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A daily dose of caffeine therapy could be safe for premature babies and can boost development of their brains as well as lung functions, says a new study.

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Caffeine therapy good for brain development in preemies

A daily dose of caffeine therapy could be safe for premature babies and can boost development of their brains as well as lung functions, says a new study. It showed that starting caffeine therapy to babies born under 29 weeks, within two days after birth shortened the amount of time babies needed to use ventilators. It also reduced the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease caused by damage to the lungs from ventilator use. “Caffeine is the most commonly used drug after antibiotics,” say experts. “Caffeine may also improve better lung stretch and expansion, cardiac output and blood pressure in preemies, which improves oxygen supply to body and brain, reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation and the risk of chronic lung disease and injury on the developing brain,” experts add. The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that early caffeine treatment has no long-term negative effects on neurodevelopment. On the other hand, it is associated with better cognitive scores and reduced odds of cerebral palsy and hearing impairment. For the study, the team examined 2,108 neonates among which 1,545 were in the early-caffeine group and 563 were in the late-caffeine group. They examined data of babies at 18 to 24 months where they were assessed for their cognitive, language and motor development.

Lesbian, gay teens more vulnerable to depression

Owing to discrimination and stigma associated with sexual minorities, depressive symptoms are more common among those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, not exclusively heterosexual, or not sure of their sexual orientation from age 10, and continue throughout their early adulthood, say researchers. The observational study, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal, showed that the adolescents from the sexual minority group are four times more likely to report self-harm at ages 16-21 years than their heterosexual peers, and are at higher risk of depressive symptoms from as young as 10 years old. “Our findings underscore the importance of mental health problems before conscious self-identification and labelling of sexual-minority orientation,” say experts. Further, while depressive symptoms developed faster during adolescence and continued into young adulthood, it tend to decline from age 18. This decline could be the result of social and psychological changes such as increased independence or changes in peer groups, the researchers suggested. Since the study is observational, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about the cause and effect but the poorer mental health reported by sexual minorities may in part be due to the potentially hostile and stressful social environments created by the stigma, prejudice, and discrimination they face, they noted. Reducing stigma and discrimination could, therefore, provide a pathway to primary prevention of mental disorders by reducing the burden of disease, improving public health and reducing health inequities. The findings highlight the urgent need for policy makers, public health researchers, health-care professionals, and educators to join forces to address the underlying causes of this inequity and reduce the burden of disease on vulnerable young people. For the study, the team analysed data on 4,843 adolescents who reported their sexual orientation at 16 years.  — Agencies

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