News From the WORLD OF MEDICINE

THE BENEFITS OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

For many people, owning a dog or cat can significantly alleviate depression, anxiety and loneliness, according to research into the benefits of emotional support animals. Although these animals aren’t trained to do anything that regular pets don’t do, they hold therapeutic significance for people who struggle with their psychological health. In a recent University of Toledo study, patients identified at risk of social isolation who adopted a dog or cat from a shelter reported faring better, on average, 12 months later. The research could lead the way towards new thinking about how emotional support animals can assist in managing mental health issues.

OVER-CAFFEINATING COULD RAISE GLAUCOMA RISK

If you have a family history of glaucoma, a leading cause of vision loss, then you may want to go easy on the caffeinated drinks, suggests a study published in Ophthalmology.

Among subjects with a strong genetic risk for glaucoma, a habit of drinking more than three cups of coffee per day (or the equivalent amount of caffeine from other sources such as tea or energy drinks) raised the likelihood of developing the eye disease.

PREDIABETES MAY AFFECT DEMENTIA RISK

High blood sugar is associated with vascular dementia (VD), which is caused by subpar blood flow to the brain. Research suggests that this applies not only to diabetes, but also to prediabetes – which raised the risk of VD by 54 per cent.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MIGRAINE LINK

Two large Korean studies have concluded that these two conditions raise your risk of the other. Both are treatable with medications, so if you have rheumatoid arthritis and start noticing signs of migraine, or vice versa, visit your doctor.