Aurora magazine

Psychiatric disorders in pregnancy are not associated with complications for either the mother or the fetus. Whether it is panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and major depression episodes, the fetus is safe. However, the study found a correlation between drug use and negative consequences. The result is in contradiction with other studies, which instead say the opposite.

Professor Kimberly Ann Yonkers's team, author of the study, analyzed the data of 2,654 women. The women were between the first and the 17th week of gestation and suffered from various kinds of psychiatric illnesses. Doctors interviewed participants at the beginning, around the 28th week and 8 weeks after giving birth.

They have shown that those who used benzopyridine were more at risk of premature delivery. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, on the other hand, have been associated with maternal hypertension and respiratory difficulties in neonates.

Many perceive psychiatric pharmacological treatments as something optional. In most cases, this is not the case. Some disorders are so debilitating to prevent pregnancy. It is good news that the disorder itself is not harmful to the fetus, but the women who suffer from it still have the right to be cured.
According to the authors of the study, the solution to be taken is the same as in cases of diabetes or epilepsy. The physician should evaluate the benefits and possible damages resulting from drug intake. Only in this way is it possible to understand whether it is best to stop the treatment or move on.

Source: medscape.com

Researchers Eduardo Tolosa and Dolores Vilas have found a new mutation associated with Parkinson's disease. The discovery was made during a study of 62 Parkinson's patients held on the island of Minorca. For the time being, they identified the mutation on a single patient, a 74-year-old man.

Scholars are still looking for all the genetic causes of Parkinson's. To date, they have identified five possible genetic sites involved in the development of the disease. Nevertheless, in the case of ACMSD, they had not yet found any disease-related mutations. The first case was that identified by Spanish researchers. According to the two, this would be a rare variation that would increase the risk of developing Parkinson's.

The man with the mutation in the ACMSD gene had no case of Parkinson's in the family. Moreover, it did not show any of the most common mutations associated with the disease. Discovery suggests that the new mutation could be an important risk factor for Parkinson's development. Many scholars have already linked the gene to the disease, and no mutation has been reported.

The ACMSD gene encodes for an enzyme involved in the pathway of the kinurenine. Some kinurenine metabolites play an important role in the functioning of the central nervous system. In some cases, they can cause inflammation and common types of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's. Discovery could thus help to better understand the disease and develop new therapies.

Source: iospress.com

One of the most used tests to diagnose type 2 diabetes is influenced by 60 genetic variants. One of these variants, however, is only found in African American patients. This dramatically reduces the accuracy of the diagnosis and makes it necessary to think of an alternative. According to the authors of the study, genetic screening for this variant should be added to the standard blood test.

In the UK, diabetics are over 4 million and should reach 5 million by 2025. 90% of them suffer from type 2 diabetes, the most common form of obesity. For the diagnosis and monitoring of this form of diabetes, the HbA1c test is used. The test serves to measure blood sugar levels so that the progression of the disease is verified.

More than 200 scientists have studied genetic variants that could affect the outcome of the exam. They performed genetic screening of 160,000 diabetic subjects and European, African and Asian ancestors. Researchers have discovered 60 genetic variants that affect the HbA1c test results. Of these, 42 are new and one is present only in those with an African ancestor.

The G6PD gene variant influences the results of the HbA1c test, as it lowers blood sugar values. Thus increasing the risk of inaccurate and overly optimistic diagnosis. The variant affects about 11% of African Americans, on which the normal diagnostic tools are therefore much less effective.

Source: medicalxpress.com

In 2015, 1 Japanese 20 newborn baby was born with in vitro fertilization. It is revealed by a questionnaire promoted by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The analysis reveals a steady and explosive growth of this technique in the country. A trend is to continue in this direction, according to experts.

In Japan, more and more couples rely on IVF to have children. According to data collected, only 424,151 in vitro fertilization cycles were delivered in 2015 alone. These have translated into 51,000 births, the highest number ever for the country.

Part of the blame is the average age of aspiring parents, also growing along with fertility treatments. 40% of women who in 2015 turned to fertility centers were 40 years or older. Of these only about 9% managed to conceive and give birth to a healthy baby.

IVF numbers are much more positive as age drops. 21.5% of women around 30 were successful. It takes just a few years to get rid of the percentages: around 18.4% of aspiring mothers around 35 have had a baby. Let's talk about a drop of about 3 percentage points.

According to the authors of the questionnaire, Japan needs to expand its offer of infertility treatments. It would be a fundamental need for a country that is experiencing a dramatic demographic collapse.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com