The Commission's independent Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) has published its critical review of the hazard profile, health effects, and human exposure to fluoride and fluoridating agents in drinking water. The critical review follows on from opinions from the European Food safety Authority (EFSA) and the Scientific Committee on Consumer Protection (SCCP) and reviews the newest information in the area.
Fluoride is not considered to be essential for human growth and development but it is thought to help prevent dental caries (tooth decay). Public concerns about water fluoridation which may lead to excessive intake of fluoride and may be associated with a number of negative health effects prompted the Commission to seek the advice of its Scientific Committee on Health and Environment Risks (SCHER).
The critical review, published yesterday, covers all possible sources of exposure to fluoride and includes a range of possible exposure scenarios (e.g. sources and age groups). It also evaluates the effectiveness of fluoride in preventing tooth decay and identifies exposure scenarios of particular concern.
-Some conclusions from the critical review:
Water fluoridation poses a risk for early stages of dental fluorosis in children in EU countries, but a threshold cannot be detected.
Water fluoridation as well as topical fluoride, such as toothpaste and gel, appears to prevent caries, primarily on permanent teeth. But there is no obvious advantage of water fluoridation compared with topical prevention.
The effect of continued systemic exposure of fluoride from whatever source is questionable once the permanent teeth have erupted.
There is no evidence from animal studies to support the link between fluoride in drinking water and cancer.
From human studies, we cannot conclude that fluoride in drinking water at the level permitted in the EU, impairs children's neurodevelopment.
Nor is there new evidence that it influences male and female reproductive capacity.
23 June 2011
New biomarker may help with early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
A new biomarker may help identify which people with mild memory deficits will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published in the June 22, 2011, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The biomarker may be more accurate than the currently established biomarkers. "Being able to identify who will develop Alzheimer's disease very early in the process will be crucial in the future," said study author Robert Perneczky, MD, of the Technical University Munich in Germany. "Once we have treatments that could prevent Alzheimer's disease, we could begin to treat very early and hopefully prevent the loss of memory and thinking skills that occurs with this devastating disease."
The study involved 58 people with slight memory problems, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Up to 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment develop Alzheimer's disease each year.
A sample of cerebrospinal fluid of the participants was taken at the beginning of the study through a lumbar puncture, or spinal tap. The concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of several proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's disease were measured.
The participants were followed for nearly three years on average. At that point, 21 people had developed Alzheimer's disease, 27 still had mild cognitive impairment and eight people had reverted back to their normal cognitive health. Two people had developed frontotemporal dementia, and their results were not included in the analysis.
Researchers found that the people who developed Alzheimer's disease had significantly higher levels of a protein called soluble amyloid precursor protein beta (sAPPβ) in their spinal fluid than those who did not develop Alzheimer's disease. Those who developed Alzheimer's disease had an average of 1,200 nanograms per milliliter, compared to 932 for those who did not develop the disease.
The researchers found that the best predictor of whether someone would develop Alzheimer's disease was a combination of sAPPβ, the tau protein (an established marker of brain cell damage) and the age of the individual. When these factors were combined, the results were roughly 80 percent accurate in predicting whether the disease would develop.
The protein amyloid beta1-42, or Aβ1-42, which has previously been considered a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, was not a predictive factor in this study.
"These results suggest that sAPPβ as a biomarker may be useful and superior to the established marker Aβ1-42 in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease," Perneczky said.
"One possible explanation is that Aβ1-42 measures events further downstream from the initial steps that lead to the production of the amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. sAPPβ is a measure of the first critical step in that process and may therefore provide more accurate information on the core pathological events."
**Source: American Academy of Neurology
The study involved 58 people with slight memory problems, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Up to 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment develop Alzheimer's disease each year.
A sample of cerebrospinal fluid of the participants was taken at the beginning of the study through a lumbar puncture, or spinal tap. The concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of several proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's disease were measured.
