Alzheimer's Disease Archive

There are ways to shorten flare-ups and, in some people, prevent them from recurring.

 Image: © JodiJacobson/Getty Images

Psoriasis is a big star on TV drug ads, but this autoimmune skin disease is something most people try to keep well hidden.

"Psoriasis is among the most common skin conditions, affecting about 2% of the U.S. population, and while the condition doesn't affect everyone the same way, the approach to treatment and prevention is often similar," says Dr. Gideon Smith, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Ketamine offers a new option for people with stubborn depression that doesn't respond to other medications.

 Image: © AleksandarNakic/Getty Images

Many people know of ketamine as a hallucinogenic and addictive street drug, which, when abused, can put people in medical peril. But today, doctors are increasingly looking to ketamine as a potentially lifesaving treatment for people with severe, treatment-resistant depression, who may be at high risk for suicide.

"Ketamine has been shown to be effective in people who have not responded to antidepressant treatment," says Dr. Cristina Cusin, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. The fast-acting treatment has shown promise — sometimes improving depressive symptoms within hours of the first intravenous treatment.

Ask the doctors

Q. My sister, who is in her 50s, has always been very weight-conscious, but she recently went through a divorce and now seems unnaturally fixated on her weight and dieting. She's lost a substantial amount of weight. I've always thought of eating disorders as something that affects teenagers, but is it possible that she has one?

A. It is possible that your sister is suffering from an eating disorder, because they can affect people of any age, including older women, according to the American Psychiatric Association. They may be prompted by stress or a life change, such as a divorce. Signs that may indicate that a person has an eating disorder are

Ask the doctor

 Image: © Dr_Microbe/Getty Images

Q. I know that some viruses live permanently inside us, but only make trouble now and then. I even heard recently that they might be a cause of Alzheimer's disease. Why do they sometimes cause disease, and can we keep that from happening?

A. We live all of our lives with various microorganisms on us and inside us. One example is the herpes family of viruses. Out of more than a hundred herpesviruses, there are nine that infect humans. Once we get infected with these viruses — usually early in life — they remain with us, "asleep" inside some of our cells. But periodically, they "wake up" (reactivate), start producing multiple copies of themselves, and infect other cells. That's what's happening when a cold sore suddenly forms on your lip.

News briefs

 Image: © adamkaz/Getty Images

We're learning more about the link between weight gain and several major classes of antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like sertraline (Zoloft), and tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil). Research has shown that putting on pounds is a possible short-term side effect of the medications. But a study published May 23, 2018, in The BMJ suggests that antidepressants are also associated with sustained weight gain. Researchers analyzed the health information of more than 300,000 people in the United Kingdom (average age 51) who'd had their weight and body mass index measured at doctor appointments between 2004 and 2014. About 18% had been prescribed antidepressants. During the study period, people who took antidepressants had a 21% higher risk for a 5% or greater weight gain, compared with people who didn't take antidepressants. The risk peaked in the second and third years. There was no evidence of weight gain after seven years. The study was observational and didn't prove that antidepressants cause weight gain. But researchers hope the findings will encourage people to talk to their doctors about weight gain as a possible side effect of antidepressants, and plan for potential and even delayed weight gain if they're using the medications.

Performing resistance exercises could help ease symptoms of depression.

Pumping iron might inflate not only your muscles, but also your mood, says a study in published in the June issue of JAMA Psychiatry.

The study's authors came to this conclusion after examining the results of 33 randomized clinical trials involving more than 1,800 people. They found that people with mild to moderate depression who performed resistance training two or more days a week saw "significant" reductions in their symptoms, compared with people who did not. The findings also suggested that resistance exercises may be even more beneficial for those with more severe depressive symptoms.

In the journals

If you have problems sleeping through the night, you may be at risk for atrial fibrillation (afib), an irregular heart rate that may cause heart palpitations and is a leading cause of stroke.

A study published online June 25, 2018, by HeartRhythm reviewed four studies and found a link between afib and poor sleep. In one study, people with afib had more frequent nighttime awakenings compared with those who did not have the condition. In the other studies, poor sleep quality, including frequent nighttime awakenings and less REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, predicted which individuals would develop afib.

When depression strikes, doctors usually probe what's going on in the mind and brain first. But it's also important to check what's going on in the body, since certain medical problems are linked to mood disturbances. In fact, medical illnesses — and medication side effects — may be behind nearly 10% to 15% of all cases of depression.

It's not uncommon for a physical illness to trigger depression. Up to half of heart attack survivors and those with cancer report feeling blue, and many are diagnosed with depression. Many people who have diabetes, Parkinson's, or other chronic conditions become depressed.

Subjective cognitive decline often appears before memory loss and other symptoms.

Recent research suggests that the brain changes leading to Alzheimer's disease begin many years before the onset of symptoms.

Most often the disease is not diagnosed until it exists in full force, so finding earlier changes in thinking or behavior may help scientists better understand this process.

In the journals

Many people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also deal with ongoing depression and anxiety related to their pain and disability. While drugs used to treat the disease help alleviate the joint pain and stiffness, a recent study suggests they may not extend to improving patients' mental health.

The findings, published online June 6, 2018, by Arthritis & Rheumatology, reviewed more than 70 clinical trials and found only a small association between various drugs used for RA, such as adalimumab (Humira), rituximab (Rituxan), abatacept (Orencia), and tocilizumab (Actemra), and mental health outcomes in patients.