Category: General

In Search of Clues: Circulating Inflammatory Proteins and Unchanging Tinnitus

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

3rd January 2024 – by Kings College London

Professor Frances Williams’ Chronic Pain and Hearing Loss Research Group, part of our team at TwinsUK, has recently published another piece of the puzzle in the quest to understand and treat tinnitus. 

The large project – funded by Tinnitus UK as part of their Large Research Grants Programme – spanned Sweden and the UK, recruiting participants with tinnitus and matched controls firstly in over 1,000 participants in Sweden and then ran a replication of the study in over 1,000 twins from Twins UK. The primary objective of the research was to identify biomarkers for tinnitus.  

Co-author Max Freiden said:  

“It is difficult to establish biomarkers to detect or treat the disorder, because tinnitus is heterogeneous, indicating that various factors determine whether a person develops tinnitus.” 

Surprisingly, tinnitus shares several signs and symptoms with chronic pain. Neuroimaging suggests similar disturbances in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, leading to distorted interpretation of sensory inputs, such as sound.  A localised brain inflammatory response, detectable in the bloodstream, has been reported to occur with chronic pain. The team investigated whether inflammatory biomarkers could be found in people with tinnitus, hypothesising that chronic pain and constant tinnitus may be associated with neuroinflammation. 

Importantly, factors unrelated to hearing difficulties that affect inflammatory marker levels, such as age, sex, and body mass index, were accounted for. Tinnitus tends to be accompanied by stress, anxiety, depression, hypersensitivity to sound, face pain, and headache; however, none of these conditions were related to inflammatory marker levels. While a weak association of five inflammatory proteins was seen in the Swedish cohort, the finding was not replicated in the UK cohort, leading researchers to conclude there is a lack of association between plasma biomarkers and constant tinnitus. Other research has shown that biomarkers can be derived from electrophysiological measures, but this does not appear to be the case for blood biomarkers. 

Although the team didn’t find a tinnitus biomarker, negative results are considered progress and constitute an important aspect of directing future research and treatment. Such advancements are only possible with the generous research investments from charities like Tinnitus UK, and the important contribution of participants from TwinsUK and others who consent to research.  

Link to the article is HERE. 

Exciting News at TwinsUK: Meet Our New Head of Department!  

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

28th November 2023 – by Aaruthy Suthahar

We are delighted to let you know that whilst Tim Spector continues to be the Director of TwinsUK , Professor Claire Steves is now the Head of the Department of Twin Research as well as being the Clinical Director of TwinsUK.  

About Professor Claire Steves: 

Claire is a Professor of Ageing and Health and a Consultant Geriatrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, has a longstanding affiliation with the department, having pursued her Ph.D. from 2009 to 2014. Her enduring commitment and expertise have significantly contributed to the department’s success. In 2016, she further elevated her role, assuming the position of Deputy Clinical Director at TwinsUK, where she continues to make impactful strides in her field.

Her expertise lies in memory loss and dementia assessment and management. Claire’s career began by caring for frail older individuals, but her curiosity led her to research. She is interested in understanding how to prevent frailty and has a diverse research portfolio, utilising population studies like TwinsUK. Claire’s work explores the unique ways each one of us ages and has identified modifiable factors to build resilience in older adults. 

Leading Through Challenges: 

Claire’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic showcased her dedication to research. She led the science behind the Zoe COVID Symptom Study app, impacting over 4 million people. Her team’s work on the implications of COVID-19 infection, especially in older adults, earned them the Dhole-Eddlestone Memorial Prize for the most impactful paper in Ageing research in 2020. 

Innovative Initiatives: 

Claire’s commitment extends beyond ageing research. She recently initiated the King’s Centre for Ageing Resilience in a Changing Environment (CARICE). This groundbreaking initiative addresses the global challenges of climate change and ageing populations, fostering resilience through inclusive, interdisciplinary research. This centre aims to assist researchers at various points in their careers by establishing a welcoming, cross-disciplinary research setting, enabling them to channel future grants towards research that promotes resilience. 

Claire has also been awarded a prestigious Wellcome Leap award, focusing on factors influencing the ageing process and our ability to bounce back in the face of challenges. 

We can’t wait for you to get to know Claire better and embark on this exciting new chapter together.  

Webinar and 5-Minute Interview: 

To get to know Claire better, we invite you to watch her webinar HERE. Additionally, we have got a 5-minute interview with Claire HERE, offering insights into her journey and aspirations. 

