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Dementia risk may be lowered by one important medical device

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Dementia risk may be lowered by one important medical device

For those with diabetes, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels helps to prevent serious complications, like kidney problems and blindness — but it can also be important for brain health.

“The collective data on blood glucose and its effects on cognitive health, as well as on dementia, continue to rapidly grow,” said Dr. Michael S. Okun, medical advisor to the Parkinson’s Foundation and director of the Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida.

A recent U.K. study published in Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology suggests that wearing continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) could lower the risk of dementia.

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“Not only does continuous monitoring improve glucose levels in the blood and prevent [low blood sugars], but we have also learned that the provision of a steady supply of glucose will enhance brain function,” he told Fox News Digital.

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What to know about continuous glucose monitors

CGMs are wearable medical devices in the form of a patch on the arm. A built-in sensor tracks sugar levels and sends the results to a smartphone, according to GoodRx.

A recent U.K. study published in Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology suggests that wearing continuous glucose monitors could lower the risk of dementia. (iStock)

Diabetics who use CGMs no longer have to prick their fingers multiple times a day to get their sugar readings before meals and at bedtime.

These monitors are extensively used among people with diabetes – especially those with type 1 diabetes who are on insulin, experts say.

Past research showed that these monitors achieved a modest improvement in controlling sugars compared to the traditional method of finger sticks.

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Hornberger cautioned, however, that the constant tracking of sugar in real time could cause unnecessary worry and may not be worth the investment for everyone. 

“Cost, requirements for attentive caregivers, and how to use the data for real-time decision-making all remain challenges for those in the field,” Okun noted.

Glucose levels phone

CGMs are wearable medical devices in the form of a patch on the arm. A built-in sensor tracks sugar levels and sends the results to a smartphone. (iStock)

There is limited research into whether the monitors could also benefit people without diabetes.

“Though we currently lack data, it is likely that in the near term, we will see more integration of continuous monitoring of glucose and perhaps other biomarkers for enhancement of brain health,” Okun told Fox News Digital.

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Link between blood sugar and dementia

Michael Hornberger, PhD, professor of applied dementia research at the Norwich Medical School in England, recently investigated how CGMs have impacted those with dementia and diabetes.

Research clearly showed that high sugars in the blood increase the risk for dementia, according to Hornberger.

“Some think that pursuing continuous glucose monitoring will have a positive impact on reducing dementia progression.”

Okun noted that many neuroscientists have studied oxidative stress and brain inflammation.

“Some think that pursuing continuous glucose monitoring will have a positive impact on reducing dementia progression,” he told Fox News Digital.

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In addition to reducing future risk of dementia by detecting high blood sugars, CGMs could also help reduce the risk of falls by detecting low blood sugars, he added.

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Dementia can be attributed to a variety of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease. The current research applies mainly to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, the latter of which is caused by strokes, noted Hornberger.

The specific link between persistent high blood sugar and increased dementia risk has not yet been established, he said, but several hypotheses have been proposed.

Senior man

Dementia can be attributed to a variety of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease. The current research applies mainly to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. (iStock)

High blood sugar triggers the body to produce more insulin, which then causes cells to absorb glucose and use it for energy.

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“It also regulates the metabolism of glucose and fats in the brain, the activity of neurotransmitter channels and brain cholesterol synthesis,” Hornberger said. 

Neurons also use glucose to send information to nerves, which helps control the body’s movements, but excessively high sugars may affect neuronal activity and lead to cognitive issues, according to the doctor.

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More research is needed to determine whether continuously monitoring blood sugar levels can truly reduce the risk for dementia, Hornberger added.

“The research has not matured enough to widely prescribe glucose monitoring devices for improvement in cognitive symptoms or as a method to prevent dementia,” Okun noted.  

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Overlapping risk factors 

Many of the risk factors for diabetes, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, overlap with those of dementia, according to Hornberger.

Some unmodifiable risk factors, such as age and family history, increase the risk of both diabetes and dementia with age.

doctor shows patient blood glucose monitor

Many of the risk factors for diabetes, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease, overlap with those of dementia, according to doctors. (iStock)

A 2017 study published in JAMA Neurology, which followed more than 15,000 adults over time, found that diabetes is also an independent risk factor for dementia, along with smoking and high blood pressure.

