News Briefs November 2022
Physical Fitness May Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
According to a presentation at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in April 2022, people who were more physically fit were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than people who were less fit in a large study of 649,605 military veterans. Researchers analyzed health records of veterans ages 30 to 95 who underwent an exercise treadmill test and did not have Alzheimer’s disease when the study began. They were followed for an average of nine years. Participants were divided into five groups, from least fit to most fit, as determined by how well they did on the treadmill test. The researchers found that those in the most fit group were 33% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those in the least fit group. Compared with the least fit group, the second most fit group was 26% less likely to develop the disease, the middle group was 20% less likely and those in the second least fit group were 13% less likely. For substantial health benefits, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week. In general, if you can talk but not sing while doing an aerobic activity, it’s at a moderately intense pace.
Study Finds Acetaminophen Raises Blood Pressure
Many physicians routinely recommend people with hypertension use acetaminophen for short-term and chronic pain relief. Unlike NSAIDs and naproxen, acetaminophen was thought to have little or no impact on blood pressure. But this assumption may be wrong. Researchers randomized 110 people with hypertension to 1 gram of acetaminophen or placebo four times a day for two weeks. After two weeks of neither medication, the study participants took the other drug for another two weeks. In the 103 individuals who completed the study, regular use of acetaminophen raised daytime systolic blood pressure a mean of 4.7 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) over placebo. Daytime diastolic blood pressure rose by a mean of 1.6 mmHg. Acetaminophen had the same effect, regardless of whether hypertension was treated or untreated or was measured with an at-home ambulatory blood pressure monitor or in a doctor’s office. One patient discontinued treatment due to increasing blood pressure, which normalized after the drug was stopped. The results do not imply that people with hypertension should never take acetaminophen for the occasional headache or muscle pain, the authors said. It does suggest that people with hypertension use the lowest dose for the shortest time possible, and that they understand the drug may not be a safe choice if they have cardiovascular disease. The study appeared in Circulation, online Feb. 7, 2022.
Groove Music May Enhance Executive Function
In a study recently published in Scientific Reports, researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan showed that music with a groove (known as groove music) can significantly increase measures of executive function and associated brain activity in participants who are familiar with the music. Groove music is that toe-tapping, head-nodding beat that creates the desire to move. Music that inspires this can elicit feelings of pleasure and enhance behavioral arousal levels. This study examined the effect of groove music in regions associated with executive function, such as the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC). Fifty-one participants were assigned to 3 min of listening to groove music or a white-noise metronome. Before and after listening, participants were monitored for l-DLPFC activity with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Results show that groove music enhanced activity in participants who felt a greater groove sensation, and they also felt more clear-headed after listening. This study adds to the body of evidence that music can positively influence the brain and inspire movement, including in people who may be physically and/or cognitively impaired. As such, music therapy has a wide range of potential health applications.
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