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NHS Talking Therapy Appears to Be Ineffective for Young Adults

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NHS Talking Therapies: Access to Science-Based Self-Help and Psychotherapy

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A specific type of psychotherapy offered by the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) seems to benefit teenagers and young adults with anxiety and depression more than it does for older individuals.

Clinical studies focusing on the effects of psychotherapy on prevalent conditions like anxiety and depression have primarily concentrated on working-age adults; depression often manifests in adolescence or early adulthood, according to Argyris Stringaris from University College London.

In 2008, NHS England initiated a program designed to enhance access to scientifically informed self-help resources and psychotherapy. Currently referred to as NHS talk therapy for anxiety and depression, this initiative has generated a substantial database of anonymous user information, detailing treatments and outcomes.

Stringaris and his colleagues harnessed this data to evaluate the results from over 1.5 million individuals who accessed the therapy between 2015 and 2019. More than 1.2 million participants were aged between 25 and 65, leaving the younger cohort aged 16 to 24.

The researchers assessed changes in symptom severity pre- and post-treatment by utilizing two standard self-assessment tools: a patient health questionnaire-9 and a seven-item general anxiety disorder scale.

The results indicated that these scores exhibited approximately 35% improvement in individuals aged 16 to 24, compared to around 41% for those aged 25 to 65. Young people were roughly 20-25% less likely to be classified as recovered or to achieve significant improvements.

This could potentially result in thousands of young individuals recovering each year if they responded to treatment as effectively as their older counterparts, Stringaris remarks. “It is crucial to consider how mental health services might adapt to provide better care pathways for younger populations.”

Various factors could contribute to these discrepancies, including generational differences influenced by social media and online dating. Data further suggest that younger clients tend to miss scheduled appointments without prior notification, which may lead to poorer outcomes.

The study highlights the imbalances that warrant further exploration, says David Clark from Oxford University. “Research often reveals numerous insights that can be addressed. This paper marks the beginning of what could be a fruitful path ahead.”

Despite this, it remains essential to acknowledge the “gradual benefits” of the therapy. This relates to how clients fare compared to those who do not undergo treatment, he adds. “You start getting [younger] patients who are trying to establish themselves in life and pursue employment, indicating they may not have worse outcomes than older individuals,” Clark says.

Adrian Whittington from NHS England explains that talk therapy assists over a million individuals annually, most receiving treatment within six weeks. “We encourage them to take proactive steps towards care,” he states.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Deep Sleep Appears to Foster More Eureka Moments

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A nap may enhance problem-solving abilities

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A deep nap could improve one’s capacity for creative problem-solving.

A recent study revealed that individuals are more likely to experience a “Eureka” moment after entering the second stage of sleep—characterized by slower brain activity and bursts of electrical discharges known as sleep spindles—compared to those who have light sleep.

The results suggest that brief, deep naps can lead to valuable insights. Annika Rowe from the Max Planck Institute in Berlin notes, “We are uncovering what actually occurs during sleep, which I believe is quite beneficial.” She added, “During deep sleep, our brains may process irrelevant information related to the problem, enabling us to have these insightful moments upon waking.”

While previous research highlights that naps can enhance creativity and problem-solving, opinions vary regarding which sleep stages are most beneficial. Some argue that the lightest non-REM stage, N1, is best—citing how Thomas Edison embraced ideas while holding a steel ball that would audibly drop, waking him from deeper slumber. In contrast, some studies advocate that deeper N2 sleep (even lighter N3) fosters greater innovation.

To explore this further, Löwe and her team engaged 90 healthy participants aged 18-35 in a task where they classified the movement direction of rapidly flashing dot patterns on a screen, without informing them that the dot colors would gradually hint at correct answers.

Fifteen participants chose shortcuts in the first 25 minutes, while the remaining 75 were invited to take a 20-minute nap in a quiet setting, monitoring their brain activity with an EEG.

After napping, participants revisited the task. This time, most recognized color-based shortcuts, although the likelihood of a “Eureka” moment appeared to hinge on having napped. Among the 68 participants yielding quality EEG data, 85.7% who entered deeper N2 sleep recognized shortcuts.