TwinsUK Featured in ITV and BBC Documentaries on Ultra-Processed Foods 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

21st November 2023 – by Aaruthy Suthahar

TwinsUK has recently been in the spotlight as our Director, Tim Spector, and TwinsUK members featured in two TV documentaries: “Ultra-Processed Food: What Are We Eating?” on ITV and “Ultra-Processed Food: A Recipe for Ill Health?” on BBC Panorama. The documentaries delved into the potential alarming effects of ultra-processed foods on our health, making waves in public discourse. 

The ITV documentary, “Ultra-Processed Food: What Are We Eating?” (available HERE), explored the types of foods commonly found on supermarket shelves and their effects on the human body. It featured our Department of Twin Research and Jo and Katie, TwinsUK members who helped to demonstrate the health implications of consuming ultra-processed foods. An experiment was arranged with the identical twins, where both had a breakfast meal with equivalent nutritional value, but one was made up of whole foods and the other of UPFs. They were observed throughout the programme to determine the duration and calorie intake required for each twin to reach a contented sense of fullness and better understand individuals’ responses to diets rich in ultra-processed foods.  

BBC Panorama’s “Ultra-Processed Food: A Recipe for Ill Health?” (available HERE) dug deeper into the potentially alarming health consequences of consuming these processed foods. Director Tim Spector shared his extensive knowledge and research findings, underscoring the role research, including TwinsUK, plays in unraveling the impact of genetics and lifestyle on health. In addition, TwinsUK members Aimee and Nancy took part in an experiment where Aimee had UPFs and Nancy had a matched diet made of whole foods for a couple of weeks, to demonstrate the effects of these diets. 

Both documentaries demonstrated the importance of our study in advancing our understanding of how our genes and environment interact, and how this interplay significantly impacts our health. We have been at the forefront of investigating the complex web of genetic and environmental factors that influence health, and these documentaries served as a valuable platform to disseminate this knowledge to the wider public. 

With the rising awareness of the detrimental effects of ultra-processed foods on health, TwinsUK’s involvement in these documentaries underscores the urgency of further research to understand the effects of ultra-processed foods to support individuals to make informed dietary choices. However, the food environment, spanning neighbourhoods, schools, and workplaces, also significantly influences individuals’ decisions about what to eat. It encompasses factors like the availability, affordability, and accessibility of food options. A nurturing food environment encourages the intake of wholesome, nutritious foods. On the other hand, an environment saturated with ultra-processed foods may contribute to less-than-optimal dietary habits, leading to concerning health issues. Recognising the broad-reaching effects of the food environment emphasizes the importance of adopting comprehensive strategies. 

As the world continues to deal with the consequences of dietary decisions, TwinsUK remains committed in its mission to uncover the unknown implications of genetics and lifestyle on our health and well-being. 

Introducing the new King’s Centre for Ageing Resilience in a Changing Environment

Posted on by Paz Garcia

26th October 2023 – by King’s College London

Grey-haired man jogging in white T shirt in front of trees

 

We are thrilled to announce a further funding award for a new research programme: the King’s Centre for Ageing Resilience in a Changing Environment (CARICE).

CARICE will be led by Claire Steves, Clinical Director of TwinsUK and Professor of Ageing and Health at King’s College London, and will involve researchers from across the university. We are delighted to be leading on this work from within the Department of Twin Research, given our 30-year history in studying health and ageing through TwinsUK.

CARICE’s mission is to address the dual challenge of climate change and ageing populations. Its vision is that older people will develop greater biological and social resilience in the face of environmental and physical stressors thanks to the benefits of greater scientific understanding.

CARICE’s four themes are:

·       Biological ageing resilience, led by Professor Cathy Shanahan and Professor Georgina Ellison-Hughes

·       Lifestyles and ageing resilience, led by Professor Steve Harridge and Dr Ana Rodrigues Mateos

·       Environmental stressors and ageing resilience, led by Dr Mariam Molokhia and Professor Mark Ashworth

·       Innovations to promote ageing resilience, led by Dr Jude Partridge and Professor Phil Chowienczyk

CARICE will support researchers at all career stages by creating an inclusive, interdisciplinary research environment in which they can focus future grants on pathways towards resilience. It will bring together researchers who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to work together, facilitating connections in the interests of addressing these global challenges.   

We look forward to sharing news of CARICE’s progress.

