Day: August 13, 2026

Categories : Ageing Neurodegenerative DiseasesTags : Leave a comment

Lower Dementia Risk Seen with Oestrogen-only Hormone Therapy

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Photo by Ravi Patel on Unsplash

Use of hormone therapy later in life was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, according to a study published August 12, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that hormone therapy prevents dementia; it only shows an association.

“While these findings help us better understand the relationship between hormone therapy use and various markers of dementia, more research needs to be done before we can make recommendations to women about their use of these therapies in relation to their brain health,” said study author Jennifer Bruno, PhD, of Stanford Medicine in Stanford, California. “This study looked back at women who were using hormone therapy decades ago with the timing and type of use differing from what is current practice for most women today, so the results are informative, but they may not apply to today’s standards.”  

For the study, researchers examined medical records from two large data sets. In total, the study reports data from 21 462 female participants from both groups who had clinical tests taken while they were living. A total of 728 participants from one data set completed brain scans or biomarker tests while they were living and 2959 participants from the other data set had autopsies after death, at an average age of 82, to look for signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Across both data sets, participants were followed for approximately three to five years, starting at an average age 71. 

Of the total participants, 1953 participants took hormone therapy and 19 509 participants did not take hormone therapy. Those who used hormone therapy started using it when they were over age 70, on average. The researchers looked only at participants who took oestrogen-only therapy, since previous studies had indicated that oestrogen plus progestin combination therapy may increase the risk of dementia. In current standard practice, oestrogen-only therapy is prescribed only for those who have undergone a hysterectomy due to the risk of endometrial cancer.

Among the group with autopsy information available, participants who had taken hormone therapy were less likely to have signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains than those who had not taken hormone therapy. The autopsy assessment used a composite score that measures three hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid-beta plaques, tau tangles and neuritic plaques, which are amyloid plaques surrounded by damaged nerve cells.

Of those who had taken hormone therapy, 18% had no signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains at autopsy, compared to 10% of those who had not taken the therapy, and 40% of hormone therapy users had all three signs of Alzheimer’s disease, compared to 51% of those who had not taken the therapy. After adjusting for age, education, genetics, race and hypertension, researchers found that participants who took hormone therapy had 35% lower odds of signs of Alzheimer’s disease at autopsy when compared to those who did not take hormone therapy.  

In a separate analysis using biomarker tests performed when women were living, those who used hormone therapy had levels of amyloid biomarkers in their blood and spinal fluid that indicated less amyloid buildup in the brain compared to women who did not take hormone therapy. Specifically, higher levels of amyloid-beta protein in blood and spinal fluid suggest that less of this protein was being deposited as plaques in the brain.

Finally, use of hormone therapy was also associated with 39% lower odds of receiving a clinical diagnosis of dementia and less risk of showing symptoms of memory problems or decline in functional abilities.

Bruno noted that the study participants who used hormone therapy had an average age of 70, which differs from current standard practice of starting hormone therapy usually in the late 40s to early 50s and stopping it before age 60.

“Despite these limitations, our findings provide evidence of an association between use of oestrogen-only hormone therapy during later life and better outcomes on dementia and brain health,” Bruno said.

Source: American Academy of Neurology

Categories : Diet and NutritionTags : Leave a comment

One Month of Eating Vegan Shifts Epigenetics Tied to Aging and Inflammation

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A vegan diet reshaped DNA methylation linked to immune cell composition and health-related measures of biological aging

Photo by Pixabay

Researchers from University of California San Diego and University of Freiburg in Germany have found that switching to a vegan diet for just one month can alter the body’s epigenetic landscape in ways associated with reduced inflammation and biological aging. In a randomised clinical trial, participants assigned to a vegan diet vs a meat-rich diet showed changes in DNA methylation – a biological process that regulates whether genes are more or less active – that were linked to immune function, metabolism and cancer-related pathways. The findings, published in the journal MedComm, suggest that dietary choices can rapidly influence molecular processes associated with long-term health.

“Our genes are not our destiny,” said Jerome Mertens, PhD, associate professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine and co-senior author of the study. “The remarkable finding isn’t simply that one diet outperformed another. It’s that the epigenome responded measurably in just four weeks, showing that our biology is far more dynamic – and responsive to everyday choices – than we often assume.”

Diet has long been linked to the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Yet scientists have only begun to understand how food influences the epigenome – the layer of chemical modifications that helps determine which genes are turned on or off without changing the underlying DNA sequence.

