Singing the blues.Although the idea's controversial, a few diabetes researchers are suggesting that depression, which is common among people with chronic diseases including diabetes, may sometimes cause the disease. In a managed-care group in Portland Portland, town, England Portland, town (1991 pop. 12,945), Dorset, S England. It is on the Isle of Portland, a small rocky peninsula. Portland stone has been used in St. Paul's Cathedral and other important London buildings. Lobsters and crabs are harvested. , the 1,680 people who developed diabetes in 1998 were slightly more likely to have histories of depression than were 1,680 people who didn't develop diabetes, says Gregory A. Nichols of the Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care organization, based in Oakland, California, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney R. Garfield. Center for Health Research in Portland. The researchers matched the groups by age and approximate date of enrollment in the plan. About 350 people with diabetes had at least one episode of depression during the 11 years before their diagnosis with diabetes, he says, compared with about 300 of the participants without diabetes. "Our data suggest that depression frequently preceded diabetes," Nichols says. "This is not an overwhelming effect, but it is statistically significant." His results support the idea that depression might cause diabetes, he says. Some research has suggested that depression alters the body's hormone hormone, secretory substance carried from one gland or organ of the body via the bloodstream to more or less specific tissues, where it exerts some influence upon the metabolism of the target tissue. balance and makes a person less sensitive to the effects of insulin insulin, hormone secreted by the β cells of the islets of Langerhans, specific groups of cells in the pancreas. Insufficiency of insulin in the body results in diabetes. Insulin was one of the first products to be manufactured using genetic engineering. . Depression may also prompt behavior that predisposes people to both diabetes and heart disease, says Nichols. For instance, he says, depressed people are more likely to be obese o·bese adj. Extremely fat; very overweight. obese characterized by obesity. obese adjective Characterized by obesity, see there; excessively fat , less likely to be physically active, and less likely to take prescribed pre·scribe v. pre·scribed, pre·scrib·ing, pre·scribes v.tr. 1. To set down as a rule or guide; enjoin. See Synonyms at dictate. 2. To order the use of (a medicine or other treatment). medications than are people who aren't depressed. --D.C. |
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