Newsweek (7/22, Gander) reports, “Both our genes and our lifestyles may explain why some people maintain good memory into their 90s,” research indicated.

HealthDay (7/22, Reinberg) reports that in a study involving “100 people without dementia, average age 92, who were followed for up to 14 years,” researchers sought to find out why “some people in their 90s stay sharp whether their brain harbors amyloid protein plaques – a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease – or not.” The study revealed that “a combination of genetic luck and a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle” were probably why these people maintained cognitive resilience as nonagenarians. The findings were published online July 22 in the journal Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Genetics and Lifestyle May Explain Why Some Have Sharp Memory in Their 90s, “Kashmira Gander, Newsweek, July 22, 2020

Health IT Analytics (7/22, Kent) reports, “Dementia-associated common gene variants or the APOE e4 genotype can more than double dementia risk, but good cardiovascular health can halve dementia risk,” researchers concluded after analyzing data from “data from 1,211 participants in the offspring cohort of the…Framingham Heart Study, the longest-running cardiovascular disease study in the US.” The findingswere published online in the journal Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Genetics, Cardiovascular Health Both Contribute to Dementia Risk, ” Jessica Kent, Health IT Analytics, July 22, 2020

Psychiatric News (7/22) reports, “Deaths involving illicit opioids, stimulants (such as methamphetamine), heroin, and cocaine rose dramatically between 2015 and the end of 2019,” the American Medical Association’s Opioid Task Force concluded in a new report. In addition, the report “showed a 37.1% decrease in opioid prescribing; wider use of state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs; and increasing numbers of doctors trained to prescribe buprenorphine (a medication used for treating opioid use disorder).” In a press release, Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force, “emphasized the importance of naloxone, a drug that can be used to reverse an opioid overdose in an emergency. ‘If it weren’t for naloxone, there likely would be tens of thousands additional deaths,’” she stated.

Related Links:

— “Deaths From Illicit Opioids Rise Dramatically While Deaths From Prescription Opioids Fall, Psychiatric News, July 22, 2020

HealthDay (7/21, Reinberg) reports, “As many as 40% of LGBTQ youth and more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth contemplated taking their life in the past year, according to a new report” issued by the nonprofit Trevor Project. The “2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health” also revealed that “one in three LGBTQ youth said they had been threatened or harmed because of their sexual identity.”

Related Links:

— “Many LGBTQ Youth Suffer From Mental Health Woes, “Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, July 21, 2020

Medscape (7/21, Davenport, Subscription Publication) reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown are associated with increased depression and lower levels of life satisfaction – but primarily in specific demographic and socioeconomic groups, new research shows.” One “survey of more than 72,000 individuals in the United Kingdom shows that young adults, those in lower income groups, and those who had been diagnosed with a mental illness were most affected.” The “second survey showed that the pandemic triggered poorer mental health among more than 1400 patients with mental illness or their caregivers.” The findings of both “studies were presented during a dedicated session at the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) 2020 Congress.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)