and lingual regions
  • Fish intake correlated with greater precuneus, parietal and posterior cingulate cortical thickness
  • Carbohydrate intake was linked to lower entorhinal cortical thickness
  • Red meat intake correlated with greater entorhinal cortical thickness

This study in important for several reasons. First, it highlights specific components (legume and fish) of the Mediterranean diet with thicker brain cortices.

But what I found most interesting was the red meat finding.  Red meat intake was associated with slightly smaller cortices in two parietal regions. However, this association did not reach statistical significance. The association of red meat intake with greater entorhinal cortex thickness did reach statistical significance

The authors note some of the epidemiological research linking red meat intake to increased rates of dementia. This made their finding of a positive entorhinal cortex finding with red meat intake unexpected and they note in discussion section:
"The potential mechanism is unclear; we speculate that it could relate to some beneficial components of lean read meat (e.g. iron, protein, MUFA and PUFA) and beneficial effects on increasing satiety and reducing weight gain."
The entorhinal cortex is a key brain region serving as a link between the hippocampus and neocortex. The Wikipedia description of the role for the entorhinal cortex includes important contributions to:

  • declarative memory
  • spatial memory
  • memory consolidation
  • memory optimization in sleep

This study is observational in nature and shares weakness with this type of research design. The findings will need replication. Nevertheless, the study suggests fish, legume and lean red meat intake may contribute to preservation of brain cortical health.

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Image is an iPad screen shot of the entorhinal cortex from the 3D Brain app.

To access the study abstract, click on the PMID link below.


Staubo SC, Aakre JA, Vemuri P, Syrjanen JA, Mielke MM, Geda YE, Kremers WK, Machulda MM, Knopman DS, Petersen RC, Jack CR Jr, & Roberts RO (2016). Mediterranean diet, micronutrients and macronutrients, and MRI measures of cortical thickness. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association PMID: 27461490

Tuesday, 9 August 2016

Is a vegan diet healthy?


vegan diet
As a registered nutritionist, the question “Is the vegan diet healthy?” is one I get all the time, especially at this time of year.
Frustratingly, the answer is that it depends as much on what you eat as with any other diet. Someone living purely on ready salted crisps or chips, for example, would be technically following a vegan diet, but it would in no way be healthy.
However, research shows that there are potential benefits to a vegan diet. A recent study indicated that the average vegan diet is higher in vitamin C and fibre, and lower in saturated fat than one containing meat. In addition, statistics show that vegans have a lower BMI (height-to-weight ratio) than meat eaters – in other words, they are skinnier.
You see, a diet without any meat or dairy products is likely to contain a lot less saturated fat, which is related to increased cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart disease. We also know that fat contains more calories per gram than other foods, and so vegans may consume fewer calories as a result. Finally, a vegan diet is generally thought to contain more cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds than a non-vegan diet.
Sounds great right? Not quite. In terms of micronutrients, a vegan diet is actually more susceptible to being nutritionally poor. A vegan diet is naturally low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, if you follow a vegan diet it is essential that you get enough of these nutrients through specific vegan food sources – and may even need to take additional supplements. We have many recipes suitable for vegans that can help, just check out our vegan section. In our features we also have this traditional hummus recipe, which contains tahini – a good source of calcium, zinc and iron, which are all micronutrients hard to get a hold of on a vegan diet.
image: http://cdn.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/09/feature-header171.jpg
vegan diet hummus
So there you have it: going vegan does not necessarily mean you are going to be healthier. In fact, I think that much of the improvement in diets among vegans is a result of education rather than going meat free. In other words, if someone chooses to go vegan they are more likely to care about what they are eating and therefore are more likely to educate themselves on the types of foods they should and should not be eating.
Many people see the word vegan on the label and they assume it must be super healthy – wrong. Even if it’s vegan, it’s just as important to look at the ingredients list and the nutrition information to see how much fat, sugar and salt something contains. Coconut oil is hugely popular in vegan baking and its health benefits are shouted about all over the place. However, as a registered nutritionist, I am a stickler for evidence, and no regulated claims have been passed for coconut oil, indicating there is no significant evidence to support the alleged benefits. In fact, it is actually very high in saturated fat. This is not to say you shouldn’t use it or it can’t be healthy in small amounts, but too much of it could be detrimental.
On the other hand, this is not to say that non-vegan products can’t be healthier; vegan desserts, for example, absolutely have the opportunity to be a lot healthier than conventional baking because bakers have to come up with inventive ways of substituting out the butter and cream. One of my favourite super-quick ways of making chocolate mousse is by mixing ripe avocados with cocoa powder and maple syrup, or any other sweetener like agave nectar – in fact we have a recipe for it here. It is still a bit naughty, but by using the avocado instead of the butter and cream you are swapping the bad fats for good ones.
Veganism has gained in popularity and, as I say, although this does not necessarily mean a healthier diet, I think it is a great thing. I am not a vegan but I do think that meat has become far too available, and far too prominent in our diet. If you look at the “eat well” plate, you will see that less than 15% of our diet should be made up of protein. So why have we got things like chicken nugget snack boxes coming on to the market?
If you do decide to follow a vegan diet, apply all the same principles that you would to any healthy balanced diet: eat plenty of different fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, pulses, and limit sugary and fatty foods to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients that a vegan diet can lack. For information about a healthy balanced diet, please see Jamie’s ten tips to a healthy lifestyle.


