Lenstapes Med

Author: Ike Agyapong

  • Feel-good hormones: their effects on our mind, mood and body

    Feel-good hormones: their effects on our mind, mood and body

    Hormones are the chemical messengers in your body. Glands release hormones into your bloodstream, which work on various organs and tissues to control everything from your body’s function to your mood.

    One group of hormones are nicknamed the “feel-good hormones” because of the happy and, sometimes, euphoric feelings they produce. They’re also known as neurotransmitters, which implies they transport information between nerve cells. What are the four feel-good hormones? Dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.

    Simple lifestyle adjustments, such as diet, exercise, and meditation, can help you increase the levels of these hormones and possibly improve your mood in the process.

    Do you need a supplement?

    Diet, exercise, and spending time with the people you care about are all natural strategies to boost the amount of feel-good hormones in your brain. It’s tempting to go for a supplement as a fast pick-me-up in the effort to feel better and avoid depression.

    Supplementing these hormones isn’t necessary for most people. Supplements can also have unfavorable and even dangerous side effects in some situations. 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) tablets, for example, can aid to raise serotonin levels in the brain. However, their use has been associated to liver and brain damage, as well as eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS), an uncommon but potentially fatal disorder that affects the muscles, skin, and lungs.

    It’s a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any supplements to make sure the product you want to buy is safe for you. Unless you’re deficient in a certain hormone, you might not even require a supplement. If you have a disorder like Parkinson’s disease, which is characterised by abnormally low levels of one of these hormones, your doctor can prescribe medication to treat it.

     

    The following are links to articles that discuss each of the four feel-good hormones and how they function:

     

  • Serotonin: The natural mood booster

    Serotonin: The natural mood booster

    Serotonin can stave off depression and provide a feeling a euphoria

    When you’re happy and everything seems to be going well, you’re experiencing the impacts of serotonin. This hormone is responsible for a variety of actions, including mood enhancement.

    Where is serotonin produced?

    Serotonin is produced in the brainstem’s center, which then acts on many different parts of the brain to affect a variety of functions and behaviors, including:

    • memory
    • fear
    • the stress response
    • digestion
    • addiction
    • sexuality
    • sleep
    • breathing
    • body temperature

    How to increase serotonin

    Serotonin deficiency has been linked to depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are the most often used antidepressants. They function by raising serotonin levels in the brain.

    It’s also possible to boost serotonin levels without resorting to medication. Working out is a natural approach to boost serotonin levels. Your body releases more tryptophan, the amino acid that your brain uses to make serotonin, when you ride a bicycle or lift weights. This boost in serotonin (along with other endorphins and other neurotransmitters) is why many people get that feeling of euphoria known as a “runner’s high” after an intense workout. 

    Another option to naturally boost serotonin levels is to expose yourself to the sun or a bright light that mimics it. Light therapy is one of the most common therapies for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the winter blues caused by a decline in serotonin levels.

    It’s a little more difficult to get more serotonin from meals. Tryptophan is abundant in protein-rich foods like turkey, but our bodies don’t convert it to serotonin very well. When you combine turkey with other high-protein foods, the protein is broken down into amino acids, which compete with tryptophan for passage through the blood-brain barrier (the border that prevents potentially harmful substances from reaching your brain). As a result, less tryptophan gets into the brain.

    Complex carbohydrate sources, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, are one way to get more tryptophan into your brain. When you eat these carbs, your body creates insulin, which helps your muscles absorb more amino acids, giving tryptophan a better chance at reaching your brain.

    Serotonin is just one of the four feel-good hormones.

    Source: Harvard Health Publishing

  • Dopamine: The pathway to pleasure

    Dopamine: The pathway to pleasure

    Dopamine can provide an intense feeling of reward.

    Dopamine is most notably involved in helping us feel pleasure as part of the brain’s reward system. Sex, shopping, and smelling pie baking in the oven can all cause dopamine release, often known as a “dopamine rush.”

