Parents who read with toddlers are gentle in their parenting
According to a new study, parents who regularly read with their toddlers are less likely to engage in harsh parenting and the children are less likely to be hyperactive or disruptive. Previous studies have shown that frequent shared reading between parents and child prepares children for school by building language, literacy and emotional skills; the current study indicates a stronger parent-child bond from shared reading. The results of the study showed that frequent shared reading at age 1 between parents and child was associated with less harsh parenting at age 3, and frequent shared reading at age 3 between parents and child was associated with less harsh parenting at age 5. Mothers who read frequently with their children also reported fewer disruptive behaviors from their children.
Lack of sleep can harm circulation
A new study has uncovered some of the potential mechanisms that link insufficient sleep with poor cardiovascular health. Researchers have pinpointed a potential biological mechanism to explain how lack of sleep affects circulation by promoting the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, which can increase a person’s risk of experiencing a stroke or heart attack. The findings tie sleeplessness to changes in the blood levels of micro RNA (miRNA), noncoding molecules that help regulate protein expression. The team found that the participants who slept for less than 7 hours per night had blood levels of three key circulating miRNAs — miR-125A, miR-126, and miR-146a — that were 40–60 percent lower than those of their peers who slept for 7 or 8 hours.
Hypertension found in children exposed to flower pesticides
Parents now have one more thing to worry about. Researchers have found higher blood pressure and pesticide exposures in children associated with a heightened pesticide spraying period around the Mother’s Day flower harvest. The study, which involved boys and girls living near flower crops in Ecuador, found that the pesticide spray seasons not only can increase the exposure to pesticides of children living near agriculture, but can increase their blood pressures and overall risk for hypertension. Ecuador is among the largest commercial flower growers in the world, with significant rose exports to North America, Europe and Asia. Commercial rose production relies on the use of insecticides, fungicides and other pest controls, but little is known about their human health effects.
Biomarkers to identify suicidal people
A study has found evidence that there may be a biomarker for suicidal thoughts in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared to the average population, people with PTSD are significantly more likely to attempt suicide; people with major depressive disorder (MDD) are also linked to increased risk of suicide. However, according to a new study , the underlying mechanisms of suicidal thoughts might differ in people with PTSD compared to those with MDD. Researchers found that suicidal thoughts are linked to higher levels of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in people with PTSD, but not those with MDD. This suggests that different neurological processes are involved in the development of suicidal thoughts in people with PTSD compared to those with MDD.
