Study suggests stress disorders like PTSD could be tied to life-threatening infections

Reuters (10/31, Rapaport) reports a recent study suggests that people “who have stress disorders like PTSD may be more vulnerable to potentially life-threatening infections, especially if they are diagnosed at younger ages or dealing with other psychiatric issues.” Researchers “examined data on 144,919 people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” and also “looked at data for 184,612 siblings of these subjects who didn’t have a stress disorder, along with more than 1.4 million unrelated individuals without these disorders.” The study was published in The BMJ.

Brain waves generated during deep sleep may trigger cleaning system in brain that protects it against neurodegenerative diseases, study suggests

The NPR (10/31, Hamilton) “Shots” blog reports that research suggests “the brain waves generated during deep sleep appear to trigger a cleaning system in the brain that protects it against Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.” Investigators found that “electrical signals known as slow waves appear just before a pulse of fluid washes through the brain, presumably removing toxins associated with Alzheimer’s.” The findings were published in Science.

Cardiac rehab may aid recovery from heart valve surgery, research suggests

Reuters (10/31, Rapaport) reports that research suggests “cardiac rehab, known to be helpful after heart attacks, may also aid recovery from heart valve surgery.” Investigators found that “older adults who got cardiac rehabilitation after heart valve surgery were less likely to be hospitalized or die over the next year than those who didn’t get this support.” The findings were published in JAMA Cardiology.

Scientists say daylight saving time can harm human health

The AP (10/31, Tanner) reports that “as clocks tick toward the end of daylight saving time, many sleep scientists and circadian biologists are pushing for a permanent ban because of potential ill effects on human health.” Previous research has shown that “losing an hour of afternoon daylight” may increase the number of “people seeking help for depression,” and “the springtime start of daylight saving time may be more harmful, linking it with more car accidents, heart attacks in vulnerable people and other health problems that may persist throughout the time change.”

CNN (10/31, Hare) reports that most people “should use the fall time change to squeeze in more sleep,” according to experts.

Study suggests regular exercise before breast cancer tied to lower heart risk after treatment

Reuters (10/31, Mishra) reports a large study suggests that older breast cancer patients “who exercised regularly before their cancer diagnosis may be better protected from the heart-harming effects of cancer treatment.” The five-year survival rate for breast cancer in the U.S. “is nearly 90%...and heart disease is the number one cause of death among survivors.” The study was published in JACC: CardioOncology.

Reuters (11/1, Rapaport) reported, “More men than women get kidney transplants and dialysis even though more women need these treatments for chronic kidney disease, a European study suggests.” The study was published online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Veterans with moderate, severe pain intensity more likely to attempt suicide, study says

Newsweek (11/1, Dodge) reported, “Veterans with moderate or severe pain intensity are more likely to attempt suicide, according to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The study evaluated more than 200,000 cases over a two-year period, discovering lower survival rates among veterans with pain, even when considering a history of suicide attempts, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and financial concerns.”