    This feel-good neurotransmitter also plays a role in reinforcement. That is why, after tasting one of those pies, we may return for another (or two, or three). Dopamine’s darker side is the powerful sense of reward people get when they use narcotics like heroin or cocaine, which can lead to addiction.

    Dopamine is involved in these functions as well:

    • learning and attention
    • mood
    • movement
    • heart rate
    • kidney function
    • blood vessel function
    • sleep
    • pain processing
    • lactation

    Where is dopamine produced?

    Dopamine is produced in a two-step process by neurons in the brain’s base. The amino acid tyrosine is first transformed into L-dopa, a different amino acid. Then L-dopa undergoes another change, as enzymes turn it into dopamine.

    Parkinson’s disease is characterized by stiff movements caused by a lack of dopamine. Although serotonin shortage is more commonly associated to depression, research show that a dopamine deficiency can also contribute to a down mood. People with depression, in particular, frequently lack motivation and concentration.

    Because tyrosine is used to make dopamine, consuming more of this amino acid through diet may help to increase dopamine levels in the brain. A diet high in tyrosine has been shown to increase memory and mental performance.

    Foods high in tyrosine include:

    • chicken and other types of poultry
    • dairy foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
    • avocadoes
    • bananas
    • pumpkin and sesame seeds
    • soy

    There is also evidence that when we meditate, the brain releases more dopamine. Its release could be triggered by a change in consciousness that occurs during meditation.

    Dopamine is just one of the four feel-good hormones.

    Source: Harvard Health Publishing

  • Endorphins: The brain’s natural pain reliever

    Endorphins: The brain’s natural pain reliever

    Endorphins can also release stress and create a feeling of well-being.

    The body’s natural painkillers are endorphins. Endorphins are peptide hormones released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in reaction to pain or stress. They relieve pain while also creating a general sense of well-being.

    The term “endogenous morphine” inspired the naming of these hormones. They’re called “endogenous” since they’re made in our bodies. Morphine is the name of the opioid painkiller that they imitate.

    There are around 20 different types of endorphins.  The best studied of these is beta-endorphin, which is the one associated with the runner’s high. When we laugh, fall in love, have sex, or simply eat a good meal, endorphins are released.

    How to release endorphins

    These exercises will help you release more endorphins in your body:

    • Exercise: Endorphins tend to be released best at a reasonably intense tempo, whether you’re walking fast or doing another aerobic activity.
    • Acupuncture: Pressure points are an excellent strategy to release endorphins. Endorphins are released when fine needles are inserted into the skin at certain places on the body.
    • Meditation: Breathing deeply and concentrating your thoughts helps to relax your mind and relieve pain.
    • Sex: These hormones are responsible for the euphoric feeling many of us experience after having sex. Endorphins, according to experts, boost the release of other hormones involved in love sensations.
    • Playing music: You do more than entertain others when you sing, dance, or beat a drum. You also release a burst of endorphins, which may help you tolerate pain better, according to research.
    • Laughter: A nice belly laugh may make a huge difference in your mood. Laughter affects serotonin and dopamine levels in addition to releasing endorphins.
    • Ultraviolet light: It’s no surprise that spending time outside in the sun makes some individuals happy. The release of beta-endorphins in the skin is stimulated by ultraviolet light.

    Endorphins is just one of the four feel-good hormones.

    Source: Harvard Health Publishing

  • Oxytocin: The Love Hormone

    Oxytocin: The Love Hormone

    Oxytocin can help us bond with loved ones and can be released through touch, music and exercise.

    Oxytocin is a hormone that’s produced in the hypothalamus, which is then released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

    Its primary function is to promote childbirth, which is one of the reasons it is called the “love drug” or “love hormone.” Oxytocin causes the contraction of uterine muscles while also increasing the production of prostaglandins, which also intensify uterine contractions. Oxytocin is sometimes given to women whose labor takes too long to progress to speed up the process. Once the baby is born, oxytocin aids in the movement of milk from the breast ducts to the nipple, as well as fostering a bond between mother and baby.

