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Category: brain

Published on Leave a comment on Military Veterans and ALS

Oops! Another choice of occupation may result in a higher rate of an illness - this time a higher rate of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in male veterans of certain branches of the military - the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard. But not the Army or Marines.

ALS is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease. There is progressive loss of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing.

The ALS study, led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, included nearly 9.2 million male veterans who received care through the VHA between 2000 and 2024. Air Force veterans had a 29% higher rate of ALS, Coast Guard veterans  a 26% higher rate, and Navy veterans a 15% higher rate, when compared to Army veterans. Officers had a 64% higher rate than enlisted personnel.

The researchers also said that since ALS is rare and women make up a smaller share of the military population (just 18%) it is hard to assess what is going on with women. But among the women who were included, female officers faced a 72% higher risk compared with enlisted women

The big question is - what environmental exposures led to higher rates of ALS? Still unknown at this time. Some known risk factors are lead, pesticides, and other toxins.

From Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health: In veterans, ALS risk linked with military branch, rank

Male veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard had higher rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal nervous system disease, compared to veterans of the Army, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. ...continue reading "Military Veterans and ALS"

Published on Leave a comment on California Is Finally Taking Steps To Ban A Highly Toxic Pesticide

For years it has been known that the pesticide paraquat has serious health effects, which is why it is banned in so many countries - but not the US. But California, the US's largest user of the toxic pesticide, is now the second state to ban the use of the pesticide. It is considered the deadliest pesticide used in agriculture in the US.

Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly linked to (causes) Parkinson's disease, and is known to damage the lungs, kidneys. liver, cardiac system, and other bodily systems. While it is banned in more than 70 countries world-wide (e.g., the EU, China, UK, Brazil), the EPA reapproved its use in 2024. More than 10 million pounds annually are sprayed on US crops (e.g., soybeans, almonds, walnuts, cotton), with the most used in California.

Once again, the US is lagging behind other countries in safety and health regulations. Unfortunately, the current EPA is led by persons affiliated with the chemical industry. No wonder it's big industry first in all decisions!

Excerpts from The Guardian: California bans paraquat, highly toxic herbicide outlawed in more than 70 countries

California is banning paraquat, a highly toxic, controversial herbicide used across millions of acres of American cropland. ...continue reading "California Is Finally Taking Steps To Ban A Highly Toxic Pesticide"

Published on Leave a comment on Residents of a NY Town, Parkinson’s Disease, and the Pesticide Paraquat

Stories about the toxic pesticide paraquat keep coming. Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly associated (causes) Parkinson's disease plus other health harms. This pesticide is banned in over 70 countries world-wide due to its known health harms, but not the US.

California recently took steps to ban the pesticide, but people in New York state are also demanding a ban. The Guardian recently wrote an investigative piece describing the elevated incidence of Parkinson's disease among residents in the rural farming community of Hebron in upstate NY.

The residents want a state-wide ban on the use of paraquat. They say that too many of them have developed Parkinson's disease due to the use of paraquat in their area.

Paraquat is a herbicide (weed-killer) that is strongly linked to (causes) Parkinson's disease, and is known to damage the lungs, kidneys. liver, cardiac system, and other bodily systems. While it is banned in more than 70 countries world-wide (e.g., the EU, China, UK, Brazil), the EPA reapproved its use in 2024. More than 10 million pounds annually are sprayed on US crops (e.g., soybeans, almonds, walnuts, cotton).

Excerpts from the Guardian: The herbicide haunting a New York farm town

Gordon Chaplin gingerly stepped out of the car at the top of the steep hill behind his farmhouse, sporting a bandage on his hand from a fall the day before. He gripped his cane as he shuffled through the knee-high grass. He stopped every few feet to catch his breath, leaning on his caregiver for support. ...continue reading "Residents of a NY Town, Parkinson’s Disease, and the Pesticide Paraquat"

Published on Leave a comment on Rescue Boat Crews And Brain Injuries From Years of Crashing Through High Waves

Could it be that rescue boat crews (surf rescuers) can suffer with brain damage from constant or frequent exposure to very high waves? And that this is being ignored by the Coast Guard? The answer is YES - brain damage is occurring and it is not being acknowledged by the US Coast Guard.

