New Mothers Experience Double Rate of Depression During COVID-19 by Karishma Abhishek on May 12, 2021 at 11:59 PM
Threshold for postnatal depression during the first COVID-19 lockdown was met by almost half (47.5%) of women with babies aged six months or younger. This was more than double average rates for Europe before the pandemic (23%), as per a study led by UCL researchers, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. Feelings of isolation, exhaustion, worry, inadequacy, guilt, and increased stress were described by the women. Many reported their lost opportunities and for their baby, and were worried about the developmental impact of social isolation on their new little one.
Uncertainty during last year s first lockdown had a negative impact on mental health. Experts suggest that health and education authorities should provide more support to institutions, such as kindergartens, schools, and sports organizations, to avoid the detriments of lockdowns.
Male Sex, BMI, Smoking, Depression Raise Biological Age by Angela Mohan on February 10, 2021 at 2:30 PM
eLife reports.
Aging can be measured in different ways. While chronological age is measured by date of birth, scientists have developed a range of measurements to determine our biological age.
These include measuring the length of telomeres (little caps on the end of our chromosomes that shorten as we grow older), chemical changes to our DNA (epigenetics), and changes to the proteins and metabolites in our bodies (proteomic and metabolomic measures).
Although studies have linked these individual measurements to physical and mental health, it is not known whether they influence each other - or whether they have a cumulative effect on our overall well being as we age.
Accelerating Treatment For Depression
The two main challenges in the treatment of depression are firstly, almost 50 percent of patients do not respond well to existing antidepressants and secondly conventional medications take almost three to five weeks to have the desired effect. To tackle the second problem, the researchers used epigenetic modulators to try to erase the consequences of stress.
Epigenetic mechanisms are a part of the complex system, controlling how genes are switched on or off.
The study conducted by a group of researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil is published in the journal