CNN (8/13, LaMotte ) reports, “Eating an anti-inflammatory diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables instead of an inflammatory diet focused on red and processed meats and ultraprocessed foods, such as sugary cereals, sodas, fries and ice cream, lowered the risk of dementia by 31%, a new study found.” Researchers found “that benefit held true even for people with existing diagnoses of cardiometabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

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— “Eating these foods lowers dementia risk, even with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, study says,”Sandee LaMotte, CNN, August 13, 2024

Healio (8/13, Herpen) reports research found that “a podcast that offers guidance for living with dementia as well as a space for those with lived experience to share their stories has received favorable reviews.” The Alzheimer Society teamed up “with the Centre for Education in Research in Aging and Health at Lakehead University in Ontario to produce Dementia Dialogue, a podcast dedicated to furthering education and creating dialogue around the issues that arise from a dementia diagnosis for patients and caregivers.” The findings were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

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— “Eating these foods lowers dementia risk, even with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, study says,”Sandee LaMotte, CNN, August 13, 2024

The Washington Post (8/9, Gilbert , Ovalle , Roubein ) reported that on Friday, the Food and Drug Administration “rejected for now the first attempt to win approval of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder – a major blow for advocates who for decades have pushed to integrate illegal psychedelic drugs into mainstream medical care.” The agency has “requested another large study, which could take several years to conduct, according to” Lykos Therapeutics. The company “said it plans to contest the FDA’s request, saying it believes the existing data is adequate to prove the drug’s efficacy.”

The New York Times (8/9, Jacobs ) reported that following the FDA’s decision, “supporters of psychedelic medicine were deeply disappointed, and some said they were stunned, having assumed the therapy’s promising data would overcome flaws in the company’s clinical trials, which had been designed in consultation with F.D.A. scientists.” The agency “declined to discuss the decision or release the letter it sent to Lykos outlining its reasoning, citing confidentiality rules.” However, an FDA spokesperson said in a statement that the agency “will continue to encourage research and drug development that will further innovation for psychedelic treatments and other therapies to address these medical needs.”

The AP (8/9, Perrone ) reported that while disappointing for some, “the FDA’s decision was expected after a panel of government advisors voted overwhelmingly against the drug’s use for post-traumatic stress disorder in June.” The agency “said Friday the MDMA application had ‘significant limitations’ that ‘prevent the agency from concluding that the drug is safe and effective for the proposed indication.’”

Also reporting was Reuters (8/10, Roy, Sunny).

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— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

The New York Times (8/12, Jacobs ) reports, “The journal Psychopharmacology has retracted three papers about MDMA-assisted therapy based on what the publication said was unethical conduct at one of the study sites where the research took place.” The conduct in question involved “a sexual relationship” between “an unlicensed Canadian therapist who took part in the trial” and “a participant after the conclusion of the trial’s dosing sessions.” Multiple authors “are affiliated with Lykos Therapeutics, the drug company whose application for MDMA-assisted therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder was rejected last week by the Food and Drug Administration.” While Lykos “said the research in the retracted papers was not part of its application to the F.D.A.,” on Sunday the company “said that it disagreed with Psychopharmacology’s decision and that it would file an official complaint with the Committee on Publication Ethics.”

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— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

Healio (8/12, Mahoney) reports, “Suicide rates among U.S. preteens increased significantly from 2008 to 2022, with the greatest increases being among Hispanic preteens and girls, according to a study.” Investigators also observed “the rate of suicide remained highest among Black preteens from both 2001 to 2007 (4.94 per 1 million persons) and 2008 to 2022 (8.5 per 1 million persons).” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

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— “Suicide rates rise among preteens, with highest increases seen among Hispanic youth, girls,”Moira Mahoney, Healio, August 12, 2024

The AP (8/11) reports Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “said Sunday he will work to block a plan that would significantly cut the proposed budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warning that such a spending reduction could endanger the public.” Senate Democrats “said the proposal in a House bill includes a reduction of the CDC’s proposed budget by $1.8 billion, or about 22%,” which “would mean a major cut in programs designed to address firearm injuries and opioid overdose prevention.” Schumer “said such a reduction ‘would wreak havoc and chaos on food safety funding mechanisms and tracking operations at a core level,’” pointing “specifically to the CDC’s work on the ongoing listeria food poisoning outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats that has killed at least three people and sickened more than 40 others.”

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— “Schumer says he will work to block any effort in the Senate to significantly cut the CDC’s budge, AP, August 11, 2024

The New York Times (8/8, Glover-Smith ) says “a report published last week by an international commission focused on dementia prevention” found that “adults over age 65 who experience vision loss have a nearly 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia.” However, if the “vision problems are corrected, that risk drops dramatically.” The commission also “found that people with hearing loss have a 37 percent increased risk for developing dementia,” with more severe hearing loss leading to a higher risk. The findings led the commission to add “vision impairment to its list of 14 total modifiable risk factors for dementia,” which also includes “smoking, diabetes, social isolation and hypertension.” The report was published in The Lancet.

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HCP Live (8/8, Derman) reports, “Nearly 1 in 10 patients with chronic pain treated with opioid analgesics experience dependence and opioid use disorder, a recent study found.” Investigators also observed “significant differences in the prevalence of dependence and opioid use disorder when examining the study setting,” with the greatest prevalence rates being seen in pain clinics and mixed settings. The findings were published in Addiction.

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— “Opioid Pain Treatment Raises Dependence and Use Disorder Rates,”Chelsie Derman, HCP Live , August 8, 2024

MedPage Today (8/7, George ) says, “Dementia in Parkinson’s disease occurred less frequently or later in the disease course than previously reported, data from two ongoing prospective cohorts showed.” The study “assessed longitudinal information from the international Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort and a long-standing Parkinson’s research cohort at Penn,” which combined to reveal “the estimated risk of dementia by duration of Parkinson’s disease was” 3-12% at year five, rising to 74% at year 20. The findings were published in Neurology.

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NBC News (8/7, Rosenblatt ) reports, “Women who spend time on TikTok are at a greater risk of disliking their own bodies and feeling worse about their appearance — especially if they’ve been exposed to pro-anorexia content, a study published Wednesday suggests.” After surveying “273 women ages 18 to 28 from July 2021 to October 2021 about their TikTok use” and showing them “what was referred to as ‘pro-anorexia,’ also known as ‘pro-ana,’ images,” researchers observed “a negative body reaction after as little as 10 minutes viewing content on TikTok.” The findings were published in PLOS One.

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— “Women who spend time on TikTok feel less satisfied with their bodies, study suggests,”Kalhan Rosenblatt , NBC News , August 7, 2024