New Frontiers

NEW FRONTIERS NEW FRONTIERS: RESEARCH ROUND UP

INTERESTING NEW RESEARCH OF INTEREST TO HOLISTIC THERAPISTS AND THEIR CLIENTS…

ALZHEIMER’S: PROTEINS IN BLOOD COULD INDICATE DISEASE FIVE YEARS EARLIER

The development of dementia in later life has been associated with the presence of abnormal blood levels of dozens of proteins up to five years earlier, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Most of these proteins were not known to be linked to dementia before, suggesting new targets for prevention therapies.

The research team examined over 10,000 blood samples from middle-aged and elderly people which had been stored during large-scale studies decades ago as part of an ongoing study. The researchers linked abnormal blood levels of 38 proteins to higher risks of developing Alzheimer’s within five years. Of those 38 proteins, 16 appeared to predict Alzheimer’s risk two decades in advance.

Although most of these risk markers may be only incidental by-products of the slow disease process that leads to Alzheimer’s, the analysis pointed to high levels of one protein, SVEP1, as a likely causal contributor to that disease process.

SVEP1 is a protein whose normal functions remain somewhat mysterious, although in a study published earlier this year it was linked to the thickened artery condition, atherosclerosis, which underlies heart attacks and strokes.

Other proteins associated with Alzheimer’s risk in the new study included several key immune proteins -- which is consistent with previous of findings linking Alzheimer’s to abnormally intense immune activity in the brain. Ref: 10.1038/s43587-

021-00064-0

INJURY RECOVERY: ICING MUSCLE INJURIES MAY DELAY RECOVERY

It’s common to recommend treating sports and other muscle injuries with ice, as part of the RICE protocol which involves Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. However, a new mouse model study suggests that icing injured muscles may delay muscle regeneration. The research results revealed that applying an ice pack to a severe muscle injury resulting from eccentric contraction may prolong the time it takes to heal.

The cause of this phenomenon is that icing delays the arrival of pro-inflammatory macrophages, which are responsible for the phagocytosis, or removal, of damaged tissue. Furthermore, this makes difficult for the macrophages to sufficiently infiltrate the damaged muscle cells. Two weeks after the injury, the researchers noted a significantly higher percentage of smaller regenerated muscle fibres were found in cross-sections from the icing group, with a greater number of medium to large fibres in the non-icing group. In other words, this revealed that skeletal muscle regeneration may be delayed as a result of icing.

COGNITIVE FUNCTION: MEDITATIVE PRACTICE AND SPIRITUAL WELLBEING MAY PRESERVE COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN AGING

By 2050, projections suggest that up to 152 million people worldwide will have Alzheimer’s disease. A paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, finds that spiritual fitness, a new concept in allopathic medicine - but one familiar to many holistic therapists - that centres on psychological and spiritual wellbeing, and Kirtan Kriya, a simple 12-minute meditative practice, may reduce multiple risk factors for AD.

According to the study, religious and spiritual involvement can preserve cognitive function as we age. The authors observe that today, spirituality is often experienced outside the context of an organized religion and may be part of every religion or separate to it. Spiritual fitness is a new dimension in AD prevention, interweaving basic, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. Psychological wellbeing may reduce inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and

disability. Those who have a high score on a “purpose in life” (PIL) measure, a component of psychological wellbeing, were 2.4 times more likely to remain free of AD than individuals with low PIL. In another study, participants who reported higher levels of PIL exhibited better cognitive function, and further, PIL protected those with already existing pathological conditions, thus slowing their decline.

Kirtan Kriya (KK) is a 12-minute singing meditation that involves four sounds, breathing, and repetitive finger movements. It has multiple documented effects on stress, such as improving sleep, decreasing depression, and increasing wellbeing. It has also been found to increase blood flow to areas of the brain involved in cognition and emotional regulation and increases grey matter volume and decreases ventricular size in long-term practitioners, which may slow brain

aging. Ref: 10.3233/JAD-201433

WELLBEING: A NEW APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING OUR WELLBEING

Wellbeing has emerged as a key social metric over the past few years, at a national, corporate and individual level. Governments track levels of happiness and wellbeing while many businesses have wellbeing policies designed to reduce workplace stress.

A Swansea University paper highlights the importance of taking a wider approach to wellbeing and how it can be influenced by issues such as inequality and anthropogenic climate change, meaning that we require a transdisciplinary framework to help understand and improve wellbeing.

Lead author Professor Kemp said explained, “We define wellbeing as positive psychological experience, promoted by connections to self, community and environment, supported by healthy vagal function, all of which are impacted by sociocontextual factors that lie beyond the control of the individual.”

“Globalisation, urbanisation and technological advancements have meant that humans have become increasingly disconnected from nature. This continues despite research showing that contact with nature improves wellbeing.”

The research reveals the advantages to health and wellbeing derived from connecting to oneself, others and nature and emphasises a need for focused efforts to tackle major societal issues that affect our capacity for connection.

He added: “The poorest are disproportionally impacted by major societal challenges including increasing burden of chronic disease, societal loneliness and anthropogenic climate change.

“Economic inequality has adverse impacts on the entire population, not just the poor, so improving economic inequality is fundamental to improving population wellbeing.” Ref: 10.3389/

fpsyg.2021.642093

STRESS REDUCTION: EATING MORE FRUIT AND VEG MAY HELP

A new Australian study examined the link between fruit and vegetable intake and stress levels of more than 8,600 Australians aged between 25 and 91 participating in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study from the Heart and Diabetes Institute.

The findings revealed people who ate at least 470 grams of fruit and vegetables daily had 10 per cent lower stress levels than those who consumed less than 230 grams. The findings support the supposition that diet plays a key role in mental wellbeing. UK figures suggest that under one in three adults reaches the WHO suggested lower threshold of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day. This lower limit, equivalent to five portions of fruit and veg each day, reduces the risks of chronic diseases, e.g. heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Ref:

10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043

MENTAL HEALTH: MEANINGFUL MOVIES HELP WITH LIFE’S DIFFICULTIES

A study published by a team from Ohio State University showed that watching films we find moving and poignant can make us feel more prepared to deal with life’s challenges and want to be a better person, a new study found. The findings point to one reason why people may choose to see movies that make them sad as well as happy and that may explore difficult subjects that aren’t always uplifting.

Results showed that people who recalled a meaningful movie were more likely than the others to say the film helped them make sense of difficulties in life. For example, the film helped them “feel like struggles in life are for a reason” and “more easily handle difficult situations with grace and courage.”

The study found that the key elements of these films were their poignancy, the mixture of happiness and sadness; their emotional range; and their ability to make people feel elevated and inspired by watching them. Ref:

10.1080/15205436.2021.1912774 n