Some behavioral risk factors for type 2 diabetes include excess weight, lack of exercise, smoking and high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association.

      

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Hornberger stated, “Often, people with diabetes are also overweight and have cardiovascular conditions, and it is not clear how to delineate those different conditions from each other for the risk for dementia.”

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Consumers can now purchase several brands of CGM over the counter without a prescription.

Dexcom’s Stelo Glucose Biosensor System was the first over-the-counter CGM approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2024, but it is only intended for people 18 years and older who don’t use insulin. A one-month supply costs $99, according to the company’s website.

diabetes wellness check

Experts recommend talking to a doctor to discuss the risks and benefits before purchasing a CGM. (iStock)

In June 2024, the FDA also approved Abbott’s Lingo, which is intended for healthy adults 18 years and older who are interested in wellness, but is not approved to manage diabetes. It retails for $89 for a four-week plan, as stated on the company’s website. 

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Experts recommend talking to a doctor to discuss the risks and benefits before purchasing a CGM.

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A Sick Inmate in New York Is Freed After Suing Over Parole Delay

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A Sick Inmate in New York Is Freed After Suing Over Parole Delay

A sick man was released from a New York prison on Friday after suing the state for keeping him long past his parole date.

Steve Coleman, who is 67 and has advanced kidney disease, was granted parole in 2023 after serving 43 years for murder. But he remained incarcerated for 21 more months because the Department of Corrections could not find a nursing home to accommodate his dialysis care.

Experts said that many paroled prisoners across the country are in a similar limbo, stuck inside because their state cannot find them medical care elsewhere. The problem is expected to become more acute as the prison population ages and needs more complex care.

Mr. Coleman sued New York State in August, contending that he should be allowed to leave prison and determine his own medical care. A lower court ruled against him in September, and he appealed. Fourteen medical ethicists had written a letter supporting his release.

The Wende Correctional Facility in upstate New York released him on Friday morning, according to Martha Rayner, a lawyer with the Parole Prep Project, a nonprofit that helps inmates apply for early release.

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Ms. Rayner, who met Mr. Coleman when he was wheeled out of the facility, said that he told her he had “no words” to describe his feelings.

The state released him without a nursing home placement, and Ms. Rayner said he would receive medical care in New York City. The Department of Corrections had initially opposed the idea, arguing in litigation that it would be “unsafe and irresponsible” to release him without plans to meet his medical needs.

Steven Coleman leaving prison on Friday.Credit…Kenny Jean-Baptiste, Community Engagement Specialist at the Parole Preparation Project

In a statement, the Department of Corrections confirmed that Mr. Coleman was released and said that he will be required to follow certain conditions of his parole.

Last month, The New York Times reported on the incarceration of Mr. Coleman and other sick inmates in New York who remained imprisoned months, or even years, after being granted parole.

Doctors and lawyers told The Times that the state sometimes performed little more than a cursory search for nursing homes. Inmates described being unable to gain access to the care they needed in prison. Mr. Coleman, for example, had not received dialysis for months because the state had ended a contract with its provider. The prison offered to take Mr. Coleman to a nearby clinic, but he declined because he found the transportation protocol — which involves a strip search and shackles — painful and invasive.

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Nearly 90 people were granted medical parole in New York between 2020 and 2023, but the state does not disclose how many are waiting for nursing home placements.

Westil Gonzalez, another prisoner whose case was highlighted by The Times, still remains incarcerated seven months past his parole date as the state searches for a nursing home that can accommodate his advanced multiple sclerosis. Mr. Gonzalez uses a wheelchair and has poor vision.

He told The Times in December that he had not been given glasses despite repeated requests. In late January, after the Times article was published, he received a pair of glasses, according to a Parole Prep volunteer assisting him with his case.

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Spinal cord stimulation restores movement for people with 'muscle wasting' disorder

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Spinal cord stimulation restores movement for people with 'muscle wasting' disorder

People with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), an inherited neuromuscular disease, usually experience muscle weakness that impacts movement.