    When we’re excited by our sexual partner or when we fall in love, our bodies produce oxytocin. As a result, it’s been dubbed “love hormone” and “cuddle hormone.”

    How to increase oxytocin

    Low levels of oxytocin have been associated to depression symptoms, including postpartum depression. Researchers have been looking into whether providing oxytocin in the form of a pill or a nasal spray could help with anxiety and depression, but the results so far have been discouraging. This is partly due to the fact that this hormone has a great difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier.

    Exercise is a more promising strategy to naturally enhance oxytocin levels. After high-intensity martial arts training, oxytocin levels in participants’ saliva increased, according to one study. Music also appears to increase oxytocin levels, especially when people sing in a group, which adds the element of bonding.

    The simple act of touching seems to increase oxytocin release. Giving someone a massage, cuddling, making love, or hugging them increases the levels of this hormone and a greater sense of well-being.

    Oxytocin is just one of the four feel-good hormones, with the others being dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

    Source: Harvard Health Publishing

  • WOMAN CURED OF HIV

    WOMAN CURED OF HIV

    According to a presentation at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) on Tuesday 15th February, a woman with HIV who got a cord blood stem cell transplant to treat acute myeloid leukemia has had no detectable HIV levels for 14 months despite stopping antiretroviral medication (ART). This is the third documented case of HIV remission following a stem cell transplant. The study which was led by Yvonne Bryson, M.D., of the University of California Los Angeles, and Deborah Persaud, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, was conducted by the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trial Network (IMPAACT) P1107 observational study. 

    The IMPAACT P1107 study, which began in 2015, was a U.S.-based observational study that aimed to describe the outcomes of up to 25 HIV-positive people who received a CCR5Δ32/Δ32 cord blood stem cell transplant for the treatment of cancer, hematopoietic illness, or some other underlying disease. As a result of the genetic mutation CCR5Δ32/Δ32, missing cells lack CCR5 co-receptors, which is what HIV uses to infect cells.  

    Scientists theorize that persons with HIV establish an HIV-resistant immune system by eliminating cancerous immune cells with chemotherapy and then transplanting stem cells with the CCR5 genetic mutation.

    Scanning electron micrograph of an HIV-infected H9 T cell, colorized in Halloween colors. NIAID
    Scanning electron micrograph of an HIV-infected H9 T cell, colorized in Halloween colors. Source: NIAID

    The case presented at the CROI meeting features a woman of mixed race origin who had been on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for four years when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. After chemotherapy, she was able to attain remission from acute myeloid leukemia. The participant’s HIV was well-controlled yet detectable before the stem cell transplant. In 2017, she received a donation of CCR5Δ32/Δ32 cord blood stem cells from a relative, along with adult donor cells (called haplo cells). She engrafted with 100 percent cord blood cells at day 100 after the stem cell transplant and had no detectable HIV. The patient stopped using ART 37 months after the transplant.

    Two examples of HIV remission following a stem cell transplant had previously been reported. The first, a Caucasian male known as the “Berlin patient,” had HIV remission for 12 years and was declared HIV-free; he died of leukemia in September 2020. For more than 30 months, the “London patient” (a Latino man) has been HIV-free. According to the study team, this third case of HIV remission suggests that CCR5Δ32/Δ32 cord stem cell transplantation should be considered to achieve HIV remission and cure in persons living with HIV who need such a transplant for other conditions.

    Source: NIH

  • COVID-19 vaccines linked to slight increase in menstrual cycle length

    COVID-19 vaccines linked to slight increase in menstrual cycle length

  • GLAUCOMA

    GLAUCOMA

    Glaucoma is an eye illness that causes damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to visual loss that is permanent. It is one of the most common causes of blindness in those over the age of 60. Glaucoma is frequently linked to an increase in pressure in the eye.