The participants were followed for nearly three years on average. At that point, 21 people had developed Alzheimer's disease, 27 still had mild cognitive impairment and eight people had reverted back to their normal cognitive health. Two people had developed frontotemporal dementia, and their results were not included in the analysis.
Researchers found that the people who developed Alzheimer's disease had significantly higher levels of a protein called soluble amyloid precursor protein beta (sAPPβ) in their spinal fluid than those who did not develop Alzheimer's disease. Those who developed Alzheimer's disease had an average of 1,200 nanograms per milliliter, compared to 932 for those who did not develop the disease.
The researchers found that the best predictor of whether someone would develop Alzheimer's disease was a combination of sAPPβ, the tau protein (an established marker of brain cell damage) and the age of the individual. When these factors were combined, the results were roughly 80 percent accurate in predicting whether the disease would develop.
The protein amyloid beta1-42, or Aβ1-42, which has previously been considered a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, was not a predictive factor in this study.
"These results suggest that sAPPβ as a biomarker may be useful and superior to the established marker Aβ1-42 in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease," Perneczky said.
"One possible explanation is that Aβ1-42 measures events further downstream from the initial steps that lead to the production of the amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. sAPPβ is a measure of the first critical step in that process and may therefore provide more accurate information on the core pathological events."
**Source: American Academy of Neurology
UCLA scientists accurately predict age with saliva sample
Self-conscious about your age? Careful where you spit. UCLA geneticists now can use saliva to reveal how old you are. The June 22 advance online edition of the Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE publishes the findings, which offer a myriad of potential applications. A newly patented test based on the research, for example, could offer crime-scene investigators a new forensic tool for pinpointing a suspect's age.
"Our approach supplies one answer to the enduring quest for reliable markers of aging," said principal investigator Dr. Eric Vilain, a professor of human genetics, pediatrics and urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "With just a saliva sample, we can accurately predict a person's age without knowing anything else about them."
Vilain and his colleagues looked at a process called methylation – a chemical modification of one of the four building blocks that make up our DNA.
"While genes partly shape how our body ages, environmental influences also can change our DNA as we age," explained Vilain. "Methylation patterns shift as we grow older and contribute to aging-related disease."
Using saliva samples contributed by 34 pairs of identical male twins ages 21 to 55, UCLA researchers scoured the men's genomes and identified 88 sites on the DNA that strongly correlated methylation to age. They replicated their findings in a general population of 31 men and 29 women aged 18 to 70.
Next, the scientists built a predictive model using two of the three genes with the strongest age-related linkage to methylation. When they plugged in the data from the twins' and the other group's saliva samples, they were able to correctly predict a person's age within five years – an unprecedented level of accuracy.
"Methylation's relationship with age is so strong that we can identify how old someone is by examining just two of the 3 billion building blocks that make up our genome," said first author Sven Bocklandt, a former UCLA geneticist now at Bioline.
Vilain and his team envision the test becoming a forensic tool in crime-scene investigations. By analyzing the traces of saliva left in a tooth bite or on a coffee cup, lab experts could narrow the age of a criminal suspect to a five-year range.
In a minority of the population, methylation does not correlate with chronological age. Using this data, scientists may one day be able to calculate a person's "bio-age" -- the measurement of a person's biological age versus their chronological age.
Physicians could evaluate the risk of age-related diseases in routine medical screenings and tailor interventions based on the patient's bio-age rather than their chronological age. Instead of requiring everyone to undergo a colonoscopy at age 50, for example, physicians would recommend preventive tests according to a person's bio-age.
"Doctors could predict your medical risk for a particular disease and customize treatment based on your DNA's true biological age, as opposed to how old you are," noted Vilain. "By eliminating costly and unnecessary tests, we could target those patients who really need them."
The UCLA team is currently exploring whether people with lower bio-age live longer and suffer less disease. They also are examining if the reverse is true -- whether higher bio-age is linked to a greater rate of disease and early death.
**Source: University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
"Our approach supplies one answer to the enduring quest for reliable markers of aging," said principal investigator Dr. Eric Vilain, a professor of human genetics, pediatrics and urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "With just a saliva sample, we can accurately predict a person's age without knowing anything else about them."