To explore these effects, researchers analysed genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in blood samples from 48 healthy adults who participated in a randomized dietary intervention. After following the same standardized diet for one week, participants were randomly assigned to either a vegan diet or a meat-rich diet for one month. Both diets were designed to provide similar calorie intake, allowing researchers to isolate the effects of diet composition rather than weight loss.

The team examined more than 800 000 methylation sites across the genome before and after the intervention. Rather than looking for changes in individual genes alone, the researchers focused on broader biological patterns that changed in response to diet.

The researchers also found evidence that the vegan diet shifted the immune system toward a less inflammatory state. DNA methylation analyses predicted lower proportions of neutrophils – immune cells that drive inflammation – and higher proportions of CD4 T cells, which help regulate immune responses. Those predictions closely matched blood cell measurements collected during the original clinical trial.

“Our genes are not our destiny. The remarkable finding isn’t simply that one diet outperformed another. It’s that the epigenome responded measurably in just four weeks, showing that our biology is far more dynamic – and responsive to everyday choices – than we often assume.”

Jerome Mertens, PhD, associate professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine and co-senior author of the study

“That agreement told us we weren’t just seeing changes on a computer screen — we were detecting real and meaningful biological changes,” said Lukas Karbacher, UC San Diego School of Medicine neuroscience graduate student and first author of the study.

The findings build on earlier evidence that plant-based diets can influence immune function while providing additional insight into the molecular changes that accompany those effects.

In addition to immune signals, the researchers found that the vegan diet was associated with increased promoter methylation in genes involved in several cancer-related and cell growth pathways. Increased promoter methylation can reduce the activity of genes within these pathways, suggesting the diet may influence cellular processes involved in growth and proliferation. The researchers also observed changes consistent with reduced activity in lipid metabolism pathways and increased activity in pathways related to insulin signaling, DNA repair and cellular stress responses.

Perhaps the most striking finding concerned biological aging itself. For this, the researchers examined biological age using epigenetic clocks – a mathematical biomarker that estimates a person’s biological age based on DNA methylation patterns rather than years lived. Two clocks designed to predict health outcomes suggested participants following the vegan diet experienced a deceleration in biological aging over the one-month study period. A third clock, optimised to predict chronological age rather than health outcomes, showed a different pattern, highlighting that epigenetic clocks measure different aspects of aging.

“These findings reinforce the idea that not all measures of biological aging capture the same biology,” said Mertens. “The clocks associated with disease risk and overall health consistently pointed in the same direction, suggesting the dietary changes were influencing pathways tied to health rather than simply the passage of time.”

The researchers caution that the study was relatively small, involving 48 healthy adults, and lasted only one month. Because the observed DNA methylation changes were modest and spread across hundreds of thousands of sites in the genome, larger and longer studies will be needed to confirm the findings and determine whether the molecular changes translate into measurable reductions in disease risk.

While the findings do not demonstrate that a vegan diet prevents cancer or reverses aging, they provide new insight into how dietary choices may rapidly influence the biological processes that underlie inflammation and age-related disease.

“Our study adds to growing evidence that nutrition can shape biology at the molecular level,” said Max Storz, MD, from University of Freiburg Medical Center and co-senior author of the study. “The next step is to understand whether these epigenetic changes persist over time and whether they translate into meaningful improvements in long-term health. That will require larger clinical studies, but these findings provide an important foundation.” Storz also stressed that the findings are not the result of reduced calories, but rather a matter of diet composition.

Read the full study: [A vegan diet epigenetically modulates inflammatory pathways and biological aging: Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of a one-month isocaloric vegan versus meat-rich dietary intervention]

By Lizelda Lopez

Source: University of California San Francisco

Categories : HIV PaediatricsTags : Leave a comment

Triple-dose Regimen May Permanently Clear HIV in Infected Newborns

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OHSU-led discovery in animal model could advance quickly to clinical trials in people

Research from the lab of Jonah Sacha, PhD, at OHSU, has identified a one-time regimen of therapies for newborns with HIV that, if given within three days of birth, could permanently clear the virus. The research team hopes to use the animal model results to move into a human clinical trials. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Every year, more than 120 000 newborns worldwide contract HIV, a global health burden that requires lifelong treatment for millions of people – assuming they have access and can afford it. New research led by Oregon Health & Science University suggests another possibility: a one-time regimen of therapies given to newborns within three days of birth to permanently clear the virus. The research was published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

“The really exciting part is that it could go to clinical trials immediately to eliminate HIV infection in newborns,” said co-lead author Jonah Sacha, PhD, professor and chief of pathobiology and immunology at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center and Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute. “The next step after that is to test if this can work in newly exposed adults.”

