Cyberbullying Continues To Rise

Research shows that about 5 out of every 30 high school students report being victims of cyberbullying within the past year. In addition, roughly 10 of those 30 students spend about three or more hours per day playing video games or using a computer for other purposes than school work.

These numbers arise from the analysis of data gathered from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where 81% of schools and 87% of students from the 15,425 public and private high schools responded. The survey represents a national sample of high school students and takes place every two years “to monitor six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability and social problems among U.S. youths”.

"Electronic bullying of high school students threatens the self-esteem, emotional well-being and social standing of youth at a very vulnerable stage of their development," said study author Andrew Adesman, MD, FAAP, chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. "Although teenagers generally embrace being connected to the Web and each other 24/7, we must recognize that these new technologies carry with them the potential to traumatize youth in new and different ways."

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed students about whether they had been bullied in the past 12 months either through email, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites and/or texting. In addition, students were questioned on the number of hours they spent playing video games or using a computer for any other purpose than school work.

Results showed that 1 in 6 high school students or 16.2% reported being a victim of electronic bullying within the past 12 months. More specifically, results revealed that 22.1% of girls reported being bullied electronically while only 10.8% of boys reported being victims of electronic bullying, making girls more than twice as likely to report being victims of cyberbullying. In addition, “whites reported being the victim of cyberbullying more than twice as frequently as blacks”.

Furthermore, thirty-one percent of high school students reported playing video games or using a computer for something other than school work for 3 or more hours each day. Interestingly, boys (35.3%) were more likely than girls (26.6%) to report playing video games for more than three hours per day.

"Electronic bullying is a very real yet silent danger that may be traumatizing children and teens without parental knowledge and has the potential to lead to devastating consequences," said principal investigator Karen Ginsburg, also at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. "By identifying groups at higher risk for electronic bullying, it is hoped that targeted awareness and prevention strategies can be put in place."

Unfortunately, cyberbullying will only become more and more common in society, especially teens, as technology continues to advance. More research should help to spread awareness and develop legislation that may succeed in decreasing the number of victims of cyberbullying, thereby reducing the rising number of extreme cases that often result in fatalities.

Cyberbullying Rampant Among High School Students: Nearly One-Third of Youths Also Report Playing Video/Computer Games for More Than 3 Hours a Day

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Facebook Assures Our Self-Worth

A Cornell University communication expert claims that Facebook can be used to reinforce our self-worth. Particularly, users that receive negative feedback in every day life, tend to be instinctively drawn toward their own profiles to enhance their self-esteem and reinforce their sense of self.  

According to co-author Jeff Hancock, "the extraordinary amount of time people spend on Facebook may be a reflection of its ability to satisfy ego needs that are fundamental to the human condition."  As opposed to the typical view that Facebook is merely an activity that wastes time and often leads to negative consequences.  

To test the hypothesis, 88 undergraduate students were asked to deliver a short speech.  Students were then offered to look over their own Facebook profiles or someone else’s for a few minutes while awaiting feedback on their speech.  Participants then received negative feedback regardless of their performance.  When asked to rate the accuracy of the feedback, those who had viewed their own profiles were less defensive than those who had viewed another person’s profile.

Participants were then given the option to browse Facebook or other online sites after receiving either negative or positive feedback about their speech. Results showed that those who received negative feedback were more likely to choose Facebook than those who received positive feedback.  

These results suggest that an ego boost from viewing their own profiles could lighten the blow from receiving negative feedback about one’s abilities.  Whereas viewing another profile may increase the need to feel self-assured.  Similarly, the need for reassurance of self-worth after receiving negative feedback may influence one’s need to browse Facebook. 

In essence, setbacks experienced in every day life may have less impact on self-esteem and self-worth if Facebook can be used to repair the damage caused by such threats to the ego.  "Perhaps online daters who are anxious about being single or recently divorced may find comfort in the process of composing or reviewing their online profiles, as it allows them to reflect on their core values and identity," Hancock says. 

Also, not only could Facebook supply the emotional benefits needed to repair deep-seated notions of self-worth, but “the research suggests that Facebook profiles could be used strategically in applied self-affirmation interventions”.  For example, campaigns aimed at reducing resistance to anti-smoking messages may be more effective in conjunction with Facebook as young adults may be more compelled to maintain their self-integrity.  

Unfortunately, this study suggests that a person’s Facebook profile offers assurance that they are valuable, worthy and good without touching upon the impacts on those who may receive constant threats to self-worth on Facebook, such as bullied teens.

Like It? We Love It! FacebookAssures Us We're Good Enough

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Choline Supplements During Pregnancy May Prevent Schizophrenia

Research shows that the use of choline supplements during pregnancy may prevent schizophrenia.  Specifically, lower rates of physiological schizophrenic risk factors in infants 33 days old has been noted when the dietary supplement is given during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and early infancy.