Genetics of Depression: Secondary Markers

In my previous post, I highlighted a recent study of genetics and major depression from the 23andMe database.

I have had a chance to review this manuscript in more detail. One of the findings of interest involved secondary marker or secondary phenotypes.

Fifteen genetic loci were identified in this 23andMe sample using a discovery and replication data set.

Secondary phenotypes with the highest correlation with the 17 SNPs identified in the study included (effect) :

  • Taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) (.448)
  • Any medication for mental health reasons (.421)
  • Self-reported anxiety (.323)
  • Self-reported panic attacks (.319)
  • Early age of onset depression (.283)
  • Insomnia (.272)
  • Prescription pain medication (.236)
  • Obesity with BMI>30 (.216)
  • Overweight BMI >27 (.212)

The research team was able to identify one SNP (rs12552 in the OLFM4 or olfactomedin 4 region) that correlated with reporting of panic attacks, use of medication for mental health, pain, insomnia problems, BMI >27 and early age of onset of depression.

This study supports use of self-report of depression diagnosis or treatment of depression for genetic studies. Such approaches may open large data sets for understanding the genetics of neuroscience medicine disorders like depression.

Click on the PMID link to access the study abstract.

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Photo of fisherman at sunset is from my files.

Hyde CL, Nagle MW, Tian C, Chen X, Paciga SA, Wendland JR, Tung JY, Hinds DA, Perlis RH, & Winslow AR (2016). Identification of 15 genetic loci associated with risk of major depression in individuals of European descent. Nature genetics PMID: 27479909

Monday, 8 August 2016

Mining 23andMe Database for Neuroscience

In a previous post, I mentioned that I had submitted a saliva sample to 23andMe for genetic analysis.

I was happy to see last week some neuroscience application of this consumer database.

A article in STAT summarized a study of a 23andMe gene search for depression.

Nearly 500,000 23andMe subjects were used in the analysis and 130,000 of these subjects reported a clinical diagnosis and or treatment for depression.

The study was able to identify 17 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) from 15 regions that were linked to increased depression risk.

This study underscores the potential for a consumer gene database to be used in neuroscience and other areas of research.

23andMe participants can elect to allow or not allow there genetic data to be used for research purposes. I elected to allow research study on my sample and continue to reply to ongoing 23andMe health surveys.  I'm not sure if my genetic profile was used in this study but would be happy if it were.

You can read about this 23andMe research project on STAT HERE.

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Photo of blue heron feeding is from my files.


Wednesday, 3 August 2016

Does Freedom of Speech allow Rejection of a Court's Findings?

In June I wrote about David and Collet Stephan being sentenced to jail for the death of their two year old son Ezekiel. David and Collet treated him with naturopathic remedies and did not respond to clear indications that Ezekiel was developing dangerous meningitis until it was too late. The judge acknowledged that they loved Ezekiel and were trying in their way to help him, but concluded that they did not have a right to choose their own beliefs over mainstream health care. He sentenced David to four months in jail, but allowed Collet to serve a three month sentence under house arrest.

The aftermath so far is fascinating. Both sides are appealing The "Crown" (Canada's term for the "state") is appealing the sentence as too lenient, on the following grounds:
 - The sentence is not proportionate to the gravity of the offence or to the degree of responsibility of the offender, and is unfit.
 - The Sentencing Judge gave insufficient weight to denunciation and deterrence.
- The Sentencing Judge underemphasized, or failed to give weight to, relevant aggravating factors.
- The Sentencing Judge overemphasized mitigating factors, or gave mitigative weight to factors that are not mitigating. 
- The Sentencing Judge misinterpreted the legal doctrine of wilful blindness.
"Wilful blindness"is a legal term referring to motivated ignorance. The Crown is alleging that the Stephans chose to ignore the obvious fact that Ezekiel needed urgent medical attention because of their cult belief in "natural" remedies.

