Links between hallucinations and dopamine

Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) found that people with schizophrenia who experience auditory hallucinations tend to hear what they expect, an exaggerated version of a perceptual distortion that is common among other people without hallucinations.

Those with hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms are known to have elevated dopamine, the main area of focus for available treatments for psychosis, but it was unclear how this could lead to hallucinations.

The researchers found that elevated dopamine could make some patients rely more on expectations, which could then result in hallucinations. Human brain uses prior experiences to generate sensory expectations that fill in the gaps when sounds or images are distorted or unclear.

In individuals with schizophrenia, this process appears to be altered, leading to extreme perceptual distortions, such as hearing voices that are not existing. Furthermore, while such hallucinations are often successfully treated by antipsychotic drugs that block the neurotransmitter dopamine in a brain structure known as the striatum, the reason for this has been a mystery since this neurotransmitter and brain region are not typically associated with sensory processing.

The researchers designed an experiment that induces an auditory illusion in both healthy participants and participants with schizophrenia. They examined how building up or breaking down sensory expectations can modify the strength of this illusion. They also measured dopamine release before and after administering a drug that stimulates the release of dopamine.

Patients with hallucinations tended to perceive sounds in a way that was more similar to what they had been cued to expect, even when sensory expectations were less reliable and illusions weakened in healthy participants. This tendency to inflexibly hear what was expected was worsened after giving a dopamine-releasing drug, and more pronounced in participants with elevated dopamine release, and more apparent in participants with a smaller dorsal anterior cingulate (a brain region previously shown to track reliability of environmental cues). All people have some perceptual distortions, but these results suggest that excess dopamine can exacerbate human distorted perceptions
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Asthma medication linked to infertility

The study of different women in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland shows that women with asthma who use long-acting asthma treatment could not conceive as quickly as other women. The study was led by Dr Luke Grzeskowiak from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute.

Dr Grzeskowiak says the results provide reassurance for asthmatic women that using inhaled corticosteroids to prevent symptoms does not appear to reduce fertility. Five to ten per cent of all women around the world have asthma and it is one of the most common chronic medical conditions in women of reproductive age.

Several studies have identified a link between asthma and female infertility, but the impact of asthma treatments on fertility has been unclear. Studying the effect of asthma treatments in women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant is important as women often express concerns about exposing their unborn babies to potentially harmful effects of medications.

The researchers examined data from the international Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study, which recruited more than 5600 women expecting their first babies in the early stages of pregnancy. Ten per cent of women in the study said they had asthma and, overall, these women took longer to get pregnant.

When researchers separated this group according to the types of asthma treatments they were using, they found no difference in fertility between women using long-acting asthma treatments and women without asthma. Women using short-acting reliever medication (known as beta-agonists) took 20% longer to conceive on average. They were also 30% more likely to have taken more than a year to conceive, which the researchers defined as the threshold for infertility.

This difference remained even after researchers took other factors known to influence fertility, such as age and weight. This study shows that women using short-acting asthma relievers take longer to get pregnant. On the other hand, continued use of long-acting asthma preventers to control asthma seems to protect fertility and reduce the time it takes women with asthma to become pregnant. This could lead to a reduction in the need for fertility treatments.

Maternal asthma has a negative impact on the health of pregnant women and their babies, women should take steps to get their asthma under control before trying to conceive. Inhaled corticosteroids suppress the immune system, whereas short-acting asthma treatments do not alter immune function. In women who are only using relievers it's possible that, while their asthma symptoms may improve, inflammation may still be present in the lungs and other organs in the body.
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Hormonal imbalances can cause excess weight in different parts of the body

Latest research shows excess weight may gather in certain areas regardless of how much you diet or exercise, as a result of hormone imbalances. Lifestyle, diet and genetics play a part. Human bodies evolved to react to danger by producing the stress hormone cortisol, to trigger the release of energy for the ‘fight or flight’ response. Excess cortisol sparks the release of energy in the form of fat and glucose. This is redeposited as fat round the waist.

Eat little and often to keep blood sugar levels stable, as fluctuations can trigger cortisol release.  Eat foods with a low glycemic load, such as apples, wholegrain bread or cashews, which slowly release energy. Too much oestrogen can cause fat to build in the buttocks and thighs. Those fat cells manufacture more oestrogen, and, in turn, more fat is stored. Drinking too much alcohol means the liver can’t clear oestrogen from the blood.

