Early life stress raises risk of digestive disorders

A study published in Gastroenterology (March) reveals that early life stress tends to raise the risk of developing digestive disorders — nausea, vomiting, constipation, colic, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) — later in life. Researchers of the NYU College of Dentistry’s Pain Research Center investigated how early life stress affects brain-gut communication, which plays a key role in digestion.

The researchers explored early life stress using three different methodologies — mouse models and two large studies of children. In the animal study, newborn mice were separated from their mothers for several hours each day to simulate early stress. Examined months later, these mice showed anxiety-like behaviour, gut pain, and gut movement disorder. The link between early life stress and gastrointestinal issues found in preclinical experiments was largely mirrored in the two large human studies.

“When patients come in with gut problems, we shouldn’t just be asking them if they are stressed right now; what happened in your childhood is also a really important question we need to consider — to learn about their developmental history and treat them based on specific mechanisms,” says study author Kara Margolis, director of the NYU Pain Research Center and professor of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry and Pediatrics.

Social media usage in childhood causes adolescence anxiety

Children who spend over three hours daily on social media face a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression in their teenage years, compared to moderate users, says a study conducted by public health researchers at Imperial College London.

The findings draw on data from the SCAMP study, launched in 2014, which tracked 2,350 students across 31 London schools. Participants reported their digital habits, lifestyles, and mental health, and also completed cognitive assessments. Researchers found that children aged 11-12 with high social media usage were more likely to exhibit symptoms of anxiety, depression by age 13-15, with girl children particularly affected.

“Children who use social media apps for longer may be offsetting the sleep they need to function healthily. We believe this is the main reason we’re seeing a lasting impact on their mental health down the line,” says Prof Mireille Toledano, principal research investigator and chair of Imperial’s Mohn Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing.

Teens feel greater peer pressure to be online than to smoke/drink

Asurvey of 2,000 American teenagers commissioned in March by Boston (USA)-based Aura, an online safety solutions company, reports that teenagers experience greater peer pressure to be on social media than to engage in vices like smoking, drinking, or even skipping school.

Of the 2,000 teenagers polled, 44 percent experienced greater pressure to be online compared to smoking (31 percent), skipping class (28 percent), drinking alcohol (24 percent). Teens spending over 30 hours a week online were found to get less sleep, skip meals more often, and experience higher stress levels. Most said they felt excluded when inactive online while many reported anxiety over likes, comments, and engagement.

“Social media platforms are designed for endless scrolling, and as a result, children feel constant pressure to keep up. Their device usage becomes compulsive. Over-connection triggers real-life stressors that show up beyond screens, and it’s important for families to read the signs before digital addiction takes over,” said Dr Scott Kollins, an experienced clinical research and digital health executive at Aura.

Mother’s body clock shapes foetuses’ internal rhythm

A mother’s daily routine helps set her baby’s internal clock even before birth, says a new study published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis (USA) found that foetuses begin developing circadian rhythms in the womb and gradually sync with their mother’s sleep-wake cycle during the final stages of pregnancy. For the study, WashU scientists developed a mechanism to observe fetal circadian clock activity.

“Understanding when the foetal clock begins to function helps us identify sensitive developmental windows when circadian disruption may have lasting effects and how those effects might be prevented or corrected,” says Nikhil Lokesh, study author and a research scientist in biology in WashU Arts & Sciences.