Speak two languages? You’re less
likely to get dementia!
It’s a
great thing that we Indians speak so many different languages. Most of us speak
two or more languages and that apparently cuts down our risk of developing
dementia! A new study has shown that people, who speak more than 1 language,
tend to develop dementia up to 5 years later than those who are monolingual.
A team of
scientists examined almost 650 dementia patients and assessed when each one had
been diagnosed with the condition. The study was carried out by researchers
from the University of Edinburgh and Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in
Hyderabad (India). They found that people who spoke two or more languages
experienced a later onset of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and
frontotemporal dementia.
The
bilingual advantage extended to illiterate people who had not attended school.
This confirms that the observed effect is not caused by differences in formal
education. It is the largest study so far to gauge the impact of bilingualism
on the onset of dementia – independent of a person’s education, gender, and
occupation and whether they live in a city or in the country, all of which have
been examined as potential factors influencing the onset of dementia. The team
of researchers said that further studies are needed to determine the mechanism,
which causes the delay in the onset of dementia.
The
researchers suggest that bilingual switching between different sounds, words,
concepts, grammatical structures and social norms constitutes a form of natural
brain training, likely to be more effective than any artificial brain training
programme.
What
is dementia?
Dementia
refers to a group of degenerative mental diseases in which there is a serious
loss of cognitive function which goes beyond normal ageing. Symptoms include
confusion, mood swings, long-term memory loss and a gradual loss of bodily
functions. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. It is caused due to
plaque deposition in the brain’s neurons which affects its functioning and
causes it to die. Why this happens is still not clear though research suggests
it’s linked to genetic susceptibility and mental age.
Source: http://health.india.com
08.11.2013
Methadone
reducing drug use in India
Anti-addictive drug Methadone has been found
to be effective in reducing drug use in India, says a study released on
Thursday.
Methadone is a drug that can be taken orally
or injected. It helps people dependent on morphine, heroin and other substances
to reduce and stop their drug usage.
‘Currently, five centres across India are
offering methadone maintenance treatment. When the methadone treatment was used
as a pilot project, it was found to be more effective with results of reduced
drug use, injecting episodes and criminal behaviour amongst drug users,’ said
Christina Albertin, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)representative for
South Asia.
‘The treatment using Methadone will also be a
vital option for HIV prevention. So there is a need to scale up the process in
India,’ Albertin added.
The pilot study was conducted by the UNODC in
collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and the All
India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Source: http://health.india.com
08.11.2013
Talent is God given, be humble. Fame is man-given, be grateful. Conceit
is self-given, be careful
John Wooden
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