#health and medicine

[gabatelepsychiatry-blog]

Causes of Reversible Dementia

Dementia means ‘progressive cognitive decline for more than three months’. Although there are severe forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, most forms of dementia are preventable or reversible.

The first reaction when hearing the term dementia is to panic. There have been many cases of elderly patients being wrongly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease due to cognitive decline.

There have also been many cases of elderly patients committing suicide after a dementia diagnosis. This is why complete evaluation is so important: preventing unnecessary distress and devastation.

Reversible dementia occurs when known medical conditions cause cognitive decline. Studies show that around 20 percent of dementia cases are due to reversible causes.

Early diagnosis is important because it can prevent long-term consequences. Some of the causes of reversible dementia are mentioned below:

Thyroid Dementia Low thyroid hormones or hypothyroidism can cause dementia-like symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Studies show that it affects around 4.6% of adults in the U.S. It is observed that synthetic thyroid hormones can improve brain function and cognitive abilities.

Alcohol Dementia Excessive alcohol consumption over a long time can lead to cognitive decline. It can cause memory loss and confusion. Studies show that around 50 percent of people with alcohol use disorder show symptoms of cognitive decline similar to dementia symptoms.

Decreasing the frequency of drinking or stopping alcohol, combined with supplements can lead to improvement in symptoms. Alcohol-induced dementia is at least partially reversible. Recovery of cognitive function often depends on the age of the person, and the severity of the alcohol use.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Dementia Vitamin B12 deficiency can disrupt brain functioning and lead to dementia-like symptoms such as memory loss or confusion. Studies show that around 10-15% of older adults experience low levels of vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms. B12 supplements can restore cognitive function.

Vitamin B1 Deficiency Dementia Vitamin B1 is important for brain function and energy production. Vitamin B1 deficiency can damage the brain and lead to symptoms that look like dementia, such as forgetfulness and trouble in coordination. Thiamine supplements can be given orally or by injection and are used to treat the deficiency symptoms.

Pituitary Tumors Pituitary tumors can cause a dementia-like syndrome and can be treated with surgery and hormone replacement.

Growth Hormone Deficiency Dementia Growth hormone maintains brain cells and supports brain health. A growth hormone deficiency can lead to dementia-like symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Hormone replacement therapy can treat this deficiency.

Pseudo-Dementia Secondary to Depression Pseudo-dementia occurs when underlying depression causes dementia-like symptoms such as memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and confusion. Depression can slow down brain function and make everyday tasks harder.

These dementia-like symptoms can be reversed when underlying depression is treated using antidepressants. Pseudo-dementia can look just like Alzheimer's, as the aging brain is more vulnerable to shifts in serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Pseudodementia can recover rapidly with treatment.

Medication-Induced Delerium Medication-induced delirium can cause confusion and cognitive decline. It is a common cause of cognitive impairment in the elderly. Medication-induced delirium can easily be confused for dementia without proper evaluation. Common perpetrators are antihistamines, antibiotics, and blood pressure medications. Symptoms usually resolve after stopping the offending agent.

HIV-Associated Dementia HIV can affect the brain and nervous system. HIV encephalopathy can spread to the brain, causing cognitive impairment and leading to dementia-like symptoms. It is referred to as “HIV-associated dementia” (HAD). As people with HIV are living longer, HIV dementia is now more common in the elderly. It is observed that antiretroviral therapy and medication can help in reversing the symptoms.

Although these conditions can cause cognitive decline in any age group, older brains are more prone to assaults caused by medical illness, so the cognitive symptoms may appear more obvious.

Reversible dementia offers hope for recovery with early diagnosis and proper treatment. These reversible causes can help patients regain cognitive function and improve their quality of life.

Slow-Progressing Dementia

Microvascular Dementia Almost everyone over seventy-five has some microvascular dementia. It is not reversible per se. However, progression can be slowed down with treatment.

Also, treating the complications with cognitive remediation can dramatically improve social and occupational functioning. Microvascular dementia can be easily confused with Alzheimer's disease without complete evaluation.

