ADHD Associated With Depressed Dopamine Activity In The Brain

A report in the ScienceDaily suggests that dopamine dysfunction may be involved with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and may contribute to substance abuse that often occurs simultaneously. Adults with (ADHD) show a blunted response to the drug methylphenidate, which increases brain dopamine levels, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Nora D. Volkow, M.D., of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md., and colleagues studied 19 adults with ADHD (average age 32) who had never received medication and 24 healthy controls (average age 30). Brain scans were performed using positron emission tomography (PET) and a drug known as raclopride labeled with carbon 11 ([11C]raclopride), which binds with dopamine receptors. Scans were performed twice, after injections of placebo and of methylphenidate.

The participants unknown of which drug they had received, were asked to report the severity of their ADHD symptoms, whether they could detect the drug, if they liked or disliked it, and if it made them feel "high," tired, alert, anxious or restless.

In individuals with ADHD, methylphenidate caused less of a decrease in the amount of [11C]raclopride that bound to dopamine receptors in areas of the brain associated with attention than it did in those without ADHD. Since levels of methylphenidate in the blood were the same in both groups, this suggests that those with ADHD released less dopamine in response to the drug than controls. This blunted response was associated with symptoms of inattention.

The findings of reduced dopamine release in subjects with ADHD are consistent with the notion that the ability of stimulant medications to enhance extracellular dopamine underlies their therapeutic effects in ADHD. Individuals with ADHD also reported liking methylphenidate more than individuals without ADHD.

The reinforcing responses to methylphenidate were negatively correlated with the dopamine increases, suggesting that decreased dopaminergic activity may also be involved in modulating the magnitude of the reinforcing effects of methylphenidate. This suggests that dopamine dysfunction is involved with symptoms of inattention but may also contribute to substance abuse comorbidity in ADHD."

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070806164505.htm

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Include Fatty Fish for Low-Cholesterol Diet

Studies throughout the years have shown the benefits of fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the bloodstream. Experts aren't sure of the exact mechanism. Omega-3 fatty acids may also slow down the growth of plaques in the arteries and reduce inflammation throughout the body.

In an important review of studies, researchers found that getting daily omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil could lower triglyceride levels by 25%-30%. The results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1997.

Based on the mounting evidence, the FDA approved a new "qualified health claim" for the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in 2004. This means that the evidence for the benefits of fatty fish is strong but not yet conclusive. It also allows the makers or distributors of foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids to advertise that the product may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Choice of fish and amount to consume
Choosing the right fish to eat, the way you prepare the fish and the right consumption will all make a difference in the benefits you can gain from eating fish.
A point to note is that any health benefits from fish are cancelled out if you deep-fry them in a vat of vegetable oil. "The way that you prepare any of these foods makes a big difference in your blood cholesterol level," says Keecha Harris, DrPH, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

The American Dietetic Association recommends oily fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring, sardines and mackerel which are full of omega-3 fatty acids. These fish should be a staple of everyone's heart-healthy diet. Current recommendations are to eat two 4-ounce servings of fish a week, says ADA spokeswoman Suzanne Farrell, MS, RD. The American Heart Association recommends that people who have heart disease get at least one serving a day.

Despite the benefits of eating fatty fish, there is a need to beware of not eating too much of it, as fatty fish are high in calories and eating too much of some types of fish can carry other risks. The FDA says that up to 12 ounces – about 2 meals – of canned light tuna, salmon and certain other fish are safe even for children and pregnant women.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/134/119059.htm

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DHA in Fish Oil Benefits Alzheimer Disease

Many Alzheimer's researchers have long touted fish oil, by pill or diet, as an accessible and inexpensive "weapon" that may delay or prevent this debilitating disease. Now, UCLA scientists have confirmed that fish oil is indeed a deterrent against Alzheimer's, and they have identified the reasons why.

Alzheimer's is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that causes memory loss, dementia, personality change and ultimately death.

Reporting in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, Greg Cole, professor of medicine and neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and associate director of UCLA's Alzheimer Disease Research Center, and his colleagues report that the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in fish oil increases the production of LR11, a protein that is found at reduced levels in Alzheimer's patients and which is known to destroy the protein that forms the "plaques" associated with the disease.

The plaques are deposits of a protein called beta amyloid that is thought to be toxic to neurons in the brain, leading to Alzheimer's. Since having high levels of LR11 prevents the toxic plaques from being made, low levels in patients are believed to be a factor in causing the disease.

The researchers examined the effects of fish oil, or its component DHA, in multiple biological systems and administered the oil or fatty acid by diet and by adding it directly to neurons grown in the laboratory. "We found that even low doses of DHA increased the levels of LR11 in rat neurons, while dietary DHA increased LR11 in brains of rats or older mice that had been genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease," said Cole, who is also associate director of the Geriatric Research Center at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

To show that the benefits of DHA were not limited to nonhuman animal cells, the researchers also confirmed a direct impact of DHA on human neuronal cells in culture as well. Thus, high levels of DHA leading to abundant LR11 seem to protect against Alzheimer's, Cole said, while low LR11 levels lead to formation of the amyloid plaques.