 

New Study Reveals Faecal Metabolite Signature Linked to Prediabetes and Type-2 Diabetes 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

18th October 2023 – by Aaruthy Suthahar

Researchers from TwinsUK have recently identified eight biochemical compounds measured in stool (faecal metabolites) that are involved in prediabetes and type-2 diabetes risk in a large study. Impaired fasting glucose, also known as prediabetes, refers to elevated blood sugar levels that are not high enough to mean that the person has type.2 diabetes. Most importantly, prediabetes is a reversible condition: you can prevent or delay prediabetes from turning into type-2 diabetes with well-established lifestyle changes. However, over 80% of individuals with prediabetes remain unaware of their condition. Previous research found a link between type-2 diabetes, prediabetes and the bacteria living in our gut, but mechanisms remain elusive.  Faecal metabolites can provide valuable insights into their metabolic health, as they are the result of various metabolic processes occurring in the body, including the digestion and breakdown of food, as well as the activities of gut bacteria. 

The team analysed the gut microbiome and blood glucose levels collected from 1,018 TwinsUK participants, and then checked their findings in an additional cohort from Germany. The researchers discovered eight specific faecal metabolites linked to prediabetes risk. Importantly, though these metabolites were chemicals or substances that are not naturally found in the body and come from outside sources, they were still reflective of the individuals’ gut bacteria, suggesting a complex interplay between the gut microbiome and the host’s metabolic processes. Moreover, these metabolites were also predictive of type-2 diabetes in a sub-analysis, showing a potential connection with the development of type-2 diabetes. 

First author Ana Nogal stated: 

“Our findings open up new avenues for understanding the role of the gut microbiome in prediabetes and type-2 diabetes. The gut microbiome seems to influence the intestinal absorption or excretion of compounds that are not produced by the human body, and this is linked to prediabetes risk, adding another layer to the complex web of interactions between the gut microbiota and metabolic health.” 

Senior author Cristina Menni explained: 

“This research has the potential to transform our understanding of prediabetes and type-2 diabetes development, offering new insights into the role of the gut microbiome. The implications of this study are far-reaching, and it has the potential to pave the way for innovative treatments and preventive measures for these prevalent metabolic conditions.” 

The study highlights the importance of considering the gut microbiome’s impact on the absorption and excretion of compounds in understanding the onset of type-2 diabetes. Further research is needed to explore this mechanism and its potential implications for diabetes prevention and management. 

Groundbreaking Insights into Predictive Metabolites of Heart Attacks 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

11th October 2023 – by Aaruthy Suthahar

In a groundbreaking collaborative effort encompassing six intercontinental cohorts including TwinsUK, the Consortium of Metabolomics Studies (COMETS) has identified 10 novel molecules measured in serum that were associated with incident myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack. This research, representing the largest of its kind, included 7,897 people and has far-reaching implications for identifying at-risk individuals before the onset of this life-threatening condition. 

MI is a leading global cause of death and disability, underscoring the importance of early prediction and intervention. Previous studies measuring hundreds of serum molecules to identify biomarkers of MI have been restricted by limited participant numbers and/or demographic diversity. However, COMETS’ extensive research has addressed these limitations. 

In this study, individuals averaging 66 years of age were drawn from six distinct international cohorts, with their blood metabolomes analyzed. Coupled with data on 1,373 MI cases, the researchers executed a two-stage Individual Patient Data meta-analysis. 

The results were nothing short of groundbreaking. 56 metabolites, including 21 lipids and 17 amino acids, were linked to incident MI, with 10 of them not being reported before notably, the carbohydrate mannitol/sorbitol emerged with the highest increased risk, while glutamine exhibited the most significant decrease in risk. 

Moreover, these identified metabolites were substantially enriched in pathways previously associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. This reinforces the potential clinical relevance of these biomarkers. 

Senior author Cristina Menni explained:  

‘The identified molecules offer a promising avenue for early detection and risk assessment before the onset of heart disease. This is a significant breakthrough in cardiovascular research, as it can potentially enable healthcare professionals to identify individuals at risk of heart attacks well in advance, allowing for proactive interventions and personalized healthcare strategies.’ 

First author Ana Nogal said: 

‘The implications of this study are profound. The identified metabolites could serve as powerful tools for identifying individuals at high risk of MI before the disease manifests clinically. As a result, this research not only advances our comprehension of the molecular changes underlying MI development but also opens new avenues for clinical prediction and a more profound understanding of causal mechanisms.’ 