The Stephans have appealed their conviction. A friend from Canada told m that the appeal is based, at least in part, on free speech grounds. According to my friend they argue that the judge's requirement that they post an unedited copy of his ruling on their website infringes on their right to freedom of speech. (I haven't been able to find the details of their appeal.)

David Stephan's two "letters from jail" (here and here) show him to be a principled believer in a false doctrine. He is convinced that he is taking a stand for justice, to protect other parents from intrusions of the state.

I believe, however, that the judge threaded his way between punishment and mercy in an admirable manner. The judge and jury concluded that David and Collet were guilty of failing to protect their son from preventable harm. From my reading of the media reports this was a correct finding. But the judge recognized that the Stephans were loving parents, acting on their longstanding beliefs. They meant well for their son, but they did him the ultimate harm.

The judge gave David, who he saw as the leader of the belief system, a short jail sentence, but allowed Collet to serve on home detention so that she could care for the children. I supported and continue to support his requirement that his findings be posted on the Stephan website. While the Stephans totally disagree with the findings, they have been convicted under the law. Their website promulgates the cult beliefs that led to their son's death, and could do the same in another family. Posting the judge's findings does not abridge their speech rights. They can, and will, continue to disagree the the judge and jury and to speak up for their false naturopathic doctrines. This is their right in a democratic society.

But if they persist in refusing to post the  judge's findings I would favor requiring Collet to serve her sentence in jail once David is out and could care for their children. I do not know the Canadian precedents for contempt of court, but it would seem that a substantial fine and an extended period of probation would be warranted.

I believe the Stephans deserve respect for the principled way in which they assert their beliefs. In their view they are standing up for truth and justice. David is careful to say that he discourages his supporters from anger or hatred. This is admirable. But in the democratic society of Canada, the Crown is the legitimate authority for ruling on the situation. If David can persuade the public to change the law, the situation will be different. But under the law, the judge has ruled correctly.

Monday, 1 August 2016

Magnesium deficiency symptoms

How to compensate for a lack of magnesium healthy diet
Lack of magnesium in the body causing a number of metabolic disorders (including diabetes is the most common disease). The solution of the problem can be found in green leafy vegetables, bananas, as well as in healthy nuts.

What are the other foods rich in magnesium? How can this valuable mineral properly dosed in adults, children and pregnant - learn in our text ..


MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

You are worried about the constant fatigue, can not be good to concentrate on your work, your attention is impaired. You are often irritable, nervous and under stress, fast planets, these are just some of the signs that you have a magnesium deficiency. In this case, you should be sure to inspect with your doctor to confirm whether it comes to symptoms of magnesium deficiency.

Out of a total of sixteen minerals that are essential to our body, this mineral per share in the tissues ranks high fourth mesto.Oko 50 percent of this element is in our bones, and the remainder is placed in the soft tissues, cells and body fluids.

One would be that on the average there are between 20 and 28 g of magnesium in the body. This remarkable mineral involved in more than 300 different biochemical processes, among other things, maintain our nerve, muscle or the immune function, regulates heart rhythm and, together with calcium affects bone density. How Magnesium in the body serves for the activation of many enzymes in the body, without it would not be possible transformation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy.

Magnesium deficiency in the body leads to a number of metabolic disorders, particularly conducive to the emergence of diabetes. Its deficit is compensated best foods rich in magnesium but have a significant role supplements.

What causes magnesium deficiency

Several important factors affecting the lack of magnesium in the body:

First of all most people rather poorly absorbed, and its reserves in the body is easily excreted in the urine. Unhealthy beverages and similar drinks exhausted almost all of our reserves, as magnesium and calcium from the bones and soft tissue from a few hours after eating.

In addition to the poor quality of food (starvation, excessive amounts of milk and other dairy products, a lot of fatty foods, "soft" water, too little protein), and stressful way of life, there is also a lack of magnesium in children during their growth and development. It is often the case that reduce and magnesium in pregnancy, as well as due because of vomiting, diarrhea, chronic kidney disease, disorders of the digestive organs, excessive sweating.

Stress is also one of the causes of lack of magnesium in the body and lead to problems and certain medications such as hormones, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs. Tome contributions and harmful habits such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and excessive amounts of coffee and teas.