Studies have also linked low levels of DHA in the brain to cognitive impairment and have shown that lower levels may increase oxidative stress in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=33823

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Omega-3 Fish Oils Improve the Symptoms of Lupus.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body engages in friendly fire against its own tissues and organs including the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, and blood. Lupus is a disease of the immune system and also a vascular disease, Studies now confirm the benefits of omega-3 fish oils in improving the symptoms of lupus.

According to new research presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting held on Nov. 7, 2007 (Boston) , fish oil supplements not only improve the symptoms of lupus , but also improve blood flow and blood vessel function in people with lupus who are known to be at increased risk for heart disease.

In the new study of 60 people with lupus, participants who took 3 grams of omega-3 polyunsaturated fish oil supplements daily for six months showed improvements in the symptoms of their disease, as measured by two standard tools, when compared to their counterparts who received dummy pills. Participants who took the fish oil supplements also showed improved blood vessel function and a reduction in measures of oxidative stress which has been linked to heart disease.

Researcher Stephen Wright, MD, a specialist registrar in rheumatology at Queen's University of Belfast in Northern Ireland, says in a news release "This study confirms the beneficial effects of omega-3 fish oils in improving the symptoms of [lupus] and also provides evidence of the potential cardioprotective effect they may have in this group of patients,"

John J. Cush, MD, director of clinical rheumatology at Baylor Research Institute in Dallas pointed out that “Lupus has cumulative effects on the blood vessels over the years, and this also needs to be addressed." He also says that fish oil supplements may help address the blood vessel damage seen in the disease.

The new study is "very encouraging and speaks to another way that lupus can be successfully managed," Cush tells WebMD.

Cush says the benefits seen in the study are probably not achievable by simply eating more fatty fish in the diet because the amount of fish that a person would need to eat on a regular basis to get 3 grams of omega-3 is too high.

"Patients with lupus need to control blood pressure, avoid high-fat diets that are bad for vascular diseases of any kind, and maybe use of omega-3 supplements," Cush says. "They are fairly cheap and may produce benefits without producing any harm."

Source: http://lupus.webmd.com/news/20071107/fish-oil-supplements-may-ease-lupus

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Fish Oil Urged for Heart Patients

Omega-3 fatty acids are shown to reduce risk of further heart attacks. Doctors are advising heart attack patients to adopt a new lifestyle and eat more oily fish.

Evidence from trials suggests that eating more oily fish can improve survival rates in heart attack patients. The new guidelines recommend that patients who have had a heart attack in the last three months eat more oily fish or are prescribed certain preparations of omega 3 fatty acids.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) believes that eating oily fish is an effective way to cut the risk of further heart attacks. NICE has recommended lifestyle change on the guidelines update in preventing repeat attacks. The new lifestyle section says patients should be advised to give up smoking, be physically active for 20-30 minutes a day, and eat a Mediterranean-style diet.

John Walsh, a patient representative on the Guideline Development Group, said: "There is really a lot of good advice in [the report] that we must ensure gets to patients. He said there was good evidence that secondary heart attacks could be avoided if patients changed their lifestyles.” He said: "The changes that the average person needs to make are really quite small, but it can be a big impact.”

Professor Mayur Lakhani, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Having a heart attack used to be a life sentence for patients; now it is possible for most patients to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. This requires a high standard of modern medical care and for patients to follow lifestyle advice."

A recommendation for heart attack patients suggests that patients who do not eat two to four portions of oily fish a week should be given supplements for up to four years. Supplements should only be prescribed to patients who have had a heart attack in the previous three months.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6676999.stm

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduces Rate of Prostate Cancer Growth

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is a leading cause of death in men in the United States. Population studies have suggested that consumption of fish or fish oil reduces prostate cancer incidence

A recent study was done with mice, giving them a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil and certain types of fish. This study published in ScienceDaily (Jun. 23, 2007) suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, could potentially improve the prognosis of men who are genetically prone to develop prostate cancer.


The objective of the study was to explore gene-diet interactions in prostate cancer. It involved mice that were engineered with a genetic defect -- they lacked a tumor suppressor gene and spontaneously developed prostate cancer. The engineered mice and "wild-type" (or non-engineered) mice were fed varying levels of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Both are "essential" fatty acids, which means the body needs them for proper cell function but cannot produce them.

The mice were fed either a diet high in omega-3, a diet low in omega 3 or a diet high in omega-6.

After comparison by the scientist, results shows that mice with the tumor suppressor gene remained free of tumors and had 100 percent survival, regardless of diet. In mice with the gene defect, survival was 60 percent in animals on the high omega-3 diet, 10 percent in those on the low omega-3 diet and 0 percent in those on the high omega-6 diet.

Senior researcher Yong Q. Chen, Ph.D.. from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. said that a change in diet could possibly mean the difference between dying from the disease and surviving with it.

Dietary changes may be particularly beneficial in people prone to prostate cancer because the disease is usually diagnosed in older men and the tumors are slow-growing. It's possible that eating a high omega-3 diet could delay tumor development or progression long enough for the man to live out his natural lifespan with prostate cancer.

"Our data imply a beneficial effect of omega-3 PUFA on delaying the onset of human prostate cancer," Chen said.

Nutritionists recommend that people consume equal proportions of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070621183125.htm

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