Vilain and his colleagues looked at a process called methylation – a chemical modification of one of the four building blocks that make up our DNA.
"While genes partly shape how our body ages, environmental influences also can change our DNA as we age," explained Vilain. "Methylation patterns shift as we grow older and contribute to aging-related disease."
Using saliva samples contributed by 34 pairs of identical male twins ages 21 to 55, UCLA researchers scoured the men's genomes and identified 88 sites on the DNA that strongly correlated methylation to age. They replicated their findings in a general population of 31 men and 29 women aged 18 to 70.
Next, the scientists built a predictive model using two of the three genes with the strongest age-related linkage to methylation. When they plugged in the data from the twins' and the other group's saliva samples, they were able to correctly predict a person's age within five years – an unprecedented level of accuracy.
"Methylation's relationship with age is so strong that we can identify how old someone is by examining just two of the 3 billion building blocks that make up our genome," said first author Sven Bocklandt, a former UCLA geneticist now at Bioline.
Vilain and his team envision the test becoming a forensic tool in crime-scene investigations. By analyzing the traces of saliva left in a tooth bite or on a coffee cup, lab experts could narrow the age of a criminal suspect to a five-year range.
In a minority of the population, methylation does not correlate with chronological age. Using this data, scientists may one day be able to calculate a person's "bio-age" -- the measurement of a person's biological age versus their chronological age.
Physicians could evaluate the risk of age-related diseases in routine medical screenings and tailor interventions based on the patient's bio-age rather than their chronological age. Instead of requiring everyone to undergo a colonoscopy at age 50, for example, physicians would recommend preventive tests according to a person's bio-age.
"Doctors could predict your medical risk for a particular disease and customize treatment based on your DNA's true biological age, as opposed to how old you are," noted Vilain. "By eliminating costly and unnecessary tests, we could target those patients who really need them."
The UCLA team is currently exploring whether people with lower bio-age live longer and suffer less disease. They also are examining if the reverse is true -- whether higher bio-age is linked to a greater rate of disease and early death.
**Source: University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
Homosexuals report more problems with prostate cancer drug than heterosexuals
Homosexual men taking bicalutamide for prostate cancer were much more likely to report sexual problems during treatment than heterosexual patients, according to a study in the July issue of the urology journal BJUI. Researchers from Romania and the USA studied 17 heterosexual men and 12 homosexual men receiving a 50mg daily dose of bicalutamide, a fast-acting, non-steroidal anti-androgen, which is similar to other anti-androgens, but with reportedly fewer side effects.
They discovered that homosexual men reported that their sexual performance and satisfaction more than halved in four of the six categories studied. Heterosexual men, on the other hand, reported fewer problems and were considerably more satisfied with intercourse.
The patients were asked to compare their sexual functioning - erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire and overall functioning – before treatment started and five weeks after it commenced.
"Anti-androgens are given to men with prostate cancer to stop the male hormones stimulating the growth of the cancer cells" explains Dr Ion G Motofei from Carol Davila University, Romania. "The aim of this study was to see whether this hormone treatment affected heterosexual and homosexual men in different ways and our results clearly show that it does.
"The homosexual patients in our study reported significant reductions in all aspects of their sexual functioning and satisfaction, ranging from 23 per cent to 54 per cent.
"However, the heterosexual group only reported slight reductions in two of the six categories, ranging from one per cent to four per cent. They also reported no change in one category and improvements in the remaining three, including a 45 per cent increase in intercourse satisfaction."
The 28 men had an average age of 61, with no significant difference between the heterosexual and homosexual patient groups. Each completed the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire. The detailed results showed that:
Overall sexual function: heterosexual men averaged 54.3 out of 75 before treatment, rising slightly to 56.1 during treatment. However the scores for the homosexual patients fell by 46 per cent from 52.9 to 28.7.