Fat ankles are often the result of fluid retention, which can be caused by a lack of progesterone. Progesterone acts as a diuretic, flushing excess liquid from the body. Bulging calves may be made worse by low levels of human growth hormone, which seems to prompt fat storage in the legs.

Foods rich in vitamin E may boost progesterone. These include sunflower seeds and peanut butter. Reduce sodium intake as this is key in regulating blood pressure and fluid levels, which can help with water retention in the legs and ankles. Avoid processed food such as ready meals. And to boost human growth hormone, get plenty of sleep-HGH is only released at night in adults.

A chubby face, as well as a flabby neck, could be down to too little thyroxine, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. An underactive thyroid slows the metabolism, which may cause bloating. Another symptom is a swollen neck, called goitre, where the thyroid gland becomes a visible bump. Taking a supplement with selenium, which helps body use thyroxine more efficiently.

Human produces a hormone called DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which is converted into testosterone-DHEA helps build lean muscle mass. When testosterone levels drop too low, muscle mass can be replaced with fat-this is noticeable on the upper arms, which have large muscles.
Women's testosterone levels drop with age, peaking in their 20s, then halving by menopause, but certain foods can help. Consume more protein, such as fish, eggs, tofu and nuts. Zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 also promote testosterone production.

The rolls that hang over the back of your bra could be because of low levels of human growth hormone (HGH). During the night, women’s pituitary glands release human growth hormone, which stimulates fat cells to release energy to repair the body’s tissues. Too little HGH and fat cells don’t receive the message to convert fat into energy. Studies show adults who lack HGH often have a high level of body fat around the trunk, especially the back.

Melatonin-rich foods, such as raspberries, can increase HGH secretion by up to 157 per cent. Melatonin triggers the release of hormones that tell the body it’s time for sleep. Another study found foods high in the amino acid glutamine, such as yoghurt, can raise HGH production.
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Treating aggressive colon tumor with immunotherapy

Immunotherapy against cancer cells has become a powerful approach to treat cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer. However, to date, most colon tumours appeared to be unresponsive to this kind of therapy. Given this observation, researchers hypothesized that this kind of tumour was simply invisible to the immune system.

A team headed by ICREA researcher Eduard Batlle, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), explains that the hormone TGF-beta is responsible for the "blindness" of the immune system to colon cancer cells. The few clinical immunotherapy trials done in patients with the most common subtype of colon cancer were not giving good results.

By inhibiting the activity of TGF-beta, the cells of the immune system infiltrate and recognise the tumour, fight the cancer, and even stop colon tumours from metastasizing to the liver and lung in a preclinical mouse model that mimics the human disease. In addition, and more importantly, the researchers demonstrated that the combination of a TGF-beta inhibitor with available immunotherapies boost the anti-tumour effect, allowing the immune system to efficiently eliminate already established metastases that would otherwise kill the individual in a question of weeks.

Scientist Daniele Tauriello, postdoctoral fellow and first author of the article, induced four of the most common mutations present in advanced human colon tumours in mice. After confirming the similarity of the mouse tumours with those in humans, they built a biobank of tumour organoids3-D mini-tumours and grafted them in a controlled manner in immunocompetent mice.

For studies of the immune system, the tumour has to be of mouse origin. Otherwise, the animal would reject it.This animal model which mimics the main features of metastatic colon cancer in humans, allowed the researchers to examine how cancer cells evade the immune system. Around 40 to 50 percent of colon cancer patients relapse in the form of metastasis, with the tumours reproducing mainly in the liver and lung.

Once advanced stage colon cancer is diagnosed, oncologists do not have access to efficient treatments to cure the patient. This study paves the way for the development of the first immunotherapy treatment for patients with metastatic colon cancer and for those patients with poor prognosis but who have not yet developed metastasis. Oncologists and pharmaceutical companies will soon start clinical assays that combine TGF-beta inhibitors, which are already in clinical use, with immunotherapies.

