Aurora magazine

Prenatal exposure to environmental pollution can cause changes in the brain and sexual organs. There is therefore a real risk that the quality of today's air affects the development of future generations. This is what a study presented at the annual congress of the European Endocrinology Society states. According to the researchers, polluted air contains some endocrine-acting chemicals.

The substances in question could interfere with the functioning of the hormones, causing problems for the whole body. Among these there would also be infertility and sexual development. However, the actual extent of these damages is still unclear. Do we have to be afraid even for the next generations? The authors of the study decided to shed some light: they let some pregnant animals live in a context of environmental pollution, after which they followed the young.

The young have shown abnormalities in the development of sexual organs, as well as behavioral ones. All these problems were transmitted to three successive generations, even though they were not exposed to environmental pollution. The first and second generation female rats showed abnormal behavior towards their young. In those of the second and third generation, on the other hand, the researchers found anomalies at the ovarian level. This means that their fertility had been compromised, although they were not directly exposed to chemical agents.

Scientists think it is the fault of an altered gene expression, which has altered the regulation of reproductive hormones. The discovery raises disturbing questions: what legacy are we leaving to future generations? Does the action of pollutants in the air really risk affecting the future of humanity?

Source: eurekalert.org

There are many studies that say it: stress is bad for fertility. However, researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have discovered a new link between chronic stress and reproductive problems.

A pre-clinical study analyzes the role of a hormone in both phenomena, identifying aspects that had never been taken into consideration. The team analyzed ghrelin, a hormone produced by the P / D1 cells of the stomach and pancreas. Its job is to stimulate the appetite, but it is also released in stressful conditions. It's one of the reasons we eat when we're under stress, even if we're not really hungry.

Researchers have stopped producing ghrelin in some female guinea pigs. This seems to have reduced the negative effects of chronic stress on ovarian function. Further proof of how chronic stress affects fertility, but not only. The hormone could be the key to regulating the effects of these disorders on the ovaries, reducing them at least in part. It could be a way to increase the chances of conceiving of many women, who today suffer from fertility problems only partially understandable.

For the moment, the data only concerns guinea pigs, but mice react to stress in a way very similar to humans. The discoveries are therefore also applicable to us, with the necessary distinctions. So much so that they could pave the way for a series of new studies for the treatment of infertility, focusing on how to reduce the effects of stress on the body.

Source: rmit.edu.au

Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) have developed an app to facilitate early diagnosis of Huntington's disease. The application helps to identify the first symptoms of the disease, through a series of tests that assess the cognitive and physical conditions. If the tests are successful, he obviously invites you to contact a doctor to confirm or deny the results.

Huntington's disease causes progressive brain damage, which causes:

• uncontrolled movements;
• emotional problems;
• loss of cognitive abilities.

Usually the disease occurs in adulthood, around 30-40 years. Sufferers have a life expectancy of up to 20 years, after the first symptoms appear. However, there is also a less common form, which occurs at a young age.

The first symptoms of Huntington's tend to go unnoticed. These include irritability, depression, small involuntary jerks, lack of coordination, difficulty in learning new things and making decisions. They can be mistaken for stress, perhaps due to a difficult period.

The app serves to make a first diagnosis when there are almost no symptoms. Those at risk can download it and use it periodically to assess cognitive and motor skills. In this way it is easier to have an early diagnosis and intervene immediately, sometimes gaining 16 years of life.

The same principle is also applicable to other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Pre-diagnosis tools of this kind have existed for some time, but only on paper. This is the first time scientists have put everything on an application that anyone can download.

Source: expresshealthcare.in

In 2018, US fertility reached its negative peak: the number of newborns fell for the fourth consecutive year, a sign of a growing problem. This is reported by an analysis conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics.

What is the total fertility rate of a nation? It is the number of children that each woman should have in life, at least on average. In 2018, it reached 1.73 children for every American woman. Compared to 32 years ago, there was a 2% drop and is below what should be the minimum threshold. In order for population levels to remain stable, every woman should give birth to an average of 2.1 children. For the moment we have only provisional data, but they are not reassuring.

Once the United States had a high fertility rate, quite atypical for such a rich nation. Now, the country conforms to other nations of the first world, such as Italy and Japan. The decline has been in existence for ten years now, which suggests a strong link between the 2007 economic crisis and the demographic crisis. The most significant drop is among the very young, particularly among girls aged 15-19. In recent years, teenagers have given birth to 179,607 children, 9% less.

The numbers are still relatively high, compared to other first-world countries, but have fallen drastically. It is likely that it is largely due to the increased use of contraceptives. In conjunction with the decline in pregnancies among the very young, there has been an increase in mothers in their forties. Women who gave birth between the ages of 40 and 44 rose by 2% to 117,339.

Source: wsj.com