Erectile function: before treatment the groups averaged 25.1 and 24.5 out of 30. During treatment, the heterosexual group fell slightly to 24.1, while the homosexual group fell by 51 per cent to 12.1.
Orgasmic function: both groups were similar, averaging 7.1 and 7.2 out of 10 before treatment. The heterosexual group remained at 7.1, but the homosexual group fell by 54 per cent to 3.3 during treatment.
Sexual desire: before treatment the groups averaged 6.5 and 7.6 out of 10. The heterosexual group increased to 7.5 during treatment, but the homosexual group fell by 51 per cent to 3.7.
Intercourse satisfaction: the groups averaged 7.1 and 8.0 out of 15 before treatment. During treatment, the heterosexual group increased by 45 per cent to 10.3, while the homosexual group fell by 23 per cent to 6.2.
Overall satisfaction: the groups started with similar scores of 7.2 and 7.1 out of 10 before treatment. But while the heterosexual group fell very slightly to 7.1, the homosexual group fell by 52 per cent to 3.4.
"The results of our study suggest that androgens play a role in cerebral sexual processes such as libido, sexual arousal and orgasm and that this response may be different in heterosexual and homosexual men" says co-author Dr David L Rowland from Valparaiso University, Indiana, USA.
"However, it is important that we do not underestimate the effect that androgens can have on heterosexual men just because the effect on homosexual men appears to be greater."
**Source: Wiley-Blackwell
They discovered that homosexual men reported that their sexual performance and satisfaction more than halved in four of the six categories studied. Heterosexual men, on the other hand, reported fewer problems and were considerably more satisfied with intercourse.
The patients were asked to compare their sexual functioning - erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire and overall functioning – before treatment started and five weeks after it commenced.
"Anti-androgens are given to men with prostate cancer to stop the male hormones stimulating the growth of the cancer cells" explains Dr Ion G Motofei from Carol Davila University, Romania. "The aim of this study was to see whether this hormone treatment affected heterosexual and homosexual men in different ways and our results clearly show that it does.
"The homosexual patients in our study reported significant reductions in all aspects of their sexual functioning and satisfaction, ranging from 23 per cent to 54 per cent.
"However, the heterosexual group only reported slight reductions in two of the six categories, ranging from one per cent to four per cent. They also reported no change in one category and improvements in the remaining three, including a 45 per cent increase in intercourse satisfaction."
The 28 men had an average age of 61, with no significant difference between the heterosexual and homosexual patient groups. Each completed the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire. The detailed results showed that:
Overall sexual function: heterosexual men averaged 54.3 out of 75 before treatment, rising slightly to 56.1 during treatment. However the scores for the homosexual patients fell by 46 per cent from 52.9 to 28.7.
Erectile function: before treatment the groups averaged 25.1 and 24.5 out of 30. During treatment, the heterosexual group fell slightly to 24.1, while the homosexual group fell by 51 per cent to 12.1.
Orgasmic function: both groups were similar, averaging 7.1 and 7.2 out of 10 before treatment. The heterosexual group remained at 7.1, but the homosexual group fell by 54 per cent to 3.3 during treatment.
Sexual desire: before treatment the groups averaged 6.5 and 7.6 out of 10. The heterosexual group increased to 7.5 during treatment, but the homosexual group fell by 51 per cent to 3.7.
Intercourse satisfaction: the groups averaged 7.1 and 8.0 out of 15 before treatment. During treatment, the heterosexual group increased by 45 per cent to 10.3, while the homosexual group fell by 23 per cent to 6.2.
Overall satisfaction: the groups started with similar scores of 7.2 and 7.1 out of 10 before treatment. But while the heterosexual group fell very slightly to 7.1, the homosexual group fell by 52 per cent to 3.4.
"The results of our study suggest that androgens play a role in cerebral sexual processes such as libido, sexual arousal and orgasm and that this response may be different in heterosexual and homosexual men" says co-author Dr David L Rowland from Valparaiso University, Indiana, USA.
"However, it is important that we do not underestimate the effect that androgens can have on heterosexual men just because the effect on homosexual men appears to be greater."