    A fluid called aqueous humor normally circulates around the eye. It’s largely water with a minor amount of nutrients to keep the cornea and lens healthy. This fluid drains through the trabecular meshwork at the corner where the cornea and iris meet after bathing the eye.

    In glaucoma, either too much fluid is produced or it does not drain adequately. The fluid builds up inside the eye, causing pressure to rise and damage to the optic nerve.

    Types of glaucoma

    Glaucoma comes in three main forms:

    1. Open-angle glaucoma: This is the most frequent type of the condition. It happens when small deposits build up in the drainage channels of the eye, gradually obstructing them. The canals look to be open and in good working order. The deposits, however, accumulate over months or years, causing fluid to build up which puts pressure on the optic nerve. Because most people don’t have symptoms, the condition might go unnoticed for years.

    2. Angle-closure (Closed-angle) glaucoma: The trabecular meshwork narrows or becomes obstructed suddenly, causing a rapid increase in eye pressure.

    3. Normal-tension glaucoma: Despite having normal eye pressure readings, the optic nerve is damaged.

    Risk factors

    • A family history of glaucoma
    • Age (60 and over, or age 40 and over for African Americans)
    • Increased eye pressure
    • Thin cornea
    • Very severe nearsightedness
    • Eye surgery or injury
    • High blood pressure or cardiovascular disease
    • Diabetes
    • Use of corticosteroid medicines

    Glaucoma symptoms

    Symptoms do not usually develop until the optic nerve has been severely injured. This is why this condition is known as the “quiet thief of sight.” Glaucoma causes blind spots in the peripheral (side) and central vision in its later stages.

    Angle-closure glaucoma manifests itself abruptly, with symptoms such as these:

    • Severe pain in the eye or forehead
    • Blurred or reduced vision
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Headache
    • Eye redness
    • Halos around lights

    Anyone who has these symptoms should see an eye doctor as soon as possible.

    Diagnosis

    • Tonometry: measures pressure by blowing a puff of air into the eye.
    • Pachymetry: is a measurement of the cornea’s thickness, which is the clear front section of the eye.
    • Visual field test: the peripheral (side) vision is measured.
    • Dilated eye exam: The optic nerve is examined with a light and magnifying glass.
    • Gonioscopy: A unique mirrored lens is inserted into the eye to allow the doctor to observe the angle between the cornea and the iris.

    Treatment

    Glaucoma damage to the eyes is irreversible, so it’s critical to get treatment as soon as possible. Medicated eye drops, laser treatment, and surgery are all options for treating glaucoma, depending on the kind of glaucoma.

    Eye drops

    Eye drops relieve eye pressure in one of two ways. Some drops aid in the drainage of fluid from the eye:

    • Prostaglandins –  bimatoprost (Lumigan), latanoprost (Xalatan), and travoprost (Travatan Z)
    • Rho kinase inhibitor – netarsudil (Rhopressa)
    • Nitric oxides – latanoprostene bunod (Vyzulta)
    • Miotic or cholinergic agents – pilocarpine (Isopto Carpine)

    Other drops reduce the amount of fluid produced by the eye:

    • Alpha-adrenergic agonists – apraclonidine (Iopidine) and brimonidine (Alphagan P, Qoliana)
    • Beta blockers – betaxolol (Betoptic) and timolol (Betimol, Istalol, Timoptic)
    • Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors – brinzolamide (Azopt) and dorzolamide (Trusopt)

    These drugs may cause the following side effects:

    • Stinging, burning, or redness in the eye
    • Blurry vision
    • Red skin around the eyes
    • Dry mouth
    • Changes in energy level, breathing, or heartbeat.

    Laser surgery

    The fluid in the eye is allowed to drain through an opening created by laser surgery. The kind of glaucoma determines which procedure is used:
    • Trabeculoplasty treats open-angle glaucoma
    • Iridotomy treats angle-closure glaucoma

    The effects of laser surgery may take four to six weeks to manifest, and not everyone will see improvement. Dryness, edema, and discomfort are all possible side effects of surgery.