In a world where heart attacks remain a major public health concern, COMETS’ collaborative effort signifies the importance of multidisciplinary research and holds the promise of uncovering universal biomarkers that can save countless lives. 

TwinsUK successful in bid for multi-million-pound award for resilience research

Posted on by Paz Garcia

Tuesday 3rd October – by Paz García

Older, grey-haired man and woman holding hands facing away from the camera

We are delighted to announce that TwinsUK has received a multi-million-pound funding award to study resilience in health and ageing through Wellcome Leap’s Dynamic Resilience programme, jointly funded by Temasek Trust. 

Led by TwinsUK’s Clinical Director Professor Claire Steves, the award will see TwinsUK invite 2,000 twins for clinic visits to collect post-pandemic health data and samples through a study named Resilience after COVID-19. The team will then analyse these together with data collected before and during the pandemic to further investigate known and suspected sources of resilience in the body. 

Resilience is the capacity to withstand or bounce back quickly from difficulties, including stressors and disease. The COVID-19 pandemic was a major stressor for everyone during 2020-2022, both in terms of the disease itself as well as the wider impact on wellbeing due to lockdowns and shielding mandates.    

The Resilience after COVID-19 study at TwinsUK will allow researchers to understand how certain processes in the body – including inflammation, changes to the microbiome and altered metabolism – affect resilience, using the twin design to control for and unpick genetic and environmental contributions. This in turn will help identify sources of resilience which can be targeted to promote healthy ageing. 

Professor Claire Steves said: 

“As the world population gets older, we need to find ways of protecting ourselves and ensuring we are healthier for longer. One way of doing that is to understand what makes us resilient, and that is what we’re aiming to achieve through this research programme.  

“This work is only possible thanks to our twins’ dedication and contributions over many years before and during the pandemic, providing samples and answering questionnaires.  

“Eligible TwinsUK members will be invited to take part in the Resilience after COVID-19 study over the next three years, so do keep an eye on your inbox.”  

In addition, the Dynamic Resilience programme has also funded research at the University of Birmingham, in which collaborators at King’s College London will study blood and stool samples collected before and after cancer patients undergo treatment. They will use computational learning methods to understand how changes in hallmarks of ageing relate to clinical changes and how such changes could be developed as predictive biomarkers of resilience. 

We are thrilled that TwinsUK has been recognised as a world leader in this field and we look forward to contributing to essential work on resilience through these two awards. 

Study Reveals Higher BMI Puts Adolescents at Risk for Depression 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

5th September 2023 – by King’s College London

Children between the ages of 12 and 16 with a higher body mass index (BMI) are more susceptible to developing symptoms of depression, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from TwinsUK. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the connection between mental health and weight in adolescence and suggest that early intervention strategies could be beneficial. 

The research, published in Psychological Medicine, used data from over 10,000 twins participating in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) and our TwinsUK cohort. Twins born between 1994 and 1996 self-reported depressive symptoms, including low mood, loneliness, and exhaustion, at ages 12, 16, and 21. The study’s key findings indicate a significant link between higher BMI and depression among individuals aged 12 to 16, with weaker association in the 16 to 21 age group. 

The team also found that children with a higher BMI during early adolescence were at an increased risk of developing depression later in life than those who experienced depression first and then saw an increase in their BMI.  

First author, Dr. Ellen Thompson explained: 

“Understanding the relationship between mental ill-health and weight in adolescence is vital to provide timely support where needed. This study shows a stronger association between having a higher BMI at age 12 years and subsequent depression symptoms at age 16 years than the reverse.” 

The study also highlighted that environmental factors played a significant role in the connection between BMI and depression at each age. While the study did not delve into the specific reasons for this effect, prior research has suggested that factors like body dissatisfaction and weight-related stigma from external sources could contribute to the association. 

Surprisingly, the study’s results remained consistent even after adjusting for socio-economic status, dispelling the notion from previous research that poverty might be the primary risk factor in this relationship. 

This shows the importance of early adolescence as a crucial period for addressing the potential consequences of higher BMI on mental health. Preventative measures, such as support structures and positive body image messages, could be incorporated into Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education to counteract depressive symptoms in young teens. 

Co-senior author, Professor Claire Steves said: 

“Using the TwinsUK cohort, which focuses on older adult twins, our study showed that the relationship between BMI and depression was much weaker in later life. The exact reasons for these changes over the life course need further investigation.” 

