A roundup of the latest neuro rehab research and news
Atrial fibrillation more common and dangerous in younger people than previously thought
Atrial fibrillation (AF), a common type of arrhythmia that is on the rise in people under the age of 65, is more dangerous in this increasingly younger population than previously thought, according to a new study from the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
The study, which is among the first to examine a large group of AF patients younger than 65 in the U.S., found that these younger patients were more likely to be hospitalised for heart failure, stroke or heart attack and had significantly higher rates of comorbidity and mortality, compared to similarly aged and gender-matched people who do not have AF.
The UPMC team found that over the course of a decade, survival rates for those with the arrythmia were 1.3 to 1.5 times worse for men with AF and 1.82 to 3.16 times worse for women, compared to similarly aged patients who did not have AF.
The patients studied also had high rates of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including smoking, obesity, hypertension and sleep apnoea, which contribute to damaging structural and electrical changes in the heart over time.
Researchers use AI to improve Alzheimer’s treatment through the ‘gut-brain axis’
Cleveland Clinic researchers are using artificial intelligence to uncover the link between the gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s disease.
Previous studies showed that Alzheimer’s disease patients have changes in their gut bacteria as the disease develops.
The newly published Cell Reports study outlines a computational method to determine how bacterial byproducts called metabolites interact with receptors on cells and contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
Feixiong Cheng, PhD, inaugural director of the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center worked in close collaboration with the Luo Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Center for Microbiome and Human Health (CMHH).
The study ranks metabolites and receptors by the likelihood they will interact with each other, and the likelihood that the pair will influence Alzheimer’s disease.
The data provides one of the most comprehensive roadmaps to studying metabolite-associated diseases to date.
Leading voices in sports and para sports come together to drive record participation in world’s largest race
Global sporting stars have come together to shine a light on the role of sport in building a better world.
Colin Jackson, former GB Olympian and world record holder; Marc Herremans, Belgian wheelchair Ironman triathlete; and Professor Nick Webborn CBE, Chair of the British Paralympic Association, have united alongside National Lottery operator Allwyn to encourage people from around the world to take part in the 2024 Wings for Life World Run on May 5, targeting a record one million participants in the world’s biggest simultaneous race.
Established in 2014, The Wings for Life World Run is a uniquely inclusive global event.
All participants start at the same time, worldwide.
There is no fixed finish line, instead the virtual Catcher Car begins its chase 30-minutes after the start and increases in speed, passing participants one by one until the last participant is caught.
Once overtaken, you are a finisher. With hundreds of thousands running, rolling, or walking at the same time in the world’s largest simultaneous race.
100% of all entry fees and donations are given to scientific research and clinical studies worldwide to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
The Wings for Life World Run has raised €43m (£37m) for Wings for Life, a non-profit foundation which provides funding for international scientific research on spinal cord injury.