The NY Times just published a very interesting article about this issue. Highly trained elite rescuers rescue people in the roughest seas - which involves driving lifeboats multiple times each day through crashing waves as high as 25 feet, which they describe as similar to "being in a car crash". The rescuers go through training and rescues for years. But now many are reporting neurological issues typical of brain injuries, including headaches, memory problems, cognitive problems, anxiety attacks, and mood swings.

But only from questioning by NY Times reporters has the Coast Guard finally admitted: "brain injuries caused by impacts with waves were an emerging concern". But so far the Coast Guard has not studied the "hazard that waves may pose to the brain and knows little about the force of the hits or the consequences of years of exposure".

Excerpts from NY Times: Rescue Boat Crews Show Signs of Brain Injuries, but Coast Guard Isn’t Looking

Brett Bonner saved hundreds of lives during 21 years on rescue boats in the Coast Guard. When he died, his teenage daughter Kayleigh wondered why he couldn’t save his own.

He was a big, gregarious man who seemed able to handle anything. But as Kayleigh grew up, she watched him slowly fall apart. First came headaches. Then sleeplessness. His memory frayed and his moods turned raw. ...continue reading "Rescue Boat Crews And Brain Injuries From Years of Crashing Through High Waves"

Published on Leave a comment on Vitamin C Is Important For Aging Brain Health

We all know that vitamin C is important for our health, especially skin health, but it is also important for a healthy brain. A recent study found higher levels of vitamin C in aging adults is linked to a healthier aging brain. Nutrition matters!

The study found that having low levels of vitamin C in blood plasma in aging adults is correlated with having lower brain gray matter volume and connectivity. The study looked at 2040 aging adults (median age 69 years) in Japan - using both MRI scans and blood plasma samples.

As we age, the volume of the brain shrinks - this is normal. There are both structural and connectivity changes - again, it's normal.  But...you want to delay and minimize these changes, which is why this research finding that vitamin C is important for aging brain health is significant. As the researchers point out, one can make nutritional changes by increasing vitamin C foods in the diet. (BTW, generally foods are superior to supplements.)

Gray matter of the brain is where processing information, movement, and emotion control occur. It has an effect on new memories and multitasking.

Other studies have also pointed out that vitamin C are important for aging brain health. Lower levels of vitamin C have been associated with a higher risk of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Bottom line: Try to eat foods high in vitamin C frequently, preferably daily.

From  Science Daily: Scientists discover a surprising link between vitamin C and brain health

Researchers have found another clue that diet may influence how the brain ages. In a study of more than 2,000 older adults in Japan, people with lower levels of vitamin C in their blood tended to have less gray matter and weaker connections within an important brain network involved in memory and attention. While the findings do not prove that vitamin C protects the brain, they strengthen evidence that good nutrition could play a role in maintaining cognitive health later in life. ...continue reading "Vitamin C Is Important For Aging Brain Health"

Published on Leave a comment on Study Finds Tylenol Use During Pregnancy Safe

Is Tylenol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy actually linked or a cause of autism? A large recent study says NO - there is no link between acetaminophen (also called paracetamol) use during pregnancy and autism. Whew..

The long-running well-done study conducted in Hong Kong did NOT find a link with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the children born to women who took paracetamol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy. Dose taken and timing (taken early or late in pregnancy) did not change the results of the study. The study included 708,020 mother-child pairs (of these approximately 43.3% had prenatal paracetamol exposure). and they were studied for many years.

For years Tylenol was considered safe to take during pregnancy for pain and fevers. Apparently it is still safe.

From Medical Xpress: Should pregnant women worry about taking Tylenol? 20-year sibling-matched study finds no link to autism or ADHD

Tylenol (also known as acetaminophen or paracetamol) is one of the most widely used over-the-counter options for easing pain and reducing fever, including during pregnancy. More recently, safety concerns around use during pregnancy have gained attention, with claims of a possible link between prenatal exposure and autism in children increasingly appearing in news headlines and prime-time debates. ...continue reading "Study Finds Tylenol Use During Pregnancy Safe"

Published on Leave a comment on Many Studies Link A Commonly Used Pesticide To Health Harms

It has long been known that the pesticide chlorpyrifos has harmful health effects on humans, especially developing fetuses and children. Unfortunately, it is still in use.

A recent review of nearly 300 studies looking at chlorpyrifos found that the pesticide has harmful effects throughout the body, also causes DNA damage, harms children's brains and nervous systems, causes cancer.and that harmful effects are found at levels that are considered safe by the EPA. Unfortunately, more health harms are found each year.