Some people’s brain function still affected by Long COVID years after infection 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

21st July 2023 – by King’s College London

Researchers from TwinsUK have found that people with longer-term COVID-19 symptoms including brain fog showed reduced performance in tasks testing different mental processes up to two years after infection with the virus.  

The team looked at whether infection with COVID-19 affected performance in two rounds of online cognitive testing that took place in 2021 and 2022. Data was collected for over 3,000 participants of the COVID Symptom Study Biobank study, across 12 tasks that tested memory, attention, reasoning, processing speed and motor control.  

The participants whose test scores were most affected by COVID-19 were those who had experienced symptoms related to the virus for 12 weeks or more. In these people, the effect of COVID-19 on test accuracy was comparable in size to the effect of a 10-year increase in age.  

There was no significant improvement in these test scores between the two rounds of testing, which took place nine months apart. By the second round of testing, the average time since participants’ initial COVID-19 infection was almost two years.  

Digging deeper into the analysis, the researchers separated participants by whether they felt fully recovered following COVID-19 infection. People who felt fully recovered after COVID-19 infection performed similarly to those who had not had the virus at all. In contrast, participants who did not feel fully recovered after infection had lower task accuracy scores on average.  

Lead author Dr Nathan Cheetham said: 

“Our findings suggest that, for people who were living with long-term symptoms after having COVID-19, the effects of the coronavirus on mental processes such as the ability to recall words and shapes are still detectable at an average of almost two years since their initial infection.  

“However, the result that COVID had no effect on performance in our tests for people who felt fully recovered, even if they’d had symptoms for several months and could be considered as experiencing ‘long COVID’, was good news. This study shows the need to monitor those people whose brain function is most affected by COVID-19, to see how their cognitive symptoms continue to develop and provide support towards recovery.”  

Professor Claire Steves added: 

“We used sensitive tests to measure speed and accuracy across a range of brain challenges. This study shows that some individuals have measurable changes in these tests after COVID-19 going on for nearly two years. The fact remains that two years on from their first infection, some people don’t feel fully recovered and their lives continue to be impacted by the long-term effects of the coronavirus. We need more work to understand why this is the case and what can be done to help.” 

Artificial Intelligence helps human radiologists: detecting intervertebral disc degeneration in MRI scans 

Posted on by Aaruthy Suthahar

20th June 2023 – by Daliya Guemri

artificial intelligence

Researchers from TwinsUK have recently published a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the current efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning applications that read MRI scans of degenerate discs. Working in the pain research team under Professor Frances Williams at King’s College London, researchers are motivated to glean the latest insights in developments to low back pain causes or treatment. Low back pain is the lead cause of disability globally and can fundamentally reduce patient quality of life. Intervertebral disc degeneration is a main cause of low back pain and Williams’ team is heavily invested in pioneering research into causes, diagnoses and treatments for the condition.  

Disc degeneration is a normal part of aging, however sometimes it is accompanied by disabling pain and interventions are required. This systematic review and meta-analysis specifically focused on machine learning (ML) algorithms that read lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Assessing disc degeneration is a time-consuming endeavour for radiologists, accurate machine learning algorithms that could fulfill this task, would represent a huge saving of work hours for health services across the globe. Fully exploiting AI technology could allow efficiency in identifying lumbar disc degeneration as well as other spinal conditions, and speed triaging patients for surgery or physiotherapy treatments.  

The systematic review found several studies with a computer science research focus that reported machine learning algorithms could do the job of radiologists, or that their approach could lead to diagnostic technology. Unfortunately, much of this software is not rigorously tested and most of the included studies had small numbers of participants. A systematic review and meta-analysis aim to the contribution of several small studies, however lack of replication (running the algorithm again in a totally new group of scans) was another stark omission from most of the included studies.   

In science, the best type of research is validated in different groups of participants and run multiple times. This should be a standard practice for medical treatments or tools. However they found that generally, these algorithms were not validated, and reports of added benefit to the assessment of disc degeneration were concluded perhaps prematurely.  

The technology is exciting as it does offer a real promise to the future of MRI reading and spinal assessments and ultimately better outcomes in patients with low back pain.  

Authors Roger Compte and Isabelle Granville Smith explained: 

“We suggest future research should incorporate several machine learning approaches, such as adding semi- and un-supervised learning to supervised learning approaches. MRIs inherently contain vast quantities of information; of which the human eye is only capable of gleaning part. Designing machine learning algorithms that better take advantage of MRI data arrays may be a means to progress their reliability and accuracy to be comparable to and may one day surpass human radiologists.“

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