3 results
High educational performance is a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder: a study on cognition in bipolar disorder, schizophrenia patients, relatives and controls
- A. Vreeker, M. P. M. Boks, L. Abramovic, S. Verkooijen, A. H. van Bergen, M. H. J. Hillegers, A. T. Spijker, E. Hoencamp, E. J. Regeer, R. F. Riemersma-Van der Lek, A. W. M. M. Stevens, P. F. J. Schulte, R. Vonk, R. Hoekstra, N. J. M. van Beveren, R. W. Kupka, R. M. Brouwer, C. E. Bearden, J. H. MacCabe, R. A. Ophoff, GROUP Investigators
-
- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 46 / Issue 4 / March 2016
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 01 December 2015, pp. 807-818
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Background
Schizophrenia is associated with lower intelligence and poor educational performance relative to the general population. This is, to a lesser degree, also found in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. It is unclear whether bipolar disorder I (BD-I) patients and their relatives have similar lower intellectual and educational performance as that observed in schizophrenia.
MethodThis cross-sectional study investigated intelligence and educational performance in two outpatient samples [494 BD-I patients, 952 schizophrenia spectrum (SCZ) patients], 2231 relatives of BD-I and SCZ patients, 1104 healthy controls and 100 control siblings. Mixed-effects and regression models were used to compare groups on intelligence and educational performance.
ResultsBD-I patients were more likely to have completed the highest level of education (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.66–2.70) despite having a lower IQ compared to controls (β = −9.09, s.e. = 1.27, p < 0.001). In contrast, SCZ patients showed both a lower IQ (β = −15.31, s.e. = 0.86, p < 0.001) and lower educational levels compared to controls. Siblings of both patient groups had significantly lower IQ than control siblings, but did not differ on educational performance. IQ scores did not differ between BD-I parents and SCZ parents, but BD-I parents had completed higher educational levels.
ConclusionsAlthough BD-I patients had a lower IQ than controls, they were more likely to have completed the highest level of education. This contrasts with SCZ patients, who showed both intellectual and educational deficits compared to healthy controls. Since relatives of BD-I patients did not demonstrate superior educational performance, our data suggest that high educational performance may be a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder patients.
Myocardial infarction risk in relation to zinc concentration in toenails
- J. M. Martin-Moreno, L. Gorgojo, R. A. Riemersma, J. Gomez-Aracen, J. D. Kark, J. Guillen, J. Jimenez, J. J. Ringstad, J. Fernandez-Crehuet, P. Bode, F. J. Kok, Heavy Metals and Myocardial Infarction Study Group
-
- Journal:
- British Journal of Nutrition / Volume 89 / Issue 5 / May 2003
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 09 March 2007, pp. 673-678
- Print publication:
- May 2003
-
- Article
-
- You have access Access
- Export citation
-
Zn is an essential mineral. The role of Zn in atherosclerosis is not clear. Epidemiological studies, which have reported contradictory results, are limited by the use of serum Zn levels as a marker of intake. We assessed the association of toenail Zn, which integrates dietary Zn intake over 3 to 12 months, with the risk of a first myocardial infarction. Toenail Zn concentrations were determined by neutron activation analysis in the European multi-centre case–control study on antioxidants, myocardial infarction and breast cancer. This multi-centre case–control study included 684 cases and 724 controls from eight European countries and Israel. Toenail Zn levels of controls (adjusted for age and study centre) were positively associated with age, α-tocopherol and Se, but not with additional dietary variables or with classical risk factors for CHD. Average toenail Zn was 106·0 mg/kg in cases (95 % CI 103·1, 108·9) and 107·5 mg/kg in controls (95 % CI 104·5, 110·7). After controlling for cardiovascular risk factors and for centre, the adjusted odds ratios of myocardial infarction for quintiles 2–5 of toenail Zn with respect to the first quintile were 0·97 (95 % CI 0·59, 1·58), 1·15 (95 % CI 0·72, 1·85), 0·91 (95 % CI 0·56, 1·50), and 0·85 (95 % CI 0·52, 1·39). The P for trend was 0·45. In conclusion toenail Zn levels (reflecting long-term dietary intake) were not significantly associated with acute myocardial infarction.
Functional food science and the cardiovascular system
- G. Hornstra, C. A. Barth, C. Galli, R. P. Mensink, M. Mutanen, R. A. Riemersma, M. Roberfroid, K. Salminen, G. Vansant, P. M. Verschuren
-
- Journal:
- British Journal of Nutrition / Volume 80 / Issue S1 / August 1998
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 09 March 2007, pp. S113-S146
- Print publication:
- August 1998
-
- Article
-
- You have access Access
- Export citation
-
Cardiovascular disease has a multifactorial aetiology, as is illustrated by the existence of numerous risk indicators, many of which can be influenced by dietary means. It should be recalled, however, that only after a cause-and-effect relationship has been established between the disease and a given risk indicator (called a risk factor in that case), can modifying this factor be expected to affect disease morbidity and mortality. In this paper, effects of diet on cardiovascular risk are reviewed, with special emphasis on modification of the plasma lipoprotein profile and of hypertension. In addition, dietary influences on arterial thrombotic processes, immunological interactions, insulin resistance and hyperhomocysteinaemia are discussed. Diet-ary lipids are able to affect lipoprotein metabolism in a significant way, thereby modifying the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, more research is required concerning the possible interactions between the various dietary fatty acids, and between fatty acids and dietary cholesterol. In addition, more studies are needed with respect to the possible importance of the postprandial state. Although in the aetiology of hypertension the genetic component is definitely stronger than environmental factors, some benefit in terms of the development and coronary complications of atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients can be expected from fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. This particularly holds for those subjects where the hypertensive mechanism involves the formation of thromboxane A2 and/or α1-adrenergic activities. However, large-scale trials are required to test this contention. Certain aspects of blood platelet function, blood coagulability, and fibrinolytic activity are associated with cardiovascular risk, but causality has been insufficiently proven. Nonetheless, well-designed intervention studies should be initiated to further evaluate such promising dietary components as the various n−3 and n−6 fatty acids and their combination, antioxidants, fibre, etc. for their effect on processes participating in arterial thrombus formation. Long-chain polyenes of the n−3 family and antioxidants can modify the activity of immunocompetent cells, but we are at an early stage of examining the role of immune function on the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Actually, there is little, if any, evidence that dietary modulation of immune system responses of cells participating in atherogenesis exerts beneficial effects. Although it seems feasible to modulate insulin sensitivity and subsequent cardiovascular risk factors by decreasing the total amount of dietary fat and increasing the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, additional studies on the efficacy of specific fatty acids, dietary fibre, and low-energy diets, as well as on the mechanisms involved are required to understand the real function of these dietary components. Finally, dietary supplements containing folate and vitamins B6 and/or B12 should be tested for their potential to reduce cardiovascular risk by lowering the plasma level of homocysteine.