Day: July 18, 2025

Food Insecurity is Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Changes in food insecurity go hand in hand with symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to research published in the open access journal PLOS Mental Health. Melissa Bateson of Newcastle University, UK, and colleagues at École Normale Supérieure, Northumbria University and York University, collected monthly data from adults in the UK and France and found that changes in food insecurity one month went hand-in-hand with changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression the next. The authors propose that interventions to reduce food insecurity might have immediate positive impacts on mental health.

Social determinants play a role in the development of poor mental health, and food insecurity has been associated with increased anxiety and depression, though it has been unclear whether this effect is causal and the timescale over which it occurs. The authors collected monthly data between September 2022 and August 2023 from almost 500  adults in the UK and France. They assessed food insecurity for the previous week and measured anxiety and depression with two commonly used questionnaires — GAD-7 and PHQ-8.

The team found a surprisingly high prevalence of food insecurity, with 39.5% of participants experiencing it in at least one month of the study. For those individuals, fluctuations between food insecurity and security were associated with changes in anxiety and depression, with deteriorations in mental health occurring when they experienced food insecurity and improvements when food security improved. The authors were able to predict mental health variations based on food security changes during the previous month. Such rapid changes in mental health suggest that the effects could be related to food security rather than longer-term nutritional changes which would take longer to manifest in mood alterations.

The authors state their results support the hypothesis that food insecurity could rapidly cause symptoms of anxiety and depression, such that interventions to prevent food insecurity might be likely to  quickly and effectively reduce prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in populations currently experiencing periodic food insecurity.  

The authors note: “What really impressed us was how rapidly symptoms of anxiety and depression responded to changes in participants’ food insecurity status and the large size of the effects”.

They add: “Our results suggest that eliminating periodic food insecurity in those currently experiencing it could reduce the number of people with clinically concerning symptoms of anxiety and depression by 20 percentage points.”

Provided by PLOS

Bio Detection Dogs Successfully Detect Parkinson’s Disease by Odour

Photo by Pauline Loroy on Unsplash

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have an odour that can be reliably detected from skin swabs by trained dogs, a new study shows. The research, in collaboration with Medical Detection Dogs and the Universities of Bristol and Manchester, is published in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.

Two dogs were trained by the charity, Medical Detection Dogs, to distinguish between sebum swabs from people with and without Parkinson’s disease.

In a double blind trial, they showed sensitivity of up to 80% and specificity of up to 98%.

Not only that, they detected it in samples from patients who also had other health conditions.

The dogs were trained over a number of weeks on over 200 odour samples from individuals that had tested positive for PD and control samples from people who did not have the disease. Samples were presented to the dogs on a stand system and the dogs were rewarded for correctly indicating a positive sample and for correctly ignoring a negative sample.

In the double-blind testing, meaning that only a computer knew where the correct samples were, each line was also presented in reverse order so that samples for which no decision was made were re-presented. Then any unsearched samples were collected together in new lines, until a decision had been made for all samples.

A definitive diagnostic test for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) remains elusive, so identification of potential biomarkers could help diagnosis and timely intervention.

Claire Guest, Medical Detection Dogs CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, says: “We are extremely proud to say that once again, dogs can very accurately detect disease.

“There is currently no early test for Parkinson’s disease and symptoms may start up to 20 years before they become visible and persistent leading to a confirmed diagnosis.

“Timely diagnosis is key as subsequent treatment could slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the intensity of symptoms.”

Nicola Rooney, Associate Professor at Bristol Veterinary School at the University of Bristol and lead author, says: “Identifying diagnostic biomarkers of PD, particularly those that may predict development or help diagnose disease earlier is the subject of much ongoing research. The dogs in this study achieved high sensitivity and specificity and showed there is an olfactory signature distinct to patients with the disease. Sensitivity levels of 70% and 80% are well above chance and I believe that dogs could help us to develop a quick non-invasive and cost-effective method to identify patients with Parkinson’s disease.”

Perdita Barran, Professor of Mass Spectrometry at The University of Manchester, said: “It’s wonderful to be part of this research inspired by Joy Milne and our Nose2Diagnose programme. This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that simple, non-invasive skin swabs can be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, offering a faster and more accessible method for early detection.”

The two dogs in the study were Golden Retriever, Bumper and Black Labrador, Peanut.

Source: University of Bristol

Breastfeeding’s Protective Effect Against Breast Cancer Explained by Metabolism

Study shows a mother’s mitochondria determine if lactation is protective or not against breast cancer—and points to a possible intervention to increase the benefit to more women

Photo by Wendy Wei

Breastfeeding is often linked with better health for both mothers and babies, but it does not protect all women against breast cancer. The reason remains unknown. Since breast cancer in young women is on the rise, understanding why breastfeeding is protective in some women but not others is critical. 

A new study, led by a team of researchers from The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published in the journal Nature Communications, addressed this question. 

The study was performed in mice, which exhibit a similar phenomenon: lactation strongly protects some mice against breast cancer, but others are more susceptible. The researchers studied female mice that had the same basic DNA but different types of mitochondria. The team found that the way the body responds to breastfeeding could change depending on the mother’s mitochondria.  

In mice with specific types of mitochondria, the researchers found, lactation allowed a certain group of cells similar to those found in postpartum breast cancer in humans to expand and grow, explains Edmund Jenkins, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr Jenkins served as the bioinformatics expert on the study. 

“We’ve always thought that breastfeeding is good for all women when it comes to lowering breast cancer risk,” said senior author Doris Germain, PhD, Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “But our study shows that it really depends on a woman’s metabolism and how her body responds to lactation at the cellular level.” 