The research involved many collaborators and nonhuman primates at both the Oregon and California national primate research centres.

Researchers tested three distinct treatments that were delivered for a few weeks: neutralising antibodies, standard antiretroviral therapy, and an experimental monoclonal antibody known as leronlimab.

Each of the individual treatments has been tried previously and failed to permanently clear the virus – and Sacha wasn’t convinced combining them would work any better. Sacha has worked for years to develop leronlimab, which is designed to block HIV from entering immune cells through a surface protein called CCR5. His longtime OHSU colleague and coauthor Nancy Haigwood, PhD, thought combining existing therapies with leronlimab might be effective.

The study that published today shows she was correct.

Haigwood, a former professor and ONPRC director, is a virologist and immunologist who has specialised in HIV antibody research for decades. “We were astounded and overjoyed, actually,” Haigwood said. “It’s a remarkable result.”

Antiretroviral therapy has already been approved in people, whereas broadly neutralising antibodies and leronlimab are both being tested separately in clinical trials. This new discovery of a one-time, three-part regimen to clear the virus in newborn babies would first need to be tested in clinical trials in people – most likely in newly exposed adults initially – before it would be widely available to constrain an HIV epidemic that continues to kill 600 000 people worldwide each year.

Researchers say they are optimistic, given the anatomical similarity between nonhuman primates and people.

“There was no reason to think this would completely clear the virus,” Sacha said. “It’s one of those things where you test it and, holy cow, it works and you’ve discovered something new.”

Exactly how this approach worked remains unclear, but Sacha and Haigwood said it appears that the combination of therapies is far more potent and effective than each therapy alone. The key appears to be leronlimab’s ability to block HIV from entering immune cells through the surface protein CCR5.

“For reasons we don’t understand, HIV really wants to use CCR5 receptors to infect cells,” Sacha said. “By blocking access, it’s like you’ve kept fuel away from the fire.”

Haigwood uses a slightly different analogy:

  • Turning off the faucet: Antiretroviral therapy doesn’t eliminate HIV altogether, but it minimises its ability to replicate.
  • Mopping up: Neutralising antibodies effectively corral HIV so there is less virus circulating in the body’s blood supply.
  • Sealing off: Leronlimab blocks what’s left of the virus from infecting immune cells – the equivalent of sealing off the room with a water-tight valve.

Haigwood believes the combination appears to be especially potent early in the infection.

“There’s a lot more going on during the first week of infection than we previously thought,” she said. “From this experiment, it looks like there’s a dynamic interaction between the virus and antibodies that takes place as the virus begins to spread.”

Researchers are eager to see whether the combined regimen can be effective beyond 72 hours of the initial infection.

“We only tested out to three days,” Sacha said. “Could it work a week after infection? Two weeks? How far can you go after infection, and still purge the virus?”

By Erik Robinson

Source: Oregon Health & Science University

Categories : Exercise PaediatricsTags : Leave a comment

More Screen Time Since Childhood Linked to Better Cognitive Processing in Adolescence

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Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash

A study conducted at the Universities of Jyväskylä and Eastern Finland, found the surprising result that more screen time since childhood was associated with better cognitive processing in adolescence. According to one of the researchers, we should not regard screen time solely as harmful. The most important thing is to find a balance between physical activity and screen time that promotes active thinking.

Adolescents’ scarce physical activity is a major challenge in terms of public health. Sedentary lifestyle has been shown to decrease school achievement, while physical activity is known to promote brain functions especially for adults. However, there is little research evidence about the connections of physical activity and sedentary time in childhood and adolescence with regard to cognitive processing in adolescence, although these life stages are pivotal for brain development. Various factors that influence cognitive processing in childhood and adolescence can be reflected far into adulthood also in terms of educational choices and working life. 

The study investigated how physical activity, sedentary behaviour and screen time from childhood to adolescence are associated with cognitive processing in adolescence and whether there are any sex differences in these connections. In addition, the researchers also examined the role of the intensity of physical activity in this respect. 