While the pesticide is no longer allowed to be used for household use in the US (remember cans of Raid cockroach killer?), it is still allowed to be used on farms, in greenhouses, golf courses, and more. Keep in mind that industry-funded studies of chlorpyrifos have been used to shape federal policy and exposure limits for decades.

In other words, federal standards do not protect public health. Why is that not surprising?

Excerpts from the investigative journalism site U.S. Right To Know: Nearly 300 studies link the common pesticide chlorpyrifos to multi-organ damage, DNA disruption, and chronic disease 

Key findings:

    • A review of nearly 300 studies summarizes evidence that chlorpyrifos may harm multiple systems throughout the body, including the brain, hormones, liver, gut microbiome, muscles, reproductive organs, and bones.
    • The review describes DNA damage, chromosome instability, and epigenetic changes that may alter how genes function long after exposure.
    • Some harmful effects appear at exposure levels below those considered safe under current pesticide exposure testing standards.

...continue reading "Many Studies Link A Commonly Used Pesticide To Health Harms"

Published on Leave a comment on The Supplement Glucosamine May Accelerate Dementia

The popular supplement glucosamine has been taken for decades for joint health. However, new research suggests that regular use of the  supplement can increase the risk for developing dementia, specifically increasing the progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

Not only did it accelerate the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease, but it also worsened survival.

Uh oh. It seems that so many supplements start out looking good, but turn out to have a dark side.

From Medical Xpress: A popular joint pain supplement may accelerate dementia

New research has found an association between taking glucosamine, a popular over-the-counter supplement used for joint pain, and a higher likelihood of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease. The finding by University of Florida neuroscientists is based on a large retrospective analysis of patients' records as well as supporting data from advanced imaging technology used to scan human brain specimens and Alzheimer's disease mouse models. ...continue reading "The Supplement Glucosamine May Accelerate Dementia"

Published on Leave a comment on Egg Consumption Is Beneficial For Brain Health

Remember when health advice was to limit egg consumption, that they had too much cholesterol, and to only eat egg whites? Well.... studies in the last decade have proven that advice as being 100% wrong for a number of reasons. It turns out that eggs are a great source of a number of nutrients (e.g., choline) needed for brain health and memory function.

A recent study found that frequent egg consumption by persons (mean age 59 years at the start of the study) lowers the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The researchers found that there was a 27% decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease among persons who ate at least 5 eggs a week, but even eating fewer eggs was beneficial. The participants were followed for 15 years.

Other studies have also found a decreased risk of AD in persons eating eggs frequently - with one study finding that more than one egg consumed per week reduced the risk of developing AD up to 47%.

Some key nutrients necessary for brain health that are provided by eggs are: choline, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, tryptophan, phospholipids, and an omega-3 fat known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The researchers viewed the nutrients in eggs as being "neuroprotective" (protecting neurological function).

From Medical Xpress: Egg consumption associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Consumption of eggs is associated with a lower risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease for those 65 years and older, according to researchers at Loma Linda University Health. Eating one egg per day for at least five days a week reduces the risk of Alzheimer's by up to 27%, researchers found. ...continue reading "Egg Consumption Is Beneficial For Brain Health"

Published on Leave a comment on Large Review Finds Alzheimer’s Disease Drugs Don’t Work

A large review found that the Alzheimer's drugs now available (very expensive!) actually do not slow down the disease. They don't work. In other words, they should never have been approved.

The authors of the study said it appears that the drugs result in little to no difference ("no clinically meaningful effect") in a range of measures, including reducing dementia severity. And their use increases the risk of bleeding and swelling of the brain.

A few years ago journalists uncovered that there was significant fraud involved in the research and drug approvals (not surprising when so much money is involved).

For decades, Alzheimer's research mainly (only) focused on abnormal protein deposits in the brain (amyloid plaques) and misfolded protein tau tangles in the brain. But many researchers are suggesting that other causes of Alzheimer's should be looked at, including viral causes and chronic inflammation.

Excerpts from The Conversation: Alzheimer's Drugs Offer Little Benefit, Major Review Finds - And the Reasons Go Deeper Than the Science

How is it possible to spend tens of billions of dollars developing drugs to treat a serious disease that affects millions of people, and yet end up with something that does not work? This is a mystery that has bedevilled Alzheimer’s research for years. ...continue reading "Large Review Finds Alzheimer’s Disease Drugs Don’t Work"