This research distinctly illustrates that deeper sleep can trigger “Eureka” moments—at least for the specific task used. Itamar Rana from the University of Texas, San Antonio states, “The task type heavily influences whether sleep enhances performance.” ”

Delphine Oudiette from the Paris Brain Institute mentions that varying task designs might explain their findings of significant problem-solving post N1 sleep. “Both sleep stages could be significant, but different cognitive processes may necessitate isolation for a clearer understanding,” she points out.

Björn Rasch at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland notes that the findings support the notion that deeper sleep aids problem-solving, but cautions that the study’s design complicates distinguishing between causation and coincidence. Participants were not randomly assigned to sleep stages and were not studied across various sleep scenarios; thus, those who napped comfortably might simply possess a higher insight capacity.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

What your body appears like under an exceptionally strong magnifying tool

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Imagine being able to visualize every aspect of our bodies, from our genes to the smallest cells that make up our organs. Scientists are now working on creating a comprehensive directory known as the Human Cell Atlas.

Think of it as a GPS for cells in the body, containing information on how cells evolve over time. This groundbreaking study, spanning 40 research papers, could potentially unravel major scientific mysteries such as bone formation, arthritis, and Crohn’s disease development.

Researchers have already gathered data on over 100 million cells from more than 10,000 individuals, with hopes of incorporating this information in the final atlas, which could potentially include billions of cells.

Professor Sarah Teichmann, the founding co-chair of the Human Cell Atlas and a researcher at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, stated, “This new level of insight into specific genes, mechanisms, and cell types within tissues lays the foundation for more accurate diagnosis, innovative drug discovery, and advanced regenerative medicine approaches.”

One significant milestone in the project focuses on the digestive system. By compiling data from 1.6 million cells, researchers have created an intricate map of intestinal cells, detailing their types, locations, and interactions within the body – the most detailed map of its kind.

Utilizing sophisticated techniques such as computer analysis and artificial intelligence (AI), researchers isolated individual cells and identified them, demonstrating the potential for AI in disease diagnosis.

A new approach similar to a “reverse image search” is being employed by researchers to aid in disease diagnosis, potentially revolutionizing the field.

Two striking images from the study stand out:

Image credit: Nathan Richoz University of Cambridge

This captivating image displays a magnified view of lung tissue, shedding light on the body’s response to COVID-19.

Image credits: Grace Burgin, Noga Rogel, Moshe Biton, Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute

While it may resemble an artistic beach scene, this image actually depicts the intricate structures of the small intestine, a crucial organ in the digestive process.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Walking 10,000 steps daily appears to improve overall health.

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Walking 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day appears to protect against early death and heart-related events

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Walking 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day appears to reduce the risk of early death and heart-related events, adding legitimacy to an idea that has been criticized as unscientific.

The exact origins of the popular belief that people should aim for 10,000 steps a day are unknown, but it is believed to be related to a marketing campaign promoting pedometers in Japan.

Now, research by Matthew Ahmadi Professors at the University of Sydney in Australia suggest that this number may have some value.

The researchers analyzed more than 72,000 participants in the UK Biobank study, with an average age of 61, who wore movement-tracking accelerometers on their wrists for a week. “We were able to quantify the number of steps we took each day,” Ahmadi says.

Participants were then followed for an average of just under seven years, during which time there were 1,633 deaths and 6,190 heart disease-related events. The researchers found that the optimal number of steps per day is 9,000, after adjusting for other factors that may influence the risk of illness and death during that period, such as diet quality, smoking status, and other physical activity. I calculated it to be ~10,000 steps, after which the benefits begin to gradually decrease.

Doing so was found to reduce the risk of death by 39% and risk of heart-related events by 21% during the follow-up period.

“This paper will help the field take a major step forward in refining the science behind physical activity and sedentary time guidelines. Pardon the pun,” he says. Dale Esliger At Loughborough University, UK. “It seems to support the idea that the 10,000 step goal, which is not evidence-based to begin with, may indeed be about right.”

However, on the other hand nicolas berger Researchers at Britain’s Teesside University said the study was “very well designed” using “rigorous methodology and statistical analysis”, but Esliger said the wrist-worn acceleration It says that the meter is not always the best indicator of step count.

The researchers also didn’t take into account the number of steps taken per minute. “Probably about 6,000 steps performed at a higher cadence may be just as protective of your health as 10,000 steps at a slower pace,” Esliger says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com