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News and Research: MS, remyelination, and an OTC antihistamine

Study: MWF of the corpus callosum is a robust measure of remyelination: Results from the ReBUILD trial Published: PNAS, May 2023 Overview: The study included 50 multiple sclerosis (MS patients) and looked at the brain regions that are rich in myelin.  In MS, the body attacks the myelin sheath. The study looked at ways to assess the therapeutic effect of compounds on the remyelination of neurons through imaging.  While important for researchers to know the best MRI imaging biomarkers, what I found interesting is the effect on myelin from a first-generation anti-histamine, clemastine. MRI scans were done at baseline, 3 months and 5 months. Half of the patients received clematine and the other half a placebo from months 3 to 5. The results showed that clemastine stimulated the differentiation of stem cells that make myelin.   This isn’t the first study on clemastine showing positive results for people with MS.  However, it is important in that it shows how and where the remyelination is taking place.   Clemastine used to be available OTC in the US as Dayhist Allergy and … Read more

News and Research: Healthspan Genes

This new genetics study estimated the effects of genetic variants on DALYs (disability-adjusted life years).

News and Research: Essential Elements and Autism

Study: Associations of essential element serum concentrations with autism spectrum disorder This Chinese study looked at serum levels of 9 minerals in children with autism compared with children not on the autism spectrum. The results showed that children with autism had lower serum zinc and strontium levels, as well as higher potassium.  Most interesting, the degree of lithium and zinc deficiency was associated with the severity of autism symptoms.

News and Research: Vitamin D for C. Diff

Study: Supplementation Impacts the Gut Microbiota of Patients With Clostridioides Difficile Infection Overview: Recent studies indicate that Clostridioides difficile infections are more likely in people with low vitamin D levels. Current options for C. difficile include oral vancomycin, metronidazole, and fecal microbial transplantation. But these treatments don’t work for everyone. In this small randomized controlled trial, half of the C. diff patients continued with vancomycin, and the other half received injections of 200,000IU vitamin D plus the vancomycin. The results showed positive changes to the gut microbiome in those receiving the vitamin D shots. “Our study confirmed that the increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacteriaceae, and Christensenellaceae were prominently evident during recovery after administration of a high dose of cholecalciferol. These findings indicate that vitamin D administration may be useful in patients with CDI, and further studies with larger sample sizes are required.” My take: Vitamin D is a complex hormone that affects many different aspects of health and inflammation via activating vitamin D receptors (VDR). The activation of VDR can initiate the transcription of many different … Read more

News and Research: Gut microbiome changes in aging

Study: Gut microbiome pattern reflects healthy ageing and predicts survival in humans  Nature Metabolism, Feb 2021 Overview: This large study investigated the changes in the gut microbiome of over 9,000 individuals aged 18-87. Change in the gut microbiome is one aspect of aging that adds to chronic disease and frailty. In people over age 65, recent studies have identified associations between the gut microbiome changes and physical fitness, frailty, and metabolism. Interestingly, studies on centenarians (age 100+) show specific alterations to the gut microbiome including increases in rare gut bacteria and decreases in normal gut residents such as Bacteroides. This has been shown worldwide; thus not as likely due to diet in one location. When comparing centenarians to other older individuals a pattern emerges showing that higher levels of Bacteroides are associated with a decreased survival. This study looked at the gut microbiome information for about 9,000 individuals over a wide age range. The researchers took into account the differences in the sampling methods (a couple of different companies were involved). In addition to the different bacterial species, the study … Read more

News and Research: MOTS-c as an exercise mimetic

Study: MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis Nature communications, January 2021 Overview: A recent study in the journal Nature communications explains the latest research on a fascinating peptide known as MOTS-c. Peptides are small molecules made up of 2-50 amino acids.  Proteins are also made up of amino acids, but in chains longer than 50. Mitochondria are the organelles responsible for energy production in your cells. And mitochondrial health is vital for all aspects of health and wellness – especially in aging. Your mitochondria contain their own DNA that is separate from your nuclear DNA. But mitchondrial DNA is tiny in comparison to your whole genome — only about 13 protein-coding genes there compared to more than 20,000 in the nucleus. In addition to the protein-coding genes in the mitochondrial DNA, researchers recently identified short open reading frames (sORFs) that produce bioactive peptides. One of the mitochondrial peptides is MOTS-c, and researchers are now figuring out that it does a lot…  from regulating nuclear gene expression to promoting healthy metabolism. MOTS-c activates AMPK … Read more