**Source: Wiley-Blackwell
España: El Gobierno apoya al sector lácteo frente a la OCU
El informe de la Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU) que valora la calidad de las distintas marcas de leche entera en España ha despertado la indignación de la industria y ha provocado la reacción de los ministerios de Sanidad y Medio Ambiente, que se se han posicionado a favor de los productores lácteos.
"El sector aplica rigurosamente la actual legislación armonizada en la UE, con los requisitos legales y de autocontrol más exigentes de todo el mundo, lo que garantiza tanto la calidad como la seguridad alimentaria y consecuentemente los derechos de los consumidores", afirma el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino en una nota de prensa.
El Ministerio de Sanidad, por su parte, considera que "la calidad nutricional de la leche en España es excelente y mejor que hace 10 años", en contra de una de las principales conclusiones del informe de la OCU, el cual culpaba a la relajación de la normativa de un descenso de la calidad de la leche entera.
Leire Pajín, ministra de Sanidad, ha señalado, en cualquier caso, que su departamento está estudiando el informe de la OCU: "Lo miraremos con detalle y si tuviéramos que actuar lo haríamos", ha indicado la ministra, aunque ha añadido que, según la percepción del Ministerio, "la calidad de la leche debe ser mejor y no peor", dadas las mejores tecnologías y el avance en los medios de control.
-Sin detalles técnicos
La Federación Nacional de Industrias Lácteas, que agrupa al 90% de las empresas transformadoras de leche, ha manifestado la imposibilidad por parte de los productores de acceder a los detalles técnicos del mencionado estudio, ya que la organización de consumidores se niega a facilitárselos.
"No conocemos ni la metodología, ni los parámetros analizados", afirma a ELMUNDO.es Luis Calabozo, director general de la citada Federación. En cualquier caso, y en función de los resultados que ha presentado la OCU, los productores han tachado el trabajo de "temerario". "Lo único que nos inspira es un rechazo absoluto", añade Calabozo.
La industria láctea considera, además, que "el único que tiene poder para analizar es el Estado, que cuenta con laboratorios oficiales y acreditados", en palabras del también portavoz la Federación. En la misma línea, la cooperativa gallega Feiraco ha considerado que el informe "carece de importancia" por "no ser riguroso".
La OCU argumenta, por el contrario, que el estudio "se ha llevado a cabo con todo el rigor científico". "El laboratorio al que se ha recurrido para este análisis de la leche cuenta con la certificación de los requisitos que establece la norma ISO 9001:2008", asegura la organización.
-Cambio de normativa
En relación a la pérdida de calidad en la leche reflejada en el informe, la industria láctea niega que la normativa se haya relajado y argumenta que los procesos técnicos han mejorado: "Podemos afirmar que cualquiera de las marcas que se analicen tienen más calidad ahora que hace 10 años", concluye Calabozo.
La OCU, por su parte, ha reaccionado a la nota de prensa de Medio Ambiente, que ha sido el primer organismo público en pronunciarse. La organización de consumidores lamenta que el Ministerio dirigido por Rosa Aguilar "emita un comunicado posicionándose junto al sector lácteo e insinuando que la OCU ha puesto en duda la profesionalidad de todo el sector".
El organismo aclara también que "en ningún momento" ha hablado de "riesgo alguno para la seguridad alimentaria de los consumidores". "El estudio tan sólo critica la mala calidad de determinadas marcas", insiste la OCU.
**Publicado en "EL MUNDO"
"El sector aplica rigurosamente la actual legislación armonizada en la UE, con los requisitos legales y de autocontrol más exigentes de todo el mundo, lo que garantiza tanto la calidad como la seguridad alimentaria y consecuentemente los derechos de los consumidores", afirma el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino en una nota de prensa.
El Ministerio de Sanidad, por su parte, considera que "la calidad nutricional de la leche en España es excelente y mejor que hace 10 años", en contra de una de las principales conclusiones del informe de la OCU, el cual culpaba a la relajación de la normativa de un descenso de la calidad de la leche entera.
