Researchers have identified a previously overlooked genetic region linked to chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ankylosing spondylitis. Surprisingly, this DNA segment, often termed a “gene desert” due to its lack of protein-coding genes, has been shown to play a pivotal role in driving inflammation. The study, published in Nature, reveals that this region influences the activity of a gene…
Chronic inflammation is a well-known disease risk factor affecting both physical and mental health. One of the most common ways of measuring inflammation is by measuring levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. Zhou and Hypponen, from the Australian Center for Precision Health, recently conducted a study on the link between Vitamin D and…
Gu et al. (Nature) recently published a paper explaining the association between Covid-19 and inflammatory and blood coagulation disorders involving platelets and endothelial cells. This is probably why patients with cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, obesity and ageing have been particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. Malas et al. have published a meta-analysis of 42 studies…
Genovese et al. recently presented the results of their research at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology. They implanted mini neurostimulators in 14 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients that had failed to respond to anti-rheumatic medication. In the treatment groups, the vagus nerve was stimulated daily for 12 weeks. The results showed that stimulation of the…
Jennifer Graham-Engeland et al. from Pennsylvania State University have recently found a link between negative moods and inflammation. The main author stated that, “Because affect is modifiable, we are excited about these findings and hope that they will spur additional research to understand the connection between affect and inflammation, which in turn may promote novel psychosocial…
It’s well-known that obesity can cause or exacerbate osteoarthritis (OA) through excessive mechanical loading. But another mechanism through which obesity can affect joint health is via inflammation and we now know that our gut microbes play a crucial role. Recent research by Schott et al. has looked into the link between obesity, gut microbes and…
It’s been known for a while that smoking decreases blood flow and hence reduces the transport of oxygen and other nutrients to tissues. But recent research by Ava Hosseinzadeh et al from the University of Umea in Sweden has looked into its effects on inflammation. Their findings were published in the Journal of Leucocyte Biology. They…
Vilma Aho et al from the University of Helsinki conducted 2 studies looking into the effects of sleep deprivation. The first study was experimental and consisted of partial sleep restriction to a small group of subjects. The second was an epidemiological study with over 2700 individuals. Blood samples were analysed in both cases. The analyses…
Poor sleep has been linked to increased inflammation. Inflammation is known to cause or exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders as well as more serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. Irwin and his colleagues conducted a randomised controlled trial looking into the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Tai Chi on the inflammatory markers…
Steven Cole et al. from UCLA have recently shown that having a deep sense of purpose and meaning in life can lead to positive genetic changes such as lowering the levels of inflammatory gene expression and strengthening the expression of antiviral and antibody genes. Theoretically, this could mean that those with a strong sense of…