Aurora magazine

The ability to identify with those in front of us is a quality written in our genes. This is shown by a team of scientists from four major international institutions. The researchers who participated in the study come from the University of Cambridge, the Pasteur Institute, the Diderot University and the CNRS.

In 2002 a Cambridge team carried out a test to calculate how empathetic a person was. The questions measure the empathy quotient (EQ) of the person by evaluating cognitive and affective empathy. The first is the ability to recognize the feelings and thoughts of others; the second is the ability to respond with an appropriate emotion.

Thanks to the test it was discovered that the level of empathy changes from person to person. Furthermore, women are on average more empathetic than men. The researchers then decided to study the biological causes of these differences. The international study revealed that empathy is the result of both environmental factors and genetic factors.

The researchers tested the empathy quotient for 46,000 people. Then they also took a sample of saliva from each of them in order to analyze their DNA. Comparing the two results, it emerged that the level of empathy depends on genetic factors at least for a tenth. These minimal genetic variations could be the root for behavioral disorders.

Although women are more empathetic on average, there does not seem to be any significant genetic difference. According to the researchers, the merit could be hormonal levels, very different between the two genera.

Source: panorama.it

Fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS is a disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. It includes a large number of symptoms, of varying severity and of both physical and behavioral nature. The medical literature only reports it since the 70s of the last century, so it is a pathology recognized only recently.

According to studies, the female body contains less water than the male body. For this reason, women tend to spend more time disposing of ingested alcohol. The already long times are still dilated in case of pregnancy. In this case, the alcohol and the products of its metabolization reach the fetus through the placenta. The fetus is unable to metabolize alcohol and keeps it in circulation for longer.

The higher the consumption of maternal alcohol, the greater the risks to which the fetus is exposed. Nevertheless, even sporadic consumption can be harmful, influencing the different stages of fetal development. When consumed in the various moments of gestation, alcohol provokes:

• in the 4th week, abnormal development of the skull;
• in the first trimester, facial dysmorphologies, brain problems, birth defects;
• in the second quarter, growth deficit.

The term fetal alcohol syndrome is also used for partial manifestations of alcohol consumption. In most cases, these predict abnormalities in physical development that make the diagnosis immediate. FAS sufferers have creases in the corners of the eyes, a short, flat nose, squint, long forehead and sting, maxillary and mandibular hypoplasia.

FAS is also linked to mental and behavioral problems, such as mental retardation, attention disorder and hyperactivity. Some individuals present only these symptoms, which makes the diagnosis more difficult.

Source: epicentro.iss.it

Phase 3 of the nolasiban clinical trials is giving encouraging results. This is reported by the biopharmaceutical company ObsEva, which developed the drug for in vitro fertilization procedures. According to the researchers, the drug is effective and well tolerated by the body.

The trial involved 778 patients who were undergoing in vitro fertilization cycles. Half of them received 900 mg of nolasiban, the other half received a placebo. The assumption took place four hours before the embryo was transferred to the uterus. The assignment of the drug or placebo was completely random.

The first important step was ultrasound 10 weeks after implantation. Women who received the drug showed a 7.1% higher pregnancy rate than the other group. In fact, 35.6% of these were pregnant against 28.5% of the other group. This data is not only significant from a statistical point of view, but also from a clinical point of view.

According to the researchers, the discovery represents a major step forward for in vitro fertilization procedures. The practice, which they called IMPLANT2, could be a real revolution. Before the thing is confirmed, however, it will be necessary to wait for further data.

The company will release the rest of the data in 2019. The new report will include the number of live births and data concerning the health status of children. Only then, will it be possible to determine whether the procedure and the drug are safe for the woman and her offspring.

Source: fiercebiotech.com

Taking omega 3 fats from the 20th week of gestation until the 4th month of breastfeeding reduces the risk of allergies in the child. This is what an analysis of the Imperial College of London reveals.

The British researchers analyzed over 400 studies, analyzing the data of about 1.5 million people. They focused on the 15,000 women who took omega 3 in pregnancy and on their children. According to the study, omega 3 intake reduced the risk of egg allergy in children by 30%.

The study has denied a common belief. According to many, we should avoid potentially allergenic foods to reduce the risk of allergies in the child. Analysis data have revealed that this idea is groundless. Instead, supplements based on probiotics and omega 3 seem to have positively influenced the health of children. The second part of the study focused on the link between probiotics and allergies.

The researchers also analyzed data from over 6,000 pregnant women who had taken probiotics. The supplements were given from the 36th week of gestation until the 6th month of breastfeeding. For the children of these women, the risk of developing atopic dermatitis would have been 22% less.

The study could influence the guidelines regarding nutrition during pregnancy. The problem of food allergies is in fact very much felt in the United Kingdom, especially for the youngest. It is estimated that allergies affect about 1 in 20 children. They are caused by abnormalities in the immune system and part of the causes are still unknown.

Source: corriere.it