Latest news with #FraminghamHeartStudy
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Research Says Chores Will Make Your Child A Happier Adult
When we give our kids a chore list, they're often extremely unhappy about it. However, the latest research suggests that this unhappiness is temporary and that taking on more chores will lead to a happier and more successful adulthood. We can draw some fairly obvious correlations here, for example, a new adult in his first shared living situation (whether in a dorm, with roommates, or with a romantic partner) will have smoother relationships if he has the basic skills of washing his dishes, or mopping up when he tracks mud into the house. However, some recent research suggests that it goes deeper than that, and that one key is in how the chores are presented. To be clear, the data from a long-running Harvard study on happiness is frequently conflated with other studies regarding the effects of childhood chores. According to Piccalio, this conflation appears to have originated from a TED Talk by an author who cited data from research on childhood chores, but may have misattributed the source. The Harvard study, which examined data on happiness, focused on how happiness spreads through social networks (i.e., groups of people, not social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter). It turns out that this does relate directly to the positive effect of chores during childhood. Why? Because, as pointed out on Inc, the type of chores given and the way they're presented have a direct effect on how one interacts with their social circle. The Framingham Heart Study followed over 4,000 participants for 20 years, examining their happiness and its impact on their social networks. They found that both happiness and unhappiness surface in 'clusters,' and can spread across three degrees of separation, that is, if your child is friends with Bob, Bob is friends with Sally, and Sally is friends with Nate, your child's happiness can be connected to Nate's, and vice versa. They saw a stronger connection between the happiness of two friends or family members who live within a mile of each other, and significant connections between spouses who live together, as well as with people and their neighbors. The study describes happiness as something that can be spread among social groups by what is known as 'social contagion,' and notes that it's even visible in customer service, where the result of pleasant interactions can be seen in customer satisfaction. The Inc. article linked above suggests that when parents assign chores to children, they can help forge a connection to collective effort and community. The idea is that you don't just have your child wash the dishes; you have a conversation about how chores affect the family unit. You discuss that while Joe is washing everyone's dishes, including Jane's, Jane is sweeping by the front door, clearing debris that everyone, including Joe, may have tracked in; it's a sharing that makes everyone better off. Outside, this connection to the community becomes even more apparent because when your child mows the lawn, it has a positive impact on your neighbors. When your neighbor mows their lawn, it has a positive effect on your family. It's about chores, not as busywork or a way to earn an allowance, but as a key part of building a community, which teaches kids the idea of empathy, sharing, and interconnectedness. Other studies have examined the effect of chores on kids' development and well-being. A study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found that children who had been assigned chores by kindergarten performed better in several metrics. 'The frequency of chores in kindergarten was positively associated with a child's perception of social, academic, and life satisfaction competencies in the third grade…Compared with children who regularly performed chores, children who rarely performed chores had greater odds of scoring in the bottom quintile on self-reported prosocial, academic ability, peer relationship, and life satisfaction scores. Kids who do chores at home, the study found, are also better at math by the third grade! Psychology Today examined other studies and found that overall, the results show that chores have a positive effect on kids' ability to manage health concerns, as well as on memory and impulse control! Giving your kids chores will equip them with the tools for a more aware, socially connected, successful, and happy adulthood. Children should start practicing basic self-care tasks (such as washing, brushing their teeth, and putting on socks) as soon as they're ready, beginning with adult guidance and gradually transitioning to being personally responsible for them. Household tasks can begin with taking care of their belongings — putting their books back on the shelf, toys back in the box, and shoes by the door. As kids take on more tasks, an emphasis on how these tasks relate to family connectedness and community will help them develop into adults with a sense of personal responsibility. In turn, this may strengthen connections with friends, roommates, classmates, romantic partners, and loved ones, thanks to better self-awareness and more recently wrote about the best chore apps for kids, which may be a great starting point on your journey to getting your children involved around the house.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Want to boost brain health? Scientists recommed finding a person with THIS quality
Having someone who listens attentively may significantly boost cognitive resilience, according to a recent study. Researchers found that adults with readily available listeners demonstrated better cognitive function, even with age-related brain volume loss. This social support could potentially slow cognitive aging and delay Alzheimer's symptoms. Keeping the brain sharp is crucial for overall well-being. From cognition, memory, and emotional regulation, a healthy brain plays a key role in how we function daily. While we often turn to puzzles, exercise, and diet to maintain brain health, scientists now say something much simpler, yet often overlooked, could be just as powerful: having someone who listens! A study published in JAMA Network found a link between having someone you can count on to listen to you when you need to talk, with improved cognitive resilience. A person who is all ears According to the study, adults who have access to a good listener, a person who is available most or all of the time to provide emotional support, show significantly better cognitive resilience. This interaction will help the brain from declining, even with aging or diseases like Alzheimer's. 