Daily Archives: 13 March 2024

Physical activity during childhood is associated with cerebellar size in adolescence

Research conducted by the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Eastern Finland reveals a significant correlation between sustained physical fitness from childhood and the volume of cerebellar grey matter in adolescents. The study highlights that adolescents with superior neuromuscular fitness, greater strength, speed, and agility possessed a larger volume of Crus I grey matter during their teenage years.

The cerebellum’s role in cognitive functions and learning is well-documented, yet the relationship between physical fitness and the cerebellum’s volume during adolescence has yet to be thoroughly understood. This investigation delves into how physical fitness correlates with the grey matter volume in specific cerebellar lobules implicated in adolescents’ cognitive processes, examining differences across genders.

Findings indicate that adolescents with higher levels of neuromuscular fitness since childhood exhibit a greater volume of Crus I grey matter. Conversely, those with better cardiorespiratory fitness showed a reduction in the total volume of cerebellar grey matter. Notably, male adolescents with enhanced neuromuscular fitness from childhood were found to have a reduced volume of Crus II grey matter.

Doctoral Researcher Petri Jalanko from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä emphasised the significance of ongoing physical activity from childhood through adolescence. Such activity leads to improved physical fitness, which may be crucial for the cerebellum’s volumes integral to cognition and learning. However, Jalanko also acknowledged the paradoxical nature of some of the observed associations.

Jalanko further commented on the necessity of future research to elucidate the connections between physical fitness and cerebellar volume. He advocated for implementing randomised controlled trials that employ direct measurements of cardiorespiratory fitness and advanced brain imaging techniques. These studies should encompass a broader demographic and analyse the sexes separately to comprehend better adolescents’ links and causality between physical fitness and cerebellar volumes.

The insights are derived from the FitBrain study, part of an 8-year follow-up examination within the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study involving 40 participants. The cohort comprised 22 females and 18 males, with an average age of 17.9 years.

Cardiorespiratory fitness assessment involved a maximal ramp test using a cycle ergometer. Muscular strength was measured through the standing long jump, speed agility via the 10 x 5 m shuttle-run test, and coordination through the Box and Block Test. Neuromuscular fitness was quantified as a composite score based on the standing long jump, Box and Block Test, and shuttle-run test z-scores. Cerebellar volumes were determined through magnetic resonance imaging. These findings have been published in the esteemed Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, marking a significant contribution to the field.

More information: Petri Jalanko et al, Associations between physical fitness and cerebellar gray matter volume in adolescents, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. DOI: 10.1111/sms.14513

Journal information: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Provided by University of Eastern Finland

Video game enthusiasts across the globe could be jeopardizing their hearing permanently or facing the risk of tinnitus

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The researchers have found that the volume levels reported in investigations encompassing over 50,000 individuals often approach or surpass the thresholds considered safe, leading them to conclude that a tangible risk is associated with exposure to such sound levels. Given the widespread appeal of video gaming, they argue for heightened public health initiatives to alert the public about these potential dangers.

Traditionally, concerns about unsafe sound exposure have centred on headphones, earbuds, and music venues, with video games and e-sports receiving comparatively little scrutiny regarding their impact on auditory health. The researchers note that gamers frequently engage with their games at loud volumes for extended periods. With estimates suggesting over 3 billion gamers worldwide in 2022, the potential for widespread auditory damage is significant.

In their quest to establish a foundation of evidence, the researchers examined numerous studies and documents, including those found in the grey literature, across languages such as English, Spanish, and Chinese. Their review included 14 peer-reviewed studies from nine different countries across continents, including North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Asia, and Australasia, encompassing 53,833 participants. These studies varied in focus, from the direct impact of computer and video games on hearing to the environments of gaming centres and personal computer rooms, particularly popular in Asia, and even included the use of mobile devices.

The studies revealed that sound levels could range significantly, from as low as 43.2 decibels (dB) with mobile devices to between 80-89 dB in gaming centres, with exposure time varying according to the gaming access frequency and mode. Notably, impulse sounds during gameplay, which are short bursts significantly louder than the ambient noise, were reported to reach levels as high as 119 dB, far exceeding the recommended exposure limits for both children and adults as defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

The review highlights the ITU’s guidelines on permissible sound exposure levels, illustrating how exposure limits decrease with each increase in decibel level. For instance, a permissible exposure of 80 dB for 40 hours a week would be halved to 20 hours at 83 dB, showcasing the severe restrictions necessary to maintain safe listening practices.