The researchers are convinced that many colon cancer patients will benefit from this therapeutic strategy. In the same issue of Nature, another study addresses the lack of response of bladder cancer patients to immunotherapy.  It appears that many types of tumour use the same strategy-increasing the expression of TGF-beta in the environment to evade the immune system. Patients with these tumours may also benefit from immunotherapies based on the inhibition of this hormone.
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Erleada for treating prostate cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Erleada (apalutamide), a next-generation androgen receptor inhibitor for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Erleada is a prescription medicine used to treat prostate cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body and no longer responds to a medical or surgical treatment that lowers testosterone.

Before you start treatment, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have a history of seizures, brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors. If you have a partner who is pregnant or may become pregnant. Men who are sexually active with a pregnant woman must use a condom during and for three months after treatment.

Erleada treatment can cause bones and muscles to weaken and may increase risk for falls and fractures. Falls and fractures have happened in people during treatment with Erleada. Falls were not caused by loss of consciousness (fainting) or seizures. Your healthcare provider will monitor your risks for falls and fractures during treatment.

Seizure-if you take Erleada, you may be at risk of having a seizure. You should avoid activities where a sudden loss of consciousness could cause serious harm. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have a loss of consciousness or seizure. Your healthcare provider will stop Erleada if you have a seizure during treatment.

The most common side effects include:feeling very tired, high blood pressure, rash, diarrhea, nausea, decreased appetite, weight loss, joint pain, fall, hot flash, bone injury (fracture), swollen hands, ankles and feet. Erleada may cause fertility problems.
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Muscle for generating heat loss from the hands

Cambridge biological anthropologists have shown that muscle mass is able to predict the rate of heat loss from the hands during severe cold exposure, while body mass, stature and fat mass do not. According to Stephanie Payne, lead author Hands have a large surface area-to-volume ratio, which can be a challenge to maintaining thermal balance in cold conditions.

We wanted to study the influence of body size and body composition on heat loss and rewarming in the hands to determine whether they affect hand temperature and dexterity in cold conditions. These results are important for understanding thermoregulation (the body's ability to regulate its temperature).

Volunteers from around Cambridge, including University students and local residents, took part in the study. After having their vital statistics taken and body composition analysed to measure the amount of fat and muscle, each volunteer plunged their hands into ice cold water for three minutes. The rate at which volunteers' hands heated up again was measured and recorded using a thermal imaging camera.

Volunteers were of European origin and aged between 18 and 50. Many populations across the globe have developed vasoregulatory adaptations to deal with severe cold. Some populations lose blood flow to the hands very quickly to make sure they retain their body heat internally, whilst others, for example the Inuit, have periodic pulses of blood to the hands to combat frostbite.

Being aware of the effects of body composition on how cold your hands get is crucial. For example, women and children are less likely to have a high muscle mass so cold-weather gear, such as gloves, should be produced and marketed with that in mind.
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Links between processed foods and cancer

Ultra-processed foods include packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, ready meals and reconstituted meat products often containing high levels of sugar, fat, and salt, but lacking in vitamins and fibre. A few studies have linked ultra-processed foods to higher risks of obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

A team of researchers based in France and Brazil, set out to evaluate potential associations between ultra-processed food intake and risk of overall cancer, as well as that of breast, prostate, and bowel (colorectal) cancers. Their findings are based on 104,980 healthy French adults (22% men; 78% women) with an average age of 43 years who completed at least two 24-hour online dietary questionnaires, designed to measure usual intake of 3,300 different food items.

Foods were grouped according to degree of processing and cases of cancer were identified from participants' declarations validated by medical records and national databases over an average of five years. Several well known risk factors for cancer, such as age, sex, educational level, family history of cancer, smoking status and physical activity levels, were taken into account.

The results show that a 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet was associated with increases of 12% in the risk of overall cancer and 11% in the risk of breast cancer. No significant association was found for prostate and colorectal cancers. Further testing found no significant association between less processed foods (such as canned vegetables, cheeses and freshly made unpackaged bread) and risk of cancer, while consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods (fruits, vegetables, pulses, rice, pasta, eggs, meat, fish and milk) was associated with lower risks of overall cancer and breast cancer.

This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the researchers point to some limitations. For example, they cannot rule out some misclassification of foods or guarantee detection of every new cancer case. Nevertheless, the study sample was large and they were able to adjust for a range of potentially influential factors.
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