If you or someone you know is struggling with memory loss, consult a specialist, call us at +1(833)312-4222.

[tieflingkisser]

Black Kitchen Utensils May Be Exposing You to Harmful Chemicals, New Study Warns

Banned toxic flame retardants can make their way into household items, including cooking utensils and food containers, new research found. Researchers tested products made from black plastic, which largely enters the recycling stream after first serving as protective parts for electronics, such as the enclosures on the back of televisions. These plastics are often treated with flame retardants when used in electronics. But even after the items are recycled, the chemicals—which have been linked with a number of negative health impacts—can remain in the materials in high concentrations, according to the study. “This study highlights the lack of chemical regulation on what is entering our recycling system,” the study’s lead author, Megan Liu, science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future, told Health.

[...]

“This study looked at certain flame retardants, not all, and there are many other chemicals of concern which are present in plastics,” Birnbaum told Health. “I would stop using black plastic used with food.”

[une-sanz-pluis]

John Bradmore appears as one of a group of practitioners called in by the Infirmarer of Westminster Abbey in 1390–91, the others being John Middleton, William Wadesworth and another William (whose surname is cut off at the edge of the folio). John Middleton was a royal physician, and William Wadesworth an apothecary. This prior association with Middleton and Wadesworth makes Bradmore a strong contender to be the ‘Master JB’ who, with John Middleton, William Waddisworthe and others, prescribed and supplied medicines for Anne of Bohemia, queen to Richard II of England, in 1393–94.

S. J. Lang, "John Bradmore and the Case of the Bitten Man: A Tantalising Link Between Three Medieval Surgical Manuscripts", Social History of Medicine, Vol. 34, No. 3, 2021

[mcbitchtits]

[mcbitchtits]

Blogging this tweet because this explains SO MUCH about the mindset of pretty much all the folks I’ve known who’re against single-payer, it’s not even funny…

[politijohn]

Source

[great-and-small]

When I was in vet school I went to this one lecture that I will never forget. Various clubs would have different guest lecturers come in to talk about relevant topics and since I was in the Wildlife Disease Association club I naturally attended all the wildlife and conservation discussions. Well on this particular occasion, the speakers started off telling us they had been working on a project involving the conservation of lemurs in Madagascar. Lemurs exist only in Madagascar, and they are in real trouble; they’re considered the most endangered group of mammals on Earth. This team of veterinarians was initially assembled to address threats to lemur health and work on conservation solutions to try and save as many lemur species from extinction as possible. As they explored the most present dangers to lemurs they found that although habitat loss was the primary problem for these vulnerable animals, predation by humans was a significant cause of losses as well. The vets realized it was crucial for the hunting of lemurs by native people to stop, but of course this is not so simple a problem.

The local Malagasy people are dealing with extreme poverty and food insecurity, with nearly half of children under five years old suffering from chronic malnutrition. The local people have always subsisted on hunting wildlife for food, and as Madagascar’s wildlife population declines, the people who rely on so-called bushmeat to survive are struggling more and more. People are literally starving.

Our conservation team thought about this a lot. They had initially intended to focus efforts on education but came to understand that this is not an issue arising from a lack of knowledge. For these people it is a question of survival. It doesn’t matter how many times a foreigner tells you not to eat an animal you’ve hunted your entire life, if your child is starving you are going to do everything in your power to keep your family alive.

So the vets changed course. Rather than focus efforts on simply teaching people about lemurs, they decided to try and use veterinary medicine to reduce the underlying issue of food insecurity. They supposed that if a reliable protein source could be introduced for the people who needed it, the dependence on meat from wildlife would greatly decrease. So they got to work establishing new flocks of chickens in the most at-risk communities, and also initiated an aggressive vaccination program for Newcastle disease (an infectious illness of poultry that is of particular concern in this area). They worked with over 600 households to ensure appropriate husbandry and vaccination for every flock, and soon found these communities were being transformed by the introduction of a steady protein source. Families with a healthy flock of chickens were far less likely to hunt wild animals like lemurs, and fewer kids went hungry. Thats what we call a win-win situation.

