Heavy Drinking Associated With Brain Damage, Linked To Alzheimer’s
Having more than eight drinks a week is considered "heavy drinking," and a new study suggests there may be links between it and cognitive decline. Separately, a new study shows a link between regular use of marijuana and dementia.
The Washington Post:
Study Links Heavy Drinking To Brain Injuries, Alzheimer’s
Consuming more than eight alcoholic drinks a week is associated with brain injuries linked to Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline, a recent study in the journal Neurology suggests. The analysis looked for links between heavy drinking and brain health. Researchers used autopsy data from the Biobank for Aging Studies at the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil collected between 2004 and 2024. (Blakemore, 4/19)
CNN:
Marijuana Hospital Visits Linked To Dementia Diagnosis Within 5 Years, Study Finds
Sunday is 420 day, when lovers of marijuana get together to celebrate their fondness for weed. Yet research shows that regular users of marijuana are at risk for serious conditions, including strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure and myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Now, an increased risk of dementia can be added to the list, according to a large study of more than 6 million people published April 14 in the journal JAMA Neurology. (LaMotte, 4/20)
More health and wellness news —
NPR:
Breast MRI After Mammogram? How To Decide If You Need The Test
Joy, a 46-year-old in Pittsburgh, recalls being the same age as her teenage boys, when her own mother diligently got cancer screenings. "She had her mammograms every year," Joy says. But, Joy thinks her mother likely had "dense breasts," as she does. That means more concentrated clusters of glands and tissue, as opposed to fat. So the 2D, black-and-white images of a typical mammogram x-ray likely didn't catch the tumor her mom had until it had grown big enough to feel. (Noguchi, 4/21)
CIDRAP:
Large Study Ties Early-Life Antibiotic Exposure To Higher Risk Of Asthma, Allergies, Other Conditions
A new study suggests repeated antibiotic use in early childhood is linked to a host of chronic conditions in children. The study, published this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, found that antibiotic exposure before age 2 years was positively associated with asthma, food allergy, hay fever, and intellectual disability, with stronger associations observed following multiple antibiotic courses. The findings were confirmed in a sibling-matched analysis. (Dall, 4/18)
Politico:
How Mark Zuckerberg Is Flipping The Script On Kids’ Safety Online
To protect kids online, Mark Zuckerberg says Congress should focus on Apple and Google — not Facebook and Instagram. The Meta CEO, owner of the two social media sites, is flooding Washington with ads aimed at convincing lawmakers to require his rivals’ app stores to verify shoppers’ ages and require parental consent for kids to download social media apps. (Reader, 4/20)
In global news —
Wales Online:
Pope Francis's Cause Of Death After Life Of Health Problems
Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic church, has died aged 88 after a history of health problems and a recent lengthy hospitalisation. Pope Francis dealt with a number of health issues throughout his life, some dating back to his youth and others developing during his papacy. At the age of 21, Pope Francis had part of one lung removed due to a severe infection (likely pneumonia or a lung cyst). He also suffered from chronic sciatica. (Shaw, 4/21)