Robert Freedman, MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine and one of the study's authors states: "Basic research indicates that choline supplementation during pregnancy facilitates cognitive functioning in offspring. Our finding that it ameliorates some of the pathophysiology associated with risk for schizophrenia now requires longer-term follow-up to assess whether it decreases risk for the later development of illness as well."

Choline is a water-soluble essential nutrient, typically grouped within the B-complex vitamins. It can be found naturally in foods such as liver, muscle meats, fish, nuts and eggs.  According to the American Institute of Medicine, pregnant women require between 450 and 3500 milligrams of choline each day and 550 to 3500 milligrams while lactating.  Infants aged 0-6 months need a minimum daily dose of 125 milligrams of choline and 150 milligrams from 7-12 months of age.

“Choline is also being studied for potential benefits in liver disease, including chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, depression, memory loss, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and certain types of seizures.”

To test their theory, researchers observed infant responses to a clicking sound.  Typically, the brain responds fully to an initial click, however the response to a second click immediately following the first is inhibited.  This trait is often absent among schizophrenia patients and relates to poor sensory filtering and familial transmission of schizophrenia risk.  Researchers observed this effect among infants to represent the illness as schizophrenia does not normally appear until adolescence.

“Half the healthy pregnant women in this study took 3,600 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine each morning and 2,700 milligrams each evening; the other half took placebo. After delivery, their infants received 100 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine per day or placebo. Eighty-six percent of infants exposed to pre- and postnatal choline supplementation, compared to 43% of unexposed infants, inhibited the response to repeated sounds, as measured with EEG sensors placed on the baby's head during sleep.”

These results could not only assist in early detection of schizophrenia, but may even help in preventing the illness or developing more effective treatments.

Some examples of choline found in different food sources:

Type of Food	mg of choline
5 ounces (142 g) raw beef liver	473
Large hardboiled egg	113
Half a pound (227 g) cod fish	190
Half a pound of chicken	150
Quart of milk, 1% fat	173
A gram soy lecithin	30
100 grams of Soybeans dry	116
A pound (454 grams) of cauliflower	177
A pound of spinach	113
A cup of wheat germ	202
Two cups (0.47 liters) firm tofu	142
Two cups of cooked kidney beans	108
A cup of uncooked quinoa	119
A cup of uncooked amaranth	135
A grapefruit	19
Three cups (710 cc) cooked brown rice	54
A cup (146 g) of peanuts	77
A cup (143 g) of almonds	74

Choline Supplementation DuringPregnancy Presents a New Approach to Schizophrenia Prevention
Choline

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Diabetic Medication Helps Improve Memory

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston revealed that an FDA-approved medication called rosiglitazone that is used to treat insulin resistance in diabetics also enhances learning and memory. This discovery could improve cognitive performance for those with Alzheimer’s disease.

By studying genetically engineered mice designed to serve as models for Alzheimer's, “the scientists believe that the drug produced the response by reducing the negative influence of Alzheimer's on the behavior of a key brain-signaling molecule.”

The molecule in question is called extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). In the brains of Alzheimer's patients as well as the mice in the study, this molecule becomes hyperactive, which leads to improper synaptic transmission between neurons thereby interfering with learning and memory.

“Rosiglitazone brings ERK back into line by activating what's known as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) pathway, which interacts with genes that respond to both PPARγ and ERK.”

Basically, the medication helps to restore signals between neurons so that cognitive functions become more normal. This research opens a gateway allowing researchers to test more FDA-approved drugs to try and normalize insulin resistance in Alzheimer's patients while potentially improving their memory at the same time. It could also lead to a greater understanding of the biology behind the cognitive issues in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death.

Symptoms:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
• Challenges in planning or solving problems.
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
• Confusion with time or place.
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.
• New problems with words in speaking or writing.
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
• Decreased or poor judgment.
• Withdrawal from work or social activities.
• Changes in mood and personality.

Prevalence:

• An estimated 5.4 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease in 2012. This figure includes 5.2 million people age 65 and older and 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
• One in eight people age 65 and older (13 percent) has Alzheimer’s disease.
• Nearly half of people age 85 and older (45 percent) have Alzheimer’s disease.
• Of those with Alzheimer’s disease…
• an estimated 4 percent are under age 65
• 6 percent are 65 to 74
• 44 percent are 75 to 84
• 46 percent are 85 or older
• Every 68 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s.
• By mid-century, someone in America will develop the disease every 33 seconds.

Diabetes Drug Improves Memory, Study Suggests
Alzheimer's disease
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Loss of Chewing Ability May Be Linked to Dementia

Researchers from the Department of Dental Medicine and the Aging Research Center (ARC) at Karolinska Institutet and from Karlstad University in Sweden suggest that the loss of chewing ability may be linked to cognitive decline and a higher risk of dementia.

Dementia is a serious loss of global cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging. It is not considered a single disease, but rather a set of signs and symptoms, in which affected areas of cognition may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving.

