Health

Mood disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, or mania after the age of 40 may not be just mental health conditions but can precede motor or cognitive symptoms in various neurodegenerative diseases, according to a study on Monday. Growing evidence suggests these late-life mood disorders (LLMDs) could be early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, even when they appear years before memory loss or other cognitive symptoms become apparent, said researchers from the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan. The study, published in Alzheimer`s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer`s Association explored the presence of abnormal tau protein -- a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases -- in the brains of 52 participants with LLM...

As Mumbai`s schools begin classes, children and parents are going to get busy with their academics. While it won`t take long for that to pick up pace in the coming months, the monsoon season looms large and so does the many sicknesses that come with it. With monsoon and sickness going hand-in-hand, people often get sick. While adults can manage by themselves, children more often than not get affected because of lower immunity. Couple that with them enduring a busy schedule that not only involves going to school and studying, but also indulging in physical activities like playing sports, nutrition plays an important role in their lives. At such times, Mumbai`s health experts say the need for parents to take care of their child`s health is of the utmost importance. The easiest way to do th...

Migraines and chronic headaches aren’t just “in your head” — they’re real, debilitating, and often profoundly misunderstood.  While stress and excessive screen time are commonly blamed, millions suffer due to a wide range of underlying reasons. However, with a bit of self-awareness, consistent lifestyle habits, and medical support, they can be managed.  Every year, Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is observed in June. While there are many misconceptions about it, let’s shift the conversation from stigma to strategy.  Medical dissect migraines to help you identify the type of your headache and aid better management with evidence-based lifestyle modifications. Decoding your headache could be the first step to reclaiming your peace of mind — and your life.   Common triggers for heada...

Australian researchers have pioneered a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool to assess the risk of developing type 1 diabetes (T1D).  The tool, developed by researchers at Western Sydney University, predicts treatment responses, potentially changing how the disease is diagnosed and managed. The tool utilises an innovative risk score -- Dynamic Risk Score (DRS4C) which can classify individuals as having or not having T1D. It is based on microRNAs -- small RNA molecules measured from blood -- to help accurately capture the changing risk of T1D. "T1D risk prediction is timely, with therapies that can delay T1D progression becoming recognised and available. Since early-onset T1D before the age of 10 years is particularly aggressive and linked to up to 16 years of reduced life expe...

Biomedical scientists have discovered that a genetic mutation associated with Crohn’s disease can worsen iron deficiency and anemia — one of the most common complications experienced by patients with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.  The study led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine in the US — performed on serum samples from IBD patients — reported that patients carrying a loss-of-function mutation in the gene PTPN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2) exhibit significant disruption in blood proteins that regulate iron levels. This mutation is found in 14-16 per cent of the general population and 19-20 per cent of the IBD population. A loss-of-function mutation is a genetic change that reduces or eliminates the normal function of ...

Growing up, every one of us has been told to drink milk. While some love it, others hate it, but the importance of the food cannot be highlighted now more than ever before because of its many benefits. While its consumption is stressed upon among children and women, Mumbai doctors say, those in their 30s and the age group above that apart from working professionals need to consume milk or at least dairy in their daily life. Every year, World Milk Day is observed on June 1 around the globe to not only celebrate it but also raise awareness and recognise its role as a global food. Designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2001, theme for 2025 is “Let`s Celebrate the Power of Dairy” to not only highlight the nutritional value of milk but also how it supports livelihoods and drive...

Focus on food safety essential to protect health and well-being, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on World Food Safety Day on Saturday. World Food Safety Day is observed annually on June 7 to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats associated with unsafe food. This year’s theme, ‘Food safety: science in action,’ draws attention to using scientific knowledge as the key to reducing illness, cutting costs, and saving lives. “This World Food Safety Day, we come together to raise awareness about the essential role of safe and hygienic food in safeguarding health and reducing foodborne diseases. Food is the fuel that keeps us going every day. When we focus on food safety, we’re protecting our health and the well-being of families everywhere,” Nadda said, in a post on social m...

US researchers have identified a mechanism that SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes Covid-19 -- uses to protect itself inside the body as it works to replicate and infect more cells. Without this protective mechanism, viral infection is dramatically reduced, said the team from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Chicago. The finding, published in the journal Nature Communications, not only provides a potential target for new Covid therapies but also offers insights that could inform future vaccine and antiviral development. The study builds on earlier work from Texas Biomed that identified ORF3a, a type of viral protein most important for the virus`s pathogenicity, or ability to cause disease. Specifically, the team found that SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a appears to play ...

Women with early onset of periods, and later menopause -- which means a longer reproductive span -- can have a healthier brain ageing in life, according to a study. The study showed how a woman’s reproductive years may shape brain health later in life and also reduce the risk of dementia. It also suggested the role of oestradiol (or the lack thereof) in the development of dementia. Oestradiol levels rise at puberty, remain high during most of a woman’s reproductive life, and then decline sharply around menopause. This drop in oestradiol has been linked to an increased risk of dementia and other age-related brain conditions. “These findings support the idea that oestradiol -- the most potent and prevalent form of oestrogen during a woman’s reproductive years -- may help protect the brai...

Combining physical and psychological therapies -- exercise, along with cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness -- may have more long-term effects in treating lower back pain, a study has found. Researchers from Macquarie University, Australia, reviewed results from 75 clinical trials, involving around 15,400 participants, that looked at the effects of 20 non-surgical treatments of chronic low back pain -- massage, manipulation, pain education and injections -- over a year or more. Published in The Lancet Rheumatology journal, the findings show that "cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, exercise, and multidisciplinary care could produce the long-term benefits required to reduce the global burden due to non-specific chronic low back pain". "However, the effects are mostly sma...