New research suggests that electrical spinal cord stimulation could improve muscle function for these patients, even restoring the capability to walk.

In studies at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, sessions of spinal cord stimulation were shown to restore motor neuron activity and improve muscle strength in the legs for patients with SMA.

The findings were published in Nature Medicine on Feb. 5.

SPINAL CORD TREATMENT RESTORES FUNCTION FOR PARALYZED PATIENTS IN STUDY: ‘NEW HOPE’

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“The patients all had a rare disease that destroys neurons in the spinal cord (much like polio) due to a genetic disorder from birth,” Dr. Peter Konrad, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in West Virginia, told Fox News Digital. (Konrad was not involved in the study.)

Research participant Doug McCullough uses an adaptive exercise bike during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh. (Nate Langer, UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences)

“The disease weakens the legs and ability to walk … causing a form of slow paralysis. Stimulation of the input to the remaining neurons was thought to improve strength and stamina in patients treated this way.”

Study co-author Marco Capogrosso, assistant professor of neurological surgery at Pitt School of Medicine, said that two things need to happen to counteract neurodegeneration: neuron death must be stopped and the function of surviving neurons must be restored.

“There has been no major breakthrough in curing this disease, and so treatment is still focused on helping improve their quality of life.”

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“In this study, we proposed an approach to treat the root cause of neural dysfunction, complementing existing neuroprotective treatments with a new approach that reverses nerve cell dysfunction,” Capogrosso said in a press release.

Three people with SMA participated in the study. For one month, they received spinal cord stimulation five times a week for four hours each. At the end of the trial period, they all experienced “improved motoneuron function, reduced fatigue and improved strength and walking in all participants,” the release stated.

Research participant Doug McCullough uses a bodyweight support system to walk during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh.

Research participant Doug McCullough uses a bodyweight support system to walk during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh. (Nate Langer, UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences)

“The three patients saw an average of 40% improvement in step length, up to 180% improvement in strength, and 26-minute improvement in walking time,” said Konrad, based on his review of the study.

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“That’s a big deal for patients with this condition, who depend on assistive devices to move about with little stamina.”

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One of the participants, Doug McCullough, was experiencing advanced symptoms and had difficulty walking.

NEW BRAIN THERAPY ALLOWS PARALYZED PATIENTS TO WALK AGAIN: ‘I FEEL MY LEGS’

“Because my hip flexors are so weak, I basically have this waddling gait where my hips sway back and forth and I swing my legs out to the side because I can’t pick them straight up,” he said in the release. “You could clearly see from the video that my walk was improved and that I was walking faster. I had a little more natural gait. It still wasn’t completely normal, but it was better than what it was before the study.” 

Researchers Genis Prat Ortega (left) and Serena Donadio (right) with the research participant Doug McCullough (center) during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh.

Researchers Genis Prat Ortega (left) and Serena Donadio (right) with the research participant Doug McCullough (center) during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh. (Nate Langer, UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences)

Although SMA is a progressive disease that worsens over time, the patients in the study had noticeable improvements, according to study co-author Elvira Pirondini, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Pitt School of Medicine.

      

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“Over the four weeks of treatment, our study participants improved in several clinical outcomes, with improvements in activities of daily living,” she said in the release. 

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“For instance, toward the end of the study, one patient reported being able to walk from their home to the lab without becoming tired.”

The study is a “proof of concept” that gives hope to people with this type of genetic disability, according to Konrad.

“Toward the end of the study, one patient reported being able to walk from their home to the lab without becoming tired.”

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“There has been no major breakthrough in curing this disease, and so treatment is still focused on helping improve their quality of life,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“It also shows that devices such as spinal cord stimulation and other types of neuromodulation are a safe and effective method to treat paralysis when there is little to offer in the form of medications or gene therapy.”

Graduate student Scott Ensel (left) assists research participant Doug McCullough during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh.

Graduate student Scott Ensel (left) assists research participant Doug McCullough during a testing session at the University of Pittsburgh. (Nate Langer, UPMC and University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences)

Looking ahead, the team plans to continue research with other SMA patients in a new clinical trial to test the treatment’s safety and efficacy.