Leire Pajín, ministra de Sanidad, ha señalado, en cualquier caso, que su departamento está estudiando el informe de la OCU: "Lo miraremos con detalle y si tuviéramos que actuar lo haríamos", ha indicado la ministra, aunque ha añadido que, según la percepción del Ministerio, "la calidad de la leche debe ser mejor y no peor", dadas las mejores tecnologías y el avance en los medios de control.
-Sin detalles técnicos
La Federación Nacional de Industrias Lácteas, que agrupa al 90% de las empresas transformadoras de leche, ha manifestado la imposibilidad por parte de los productores de acceder a los detalles técnicos del mencionado estudio, ya que la organización de consumidores se niega a facilitárselos.
"No conocemos ni la metodología, ni los parámetros analizados", afirma a ELMUNDO.es Luis Calabozo, director general de la citada Federación. En cualquier caso, y en función de los resultados que ha presentado la OCU, los productores han tachado el trabajo de "temerario". "Lo único que nos inspira es un rechazo absoluto", añade Calabozo.
La industria láctea considera, además, que "el único que tiene poder para analizar es el Estado, que cuenta con laboratorios oficiales y acreditados", en palabras del también portavoz la Federación. En la misma línea, la cooperativa gallega Feiraco ha considerado que el informe "carece de importancia" por "no ser riguroso".
La OCU argumenta, por el contrario, que el estudio "se ha llevado a cabo con todo el rigor científico". "El laboratorio al que se ha recurrido para este análisis de la leche cuenta con la certificación de los requisitos que establece la norma ISO 9001:2008", asegura la organización.
-Cambio de normativa
En relación a la pérdida de calidad en la leche reflejada en el informe, la industria láctea niega que la normativa se haya relajado y argumenta que los procesos técnicos han mejorado: "Podemos afirmar que cualquiera de las marcas que se analicen tienen más calidad ahora que hace 10 años", concluye Calabozo.
La OCU, por su parte, ha reaccionado a la nota de prensa de Medio Ambiente, que ha sido el primer organismo público en pronunciarse. La organización de consumidores lamenta que el Ministerio dirigido por Rosa Aguilar "emita un comunicado posicionándose junto al sector lácteo e insinuando que la OCU ha puesto en duda la profesionalidad de todo el sector".
El organismo aclara también que "en ningún momento" ha hablado de "riesgo alguno para la seguridad alimentaria de los consumidores". "El estudio tan sólo critica la mala calidad de determinadas marcas", insiste la OCU.
**Publicado en "EL MUNDO"
Según un estudio las almohadas con más de dos años son un foco de gérmenes
¿Has pasado una noche agitada? Pues más intranquila serán las siguientes después de leer los resultados de un estudio dirigido por el Servicio Nacional de Salud británico según el cual, después de dos años, la dulce almohada sobre la que cada día caemos rendidos en los brazos de Morfeo es un verdadero foco de infección.
Según el estudio del Saint Barts Hospital, en colaboración con el National Health Service, después de dos años, un tercio de una almohada está compuesta por ácaros de polvo, secreciones de los mismos ácaros, piel muerta, bacterias y saliva.
Un nido de gérmenes y un terreno fértil para una gran diversidad de enfermedades que ha descubierto Art Tucker, un experto de este hospital británico.
El estudio ha sido publicado después de la realización de una investigación en los principales hospitales ingleses según el cual las almohadas estaban asociadas con la proliferación de infecciones y bacterias entre las cuales se encuentra el Estafilococo Áureo.
Según el estudio del Saint Barts Hospital, en colaboración con el National Health Service, después de dos años, un tercio de una almohada está compuesta por ácaros de polvo, secreciones de los mismos ácaros, piel muerta, bacterias y saliva.
Un nido de gérmenes y un terreno fértil para una gran diversidad de enfermedades que ha descubierto Art Tucker, un experto de este hospital británico.