    Open Surgery

    Doctors can undertake open surgery to construct a new channel for the aqueous humor to drain if drugs and laser surgery don’t work or aren’t an option for open-angle glaucoma.

    Trabeculectomy is a procedure that involves cutting a small aperture in the sclera (the white area of the eye) beneath the eyelid, where it is not visible. In the clear part in front of the sclera – the conjunctiva – the surgeon also makes a little bubble called a bleb. The fluid then flows out of the eye and into the bleb via the flap.

     

    Sources: Harvard health publishing
                    Clevaland clinic
     
  • LESSONS OF 2021 NOBEL PRIZE

    LESSONS OF 2021 NOBEL PRIZE

    Bring 2021 Nobel Prizes into the classroom!

    From receptors for temperature and contact to organocatalysis. A compassionate voice of the consequences of colonialism to efforts to protect freedom of expression. Understanding complex frameworks to new bits of knowledge about the work market.  Now you can show your students the accomplishments granted the current year’s Nobel Prizes in a straightforward manner.

    Choose a lesson that covers all of the rewards for 2021 or a session that focuses on a single prize category. They can be found here: https://bit.ly/3macaqm

  • WHO APPROVES HISTORIC RTS,S MALARIA VACCINE

    WHO APPROVES HISTORIC RTS,S MALARIA VACCINE

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children in Sub-Saharan Africa and other places with moderate to high Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission get the RTS,S /AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine. The proposal is based on the outcomes of a trial program that has touched over 800,000 children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi since 2019.

    The mortality rate of malaria is over 500,000 people each year in Africa, with about half of them being children. The new vaccine isn’t flawless, but experts believe it will help turn the tide.

    “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”

    Malaria kills over half a million people per year, almost entirely in Sub-Saharan Africa, including 260,000 children under the age of five. GlaxoSmithKline’s new vaccine stimulates a child’s immune system to fight Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of the five malaria infections and the most common in Africa.

    The vaccine was approved by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, the first stage in a procedure that should lead to widespread distribution in low-income countries.

    Having a safe, moderately effective, and ready-to-distribute malaria vaccine is “a historic event,” said Dr. Pedro Alonso, director of the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme. 

    The vaccine, also known as Mosquirix, is not only a novelty against malaria, but also the first to be developed against any parasitic disease. Parasites are much more complex than viruses or bacteria, and the search for a malaria vaccine has been going on for a hundred years.

    “It’s a huge jump from the science perspective to have a first-generation vaccine against a human parasite,” Dr. Alonso said.

    A nurse discussed the new malaria vaccine at the Ewim Polyclinic in Cape Coast, Ghana. More than 2.3 million doses have been administered, reaching more than 800,000 children. Image credit: Getty Images

    The vaccine, RTS,S, produced by UK pharmaceutical firm GSK, reduced hospitalizations for severe malaria by 30% in a pilot study in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. Between 2001 and 2015, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided catalytic financing for the late-stage development of RTS,S.

    The RTS,S vaccine is the first and only one to demonstrate such promising outcomes, but because it must be given in three doses, one month apart, with a fourth dose a year later, the WHO needed to observe how it functioned in a “real-world” context before approving it.  The pilot study will be continued in the three pilot nations in order to determine the additional value of the fourth vaccination dose and to assess the long-term impact on child mortality.

    A recent study revealed that using the vaccine in conjunction with preventative medicines given to children during high-transmission seasons was far more successful than using either strategy alone in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

    In the context of comprehensive malaria control, WHO advises that the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine be administered to prevent P. falciparum malaria in children residing in WHO-defined moderate to high transmission areas. The RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine should be given to children starting at the age of 5 months on a four-dose regimen to reduce malaria illness and burden.

     

    Sources: WHO

                     Sky news

                     The New York Times
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