Strength Training for Depression.
This story caught my attention as depression is a common symptom with HSP. It is well researched that exercise helps with depression, but most studies have tested aerobic exercise. This study tested if strength training would have a similar benefit. The study looked at older people who had been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, and showed that strength training does have benefits. I wonder if strength training might be more appropriate than aerobic training for some with HSP. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/503750More Challenge Needed!
An Italian paper reports examining quality of life against daily activities for 35 people with HSP. The daily life of many with HSP presents a low challenge. People who work (i.e. undertaking productive tasks) are more active than those who dont, but are less happy, however when the work is seen to be relevant or complex the experience is better. Persons with motor disabilities would benefit from more challenging opportunities for action in daily life, in order to attain well-being through active skill mobilisation. https://hspersunite.org.au/more-challenge-needed-in-daily-life/Cannabis Based Medicinal Products Guidelines
NICE in the UK have published their guidelines for cannabis based medicinal products. A lack of evidence that such products give benefits for spasticity mean that it can only be prescribed as part of a research trial. I will write a full blog post about this next year: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng144Development of Artificial Nerves and Neurons
This story reports the development of artificial neurons which replicate the functions of real neurons, effectively offering an alternative pathway for nerve signals to use. The article mentions that there is potential for this to be used in diseases with neuronal degeneration, they give the example Alzheimer's, and I wonder if there is potential for this with HSP. https://neurosciencenews.com/artificial-neurons-15279/This story is similar, and reports an artificial nerve. Tests on this nerve showed that they were able to activate muscles in a cockroach. Similarly, I wonder of the scope for using this type of approach to regain function in muscles affected by HSP. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/new-artificial-nerves-could-transform-prosthetics
Rehabilitation Perspectives
This is an interesting paper - it presents the contrast between different perspectives when looking at rehabilitation. From a medical perspective a disability is a malfunctioning body part, and therefore there is a biological problem to be fixed. On the other hand, social models of disability put forward that this is a construct of unequal practices and access, and is a social oppression. There is an interesting discussion around how impairments are often seen as inferior, which puts a negative perspective on disability. It suggests that both perspectives together could be a useful basis for setting out a rehabilitation programme. https://www.jhrehab.org/2019/11/14/making-the-case-for-critical-disability-studies-with-rehabilitation-sciences/Link between cholesterol processing and HSP.
This recent report identifies that many of the genes affected by HSP are involved in the processing of cholesterol and/or other fats in cells - lipids. There is an imbalance in lipids in both HSP and MND, and further work is required to determine if the imbalance is the cause of HSP or a consequence of HSP. I can see that this has potential to be an important peice of work. 2 links given, one to the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50821327 and another to the full article:https://academic.oup.com/brain/advance-article/doi/10.1093/brain/awz382/5679762?searchresult=1
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