El estudio ha sido publicado después de la realización de una investigación en los principales hospitales ingleses según el cual las almohadas estaban asociadas con la proliferación de infecciones y bacterias entre las cuales se encuentra el Estafilococo Áureo.
**Publicado en "ABC"
El estilo de vida de las grandes ciudades tiene consecuencias sobre nuestra salud
El tráfico, los atascos, los ruidos, las prisas... Vivir en una gran ciudad se asocia comúnmente con un mayor riesgo de sufrir ansiedad y trastornos en el estado de ánimo, algo que cualquier habitante de un centro urbano puede haber experimentado alguna vez por sí mismo. Pero no es solo un axioma, la vida en la ciudad puede afectar realmente al cerebro. Un equipo internacional de investigadores ha descrito por primera vez cómo los urbanitas sufren alteraciones en dos regiones cerebrales que regulan la emoción y el estrés. El descubrimiento, publicado en la revista Nature, que le ha concedido la portada, puede favorecer la creación de estrategias que mejoren la calidad de vida de los castigados y mortificados habitantes de los núcleos más densos.
«Resultados anteriores han demostrado que el riesgo de desórdenes de ansiedad es un 21% mayor para los habitantes de las ciudades, quienes también incrementan sus posibilidades de sufrir trastornos en el carácter en un 39%», explica Jens Pruessner, coautor del artículo e investigador en el Douglas Mental Health University Institute en Montreal (Canadá). «Además, la incidencia de la esquizofrenia es casi el doble en las personas que han nacido y crecido en las ciudades. Estos valores son un motivo de preocupación. Determinar los procesos biológicos que están detrás es un primer paso para poner remedio a esta tendencia», añade.
Desórdenes mentales
Junto con sus colegas del Instituto Central de Salud Mental en Mannheim, Pruessner observó la actividad cerebral de voluntarios sanos provenientes de áreas rurales y urbanas. En una serie de experimentos de resonancia magnética funcional, los investigadores comprobaron que la vida urbana está asociada con respuestas de mayor estrés en la amígdala, la zona del cerebro involucrada en la regulación del afecto y el estrés.
«Estos experimentos sugieren que las diferentes regiones del cerebro son sensibles a la experiencia de vivir en una ciudad en algún momento de la vida», afirma Pruessner. «Futuros estudios deben aclarar la relación entre la psicopatología y estas relaciones en los individuos con desórdenes mentales». A juicio de los investigadores, las políticas públicas de salud deberían tener en cuenta la indeseable contribución de las ciudades para volver loca a la gente.
«Resultados anteriores han demostrado que el riesgo de desórdenes de ansiedad es un 21% mayor para los habitantes de las ciudades, quienes también incrementan sus posibilidades de sufrir trastornos en el carácter en un 39%», explica Jens Pruessner, coautor del artículo e investigador en el Douglas Mental Health University Institute en Montreal (Canadá). «Además, la incidencia de la esquizofrenia es casi el doble en las personas que han nacido y crecido en las ciudades. Estos valores son un motivo de preocupación. Determinar los procesos biológicos que están detrás es un primer paso para poner remedio a esta tendencia», añade.
Desórdenes mentales
Junto con sus colegas del Instituto Central de Salud Mental en Mannheim, Pruessner observó la actividad cerebral de voluntarios sanos provenientes de áreas rurales y urbanas. En una serie de experimentos de resonancia magnética funcional, los investigadores comprobaron que la vida urbana está asociada con respuestas de mayor estrés en la amígdala, la zona del cerebro involucrada en la regulación del afecto y el estrés.
«Estos experimentos sugieren que las diferentes regiones del cerebro son sensibles a la experiencia de vivir en una ciudad en algún momento de la vida», afirma Pruessner. «Futuros estudios deben aclarar la relación entre la psicopatología y estas relaciones en los individuos con desórdenes mentales». A juicio de los investigadores, las políticas públicas de salud deberían tener en cuenta la indeseable contribución de las ciudades para volver loca a la gente.
**Publicado en "VOCENTO"
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