Stress, cortisol, and genetics
Stress-free summer living?
Hi there,
Summer is here and it is vacation time for many. I recently traveled north into the Canadian Rockies for a quick couple of days of vacation. (Banff and the other national parks are so beautiful!)
Relaxing is the adjective normally stuck next to vacation. It struck me while hiking up a steep mountain to see a pretty lake, that vacationing just brings different stressors -- along with new perspectives.
Social media and mainstream news bring a constant barrage of negative news. I'm not sure if the world is really going to hell -- or if the repeated reinforcement of negative information is just getting to me.
However, I can report that tourism seems to be going strong in Montana and the Canadian Rockies, with travelers from around the world visiting. The mountains are standing tall, the cattle are grazing in belly-high grass, and the rivers are running fast.
The articles featured below are on how the brain regulates cortisol in times of stress and times of relaxation. Periodic stress is good, so go climb a mountain once in a while. However, genetics plays a big role in resiliency to stress and response to chronic stress.
While some people can likely handle the daily grind with ease, others may need to take a break and head for the hills more often!
New features: I've started adding printable genotype reports and one-page summaries to articles. Many members take their genetic data to the doctor on actionable topics, like Factor V Leiden and Celiac Disease, and I wanted to make it easy to print out an overview. I have about ten of these done and will roll out more over the next few weeks. Additionally, I am planning to include graphical overviews of many articles as well. I love it when a research paper includes a graphical abstract, and I’m going to incorporate that idea into Genetic Lifehacks articles.
Gratefully yours,
Debbie
HPA Axis Dysfunction: Understanding Cortisol and Genetic Interactions
Key takeaways:
~ The HPA axis controls cortisol levels.
~ Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in times of stress, and it also plays many roles in your normal bodily functions.
~ Genetic variants can impact how cortisol is produced and used.
~ Stress, childhood trauma, and circadian rhythm all interact with genetics in HPA axis dysfunction.
Resilience: Genetic Variants Involved in Surviving Childhood Trauma
Exposure to childhood trauma, such as exposure to abuse, violence, or repeated stress, can have a long-lasting effect. Adults exposed to childhood trauma have higher rates of depression, PTSD, suicide, and anxiety disorders.
Researchers have attempted to answer the question: Why are some people resilient to childhood trauma while others have lifelong effects? Genetics is a big part of that answer. For some, childhood trauma causes physiological changes that last a lifetime.
On Sale:
Both AncestryDNA and 23andMe are having sales for Father's Day. If you are looking to add to your genetic data, this is a good time to do so.
What I've been reading:
1. Sucralose metabolite may be genotoxic
A new animal study on sucralose shows a concerning result. The study looked at a metabolite of sucralose, called sucralose-6-acetate. This intermediate is found in commercial samples at less than 1%. However, the researchers also found that in animals, sucralose-6-acetate is found in the gut at about 10%, indicating that it is being formed there. This is a problem because sucralose-6-acetate is thought to be genotoxic, meaning that it may damage DNA, which is a concern for causing cancerous mutations.
2. Antihistamine Sparks Hope for Myelin Repair in Multiple Sclerosis
This Neuroscience News article explains a new study on using an OTC antihistamine, clemastine, for remyelination in MS patients. The study was an imaging study showing where the remyelination occurs. Clemastine is a first-generation antihistamine that isn't used very often anymore because it makes people sleepy. This trial backed up previous studies showing positive effects for MS patients and gives the researchers a clearer idea of how it works.
3. Researchers discover that COVID-19 can cause brain cells to fuse
This is an interesting study showing that neuronal infection with the spike protein causes some neurons to undergo fusion. The researchers think this may also happen with other viruses, such as measles or herpes simplex virus, which also cause cell fusion in other tissues. This could be a way that viruses cause neurological diseases.