News and Research: MTHFR and dietary folate

Study: Food Intervention with Folate Reduces TNF-α and Interleukin Levels in Overweight and Obese Women with the MTHFR C677T Polymorphism: A Randomized Trial Nutrients, Feb 2020 Overivew: This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of increased dietary folate via vegetable consumption in overweight Brazilian women with the MTHFR C677T variant.  (Check your MTHFR variant here) The researchers looked at inflammatory levels measured as homocysteine, TNF-α, IL-1B, and IL-6. The study participants were divided into two groups, each consuming 300 g of vegetables per day for 8 weeks. Group I at vegetables containing 95µg of folate, and Group II at vegetables containing 191 µg of folate each day. In women with two copies of the MTHFR C677T variant (A/A for 23andMe data), the increased dietary folate reduced their homocysteine, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels.   For women with one copy of the variant, the change in those inflammatory markers was not significant. My take away:  This study is interesting because it shows that dietary increases in folate are enough to decrease inflammatory markers in women with MTHFR 677TT.  I’ve always thought of … Read more

News and Research: Microdose lithium for COVID-19 and cellular senescence in astrocytes

Title: Microdose lithium reduces cellular senescence in human astrocytes – a potential pharmacotherapy for COVID-19? Journal on Aging, June 2020 Overview: This research paper covers the recent research on low doses of lithium in Alzheimer’s patients. The paper delves into the groups research on how lithium may reduce some of the hallmarks of cellular senescence in astrocytes using a cell culture model. It piggy backs on previous research linking amyloid-beta deposition to cellular senescence in neurons, and that low dose lithium may be help to prevent Alzheimer’s. The connection with COVID-19 is that in the research on preventing senescence, the researchers found that low dose lithium suppressed IL-6, which is elevated and a problem in severe COVID-19.  The connection to modulating IL-6 is interesting, as is the work on low-dose lithium and Alzheimer’s. My thoughts: Other papers covering lithium’s antiviral properties in reference to coronaviruses and COVID-19: GSK-3 Inhibition as a Therapeutic Approach Against SARs CoV2: Dual Benefit of Inhibiting Viral Replication While Potentiating the Immune Response Lithium and coronaviral infections. A scoping review. Lithium’s antiviral effects: a potential drug … Read more

News and Research: Restoring metabolism to brain cells to reverse cognitive decline

Study: Restoring metabolism of myeloid cells reverses cognitive decline in ageing (Nature, January 2021) Overview: This fascinating animal study investigates the changes in metabolism in brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline in aging.  Alzheimer’s has been dubbed as “type 3 diabetes” by some researchers due to the changes in the way glucose is used in the brain. In addition to the decreased energy in the brain cells, an increase in inflammation is seen in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.  In this study, the researchers showed that energy production is reduced in microglia and macrophages in response to increased prostaglandin E2, an inflammatory signal. Specifically, prostaglandin E2 caused glucose to be stored as glycogen rather than being used for cellular energy production. Most importantly, the study showed that inhibiting the EP2 receptor for prostaglandin E2 in myeloid cells was sufficient to increase cellular energetics. Blocking that prostaglandin EP2 receptor reversed cognitive aging in mice. My thoughts:  This is interesting because epidemiological studies that show that NSAID usage is linked to lower Alzheimer’s risk. NSAIDs block prostaglandin E2.  Fish oil is … Read more

Genome-wide study looking at suicide deaths

Study title: Genome-Wide Association Study of Suicide Death and Polygenic Prediction of Clinical Antecedents  The American Journal of Psychiatry, Nov. 2020 Press release from the University of Utah on the study: Every 11 minutes, an American dies by suicide. That’s 132 people a day or more than 48,000 annually. For those left behind, the haunting question is why. One emerging factor is family history. Perhaps the most famous example is Ernest Hemingway’s family. In addition to his own suicide in 1961, the novelist’s father, sister, brother, and niece took their own lives—in all, five deaths by suicide in three generations. But there are also thousands of families worldwide with similar histories that are compelling researchers to investigate the genetics of suicidal acts. In a new analysis of this risk, researchers at University of Utah Health’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute have detected more than 20 genes that could have a role in these deaths. The study, among the first comprehensive genome-wide analyses of suicide death, also found significant genetic cross-connections to psychiatric diseases and behaviors associated with suicide, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and … Read more

News and Research: Resilience of the gut microbiome

Title: Long-term dietary intervention reveals resilience of the gut microbiota despite changes in diet and weight   American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2020 Overview: This was a clinical trial that tracked the gut microbiota over a 12-month period to see how it changed due to dietary changes. Participants (n=49) in the trial were randomized to either a health low-carb diet or a healthy low-fat diet. The results were really interesting… After 3-months of dietary intervention, the trial participants had significant changes to their gut microbiome as a result of changing what they eat. The changes tracked with either the dietary changes (low fat or low carb) or the expected microbiome changes due to weight loss.  But, what was really interesting was that after the initial shift in the gut microbiome, it ended up shifting back to the baseline composition for most of the participant – even with the participants maintaining their diet for the rest of the 12-month period. A lot of research shows that the gut microbiome influences overall health, weight, and mental health. While you would assume that … Read more