Earth Essences.Com

Your liver is no more than three years old no matter your actual age

Everyone’s liver is a little under three years old, scientists have found, answering a long-standing question about how fast the organ regenerates. 

Liver

Unlike other organs, livers are able to repair themselves, an essential feature which allows them to flush out dangerous toxins without enduring permanent damage to cells.

But it was unclear how long the process took, or whether it slowed down with age. 

Many scientists speculated that because the body’s ability to heal itself diminishes as people grow older, the liver’s capacity to renew should also decrease.

To find out, researchers at Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) in Germany analysed the livers of multiple individuals who died at ages between 20 and 84 years old. 

Surprisingly, they found the liver cells of all subjects were more or less the same age.

“No matter if you are 20 or 84, your liver stays on average just under three years old,” said Dr Olaf Bergmann, research group leader at the Centre for Regenerative Therapies at TU Dresden. 

“Some studies pointed to the possibility that liver cells are long-lived while others showed a constant turnover.  

“It was clear to us that if we want to know what happens in humans, we need to find a way to directly assess the age of human liver cells.”

Retrospective radiocarbon birth dating used

To determine the biological age of the cells, the team used a technique called retrospective radiocarbon birth dating.

Nuclear tests carried out in the 1950s introduced massive amounts of radiocarbon into the atmosphere, and as a result, cells formed in this period have higher amounts of radiocarbon in their DNA.

Following the official ban of aboveground nuclear testing in 1963, the amounts of atmospheric radiocarbon started to drop and so did the amounts of radiocarbon incorporated into the animal DNA, creating a clock that can be used to date cells.

The less radiocarbon in cells, the younger they were.  

“Even though these are negligible amounts that are not harmful, we can detect and measure them in tissue samples,” added Dr Bergmann. 

The team has previously used the technique to show that the formation of new brain and heart cells is not limited to embryonic development, but continues throughout life. 

Currently, the group is investigating whether new human heart muscle cells can still be generated in people with chronic heart disease.

The liver can regenerate through life but if cells are badly damaged through conditions such as cirrhosis, they can no longer renew. In such cases, transplants are required. 

The research was published in the journal Cell Systems.  

Reference: The Telegraph: Sarah Knapton 

Parkinson's disease: The problems with peeing associated with the condition

The NHS says: "Parkinson's disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years." It's thought around one in 500 people are affected by Parkinson's disease, with men being slightly more likely to get Parkinson's disease than women. The NHS says problems with peeing, such as having to get up frequently during the night to pee or unintentionally peeing is a sign.

The health body says that the three main symptoms of Parkinson's disease affect physical movement, and include:

• Tremor - shaking, which usually begins in the hand or arm and is more likely to occur when the limb is relaxed and resting
• Slowness of movement (bradykinesia) - physical movements are much slower than normal, which can make everyday tasks difficult and result in a distinctive slow, shuffling walk with very small steps
• Muscle stiffness (rigidity) - stiffness and tension in the muscles, which can make it difficult to move around and make facial expressions, and can result in painful muscle cramps (dystonia).

"These main symptoms are sometimes referred to by doctors as parkinsonism as there can be causes other than Parkinson's disease," it explains.

 GETTY toilet roll

The NHS continues: "See your GP if you're concerned you may have symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 

"Your GP will ask about your symptoms and your medical history to help them decide whether it's necessary to refer you to a specialist for further tests."

The Parkinson's Foundation notes that some symptoms, such as loss of smell, constipation, depression and REM sleep behaviour disorder "can occur years before the diagnosis".

Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease, early diagnosis is important so patients can receive the proper treatment and advice regarding care.

The NHS notes: "Most people with Parkinson's start to develop symptoms when they're over 50, although around one in 20 people with the condition first experience symptoms when they're under 40."

Researchers do not yet know exactly why people get Parkinson's, but it is thought that a combination of age, genetic and environmental factors cause the dopamine-producing nerve cells to die.

Parkinson's UK says that around 145,000 people live with Parkinson's in the UK, and that it is "the fastest growing neurological condition in the world".

It explains that Parkinson's develops when cells in the brain stop working properly and are lost over time. These brain cells produce a chemical called dopamine.

"Symptoms start to appear when the brain can't make enough dopamine to control movement properly," the charity says.

There are many different therapies and factors that can help in managing the condition, the NHS says.

Nonetheless, you may not need any treatment during the early stages of Parkinson's disease as symptoms are usually mild.

Doing 2.5 hours of exercise a week can slow the progression of your symptoms, according to Parkinson's UK.

 GETTY TWO WOMEN

It adds: "Medication can be used to improve the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as shaking (tremors) and movement problems.

"But not all the medications available are useful for everyone, and the short- and long-term effects of each are different."

It says there is no one-size-fits-all treatment approach and while medication is the most common treatment, surgical therapy and lifestyle modifications, like rest and exercise, help manage the disease. 