Furthermore, the study addresses the prevalence of video gaming among youth, the associations between gaming and reported hearing issues such as tinnitus and hearing loss, and gender differences in gaming habits. It suggests that boys are more likely to play video games more frequently, for longer durations, and at higher volumes than girls.

Despite some studies dating back to the early 1990s, the evidence indicates a concerning trend of gamers, especially those frequently engaging at or above the documented average sound levels, likely exceeding safe listening thresholds. This behaviour poses a significant risk for permanent auditory damage, including hearing loss and tinnitus.

The researchers underscore several critical gaps in the current understanding, such as the specific impacts of e-sports, geographical location, gender, and age on hearing loss, underscoring the necessity for further research. This future research is crucial for developing preventive measures and informing global policy initiatives to safeguard hearing health among the gaming community. They advocate for prioritizing educational and awareness campaigns that promote safe listening habits among gamers to mitigate these risks.

More information: Lauren K Dillard et al, Risk of sound-induced hearing loss from exposure to video gaming or esports: a systematic scoping review, BMJ Public Health. DOI: 10.1136/bmjph-2023-000253

Journal information: BMJ Public Health Provided by BMJ

Long-term survivors of childhood cancer are at an increased risk of mortality following cardiac complications; the threshold for addressing risk factors ought to be reduced

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Recent studies from the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and VCU Health Pauley Heart Center have unveiled that individuals who have survived cancer during childhood face a substantially increased risk of death after experiencing major cardiovascular incidents such as heart failure, heart attacks, or strokes, compared to the general population.

Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, these insights suggest a need for a fundamental change in the clinical approach to heart health, advocating for the consideration of cardiovascular risk factors at a younger age among childhood cancer survivors.

The research reveals a startling comparison: a 50-year-old from the general population faces a similar risk of death following a major cardiovascular event as a 30-year-old who had been treated for cancer in childhood. Wendy Bottinor, M.D., the lead author of the study and a cardio-oncologist at both Massey and the Pauley Heart Center, highlighted the amplified impact of untreated risk factors on the mortality risk after severe heart events in childhood cancer survivors compared to their counterparts in the general population. That challenges the assumption that youth automatically diminishes the need to treat risk factors such as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

Building on previous findings that childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of heart disease and cardiovascular mortality, this study delves deeper into how these early-life cancers affect survivors’ mortality risks from major cardiovascular events later in life, in contrast to individuals without a cancer history.

The researchers relied on comprehensive data from the Childhood Cancer Survivors Study, which comprises a cohort of 25,000 childhood cancer survivors and their siblings, and the CARDIA study, a diverse cardiology database focused on the development of heart disease in young adults. Their findings indicate that childhood cancer survivors experience higher mortality rates following heart failure, heart attack, or stroke than their siblings without a cancer history and that they are significantly younger than the general population when these events occur.

This phenomenon suggests an “accelerated ageing” effect in childhood cancer survivors, wherein their medical profiles resemble those of significantly older individuals. The study also explored potential interventions, identifying dyslipidemia—an imbalance of fats in the blood—as a condition that, when treated with statins, could lower the mortality risk post-cardiovascular event. Statins, which reduce cholesterol levels and inflammation, may offer protective benefits against heart disease and cancer.

Furthermore, the research underscores the heightened risk of heart-related deaths associated with hypertension among childhood cancer survivors. This finding calls for reevaluating current medical guidelines, often setting high thresholds for prescribing blood pressure medication, especially for younger patients.

Dr Bottinor advocates for a lower threshold for treating hypertension in childhood cancer survivors, given their elevated risk of heart disease. She emphasizes the necessity for further research to fully understand the impact of heart health risk factors in young adults treated for cancer, the potential benefits of modifying these risk factors, and the importance of raising awareness about the cardiovascular risks following cancer treatment in children and young adults.

Cardio-oncology development as a field aims to provide specialized, multidisciplinary heart care throughout the cancer treatment process to minimize cardiovascular health repercussions. The cardio-oncology program at Massey and the Pauley Heart Center stands out as the sole program in Virginia recognized as a Center of Excellence by the International Cardio-Oncology Society.

More information: Wendy Bottinor et al, Mortality After Major Cardiovascular Events in Survivors of Childhood Cancer, Journal of the American College of Cardiology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.12.022

Journal information: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Provided by Virginia Commonwealth University