March 29, 2024

Exercise & Depression; Driving & Dogs

Posted on July 1, 2013 by in NewsUCanUse

Fish Oil Little Help for Age-Related Macular Degeneration
A large-scale National Eye Institute study has shown fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids do not alter the progression of age-related macular degeneration, says a national team of researchers at The Methodist Hospital who ran Houston’s part of the study. Another key finding of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2, or AREDS 2, is that lutein and zeaxanthin may be safer and at least as effective as beta-carotene in reducing risk of disease progression. Like beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin can be converted to vitamin A in humans and can collect at the retina, where they probably limit chemical damage caused by light. Lutein is found in foods like egg yolk and animal fat deposits. Zeaxanthin is found in some berries, corn, and paprika.

AREDS 2’s results agree with past studies that have shown an association between beta-carotene consumption and the development of lung cancer in current or former smokers. Macular degeneration is a disease in which retina damage causes a loss of visual acuity in the center of the eye, called the macula. AMD is a major cause of blindness in the elderly, and currently affects about 11 million Americans. National Eye Institute experts believe that number will double by 2050.

The first AREDS study showed that vitamins really make a difference in decreasing the complications of AMD. Based on the AREDS 2 data, it’s now recommended that patients no longer take beta-carotene but look for a vitamin with 10 mg Lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, 80mg zinc, 2mg copper, 500mg vitamin C, and 400 IU vitamin E.

 

Brain Fitness Program Improves Memory
UCLA researchers found that older adults who regularly used a brain fitness program played on a computer demonstrated significantly improved memory and language skills.

The team studied participants with an average age of 84, recruited from local retirement communities in Southern California.
The volunteers were split into two groups: the first group used a brain fitness program for an average of 73.5 (20 minute) sessions across a six-month period while a second group played it less than 45 times during the same period.

Researchers found that the first group demonstrated significantly higher improvement in memory and language skills, compared to the second group.
The study’s findings add to the field exploring whether such brain fitness tools may help improve language and memory and may ultimately help protect individuals from the cognitive decline associated with aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Age-related memory decline affects approximately 40% of older adults and is characterized by self-perception of memory loss and decline in memory performance.
Previous studies have shown that engaging in mental activities can help improve memory, but little research has been done to determine whether the numerous brain fitness games and memory training programs on the market are effective in improving memory.

This is one of the first studies to assess the cognitive effects of a computerized memory training program.

Salk Scientists: Drug Slows Alzheimer’s in Mice
A drug developed by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, known as J147, reverses memory deficits and slows Alzheimer’s disease in aged mice following short-term treatment. The findings, published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy, may pave the way to a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in humans. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the country and the only one among the top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.

IBD Raises Risk of Melanoma
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at higher risk of melanoma, a form of skin cancer, report researchers at Mayo Clinic. Researchers found that IBD is associated with a 37% greater risk for the disease. Based on this data, researchers are suggesting that physicians appropriately counsel IBD patients about the risk of melanoma and that sun-protective measures are very effective in preventing this cancer.

Exercise Away Depression
Exercise has been shown to be an effective treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), both when used alone and in combination with other treatments.
There’s now sufficient research data to provide specific guidance on how to prescribe exercise for depressed patients, according to a report in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice®.
Based on the available data, aerobic exercise is the preferred form of exercise for patients with MDD – although there is also support for resistance training. Researchers recommend that patients participate in three to five exercise sessions per week, for 45 to 60 minutes per session.

Data suggest that patients may experience improvement in depressive symptoms as little as four weeks after starting exercise, but the exercise program should be continued for at least ten to twelve weeks to achieve the greatest antidepressant effect.

 

UAB Study: Driving and Dogs Don’t Mix
Senior drivers who always take a pet in the car are at increased risk for being involved in a motor vehicle collision, said University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) researchers. In a study published in Accident Analysis and Prevention, the research team said both overall and at-fault crash rates for drivers 70 years of age or older were higher for those whose pet habitually rode with them. Study results indicate that the crash risk for drivers who always drove with their pets was double that of drivers who never drove with a pet, while crash rates for those who sometimes or rarely drove with pets were consistent with the rates for non-pet owners.

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