'We think of cognitive resilience as a buffer to the effects of brain aging and disease. This study adds to growing evidence that people can take steps, either for themselves or the people they care about most, to increase the odds they'll slow down cognitive aging or prevent the development of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease—something that is all the more important given that we still don't have a cure for the disease,' lead researcher Joel Salinas said. About 5 million people in America are living with Alzheimer's disease, a progressive condition that affects mostly those over 65. This condition interferes with memory, language, decision-making, and the ability to live independently. Salinas added that the results of this study indicate that people younger than 65 would benefit from social support. For every unit of brain volume loss, people in their 40s and 50s who had fewer listeners showed cognitive abilities similar to someone four years older than those who had more listeners. 'These four years can be incredibly precious. Too often, we think about how to protect our brain health when we're much older, after we've already lost a lot of time decades before to build and sustain brain-healthy habits. But today, right now, you can ask yourself if you truly have someone available to listen to you in a supportive way, and ask your loved ones the same. Taking that simple action sets the process in motion for you to ultimately have better odds of long-term brain health and the best quality of life you can have,' Salinas said. The study Researchers analyzed data from 2,171 participants in the Framingham Heart Study, one of the longest-running community-based studies in the U.S., with an average participant age of 63. The participants self-reported about the various types of social support they have, including access to someone who listens, offers good advice, and provides emotional support. The cognitive resilience of the participants was measured as the relative effect of total cerebral brain volume on global cognition, using MRI scans and neuropsychological assessments. Lower brain volumes tend to be associated with lower cognitive function. The researchers examined the modifying effect of individual forms of social support on the relationship between cerebral volume and cognitive performance. They found that the cognitive function of individuals with greater availability of one specific form of social support was higher relative to their total cerebral volume. This particular form of 'social support' was the availability of a listener, and it was linked with increased cognitive resilience. What you should do 'Loneliness is one of the many symptoms of depression, and has other health implications for patients. These kinds of questions about a person's social relationships and feelings of loneliness can tell you a lot about a patient's broader social circumstances, their future health, and how they're really doing outside of the clinic,' Salinas said. Researchers noted that further study is required for further understanding of the biological mechanisms that link psychosocial factors to brain health. 'While there is still a lot that we don't understand about the specific biological pathways between psychosocial factors like listener availability and brain health, this study gives clues about concrete, biological reasons why we should all seek good listeners and become better listeners ourselves,' Salinas concluded. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UT Health San Antonio researchers discover new links between heart disease and dementia
Research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has discovered new associations between various lipid, or fat, levels in the blood and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. SAN ANTONIO, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- People who are at higher risk for heart disease also seem more likely to develop dementia. And research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has discovered new associations between various lipid, or fat, levels in the blood and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia worldwide. The findings mean that using blood lipid profiles could help better understand, predict and possibly even prevent the disease in the future. In more than 800 older adults who were part of the long-running Framingham Heart Study, the researchers found that higher levels of small dense cholesterol particles – which are known to increase the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease – were associated with higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. However, higher levels of a marker for small fat-carrying particles, which are involved in the transport of dietary fats from the gut to other body tissues through the blood after eating, were associated with lower risk of developing the disease. Perhaps ironically, the researchers also discovered that individuals who had the lowest levels of highly dense cholesterol particles – often referred to as "good cholesterol" as it is considered protective against cardiovascular disease – had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to the rest of the included individuals. "These findings highlight the complex relationships of blood lipids with both heart and brain health, suggesting the possibility of certain blood lipids playing different roles in cardiovascular disease and dementia-related biological processes," said Sokratis Charisis, MD, a researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. Charisis is first author of the study published May 30 in the journal Neurology, titled, "Association of Blood Lipoprotein Levels With Incident Alzheimer's Disease in Community-Dwelling Individuals: The Framingham Heart Study." Other authors include corresponding author Sudha Seshadri, MD, director of the Biggs Institute, and researchers from Boston University School of Public Health, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Framingham Heart Study. A community-based analysis The new study notes that dementia is a leading source of morbidity and mortality in the aging population. Worldwide, there were 57.4 million people living with dementia in 2019, a number that is expected to reach 152.8 million by 2050. However, there is a general trend over time of decreasing incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the U.S. and other higher-income countries that is at least partially attributed to better management of cardiovascular risk factors. The Framingham Heart Study is an