Everyday, many advances are being made in the medical field. Here you will find interesting articles about recent findings.

• Could sleep medication increase risk of dementia? 

As adults get older, sleep disruption becomes more and more common. Medications like Restoril and Triazolam are taken to help older adults fall asleep and stay asleep. However, new studies show that frequent use of certain sleep medications raises one's risk of developing dementia. Learn more by clicking the link below!

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/could-sleep-medications-increase-dementia-risk

Lang, K. (n.d.). Dementia: Frequent use of sleeping pills, antidepressants may up risk. Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/could-sleep-medications-increase-dementia-risk

By: Devin Reimer

Cancer and your Hair?

There was a case study in December of 2019 that shows women who use permenant hair dye at least once a year will have a 9% higher chance of developing breast cancer. During the study they compared someone who used permenant hair dye within the last 12 months had a more likely chance by 45% of getting cancer than someone who did not use hair dye. Another thing they found was that some hair dyes have about 5,000 different chemicals that can affect your body and hormones. Dr.Rexrode says that it is too early to tell if we should stop using hair dye all together, however she says the numbers are concerning.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/toxic-beauty

Mediterranean diet could be associated with a decreased risk of dementia, according to a new study.

"Eating a traditional Mediterranean-type diet -- rich in foods such as seafood, fruit, and nuts -- may help reduce the risk of dementia by almost a quarter, a new study has revealed."

Dementia affects many people throughout the world, and there is not a cure for it yet. Dementia doesn't only directly affect the individual with the disease, it also affects their family, friends and everyone around them. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230313215055.htm 

 I am someone who is double jointed or you could say a little more than double jointed as in I can turn my right hand a complete 360°. Not only can I do that but I can make almost a perfect y in the air with my arms, it's a little freaky. So, since I can relate to this article I am going to share it with you. There was a recent study done that shows that a vitamin deficiency might be the cause of hypermobile joints. The vitamin that this study is based on is folate. People who have hypermobility tend to also have the MTHFR genetic variant. These two together doesn't allow the body to metabolize folate. This then causes folate to accumulate in the blood stream. When that happens it causes your connective tissue to become more elastic. However , they do have a way to treat this, so that symptoms lessen and complications decrease.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230410111650.htm

• Can bariatric surgery reduce your risk for breast cancer?

Obesity is a common reason why people seek bariatric surgery. New data suggests that bariatric surgery can be associated with a reduced risk for breast cancer. Clinical and administrative data with a population of 69,260 women and a mean age of 45 years was analyzed. A cohort study was also done on more than 69,000 Canadian women, and the results are astonishing. Click the link below to find out what really effects your risk for breast cancer.

Larkin, M. (2023, April 24). Risk for breast cancer reduced after bariatric surgery. Medscape. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/991100?src=#vp_2

By: Devin Reimer

New test for Parkinson's could diagnose disease before symptoms set in

There is now a test that can detect if someone has the beginning of Parkinson's with non-motor symptoms. It can even pick out people that have a high likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease. The test is called an alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay or SSA technique. The nervous system is the body system disturbed by Parkinson's disease. Movements of the body are negatively impacted. Patients with this disease often have trouble controlling movements,  experience shakiness, and some loss in their olfactory sense.  The SSA technique tests for an unusual buildup of a specific type of protein associated with Parkinson's disease. This test could be a great help in the fight against Parkinson's. Right now it can only be done with spinal fluid. Once a test becomes available using easier collected fluid, it could be used much more often. Patients would likely have much better outlooks if the disease was caught early. The brain would be much simpler to repair in the early days of the disease.

Cross, Paul Ian. (2023, April 24.) New test for Parkinson's could diagnose disease before symptoms set in. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/new-test-for-parkinsons-could-diagnose-disease-before-symptoms-set-in

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