Scientists have revealed a new subtype of depression, which is linked to a disruption of the body’s biological clock, and may affect up to 1 in 4 people suffering from the disease, in a discovery that may explain the lack of response of some patients to traditional treatments, and paves the way for the development of more effective drug and behavioral treatment options, according to the Independent newspaper.
This finding may help explain why some common treatments for depression, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are not effective in a group of patients.
In this context, Emiliana Tonini, one of the co-authors of the new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, says: “Depression is not a single disease; “So understanding the characteristics of the different subtypes allows us to provide more effective treatments to patients at an earlier stage.”
What depression is linked to the biological clock?
The newly discovered subtype is called “circadian depression,” and it is linked to the body’s internal biological clock, which operates according to a 24-hour cycle and plays an essential role in regulating sleep and wake times.
Researchers from the University of Sydney point out that this type of depression is characterized by greater resistance to common conventional treatments used to treat the disease.
On the other hand, it may show a better response to treatments that target the brain circuits responsible for regulating the biological clock, such as melatonin, antidepressants that affect melatonin pathways, in addition to light therapy.
Researchers warn that not diagnosing circadian-related depression in young people may often lead to failure of treatment during its early stages, as well as the emergence of more side effects.
“Our research has identified circadian depression as a new subtype,” Dr. Tonini explains. “It has been shown that it affects about a quarter of the people included in our study who suffer from severe, recurrent, or persistent depression.”
A study that included more than 10 thousand people
As part of the study, researchers conducted a genetic analysis of data from more than 10,000 Australians suffering from depression, with the aim of identifying characteristics associated with this subtype of the disease.
The results showed that about 25 percent of the participants, equivalent to 2,604 people, suffer from “depression related to the circadian rhythm.”
Symptoms and characteristics associated with this type include the onset of depression according to a seasonal pattern, increased hours of sleep during depressive episodes, and a feeling of extreme fatigue upon waking up, in addition to a tendency to stay up and stay awake until late at night.
The researchers noted that people with this type of depression were more likely to develop the disease in the early stages of their lives, and that most of them were female, in addition to suffering from more severe symptoms of depression.
The study also revealed that these people have a higher genetic predisposition to developing health problems related to inflammation and heart health, in addition to a number of major neurological and psychological disorders.
The most prominent of these disorders are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Treatments targeting the biological clock
In light of these results, researchers believe that identifying this subtype of depression may help in choosing more appropriate treatments for patients, especially those that target regulating the body's biological clock.
Jacob Cruz, one of the study’s co-authors, said: “Given that this type of depression is linked to the body’s internal biological clock, treatments that target the circadian rhythm, such as light therapy or the use of melatonin, may be more appropriate and effective. Therefore, doctors should resort to it in the early stages in people who have this condition.”
He added: “For people who find that antidepressants do not achieve the desired results, it is important to consult a specialist doctor to obtain advice tailored to their individual circumstances.”
A new scientific study revealed that a test conducted during sleep, using artificial intelligence techniques, may help predict the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases years before they appear, by analyzing recordings of the heart’s electrical activity during just one night, according to the Independent newspaper.
Polysomnography is a standard medical test used to diagnose sleep disorders, such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea.
Although this test involves recording an electrocardiogram (ECG) during sleep, this data is usually not subject to in-depth analysis.
In the new study, the researchers sought to find out whether recordings of the heart's electrical activity during sleep could be used to predict the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases, including heart arrhythmias, heart attacks and strokes, during the ten years following the examination.
For this purpose, scientists used an artificial intelligence model to analyze ECG data collected from patients during sleep studies.
The model was trained using a data set that included more than 15,000 patients who underwent examinations at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA.
In the study published in the journal Sleep, the researchers explained the methodology of their work, noting that applying deep learning techniques to nighttime ECG recordings, while taking advantage of information related to sleep stages, allows monitoring of cardiac abnormalities.
They said: “Applying deep learning to nighttime ECG, with information about sleep stages, allows for monitoring cardiac abnormalities. “Incorporating these predictions into polysomnography examinations can improve detection accuracy and support personalized clinical decision-making for each patient.”
After training the model, the researchers tested its performance using two additional datasets. The first included more than 9,800 patients from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, while the second included more than 12,500 patients from a medical center in Boston.
The results showed that the artificial intelligence model was able to classify individuals into different groups, according to their long-term risk levels of cardiovascular disease.
The model also maintained its ability to predict the probability of heart attacks and heart arrhythmias later in life, even after taking into account traditional risk factors, including age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Based on these findings, the researchers believe that ECG data recorded during sleep examinations could be used to predict health outcomes associated with heart disease, making this approach a promising tool for assessing future risks.
The scientists explained that taking advantage of extensive databases of sleep studies allowed the model to predict a range of serious health conditions.
“By using large-scale data from sleep studies, this model can predict the incidence of atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and death, up to ten years after the sleep study,” they wrote.
They added: “Given the close relationship between sleep disturbances and cardiovascular disease, this work addresses a largely unexplored opportunity to predict risk in sleep study populations.”
The researchers pointed out that this method allows assessing the risk of future heart disease based on data collected during just one night of sleep, making it an easily accessible method, especially with the possibility of using simple, low-cost stickers to record the electrical activity of the heart.
Although “Cream of Wheat” is a food option that provides some beneficial elements to the body, eating it is not directly linked to lowering blood pressure. Their health impact depends on their type and ingredients, as whole-grain varieties provide fiber that supports general health, while instant-prepared types may contain high amounts of sodium, which may negatively affect people who suffer from high blood pressure.
According to the Very Well Health website, choosing the right type of “cream of wheat” requires attention to its sodium and fiber content, especially for people seeking to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Does “cream of wheat” help lower blood pressure?
“There is no direct relationship between eating Cream of Wheat and lowering blood pressure,” says Stephanie Johnson, DCN, a registered dietitian (RD).
She explains that dietary patterns that help lower blood pressure are characterized by their low sodium content and their richness with a group of essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Although regular Cream of Wheat is naturally low in sodium, with the original version containing between zero and five milligrams of sodium per serving, unless salt is added during preparation, the situation is different for instant versions.
These types may contain much higher amounts of sodium, ranging from 170 to more than 300 milligrams per serving, depending on the brand and flavor.
In this context, Johnson stresses the importance of reviewing the product’s nutritional label, saying: “It is important to check the nutritional facts label to know the exact sodium content.”
She adds that although fortified “cream of wheat” provides some essential micronutrients, it is not an important source of nutrients whose consumption is closely linked to lowering blood pressure.
Regular “cream of wheat” or made from whole grains?
Whole-grain cream of wheat is a source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber, explains Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian who specializes in preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic.
She points out that carbohydrates constitute the main source of energy in the body, and help “regulate blood sugar levels, support the digestion process, maintain regular bowel movement, and also contribute to enhancing the feeling of satiety and fullness.”
But nutritional benefits are not available to the same extent in all types of “cream of wheat,” as varieties that are not made from whole grains may be less beneficial from a health standpoint.
Zumpano stresses the importance of choosing types made from whole grains to benefit from their fiber content, saying: “Make sure to choose cream of wheat made from whole grains to obtain fiber. If it is not made from whole grains, it will be devoid of fiber, and therefore will not provide the required benefits, and may even lead to a sharp and sudden rise in blood sugar levels.”