The study randomly selected a nationwide sample of 577 participants aged 77 or older to investigate tooth loss, chewing ability and cognitive function. Results showed that individuals that experienced more difficulty chewing hard foods were more at risk of developing cognitive impairments, even when controlling other variables such as sex, age, education and mental health. In addition, chewing with dentures or real teeth had no impact on their results.

It could be that “few or no teeth makes chewing difficult, which leads to a reduction in the blood flow to the brain. However, to date there has been no direct investigation into the significance of chewing ability in a national representative sample of elderly people.”

Unfortunately, this study does not specify whether all participants consumed similarly nutritious meals. Those with a reduced ability to chew certain foods may have been malnourished, which could have played a major role in their cognitive decline.

Nevertheless, the preliminary results of such research certainly provide further support for the fact that oral health impacts overall health. Good oral health brings significant benefits to self-esteem, dignity, social integration and general nutrition.

According the World Health Organization, the proportion of people aged 60 years and older is growing faster than any other age group, as a result of both longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates. Therefore, as our society ages, this type of research becomes more and more relevant…

• As of 2010, more than 35.6 million people worldwide are living with dementia, or more than the total population of Canada.


• The global prevalence of dementia stands to double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030, and 115.4 million in 2050.


• Total health-care costs for people with dementia amount to more than 1 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), or US$604 billion in 2010.

Chewing Ability Linked to Reduced Dementia Risk
Dementia
Ageing
Facts about dementia

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Early Emotional Neglect May Predict Strokes

New research conducted by the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center suggests that emotionally neglected children are at risk of stroke as adults. 

"Studies have shown that children who were neglected emotionally in childhood are at an increased risk of a slew of psychiatric disorders. However, our study is one of few that looked at an association between emotional neglect and stroke," said study author Robert S. Wilson, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Rush.

Researchers’ selected 1,040 participants aged 55+ without dementia from the Memory and Aging Project were surveyed on physical and emotional abuse before the age of 18. Participants were questioned on such areas as how much love they felt from their parents or caregivers as children, whether they felt afraid or intimidated by their caregivers, the method of physical punishment suffered and other questions relating to divorce and family finances.

The participants were followed over a period of 3.5 years. In that time, 257 participants had died. Of the deceased participants, only 192 had brain autopsies, which revealed that 89 of them had experienced strokes. Furthermore, forty of the participants were said to have had strokes based on medical history or an examination.

Furthermore, participants that expressed moderately high levels of emotional neglect in childhood were nearly 3 times more likely to experience a stroke than those reporting moderately low levels of emotional childhood neglect, even when other factors such as diabetes, physical activity, smoking, anxiety and heart problems were controlled.

"The results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that early life factors such as traumatic childhood experiences influence the development of physical illness and common chronic conditions of old age" says Dr. David A. Bennett, director of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and co-author of the study

Of course results may not be completely reliable since this study relies on a self-report of recalled events many years later, which may be even further clouded given the nature of the potentially traumatic memories.

Emotional Neglect in Children Linked to Increased Stroke Risk Later in Life

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A Simple Blood Test for Alzheimer's Disease on the Horizon

William Hu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurology at Emory University School of Medicine and collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania and Washington University, St. Louis are getting closer to uncovering an in inexpensive and very convenient test for Alzheimer's disease. 

This type of test has been studied for several years; however reliability of results and an inability to replicate the same results have prevented such a test from being discovered.  Now, scientists have finally found a group of markers that hold up in statistical analyses in three independent groups of patients.

Basically, they measured the levels of 190 proteins in the blood of 600 participants. The subjects studied included healthy volunteers and individuals that had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

“A subset of the 190 protein levels (17) were significantly different in people with MCI or Alzheimer's. When those markers were checked against data from 566 people participating in the multicenter Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, only four markers remained: apolipoprotein E, B-type natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein and pancreatic polypeptide.”

Coincidentally, they discovered a correlation among patients that showed changes in their levels of these four proteins and their measurements of proteins [beta-amyloid] levels in their cerebrospinal fluid, a protein previously connected with Alzheimer's disease.  These correlations allowed researchers to group together people with MCI that may be at high risk of developing Alzheimer's.

 "We were looking for a sensitive signal," says Hu. "MCI has been hypothesized to be an early phase of AD, and sensitive markers that capture the physiological changes in both MCI and AD would be most helpful clinically." 

"The specificity of this panel still needs to be determined, since only a small number of patients with non-AD dementias were included," Hu says. "In addition, the differing proportions of patients with MCI in each group make it more difficult to identify MCI- or AD-specific changes."

Unfortunately, researchers have not yet been able to uncover a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease; however they have discovered ways to ensure that any future tests will be reliable. 

Therefore, neurologists will have to continue to diagnose Alzheimer's disease based mainly from an analysis of clinical symptoms or at times expensive PET brain imaging or painful spinal tap.

Blood Test for Alzheimer's Gaining Ground

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