ongoing, community-based cohort study that was launched in 1948 in Framingham, Massachusetts. Residents there ages 30 to 59 were randomly selected from census data to participate. Those with definite signs of cardiovascular disease at baseline were excluded. Participants of the original cohort have undergone up to 32 examinations performed every two years, which have included detailed history-taking by a physician, a physical examination and lab testing. The latest analysis by researchers led by UT Health San Antonio included participants from the original cohort who were 60 years or older and free of dementia during an examination period of 1985-1988, and had available cognitive follow-up and lipoprotein marker data. Lipoproteins act as a transport system for lipids in the bloodstream. Blood lipid levels and dementia Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or good cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or "bad cholesterol"; small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C); and other lipoprotein types associated with heart disease were measured in blood samples obtained from the mid- to late-'80s examination period. The Framingham participants were watched for incident Alzheimer's disease, meaning a first diagnosis of the disease, until 2020. Of a total of 822 participants, 128 developed incident Alzheimer's disease. The researchers discovered that an increase of 1 standard deviation unit (SDU) of a concentration of small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C), a value representing how far a specific data point deviates from the mean, was associated with a 21% increase in the risk for incident Alzheimer's disease. As the name implies, small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C) is a type of the so-called bad cholesterol with smaller and denser particles than other low-density lipoproteins, and that is considered more likely to form plaque in arteries, strongly associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A 1 SDU increase in a concentration of ApoB48, a lipoprotein that transports dietary fat from the intestines and into the bloodstream that also is tied to heart disease and cardiovascular problems, was found to be associated with a 22% decrease in the risk for incident Alzheimer's disease. Participants in the first quartile of HDL-C, or good cholesterol – in order of lesser amounts – were 44% less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared with those in the second, third and fourth quartiles. And those with small dense LDL-C concentrations below the median were 38% less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared with those with concentrations above the median. In summary, then, lower small-density bad cholesterol (sdLDL-C) concentrations and higher ApoB48 concentrations were associated with a lower Alzheimer's risk. And individuals with the lowest good cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were less likely to develop Alzheimer's compared with the remaining sample. "These findings underscore links between lipoprotein metabolism pathways and Alzheimer's risk, emphasizing the potential role of blood lipoprotein markers in Alzheimer's risk stratification and of lipid modification strategies in dementia prevention," the researchers concluded. Association of Blood Lipoprotein Levels With Incident Alzheimer's Disease in Community-Dwelling Individuals: The Framingham Heart Study Sokratis Charisis, Sophia Lu, Jesus David Melgarejo, Claudia L. Satizabal, Ramachandran S. Vasan, Alexa S. Beiser, Sudha Seshadri First published: May 30, 2025, in the journal Neurology Link to full study: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), a primary driver of San Antonio's $44.1 billion health care and biosciences sector, is the largest academic research institution in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of more than $436 million. Driving substantial economic impact with its six professional schools, a diverse workforce of more than 9,400, an annual expense budget of $1.67 billion and clinical practices that provide 2.5 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans continued growth over the next five years and anticipates adding more than 1,500 higher-wage jobs to serve San Antonio, Bexar County and the South Texas region. To learn about the many ways "We make lives better®," visit The Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases is dedicated to providing comprehensive dementia care while advancing treatment through clinical trials and research. The Biggs Institute is a National Institute on Aging (NIA)-designated Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). In addition to patient care and research, the Biggs Institute partners with the School of Nursing at UT Health Science Center San Antonio to offer the Caring for the Caregiver program. Stay connected with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Media Contact Steven Lee, 2104503823, lees22@ View original content: SOURCE
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A New Study Reveals The #1 Sleep Mistake That Harms Brain Health—And It Has Nothing To Do With Your Bedtime
We already know sleep is super important, but new research suggests too much of it can, actually, be a bad thing. The study found that 'long sleepers' were more likely to report symptoms of depression and worse cognitive performance. Here's what you should know about how long you should sleep, with insight from experts. When you're struggling to get the recommended seven-plus hours of sleep each night, logging anything more than that sounds like a dream come true. But new research suggests that there is actually a sleep sweet spot you should aim for—and that making sure you don't sleep *too* much could affect how well your brain works. The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, specifically discovered that sleeping too much was linked with worse cognitive performance. Here's why and what the tipping point was, plus how to figure out the best amount of sleep for you. Meet the experts: Vanessa Young, MS, lead study author and clinical research project manager at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio; W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast For the study, researchers analyzed data on cognition and how long people slept in more than 1,800 people without dementia who participated in the Framingham Heart Study, a community-based cohort study of residents in Framingham, Massachusetts. The study specifically focused on people between the ages of 27 and 85. The researchers found that people who slept for nine hours or more a night had worse cognitive performance. That was especially pronounced in participants with depression, regardless of whether they used antidepressants. The researchers also discovered that so-called 'long sleepers' were more likely to report symptoms of depression and that sleep might be a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline in people who have depression. This isn't the first study to find a link between sleeping for longer periods and lower cognitive performance. 