Medscape (1/20, McNamara, Subscription Publication) reports a study suggests “despite long-standing efforts to ban lead-based paint, some children in the United States remain at risk for the neurotoxic effects of lead exposure, particularly those living in low-income areas.” The researchers “found children living in areas with the highest risk of lead exposure scored significantly lower on cognitive tests and had lower brain volume than their counterparts who lived in areas with the lowest risk of lead exposure.” The findings were published in Nature Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Lead Exposure Risk in US Children Far From Gone, “Damian McNamara, Medscape, January 20, 2020

Medscape (1/20, Yasgur, Subscription Publication) reports researchers found that “women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could be at higher risk of developing bipolar disorder, although the risk may be mitigated by use of metformin.” The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Hikes Bipolar Disorder Risk, “Batya Swift Yasgur, Medscape, January 20, 2020

MD Magazine (1/20, Kunzmann) reports, “Poor pulmonary function may be an indication of greater dementia risk, according to an assessment of 24 previous studies observing the 2 ailments.” A team of investigators based in the UK found in systematic review data that “respiratory illness and symptoms including poor forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) were associated with notable increases to dementia risk across 11 different study results.” The study was published online in the CHEST Journal.

Related Links:

— “Poor Lung Function Linked to Dementia Risk, “Kevin Kunzmann, MD Magazine, January 20, 2020

Healio (1/16, Laday) reports, “Frequent mental distress is commonly reported among adults with arthritis across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with the highest prevalence reported in the Appalachian region and southern states,” investigators concluded after evaluating data “provided by 147,288 respondents.” The findings were published online Jan. 3 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Related Links:

— “Mental distress highly prevalent among adults with arthritis in Appalachia, southern US, “Jason Laday, Healio, January 16, 2020

Healio (1/15, Gramigna) reports, “College students’ alcohol use behaviors may be closely related to their perceptions of the alcohol-related behaviors and attitudes of other students within their close-knit peer group,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data from a sample of 1,054 college students (61% female) across 35 intact same-sex club sport teams.” The study revealed that “perceptions of peers being more approving of drinking prospectively predicted greater alcohol use frequency at later timepoints, which is indicative or conformity processes.” The findings were published online Jan. 13 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Related Links:

— “College students’ peer groups significantly influence alcohol use, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, January 15, 2020