This chicken vaccine program became just one small part of an amazing conservation outreach initiative in Madagascar that puts local people at the center of everything they do. Helping these vulnerable communities of people helps similarly vulnerable wildlife, always. If we go into a country guns-blazing with that fire for conservation in our hearts and a plan to save native animals, we simply cannot ignore the humans who live around them. Doing so is counterintuitive to creating an effective plan because whether we recognize it or not, humans and animals are inextricably linked in many ways. A true conservation success story is one that doesn’t leave needy humans in its wake, and that is why I think this particular story has stuck with me for so long.

(Source 1)

(Source 2- cool video exploring this initiative from some folks involved)

(Source 3)

[thesprouts02]

The foundation of Ayurveda is the idea that physical, mental, and environmental balance is necessary for good health. The three main doshas—Pitta, Kapha, and Vata—are biological energies present in the human body and psyche. These doshas are balanced differently in every individual, and imbalances can cause problems with one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

[alecsimonson]

What Is Antibiotic Resistance and Why Is It Important?

Antibiotic resistance is also known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and represents one of the biggest threats to public health and development in the world. Bacterial AMR was responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019 and contributed to a further 4.95 million deaths.

The main drivers behind the development of drug-resistant pathogens are the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in plants, animals, and humans.

What Are Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria?

Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are bacteria that aren’t killed or controlled by antibiotics. They can both survive and multiply even when an antibiotic is present. While many types of bacteria that cause infections can gain resistance to some antibiotics, bacteria that’s resistant to many antibiotics are termed multi-resistant organisms (MROs). Furthermore, some types of bacteria have a natural resistance to antibiotics; for example, benzylpenicillin has little effect on most bacteria present in the human gut.

The Devastating Effects of AMR

AMR is responsible for a huge global death toll, and one that is likely to increase unless action is taken. While inequality and poverty exacerbate its consequences and effects, AMR impacts all countries, although middle and low-income nations are most affected. As well as making it harder to treat infections, it makes undertaking many other treatments significantly riskier.

As well as the devastation of disability and death, AMR comes with a huge economic cost, with the World Bank estimating that it could result in around $1 trillion to $3.4 trillion worth of GDP losses per year by 2030 and $1 trillion in additional healthcare costs by 2050.

How Can the AMR Challenge be Tackled?

Those with experience in this field – such as Alec Simonson, who was involved in bioinformatics and neuropharmacological research during his studies – know that one of the most important ways to prevent AMR is to use antibiotics properly. This means reducing the overprescribing of antibiotics and preventing unnecessary use. It’s also important that patients complete the entire course of any antibiotics they are prescribed so the medication will be fully effective and not promote resistance. Good hygiene (such as handwashing) and the deployment of appropriate infection control procedures will also play a key role in tackling AMR.

The Global Action Plan (GAP) on AMR was adopted by countries during the 2015 World Health Assembly. Adoptees committed to developing and implementing multisectoral national action plans to tackle AMR, using a One Health approach.

For information about World AMR Awareness Week, take a look at the embedded PDF.

[tieflingkisser]

Explainer: Why it’s still a good idea to avoid COVID (and how to do it)

The best way of reducing your risk of developing long-term health issues from COVID is by taking a few simple steps to prevent getting COVID in the first place. Staying up to date with the latest COVID vaccine reduces your risk of serious illness, infection, and Long COVID. Wearing a mask helps boost your own protection, protects others around you, and works against any COVID variant or other type of airborne virus. Another effective way to reduce your risk of getting sick from airborne viruses is to improve indoor air quality.

[mcbitchtits]

bad news, it’s not just Mars:

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

[typhlonectes]

[reasonsforhope]

A new treatment combining ReCET and semaglutide could eliminate the need for insulin in type 2 diabetes, with 86% of participants in a study no longer requiring insulin therapy. The treatment was safe and well-tolerated, and further trials are planned to confirm these results.