'Regularly sleeping more than nine hours a night has been linked to lower cognitive performance in some studies—including ours,' says Vanessa Young, MS, lead study author and clinical research project manager at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. There is a 'J' curve relationship between sleep and health, points out W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. What this means is that more sleep isn't always better. 'Generally, the best health outcomes in adults are at seven hours," he says. As for why that is, Young says sleeping for longer periods of time is likely 'a sign that something else is happening beneath the surface.' That could mean vascular issues, depression, changes in brain health, or something else, she says. 'While we can't say for certain whether longer sleep leads to worse cognition—or if people with emerging cognitive issues start sleeping more—our findings suggest that unusually long sleep might be worth paying attention to, especially if it's a change from your normal routine,' Young says. First of all, everyone is different and requires different amounts of sleep, but research generally suggests that getting between seven and nine hours of sleep a night is best for cognitive performance. Still, Dr. Winter stresses that sleep needs are individual and it's a good idea to pay attention to certain elements of your sleep routine to see what your needs are. He suggests looking at how long it takes for you to conk out at night, along with how you feel during the day. 'If it takes a while to fall asleep, you might be seeking too much time in bed,' Dr. Winter says. 'But if you struggle to stay awake during the day or fall asleep rapidly at night, you may not be sleeping enough.' But Young says you shouldn't automatically assume that more sleep is better. 'Like many things in health, balance is important—and sleep may be just one part of a larger puzzle when it comes to brain health,' she says. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
One Stage of Sleep Seems Critical For Reducing Risk of Dementia
The risk of getting dementia may go up as you get older if you don't get enough slow-wave sleep. A 2023 study found that over-60s are 27 percent more likely to develop dementia if they lose just 1 percent of this deep sleep each year. Slow-wave sleep is the third stage of a human 90-minute sleep cycle, lasting about 20–40 minutes. It's the most restful stage, where brain waves and heart rate slow and blood pressure drops. Deep sleep strengthens our muscles, bones, and immune system, and prepares our brains to absorb more information. Another recent study discovered that individuals with Alzheimer's-related changes in their brain did better on memory tests when they got more slow-wave sleep. "Slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, supports the aging brain in many ways, and we know that sleep augments the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain, including facilitating the clearance of proteins that aggregate in Alzheimer's disease," said neuroscientist Matthew Pase from Monash University in Australia. "However, to date we have been unsure of the role of slow-wave sleep in the development of dementia. Our findings suggest that slow-wave sleep loss may be a modifiable dementia risk factor." Pase and colleagues from Australia, Canada, and the US examined 346 Framingham Heart Study participants who had completed two overnight sleep studies between 1995 and 1998 and between 2001 and 2003, with an average of five years between testing periods. This community-based cohort, who had no record of dementia at the time of the 2001-2003 study, and were over 60 years old in 2020, gave researchers a chance to look into the link between two factors over time by comparing the datasets from the two in-depth polysomnography sleep studies, and then monitoring for dementia among participants up until 2018. "We used these to examine how slow-wave sleep changed with aging and whether changes in slow-wave sleep percentage were associated with the risk of later-life dementia up to 17 years later," said Pase. In the 17 years of follow-up, 52 dementia cases were recorded among the participants. Participants' slow-wave sleep levels recorded in the sleep studies were also examined for a link to dementia cases. Overall, their rate of slow-wave sleep was found to decrease from age 60 onward, with this loss peaking between the ages of 75 and 80 and then leveling off after that. By comparing participants' first and second sleep studies, researchers discovered a link between each percentage point decrease in slow-wave sleep per year and a 27 percent increased risk of developing dementia. That risk increased to 32 percent when they zeroed in on Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. The Framingham Heart Study measures multiple health data points over time, including hippocampal volume loss (an early sign of Alzheimer's) and common factors contributing to cardiovascular disease. Low levels of slow-wave sleep were linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, taking medications that can impact sleep, and having the APOE ε4 gene, which is linked to Alzheimer's. "We found that a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, but not brain volume, was associated with accelerated declines in slow wave sleep," Pase said. Although these are clear associations, the authors note this type of study doesn't prove that slow-wave sleep loss causes dementia, and it's possible dementia-related brain processes cause sleep loss. For these factors to be fully understood, more research is required. We certainly can prioritize getting enough sleep in the meantime – it's important for more than strengthening our memory. There's even steps you can take to boost your chances of getting more of this crucial slow-wave sleep. The study has been published in JAMA Neurology. An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023. World First: US Baby Treated With Personalized CRISPR Gene-Editing Men Are Dying From 'Broken Heart Syndrome' at Twice The Rate of Women Your Walking Style Can Have Surprising Health Benefits, Study Says
