Health

Long-term use of artificial sweeteners or low- and no-calorie sweeteners, used mainly by people with diabetes, can lead to cognitive decline, claimed a study.  Researchers from the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, analysed 12,000 patients who use common artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, tagatose, and acesulfame K. The results, published in the Neurology journal, found that people who consumed the highest amounts had the greatest declines – 62 per cent -- in thinking and memory, as compared to those who consumed less. The declines amounted to 1.6 years of additional brain ageing. “We know sugar and sugar substitutes raise the risk of diabetes and malignancies. They are also linked to brain vascular cell dysfunction,” Dr. Manjari Tripath...

A new study has showed that chronic pain such as back pain and migraine could be linked with significantly higher levels of perfectionism and reduced self-compassion, underlining how psychological factors can be crucial to managing health conditions. Pain persisting beyond the expected period of healing or for more than three months is considered chronic pain. Findings, published in the journal Psychology and Health, are in line with the `perfectionism-social disconnection` model, according to which striving for excessively high personal standards can lead to interpersonal problems, potentially increasing the risk of negative outcomes. "Chronic pain sufferers may experience frustration with difficulties performing day-to-day activities and push themselves toward unrealistic or unachieva...

Nearly 40 per cent of women experience some form of sexual dysfunction in their lifetime, yet many continue to suffer silently due to embarrassment or fear of judgment and being ridiculed.  The causes can be hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause, to lifestyle-related factors like diabetes, stress, and obesity, as well as complications from pelvic surgeries. Despite the high prevalence, women rarely seek medical help, which delays diagnosis and effective treatment. Pune doctors say it is the need of the hour to consult an expert without any delay and seek timely attention. Dr Neela Desai, obstetrics & gynaecologist, Apollo Spectra Hospital Pune said sexual problems are not only common in men but even women. “40 per cent of women tend to experience sexual dysfunction, and many...

In a rare and life-transforming case, Mumbai doctors have successfully freed a 56-year-old social worker from more than a decade of excruciating pain caused by Trigeminal Neuralgia, a neurological disorder known to cause extreme pain. The patient, Sushil Verma, had battled relentless, electric shock-like facial pain for over 10 years. Initially misdiagnosed, he even underwent a tooth extraction and years of high-dose medications — but nothing eased his agony. Eating, speaking, and even smiling became impossible, forcing him into social withdrawal and depression. At one point, the pain was so unbearable that he even contemplated ending his life. At Gleneagles Hospital, Verma was evaluated by a team led by Dr Nitin Dange, director – Interventional Neurology & Head of Department Neuro S...

More than 1 million Australians are projected to have dementia by 2065, a government report said on Friday, September 12.  According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare`s updated Dementia in Australia report, the number is expected to more than double from about 425,000 people in 2024 to 1.1 million by 2065. Women currently outnumber men with dementia, with 266,000 women and 159,000 men affected in 2024, rising to an estimated 662,000 women and 390,000 men by 2065, it said. Dementia was the leading cause of death in Australia in 2023, accounting for about 17,400 deaths, including 10,900 women and 6,500 men, said the report, which includes Alzheimer`s disease, vascular dementia, unspecified dementia, and other types such as Lewy body dementia. Dementia Australia CEO Tanya ...

The Directorate General of Health Services has issued a directive asking physiotherapists not to use the ‘Dr.’ prefix, as they are not medical doctors.  In a letter dated September 9, DGHS Dr. Sunita Sharma stated that by using the ‘Dr.’ prefix, physiotherapists will be in legal violation of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916. “Physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and, therefore, should not use the prefix `Dr.`, as it misleads patients and the general public, potentially leading to quackery,” Sharma said in the letter addressed to Dr. Dilip Bhanushali, National President, IMA. "Physiotherapists should not be permitted to primary care practice and should only treat referred patients, as they are not trained to diagnose medical conditions, some of which may worsen with in...

Exposure to micro- and nano plastics may be linked to the development of Alzheimer`s disease, according to a study in mice.  Micro- and nano plastics prevalent in the environment routinely enter the human body through the water we drink, foods we eat, and even the air we breathe. The study, led by researchers from the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, showed that those plastic particles infiltrate all systems of the body, including the brain, where they can accumulate and lead to cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s disease, especially in those who carry genetic risk factors. The research follows a previous study that showed how microplastics can infiltrate all systems of the body -- including the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances as s...

Doctors at a hospital in Mumbai have saved the life of a 75-year-old cancer survivor, whose food pipe ruptured due to retching (forceful vomiting), by performing a minimally invasive endoscopic repair of his torn food pipe. The patient visited multiple hospitals for 15 days, in the hope of getting better treatment after battling fever, breathlessness, and being treated for pneumonia and fluid collection around the lungs. He was then brought to Nanavati Max Hospital in the emergency ward in a serious condition. The patient was experiencing breathlessness that began after an episode of retching. It was suspected that the patient had suffered an oesophageal rupture due to a sudden increase in pressure within the food pipe. A chest scan confirmed a rare diagnosis- Boerhaave’s syndrome. Dr H...

Even healthy, full‐term babies are at significant risk of intensive care or prolonged hospitalisation from serious respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections -- especially during the first three months of life, according to a study.  RSV is a common cause of respiratory infections in young children. Each year, RSV causes an estimated 3.6 million RSV-associated hospitalisations and approximately 100,000 RSV-attributable deaths in children under the age of five. It is well-known that premature babies and children with chronic diseases are at increased risk of developing severe illness when infected with RSV. But it has not been entirely clear how common severe disease is among previously healthy children. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden analysed data from over 2.3 milli...

A team of researchers in China has led a first-in-human trial of an antibody drug that may provide better treatment for people with relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).  SCLC is a fast-growing, highly malignant lung cancer. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there were 2.48 million people diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022. Of those, small cell lung cancer was diagnosed in 11.5 per cent of men and 9.7 per cent of women. Small-cell lung cancer has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. The Phase I study of SHR-4849 (IDE849) -- a Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) -- demonstrated manageable safety and early signs of anti-tumour activity in patients with relapsed SCLC. SHR-4849 consists of a humanised anti-DLL3 IgG1 mono...