Screen time can support thinking and learning 

According to the findings, higher amount of screen time since childhood were connected to better cognitive processing in adolescence.  

“The findings suggest that screen time can support children’s and adolescents’ cognitive processing. Presumably, the essential point here is what kind of things they do in their screen time. Teachers and parents should encourage children to use devices and screens in such ways that promote active thinking, problem-solving, creativity and learning,” states Doctoral Researcher Petri Jalanko from the University of Jyväskylä. 

“We should not regard screen time solely as harmful but seek balance between physical activity and screen time that promotes active thinking,” Jalanko summarises. 

Physical activity and sedentary time associated in complex ways with cognitive processing 

In girls, the higher amount of light-intensity physical activity since childhood was associated with better working memory in adolescence. In boys, then again, higher amount of guided physical activity from childhood to adolescence was associated with better working memory in adolescence. 

Surprisingly, lesser self-reported unsupervised physical activity was connected to better cognitive processing in adolescence. Instead, physical activity or sedentary time as measured by a heart rate and movement sensor were not associated with cognitive processing. The differences may be explained by the fact that the heart rate and movement sensors cannot tell what a person is actually doing during the physical activity and sedentary periods. 

“Our study indicates that the connections of physical activity and sedentary behaviour to cognitive processing are complex and depend on the sex, the type and assessment method of physical activity and sedentary time. Moreover, boys and girls may benefit from different types of physical activity in view of brain health, Jalanko adds. 

“However, we need more intervention studies to find out causal relations and sex differences in this respect. Moreover, it is important to examine more specifically the effects of the intensity of physical activity on changes taking place in cognitive processing.”

The findings are based on an eight-year follow-up of the PANIC study on children’s physical activity and nutrition. The current study involved 124 girls and 136 boys, whose average age was 15.8 years. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured by a device that combined heart rate and movement measurements and also by a survey questionnaire. Learning, attention and working memory were assessed by means of the CogState test battery. The research article is published in the Pediatric Exercise Science journal. 

Source: University of Finland

Categories : General InterestTags : Leave a comment

The Women Helping Shape South Africa’s Health System

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(L-R, top-bottom) Gale Shanabangu, Prathna Sookoo, Amrita Raniga, Monyebodi Ngoepe, Dr Biancha Mentoor, Melanie Da Costa

Women’s Month offers an opportunity to reflect not only on how far South Africa has come, but also on the people whose decisions continue to shape its future. In health, effective leadership has never been more important. The sector is navigating policy reform, changing patient needs, rapid technological advances and increasing pressure to deliver quality, sustainable care. Meeting these challenges requires sound governance, diverse perspectives and informed decision making.

At the Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA), we are proud that many of the individuals guiding our work are women whose experience spans legal, health policy, clinical and nursing. Our Chairperson, Gale Shabangu, leads a Board committed to supporting a private hospital sector that remains a trusted partner in strengthening South Africa’s health system.

Alongside her, women chair several of HASA’s key subcommittees, bringing specialist insight to the Association’s work. Alongside her role on the Board, Prathna Sookoo chairs HASA’s Legal subcommittee, helping guide the Association’s work on legal and regulatory matters. 

Amrita Raniga chairs the Research and Health Policy subcommittee, bringing deep expertise in health policy to HASA’s engagement on key sector issues. Dr Melanie Stander leads the Clinical Quality subcommittee, providing important clinical leadership on matters relating to healthcare quality and patient outcomes improvement.

As Chair of the Nursing subcommittee, Monyebodi Ngoepe contributes extensive nursing experience, ensuring that the perspectives of the profession remain integral to HASA’s work and priorities.

They are joined by other accomplished women whose contributions extend beyond HASA. Dr Biancha Mentoor continues to influence health policy through participation on a number of key structures, while former HASA Board Chair Melanie Da Costa appointment as Netcare’s incoming Chief Executive Officer reflects the depth of talent across the sector.

This is not simply about representation. Better decisions are made when different disciplines, experiences and perspectives come together around the same table. That diversity of thought informs policy and ultimately contributes to better outcomes for patients.

As South Africa continues to navigate a changing healthcare landscape, collaboration and capable leadership will remain essential. The women serving across HASA’s governance structures exemplify these qualities through their commitment, judgement and service. This Women’s Month, we proudly recognise these leaders and the many other women across the healthcare sector whose service, expertise and dedication continue to strengthen South Africa’s health system and improve the lives of the patients and communities it serves.