Groundbreaking research presented at UEG Week 2024 introduces a promising new treatment approach for type 2 diabetes (T2D) that has the potential to greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for insulin therapy.

This innovative approach, which combines a novel procedure known as ReCET (Re-Cellularization via Electroporation Therapy) with semaglutide, resulted in the elimination of insulin therapy for 86% of patients.

Globally, T2D affects 422 million people... While insulin therapy is commonly used to manage blood sugar levels in T2D patients, it can result in side effects... and further complicate diabetes management. [Note: Also very importantly it's fucking bankrupting people who need it!!] A need therefore exists for alternative treatment strategies.

Study Design and Outcomes

The first-in-human study included 14 participants aged 28 to 75 years, with body mass indices ranging from 24 to 40 kg/m². Each participant underwent the ReCET procedure under deep sedation, a treatment intended to improve the body’s sensitivity to its own insulin. Following the procedure, participants adhered to a two-week isocaloric liquid diet, after which semaglutide was gradually titrated up to 1mg/week.

Remarkably, at the 6- and 12-month follow-up, 86% of participants (12 out of 14) no longer required insulin therapy, and this success continued through the 24-month follow-up. In these cases, all patients maintained glycaemic control, with HbA1c levels remaining below 7.5%.

Tolerability and Safety

The maximum dose of semaglutide was well-tolerated by 93% of participants, one individual could not increase to the maximum dose due to nausea. All patients successfully completed the ReCET procedure, and no serious adverse effects were reported.

Dr Celine Busch, lead author of the study, commented, “These findings are very encouraging, suggesting that ReCET is a safe and feasible procedure that, when combined with semaglutide, can effectively eliminate the need for insulin therapy.”

“Unlike drug therapy, which requires daily medication adherence, ReCET is compliance-free [meaning: you don't have to take it every day], addressing the critical issue of ongoing patient adherence in the management of T2D. In addition, the treatment is disease-modifying: it improves the patient’s sensitivity to their own (endogenous) insulin, tackling the root cause of the disease, as opposed to currently available drug therapies, that are at best disease-controlling.”

Looking ahead, the researchers plan to conduct larger randomized controlled trials to further validate these findings. Dr. Busch added, “We are currently conducting the EMINENT-2 trial with the same inclusion and exclusion criteria and administration of semaglutide, but with either a sham procedure or ReCET. This study will also include mechanistic assessments to evaluate the underlying mechanism of ReCET.”

-via SciTechDaily, October 17, 2024

--

Note: If it works even half as well as suggested, this could free so many people from the burden of the ongoing ridiculous cost of insulin. Pharma companies that make insulin can go choke (hopefully).

[thebibliosphere]

Still not over the head of cardiology, who said she wouldn't formally diagnose me with dysautonomia because she didn't want me to think of myself as disabled.

As if good vibes and a can-do attitude can stabalize autonomic dysfunction.

[dragonanon]

I would like to just take a moment as a healthcare worker to not only stress just how truly INCREDIBLE this is, but to also stress that rabies is no fucking joke. Part of why rabies is so serious is that the symptoms don’t show up right away and can actually sometimes take MONTHS to surface, and by the time they do it’s already too late to do anything.

This is primarily because your brain has a special barrier called the “blood-brain barrier”. It’s a layer between your brain and the blood vessels in your head that prevents toxins and other harmful substances from getting into your brain from your blood; It’s essentially a really fine strainer. Why does this matter? Well scientists don’t fully understand why, but for whatever reason when the rabies virus reaches the brain it somehow makes that barrier even STRONGER; making it so that medicines that could destroy the virus now can’t get in.

With this in mind, your best chance at survival is to go to your doctor IMMEDIATELY after being bitten by a wild animal, and get the rabies vaccine. The sooner you get the shots after a potential exposure, the better your chances are of not getting rabies.

TL;DR Get vaccinated for rabies ASAP if you’ve been bitten by a wild animal, because otherwise you’re well and truly fucked by the time symptoms appear.

This is the only person I would accept the words "I'm just built different" from.