In the future, they hope to apply this therapy to other neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS or Huntington’s disease.

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Marijuana Dependence Linked to Higher Risk of Death

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Marijuana Dependence Linked to Higher Risk of Death

Hospital and emergency room patients diagnosed with cannabis use disorder — defined as an inability to stop using cannabis even when the drug is causing harm — died at almost three times the rate of individuals without the disorder over the next five years, according to a study published on Thursday, the largest on the subject.

Patients with cannabis use disorder were 10 times as likely to die by suicide as those in the general population. They were also more likely to die from trauma, drug poisonings and lung cancer. Those numbers suggest that cannabis use disorder is about half as dangerous as opioid addiction and slightly less dangerous than alcohol use disorder, the researchers said.

A second report, published on Tuesday, found that more cases of schizophrenia and psychosis in Canada have been linked to cannabis use disorder since the drug was legalized.

“Many people think, ‘Oh, cannabis is not harmful — it’s organic, it’s natural; how great,’” said Dr. Laura Bierut, a psychiatrist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who is an author of an editorial accompanying the study of death risk. But the marijuana sold today is far more potent, and more harmful, than what baby boomers smoked in the 1960s and 1970s, she said.

“It is a public health threat just like alcohol,” Dr. Bierut said.

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Recent research suggests that three in 10 cannabis users will develop cannabis use disorder, defined as being unable to stop using cannabis even though it’s causing serious health and social problems. As with alcohol, many people use marijuana recreationally without adverse effects or addiction.

The researchers took advantage of records in Ontario that capture millions of residents’ encounters with the government health system, which covers 97 percent of the population there.

From the records, the scientists in Thursday’s study identified 106,994 people who were diagnosed with cannabis use disorder during an emergency department visit or hospitalization between 2006 and 2021.

The researchers linked the records with vital statistics records and found that 3.5 percent of them died within five years of treatment for the disorder. In a matched comparison group of people of the same age and sex, the death rate was 0.6 percent.

The authors then made adjustments to account for other risk factors that may have contributed to their deaths, including mental health disorders, other substance use and conditions like heart disease and cancer.

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Even when taking deaths by those other causes out of the equation, the researchers concluded that patients with cannabis use disorder were at a 2.8-fold increased risk of death compared with the general population. The risk was greatest in young adults ages 25 to 44.

Dr. Daniel Myran, an assistant professor of family medicine at University of Ottawa and the study’s first author, noted that these are most likely underestimates of cannabis’s toll.

“Our estimate is that for every person treated for C.U.D. there are another three who didn’t seek care,” he said. “So this is not just C.U.D., but bad enough that they sought care for it.”

He also noted that the study could not conclusively determine whether the cannabis itself increased death risk, or whether it was other lifestyle or health factors that happen to be more common among heavy cannabis users.

“Either way, this group is really, really high risk, and could benefit from intervention and monitoring and prevention,” he said.

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On Tuesday, the same research group published a study looking at whether Canada’s recent legalization of marijuana affected rates of psychosis and schizophrenia.

Cannabis use has been associated with the development of schizophrenia, a serious mental illness, as well as transient psychotic episodes characterized by a loss of contact with reality. Some research has found no association between cannabis legalization and an increase in these disorders, but many studies are too small to detect changes in the prevalence of psychotic disorders, which are rare.

The new study analyzed cannabis-linked psychosis in Canada during three periods: before the country made cannabis legal (2006 to 2015), amid widening use of medical and nonmedical cannabis (2015-2018) and after the recreational use of cannabis was made legal (2018 to 2022).

The rates of schizophrenia were stable over time. But the percentage of cases attributable to cannabis use disorder increased to 10.3 percent during the legalization period, up from 3.7 percent before legalization, the authors found. The rate of psychosis (without a diagnosis of schizophrenia) nearly doubled after legalization.

Young adults ages 19 to 24 were most vulnerable, said Jodi Gilman, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who wrote a commentary about the study.

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“This is a period of the life span when the brain is still developing and still vulnerable to the effects of cannabis,” Dr. Gilman said. Psychosis and schizophrenia are also known to develop in young adulthood, she added, “so you have a double hit.”

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