Magnesium is good for health

The effects of magnesium in the body is huge, its deficiency can cause many problems and health problems. In addition to causing chronic fatigue, lack of magnesium causes muscle pain, loss of concentration. Magnesium deficiency can cause depression, loss of hearing, heart Artmore, hampers the absorption of calcium, the formation of kidney stones. The lack of this precious minerals also leads to an increased blood clotting, in particular in already compromised blood vessels.

Hearing problems: Magnesium prevents the formation of free radicals that can cause damage to the cochlea, hearing aid and extremely uneasy buzzing in the ears (tinnitus).
Depression: many years of scientific research have proven that the people in depressed suicidal there is a lack of magnesium in the body. In any event, the mineral is a better alternative to antidepressants because it does not cause side effects.
Muscle cramps or tremors magnesium in food or supplements will allow your muscles to relax, because it knows that its deficiency causes cramps, particularly in the feet, sheets, hands, and can cause tics on the face.
Cardiac arrhythmia: deficiency of this mineral leads to cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heart beat and, consequently, the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes. It is precisely because of magnesium in the diet used in the prevention and control of these diseases.
Kidney stones: This mineral prevents connection of calcium and oxalate stones who actually created.
Diabetes: without magnesium, glucose is able to be transferred to our cells. The accumulation of glucose and insulin in the blood can cause damage to various tissues including the serious deterioration of the optic nerves.
How to compensate MAGNESIUM IN NUTRITION

Magnesium deficiency is always best to compensate for the natural way, by eating certain namirnica.Na first place, it's green leafy vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard and kale. After the high content of magnesium are known and nuts such as almonds, brazil and cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, ground flaxseed.

Only 70 grams of pumpkin seeds provides nearly 100 percent of our daily needs for magnesium. In addition to being an excellent source of vitamin D, and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, meat fish such as mackerel, salmon, halibut and tuna can help to increase the intake of magnesium in the body.

Foods rich in magnesium are certainly and legumes like beans and lentils, but it has been proven that only 150 grams of soy meet the daily needs for minerals. Only one banana contains 32 milligrams of magnesium, a fruit rich in this mineral are strawberries, blueberries, grapefruit and figs.

The content of magnesium in plant foods depends on its concentration in the soil and on the conditions of cultivation. Since it is extremely soluble, largely disappeared with when cooked. When it comes to grains and cereals, it can be found in the bran and germ, we also explains why refined white flour contains relatively little magnesium in comparison with integral, which is always a better choice.

Magnesium FOOD - FOOD LIST

Roasted pumpkin seeds: 530 mg per 100 grams of food.
Almonds: 300 milligrams.
Brazil nuts: 225 milligrams.
Sesame seeds: 200 milligrams.
Peanuts (roasted, salted) 183 mg.
Walnuts: 130-190 milligrams.
Brown rice: 110 milligrams.
Wholemeal bread: 85 milligrams.
Spinach: 80 milligrams.
Boiled Beans: 40 milligrams.
Broccoli 30 milligrams.
Banana: 29 milligrams.
Potatoes (baked) 25 mg.
White bread: 20 milligrams.
Low fat yogurt: 17 milligrams.
Milk: 10 milligrams.
White rice: 6 milligrams.
Corn flakes: 6 milligrams.


Magnesium Tablets DOSAGE

In addition to dietary magnesium deficiency in the body can replace and supplement and effervescent tablets of magnesium. Note the daily entries:

Children are recommended to consume 170 milligrams during the day,
People bore up to 350 milligrams of the day,
Women up to 280 milligrams of the day,
Pregnant women and nursing mothers up to 350 milligrams of the day,
Men and 350 milligrams g per day.
Is it possible to overdose with magnesium?

It is difficult to overdose on magnesium, but it can happen to people who have disrupted the functioning of the kidneys, which are responsible for the removal of excess minerals from the body. In the risk group are those who consume a large amount of magnesium supplements.

Symptoms of an overdose of magnesium are nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, confusion, slow heart rate, respiratory problems and lack of other minerals, usually calcium deficiency. When it comes to taking supplements, people taking certain medications should be cautious. Increased intake of magnesium may lead to a lack of calcium in the intestines.

Magnesium in the body reduces the acquisition of tetracycline, of the bisphosphonate, quinolone, and levothyroxine. Many diuretics potassium-sparing us at the same time saving the mineral magnesium, but can influence to a large extent on the increase in the body, while Thiazide and loop diuretics converting enzyme inhibitors cause a magnesium deficiency.