All posts tagged: exposure

Exposure to light pollution at night may increase Alzheimer’s risk, especially in younger people

Exposure to light pollution at night may increase Alzheimer’s risk, especially in younger people

Published by José

A new study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience suggests that exposure to artificial light at night may contribute to an increased prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly among younger individuals. The researchers found a significant correlation between higher levels of outdoor light pollution and higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease across various regions in the United States. This connection was observed even after accounting for known risk factors, raising concerns about the role of artificial light in neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory and cognitive function, is a growing concern worldwide. With rates of Alzheimer’s disease rising and light pollution now affecting 80% of the global population, the researchers sought to investigate whether there could be a link between these two modern phenomena. Artificial light at night has become a hallmark of urban life, providing convenience and safety. Yet, growing evidence shows that light exposure during nighttime disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythms—the internal processes that regulate sleep and wake cycles. Circadian disruptions have been linked to health problems such as insomnia, obesity, …

Exposure to the Israel-Hamas war is harming young people

Exposure to the Israel-Hamas war is harming young people

Published by skeptic

More from this theme Recent articles This school year will be remembered as a challenging one for many teachers and school leaders owing to the challenges presented by the devastating situation in Israel and Palestine.  Muslim and Jewish young people in the UK are witnessing the suffering of their communities at home and abroad. For some, this includes attacks against their own family and friends, which has a profound impact on their sense of identity. This was particularly pronounced after the terrible events of 7 October and its dreadful aftermath. My abiding memories of the classrooms I have visited are of the compassion pupils have exhibited. But this is in spite of the fact that they are feeling angry, upset, fearful, silenced and, at times, vilified. Nationally, schools are deeply concerned about young people’s mental health and wellbeing. In responding to this, we can not underestimate the trauma caused by a constant stream of violent images from the region.  Meanwhile, the long tail of this conflict has also been extraordinarily challenging for teachers who have …

Lupus Symptoms And Sun Exposure Made Me Feel Vampiric

Lupus Symptoms And Sun Exposure Made Me Feel Vampiric

Published by skeptic

My son’s favourite song is “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo. It plays on a continuous loop in our home. I wonder if he is old enough to delight in the lore of the vampire, the figure’s sexy and mysterious violence, and the theatrical crescendos of Rodrigo’s voice: “Bloodsucker, fame fucker.” In mid-October, he assembled a vampire costume for Halloween, replete with fangs, fake blood and a synthetic black cape that barely enveloped his 10-year-old frame. I have a different impression of vampires now that I am one. Because of a condition called lupus, if I’m exposed to direct sunlight, even for 10 minutes, a fiery rash appears on my chest and chin, and a milder rash — call it a blush or a butterfly rash — spreads across my cheeks and nose. The sun also causes me to turn febrile. I shiver and shake. It weakens my legs, sometimes to the point of immobility. It gives me one swollen, cyclopean eye. No wide-brimmed hat or SPF lotion can fully avert such reactions, so I retreat like …

Cat exposure during early life could double schizophrenia risk, meta-analysis suggests

Cat exposure during early life could double schizophrenia risk, meta-analysis suggests

Published by José

Recent research published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin suggests that exposure to cats in early life may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and related disorders in young adulthood. The systematic review and meta-analysis found that cat ownership was associated with more than double the odds of experiencing schizophrenia-related disorders. However, the relationship between cat ownership and less severe psychotic-like experiences remains unclear. Schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behavior, has long been the focus of scientific research to pinpoint potential risk factors. Symptoms of schizophrenia are typically divided into three categories: positive, negative, and cognitive. Positive symptoms include hallucinations (such as hearing voices) and delusions (fixed, false beliefs). Negative symptoms involve emotional flatness or lack of function, such as an inability to start and follow through with activities, and cognitive symptoms cover problems with attention, memory, and executive functions like planning and organizing. Psychotic-like experiences are subclinical symptoms of psychosis that can occur in the general population without a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. …

‘While screen time matters, the context of exposure to screens matters a great deal, if not more’

‘While screen time matters, the context of exposure to screens matters a great deal, if not more’

Published by skeptic

A child looks at a screen, Paris, February 4, 2024. JOEL SAGET / AFP Jonathan Bernard is a researcher at the Center for Research into Epidemiology and Statistics. Bernard conducts research on the exposure of young children to screens and its influence on their development and health. He published a major study on the subject in September 2023, using data from almost 14,000 children from 2-5.5 years old has, like others before it, demonstrated a negative relationship between screen exposure time and child development. He explained that it also showed that this relationship is reduced when family environment is taken into account. Children’s overexposure to screens has become a political issue. But at what point, at what threshold, are we doing “harm?” Many parents are asking themselves this question. The word “overexposure” has entered common parlance, but I have certain reservations about using it because of its vagueness. It refers to children’s exposure going beyond health recommendations, without precisely defining this “beyond.” Is it by a little? By a lot? By how much, precisely? And …