The researchers also discovered that they could change the way the body reacts during breastfeeding by using a natural dietary supplement. In the mice that were at higher risk of developing postpartum breast cancer, this treatment switched their response from harmful to protective. This finding opens the door to a possible way to help more women benefit from breastfeeding by supporting their bodies in the right way.  

“Our research raises the possibility that one day, doctors might be able to identify women whose breastfeeding response puts them at risk and then offer them a simple, natural dietary intervention to change that,” said first author Mrittika Chattopadhyay, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. 

The team is now studying human breast milk with the goal of identifying milk metabolites that can show whether a woman’s body is reacting to breastfeeding in a way that is helpful or harmful. They also plan to develop a study in humans. One question then will be whether, because this dietary supplement may impact the development of the child, it should be tested only in mothers after they have stopped giving milk to their newborns.  

Source: Mount Sinai

FDA-Approved Drug Halts EBV-Driven Lymphoma by Disrupting a Key Cancer Pathway

Swollen lymph nodes. Credit: Scientific Animations CC0

Scientists at The Wistar Institute have discovered that a class of FDA-approved cancer drugs known as PARP1 inhibitors can effectively combat Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven lymphomas. The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Virology, demonstrate that these drugs, which work by blocking the activity of the PARP1 enzyme, can halt tumour growth by interfering with the EBV’s ability to activate key cancer-promoting genes.

“We’ve uncovered a completely different mechanism for how PARP inhibitors work in EBV-positive cancers,” said Italo Tempera, PhD, associate professor at Wistar’s Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center and senior author of the study. “Instead of preventing DNA damage from repairing itself in the tumours, like these drugs do in other cancers, they essentially cut off the virus’s ability to hijack cellular machinery to drive cancer growth. This opens up exciting possibilities for repurposing existing FDA-approved drugs to treat EBV-associated cancers.”

EBV infects over 90% of the global population. While most people with the virus remain symptom-free, immunocompromised individuals such as people with HIV and transplant recipients have an increased risk of EBV causing several types of cancer, including various lymphomas and carcinomas. Despite the virus’s clear role in driving these malignancies, no specific therapies currently target EBV-driven cancer.

In search of such a therapy, Tempera and his research team focused on PARP1, a cellular protein that is known primarily for its role in DNA repair. In cancer treatment, PARP inhibitors typically work by preventing cancer cells from repairing their DNA, causing them to die. However, Tempera’s team had previously discovered that PARP1 plays a very different role in EBV infection: It helps control which genes are accessible and active, essentially acting as a master regulator of gene expression.

“Think of PARP1 as a key that opens up DNA to make certain genes readable,” explained Tempera. “EBV uses this key to unlock cancer-promoting genes. When we block PARP1, we’re essentially taking away the key so the virus can’t get in and use our DNA for its own purposes.”

Using a mouse model of EBV-driven lymphoma, the researchers treated the animals with BMN 673 (talazoparib/talzenna), a PARP inhibitor that has already been approved for breast cancer treatment. Compared to controls, the treated mice showed an 80% reduction in tumour growth, and the cancer’s ability to spread to other organs was significantly reduced. Further, when the team analysed the tumours, they found no increase in DNA damage in the treated animals – the hallmark of how PARP inhibitors typically work. Instead, they discovered that PARP1 inhibition disrupted a critical partnership between the viral protein EBNA2 and the cellular oncogene MYC.

“EBNA2 is like the conductor of an orchestra, directing cellular genes to play a cancer symphony,” said Tempera. “It specifically turns on MYC, which is one of the most important cancer-promoting genes. When we inhibit PARP1, EBNA2 can’t effectively activate MYC anymore, and the whole cancer program falls apart.”

The findings have significant therapeutic implications. Because PARP inhibitors are already FDA-approved and their safety profiles are well established, the path to clinical application could be accelerated compared to developing entirely new drugs.

The research also suggests this approach might work beyond EBV-associated lymphomas. The team is now investigating whether PARP inhibitors could be effective against other EBV-driven cancers, including nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas. Additionally, given EBV’s suspected role in autoimmune diseases, the researchers are exploring whether PARP1’s regulation of viral gene expression might contribute to these conditions.

“This work really showcases the power of understanding fundamental viral biology,” said Tempera. “We’re taking insights from basic virology research and translating them into potential therapies. With further development, this approach could provide new hope for patients with EBV-associated cancers who currently have limited treatment options.”

Source: Wistar Institute

Plant-based Diets Must Also Be Healthy to Reduce IBD Risk

Irritable bowel syndrome. Credit: Scientific Animations CC4.0

A large prospective study published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research reveals that a healthy plant-based diet is linked with a reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

For the study, 143 434 individuals in the UK reported on their dietary intake. During an average follow-up of 14.5 years, 1117 participants developed inflammatory bowel disease – 795 cases of ulcerative colitis and 322 cases of Crohn’s disease.

A healthy plant-based diet was associated with an 8% lower risk of ulcerative colitis, and a 14% lower risk of Crohn’s disease. An unhealthy plant-based diet was associated with a 15% higher risk of Crohn’s disease, with results suggesting that this was in part due to higher intake of vegetable oils and animal fats. Fruits and vegetables were identified as protective factors against inflammatory bowel disease.

Blood analyses suggested that the benefits seen in this study might be explained by the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based foods.

“Our research indicates that a healthy plant-based diet may protect against inflammatory bowel disease, with its anti-inflammatory properties playing a key role,” said corresponding author Zhe Shen, MD, of the Zhejiang University School of Medicine, in China.

Source: Wiley