Eating ultra-processed foods like cold breakfast cereal, cookies, and hot dogs may speed up early signs of Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study published in Neurology. The research found that people who consumed more of these processed foods were more likely to experience early symptoms of the disease compared to those who ate very few.

The study analyzed data from over 42,000 participants with an average age of 48, who did not have Parkinson’s disease at the start of the study. They were followed up to 26 years and completed regular medical exams and health questionnaires. Researchers also reviewed food diaries that listed what participants ate and how often.

The team looked at several types of ultra-processed foods, including sauces, spreads, or condiments; packaged sweets; snacks or desserts; artificially or sugar-sweetened beverages; animal-based products; yogurt or dairy-based desserts; and packaged savory snacks. One serving was equivalent to a single can of soda, one ounce of potato chips, one slice of packaged cake, a single hot dog, or one tablespoon of ketchup.

Researchers divided participants into five groups based on how many ultra-processed foods they ate per day on average. The highest group consumed 11 or more servings daily, while the lowest group averaged fewer than three servings daily.

After adjusting for factors like age, physical activity, and smoking, researchers found that participants who ate 11 or more servings of ultra-processed food per day had a 2.5-fold higher likelihood of having three or more early signs of Parkinson’s disease compared to those consuming fewer than three servings per day.

When looking at individual symptoms, eating more ultra-processed foods was tied to an increased risk for nearly all symptoms except constipation. The study’s author, Xiang Gao, emphasized the importance of choosing whole, nutritious foods over processed ones to maintain brain health.

While the study suggests a link between ultra-processed food consumption and early signs of Parkinson’s disease, it does not prove causation. More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the complex relationships between diet, lifestyle, and neurodegenerative diseases.

In the meantime, individuals can take steps to reduce their exposure to ultra-processed foods by:

* Reading labels carefully
* Choosing whole grains over refined ones
* Limiting sugary drinks and snacks
* Opting for fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged options
* Cooking meals from scratch using fresh ingredients

By making informed food choices, individuals can contribute to a healthier brain and potentially reduce their risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

The shingles vaccine has been found to lower the risk of heart disease for up to eight years, according to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal. The study, which included over 1.2 million people aged 50 or older living in South Korea, revealed that those who received the vaccine had a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease.

The protective effect of the vaccine was particularly pronounced for men, younger individuals (under 60), and those with unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and being inactive. The study’s findings suggest that vaccination could offer health benefits beyond preventing shingles, a painful rash caused by the varicella zoster virus.

Led by Professor Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, the research team aimed to investigate whether getting vaccinated against shingles could lower the risk of heart problems associated with the condition. Their study involved gathering data on cardiovascular health and other factors that can influence health, such as age, sex, wealth, and lifestyle, for individuals who received the live zoster vaccine between 2012 and 2020.

The researchers found that among people who received the vaccine, there was a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events overall, with a 26% lower risk of major cardiovascular events (a stroke, heart attack or death from heart disease), a 26% lower risk of heart failure, and a 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease. The protective effect was strongest in the two to three years after the shingles vaccine was given, but researchers found that the protection lasted for up to eight years.

The study’s findings have significant implications for public health policy and could lead to changes in vaccination recommendations to include cardiovascular benefits. However, as Professor Yon noted, more research is needed on the recombinant vaccine, which is now being used in many countries, to confirm its effectiveness in reducing heart disease risk.

The latest study published in Cell has revealed that phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), previously known as a biomarker for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, is actually a causal gene for spontaneous Alzheimer’s. Using artificial intelligence to visualize the three-dimensional structure of PHGDH, researchers at the University of California San Diego discovered a previously unknown regulatory role played by the protein.

The study found that altering PHGDH expression levels had consequential effects on Alzheimer’s disease progression in mice and human brain organoids. Lower levels corresponded to less disease progression, whereas increasing the levels led to more disease advancement. This established that PHGDH is indeed a causal gene for spontaneous Alzheimer’s disease.

In further support of this finding, the researchers determined that PHGDH triggers a pathway that disrupts how cells in the brain turn genes on and off, leading to issues such as the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The research team used AI again to identify NCT-503, a small molecule with the potential to inhibit PHGDH’s regulatory role. They tested NCT-503 in two mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and observed that it significantly alleviated Alzheimer’s progression, demonstrating substantial improvement in memory and anxiety tests.

While there are limitations to their study, the results are promising, according to lead author Sheng Zhong. “Now there is a therapeutic candidate with demonstrated efficacy that has the potential of being further developed into clinical tests,” he said.

“The next steps will be to optimize the compound and subject it to FDA IND-enabling studies.” An advantage of small molecules is that they could even be administered orally, unlike current treatments that require infusions.