Scientists link small changes in facial and brain structure to low/moderate prenatal alcohol exposure

Scientists link small changes in facial and brain structure to low/moderate prenatal alcohol exposure

Published by José

Recent scientific studies reveal that even low levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy might subtly alter fetal craniofacial development and specific brain structures, although these changes do not appear to significantly impact broader socio-cognitive development in early childhood. These findings offer a deeper understanding of the potential risks associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) encompasses a range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects include physical, behavioral, and learning problems. While the severe impacts of high levels of prenatal alcohol exposure are well-documented, the effects of low to moderate consumption are less clear. This ambiguity has led to varying health advice and personal decisions about drinking during pregnancy. Historically, studies have struggled with inconsistent measurement of alcohol intake and confounding social and environmental factors, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the safety of minimal alcohol use in pregnancy. The series of studies referenced here aims to fill these gaps by employing detailed, consistent methods to evaluate the implications of low …

Adolescent Xanax exposure increases neurobiological sensitivity to opioids

Adolescent Xanax exposure increases neurobiological sensitivity to opioids

Published by José

A new study published in Scientific Reports sheds light on the lasting effects of the drug alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, when used during adolescence. Using male mice as their subjects, the researchers discovered that exposure to this drug at a young age could enhance the animals’ sensitivity to opiates, such as morphine, even long after the drug exposure has ceased. This research highlights the potentially negative long-term consequences of using certain medications during critical developmental stages. Benzodiazepines, including alprazolam, are frequently prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other disorders but come with risks such as addiction and dependency. Despite their known dangers, alprazolam remains highly prescribed, often misused alongside other substances like opioids. This misuse is particularly concerning in adolescents, who may not fully understand the risks involved. Previous research has mostly focused on older adults, leaving a significant gap in understanding how these drugs affect younger individuals. Recognizing this gap, the researchers set out to explore the specific impacts of alprazolam on adolescent development. “In our laboratory, we investigate the effects of early …

New book ‘Double Exposure’ turns to a mysterious photographer of the Civil War

New book ‘Double Exposure’ turns to a mysterious photographer of the Civil War

Published by skeptic

Book Review Double Exposure: Resurveying the West with Timothy O’Sullivan, America’s Most Mysterious War Photographer By Robert SullivanFarrar, Straus and Giroux: 448 pages, $32If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores. There are a few verifiable truths about Civil War photographer Timothy O’Sullivan. He was born in 1840 in Ireland. He apprenticed in the studio of famed photographer Matthew Brady, and he took what he learned onto the field of battle, where he made some of the most haunting photographs of the war. After the war, he traveled with several government expeditions and photographed the American West on the eve of its appropriation, division and exploitation by government and business interests. Back east, he died of tuberculosis in 1882. These are the bones of O’Sullivan’s story, but completing his portrait has frustrated historians, scholars and critics in awe of his photographic eye and astonished at his accomplishments. He left behind no personal accounts of his immersion in America’s bloodiest conflict. No diaries. …

Exposure to anti-feminist conspiracy theories intensifies rape myth acceptance among sexist individuals

Exposure to anti-feminist conspiracy theories intensifies rape myth acceptance among sexist individuals

Published by José

In recent research published in the journal Violence Against Women, scientists have shed light on the relationship between the belief in conspiracy theories about feminists, sexism, and the acceptance of rape myths. Their findings suggest that individuals harboring higher levels of hostile sexism are more inclined to accept rape myths, particularly when exposed to feminist conspiracy theories. This connection highlights the interplay between political predispositions, sexist ideologies, and conspiracy beliefs in shaping attitudes toward sexual violence. “Conspiracy theories can take an intergroup focus, where targets of conspiracy theories can become the victims of prejudice and discrimination,” said study author Daniel Jolley, an assistant professor in social psychology at the University of Nottingham. “In our work, we wanted to examine whether conspiracy theories about feminists – that propose feminists are acting secretly for their self-interests (e.g., secretly dismantling traditional family values) for their own gain – can inspire prejudices toward women, specifically sexual prejudices (i.e., the endorsement of rape myths).” “We were also keen to explore the effect of feminist conspiracy beliefs and sexist ideology on …