Category Archives: Health
Lack of Vitamin D predicts senility
Vitamin D deficiency predicts cognitive decline in older men and women
The Pro.V.A. Study
Elena D. Toffanello, MD,
Alessandra Coin, MD,
Egle Perissinotto, ScD,
Sabina Zambon, MD,
Silvia Sarti, MD,
Nicola Veronese, MD,
Marina De Rui, MD,
Francesco Bolzetta, MD,
Maria-Chiara Corti, MD, MSH,
Gaetano Crepaldi, MD,
Enzo Manzato, MD and
Giuseppe Sergi, MD
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From the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (Department of Medicine–DIMED), Geriatrics Division (E.D.T., A.C., S.S., N.V., D.R.M., F.B., E.M., G.S.), and Departments of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences (E.P.) and Medical and Surgical Sciences (S.Z.), University of Padova; National Research Council (S.Z., G.C., E.M.), Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience, Padova; and Azienda Unità Locale Socio Sanitaria 16 (M.-C.C.), Padova, Italy.
Correspondence to Dr. Toffanello: elenadebora.toffanello@sanita.padova.it
Published online before print November 5, 2014, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000001080Neurology 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001080
Abstract
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ABSTRACT
Objective: To test the hypothesis that hypovitaminosis D is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline over a 4.4-year follow-up in a large sample of older adults.
Methods: This research was part of the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.), an Italian population-based cohort study of 1,927 elderly subjects. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels were measured at the baseline. Global cognitive function was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); scores lower than 24 were indicative of cognitive dysfunction, and a decline of 3 or more points on the MMSE over the follow-up was considered as clinically significant. Analyses were adjusted for relevant confounders, including health and performance status.
Results: Participants with 25OHD deficiency (<50 nmol/L) or insufficiency (50–75 nmol/L) were more likely to have declining MMSE scores during the follow-up than those who were 25OHD sufficient (≥75 nmol/L). Among participants cognitively intact (baseline MMSE scores ≥24 and without diagnosis of dementia), the multivariate adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval [CI]) of the onset of cognitive dysfunction was 1.36 (95% CI: 1.04–1.80; p = 0.02) for those with vitamin D deficiency and 1.29 (95% CI: 1.00–1.76; p = 0.05) for those with vitamin D insufficiency by comparison with individuals with normal 25OHD levels. Conclusion: The results of our study support an independent association between low 25OHD levels and cognitive decline in elderly individuals. In cognitively intact elderly subjects, 25OHD levels below 75 nmol/L are already predictive of global cognitive dysfunction at 4.4 years. Continue reading
Mobile phone and cordless phone use and brain tumor risk
We made a pooled analysis of two case-control studies on malignant brain tumours with patients diagnosed during 1997–2003 and 2007–2009. They were aged 20–80 years and 18–75 years, respectively, at the time of diagnosis. Only cases with histopathological verification of the tumour were included. Population-based controls, matched on age and gender, were used. Exposures were assessed by questionnaire. The whole reference group was used in the unconditional regression analysis adjusted for gender, age, year of diagnosis, and socio-economic index. In total, 1498 (89%) cases and 3530 (87%) controls participated. Mobile phone use increased the risk of glioma, OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1–1.6 overall, increasing to OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.7–5.2 in the >25 year latency group. Use of cordless phones increased the risk to OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1–1.7, with highest risk in the >15–20 years latency group yielding OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1–2.5. The OR increased statistically significant both per 100 h of cumulative use, and per year of latency for mobile and cordless phone use. Highest ORs overall were found for ipsilateral mobile or cordless phone use, OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.4–2.2 and OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3–2.1, respectively. The highest risk was found for glioma in the temporal lobe. First use of mobile or cordless phone before the age of 20 gave higher OR for glioma than in later age groups.
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Clinical benefit of a ketogenic diet is in preventing an increase in appetite, despite weight loss.
Obes Rev. 2014 Nov 17. doi: 10.1111/obr.12230. [Epub ahead of print] Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gibson AA1, Seimon RV, Lee CM, Ayre J, Franklin J, Markovic TP, Caterson ID, Sainsbury A. Author information Abstract Very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) and ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets … Continue reading
Autoimmune disease, inflammation and the brain
Went to a fabulous lecture by Dr. Souhel Najjar on autoimmune encephalitis this morning. As a reminder, bad relationships (including with one’s self-image etc.) can also cause/contribute to inflammatory burden. Below is a well-informed and written piece on Anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis … Continue reading
Low male sex hormones (“Low T”), heart attack risk, and social status
There has recently been more buzz around “low-T” and heart attack/stroke risk. Not usually mentioned is the fact that “T” (testosterone) is a social hormone (most hormones are). Low social status lowers “T”. Injecting/supplementing T without proper attention to the psychology of the situation may make things worse. Continue reading
Maurice Preter, MD
Maurice Preter, MD is a European and U.S. educated psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychopharmacologist, neurologist, and medical-legal expert in private practice in Manhattan. He is also the principal of Fifth Avenue Concierge Medicine, PLLC, a medical concierge service and health advisory for select individuals and families.