What is broken heart syndrome?

Takutsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome, is a temporary heart condition that can be brought on from extreme emotional or physical stress.

© Getty Images/iStockphoto iStock-1200080248.jpg

The condition was first described in 1990 in Japan and the word “takutsubo” comes from the name of a pot used by Japanese fisherman to trap octopuses.

It occurs when your heart’s left ventricle, which is the main blood-pumping chamber, changes shape and becomes larger, weakening the heart muscle and affecting its ability to pump blood.

When this happens, the left ventricle develops a narrow neck and a round bottom, which makes it resemble the octopus trap.

Research shows that broken heart syndrome affects more women than men, with more than 90 per cent of reported cases appearing in women between the ages of 58 to 75.

According to Harvard Medical School, studies suggest that up to five per cent of women suspected of having a heart attack actually experience takutsubo cardiomyopathy.

Stressors associated with the condition can include the loss of a loved one, a serious accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, or a sudden illness.

Scientists believe that in times of severe distress, stress hormones like adrenaline can surge and “stun” the heart, which results in changes in heart muscle cells or coronary blood vessels, or both.

These changes restrict the left ventricle of the heart from contracting effectively, which stops it from pumping blood as well as it should.

However, symptoms of takutsubo cardiomyopathy are nearly indistinguishable from a heart attack, which misleads people into thinking they are suffering from the latter instead of the former condition.

Main symptoms include a sudden, intense chest pain and shortness of breath. According to the British Heart Foundation, some people may also experience other symptoms such as heart palpitations, feeling sick or being sick.

The condition is diagnosed if medical tests rule out a heart attack and non-heart-related problems, and if your left ventricle has changed shape, causing your heart muscle to appear weakened or unable to pump blood properly.

Tests can include an electrocardiogram (ECG), a blood test, an echocardiogram, a cardiac magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) scan, or an angiogram.

Takutsubo cardiomyopathy is usually a temporary condition and reverses itself to normal within a few weeks. Doctors may prefer to keep patients in hospital until they begin to recover.

However, the Mayo Clinic says that broken heart syndrome can cause death in rare cases. Others have speculated that having a broken heart after the loss of a loved one or receiving bad news can contribute to a person’s death.

One famous example is Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds, who died in 2016 at the age of 84.

She suffered from a fatal stroke just one day after her daughter, Carrie Fisher, died from a heart attack.

Before she passed, Reynolds told her son Todd Fisher that she wanted “to be with Carrie”.

It was widely reported in 2003 that heartbreak also played a part in the death of music legend Johnny Cash.

Cash died four months after his wife, June Carter, passed away due to complications from heart surgery in May 2003.

Although Cash died from complications with diabetes, the couple were married for 35 years and he said following her death that the “pain of her being gone is more than I can stand”.

Reference: Independent: Kate Ng

Doctor who nearly killed girlfriend during exorcism rituals struck off

A disgraced doctor and "religious fanatic" nearly killed his girlfriend while carrying out exorcism ceremonies to rid her of "evil spirits".

© Grimsby Live Hossam Metwally carried out exorcism ceremonies on his partner

Dr Hossam Metwally, a former NHS anaesthetist who worked at Grimsby's Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, left his girlfriend Kelly Wilson close to death after injecting her with painkillers and sedatives while chanting verses from the Quran. Ms Wilson, a nurse, slipped into a deep coma as a result, HullLive reports.

Between 2015 and 2019 Metwally became convinced his partner was "possessed by evil spirits" and "abused his position as a doctor" to control and manipulate her. During a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, the 61-year-old, who also ran a clinic from his home, was branded a "disgrace" to the profession.

Read more: Baby girl found dead in parents' bed in Kirklees was in 'unsafe' sleeping arrangements

He was convicted of eight charges, including giving out poison intending to endanger life and jailed for 14-and-a-half years in September 2021. Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said at the time that the case was "very serious and utterly bizarre" and that he had "never presided over a case like this in 41 years' professional experience of the law".

He told Metwally: "You utilised your power and professional training as a doctor to commit very serious crimes. You perverted one of the central tenets of the medical profession by using medical procedures to execute criminal acts."

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel concluded on Tuesday, May 31, that Metwally should never work in the health profession ever again. Following a three-day hearing it was ruled that he should be immediately struck off the medical register. Kevin Slack, for the GMC, said that anything less than erasure would "be damaging to the public's trust confidence in the medical profession".

The tribunal also heard Metwally secretly took pictures and videos of two female patients who were in a state of undress. He pleaded guilty to the voyeurism charges in court and showed no remorse over his actions.

Mr Slack told the hearing that Metwally fought the majority of the allegations all the way to a contested trial and "even now appears to be challenging his convictions". While Metwally is currently serving his sentence, the panel made an immediate order for suspension which, were he free, would prevent him from being able to practice during the appeal period.

Reference: Yorkshire Live: Susie Beever & Victoria Scheer