Rogers County Health Department is doing more than COVID testing. This week the health department shared a few things they want the community to know, that arent about the pandemic.

1. Is the health department offering back to school immunizations?

Yes, our Back to School Immunization Event is Monday, Aug. 3rd, 3 - 7 p.m. at health dept.; However the process will look different -we are asking for parents to please bring their child's shot record and call ahead to ensure availability. Everyone will be required to wear a mask, if you have one please bring it, if not one will be provided. Only one adult will be allowed inside the building at a time with the child. All other children should wait outside with another adult until their turn.

2.Is the health department offering STD screenings?

Yes, the clinic is screening patients with symptoms of STDs

3. What mental health resources does the health department recommend?

Grand Lake Mental Health, Creoks, and Rogers County Youth Services are our partners in Rogers County. Parkside in Tulsa is also on our Rogers County Healthy Community Partnership committee, and our Child Guidance department at the health department is still offering counseling services for children 13 and under.

4.While the RoCo 5K program is on hold- what walking/fitness resources do you suggest instead?

There are lots of options live on Facebook and virtually for free and are easy to find with a search for their exercise of interest; Claremore Recreation Center had several of theirs posted and might be on their FB page archives; I am willing to share a past RoCo Fit progressive walk/run schedule if anyone wants to do it on their own.

5.Will the health department be offering flu shots this year?

Yes, we will be offering flu shots, however we do not know what the process will be or when we will begin.

All departments are still offering some of their services (in person and virtually): Sooner Start, child guidance, WIC, immunizations, family planning, Senior Companions. Restaurants are being safety inspected regularly

Bonus: Pets need to be up to date on their rabies shots and be given by a licensed veterinarian

Everyone should continue striving for a more healthy lifestyle - eating healthy, being physically active and tobacco/e-cig free.

Fill out your Census Data 2020 if you have not - It is important to have this information as many programs rely on Census data to continue their services to the community. Many grants would not be available for our community if we did not have Census data to back up the need.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

More:
5 Things the Health Department wants you to know-that aren't about COVID-19 - Claremore Daily Progress

Monica and Kevin felt an immediate spark when they met at a mutual friend's birthday party in 2012. But before they could schedule their first official date, Kevin was rushed to the hospital. As the Memphis-area couple's relationship grew, Monica learned that Kevin suffered from a chronic condition called congestive heart failure. Despite the fact that he led a heart-healthy lifestyle, the 34-year-old barber periodically experienced episodes of extreme shortness of breath and severe pain caused by fluid buildup in his lungs and other organs. Lying in bed sometimes hurt Kevin so much that he had to stack pillows around his body for support and sleep with his chest bent to his knees. At some points, Kevin was in too much pain to go work. He took a variety of medicines and had regular cardiology appointments, but the bouts persisted as the couple married and built a life together in Olive Branch, Mississippi, with Kevin's young daughter.

In April 2019, the couple drove to Nashville for their first consultation with Dr. Warren Stribling of Ascension Saint Thomas Heart. Dr. Stribling surprised the couple by asking Kevin to stay in Nashville for about a week of observation. Although Kevin didn't have any clothes packed for a lengthy stay and Monica hated leaving town without her husband, she says now that "it was the best decision we could have ever made for our family."

During that first stay at Ascension Saint Thomas West, Dr. Stribling mentioned that Kevin might ultimately need a transplant. After testing, observation, paperwork, and a short return to Olive Branch, Kevin was officially added to the transplant wait list in July 2019. On August 22, 2019, Dr. Ashok Babu announced that a heart had arrived for Kevin. Monica recalls that she was "a big ball of emotions" as she sat waiting during Kevin's operation. After the successful surgery, the couple stayed at the Hospitality House of Nashville for three months as Kevin regained his strength.

Today, the family of four is thriving. Monica, now 37, gave birth to their youngest daughter in 2016 and teaches personal finance to juniors and seniors at a Germantown high school. Kevin, now 42, has returned to his beloved job as a barber. Monica jokes, "I call Kevin my 'Tin Man' because he got his new heart." The couple celebrates little victories like the moment in February 2020 when Kevin was finally approved to drive his car again. They are taking extra precautions during the pandemic to keep Kevin safe, as being a recent transplant recipient puts him at higher-risk for developing Covid-19 complications.

"I used to wonder 'Why me, God'?" says Kevin, adding: "Now I think to myself, 'Why not me'? Why can'tIbe an example to others? I enjoy every day I get with my family and my job, and I ask God to use me however He wants."

The couple has now been married 4 years and they will celebrate Kevin's 1-year "heartiversary" on August 23.

Read the original here:
Newlyweds Brought Closer Together by Husband's Heart Transplant - Wgnsradio

Actor Rob Lowe has kept busy during quarantine. In June, the 56-year-old actor released his new podcast, Literally!, where he chats with his famous friends, including Chris Pratt, Conan O'Brien, Magic Johnson and more. He's also embraced the opportunity to get outdoors more frequently.

"I love being outside. Whether it's surfing, hiking, walking, or golfing, I'm usually doing one of those things," he says. "Today is a lifting day, and then I'm going to go to the driving range and will walk 9 holes. That's the idea of heaven for me. I'm really, really, really physically active. I go berserk if I don't get to channel that physical energy. I get depressed, I get lethargic, I get unmotivated. I have to force myself to have proper rest days."

Lowe is especially serious when it comes to tracking his workouts when he's in the gym, and actually keeps a workout diary, he admits. "I write down every workout that I ever do."

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The Parks and Recreation actor wasn't always so fanatical about his fitness routine, however. "The first time I ever had a trainer and the first time I went to a proper gym was for Youngblood, and I hated it," he laughs. "I had to put on weight15 pounds. I was a little stick figure. It was all amino acids and protein shakes with raw eggs. And I'd lift weights every single day."

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After filming concluded, however, he started to look forward to his sweat sessions. "The irony was that I hated it, but then I came to love it," he says. "I sometimes work with trainers. I can keep myself at 80 percent of my potential on my own, and if I do need to go that extra distance, then I work with trainers to get to that point."

When Lowe is on set and shooting, he said, he works out on his lunch breaks. "For example, when I was shooting The West Wing, every single lunch break I was in the Warner Brothers gym. I would eat prior to our official lunch break so I could hit the gym, power through an intense 35-minute workout which gave me time to cool down and shower and get back to the set," he says.

Lowe learned how to get his workouts done in under an hour, and it's something that's stuck his current training. "Even to this day when have all the time in the world, it's 35-55 minutes for me and I'm good," he says. "I'm not in a there for an hour or an hour and a half." Quarantine, though, has slightly changed up the way that he trains.

"Prior to quarantine I went to a really great stretching class once a week," he says. While those days are gonefor now, at leasthe's managed to keep up his mobility work in his home gym.

"I've been trying to do all the stretching and mobility work. Today I will go into the gym for a 40-minute session and do some warmups with planking and hinges. Then I'll get into some kettle bell swings, deadlifts, squats with raises, pushups, pulldowns, rows, and some lunges," he says. "I may do some leaps out in the yard and finish up with a little bit of abs. I don't break my days up into body partsI do the whole body."

For Lowe, a rest day is usually an active rest day. "A rest day for me is getting on the Peloton to do a low impact 45 minutes or something. It's probably not the healthiest thing in the world that I can't sit still, but if that's my cross to bear, I'll take it."

To recover, he's also a fan of chiropractic adjustments and massage, but Lowe insists that the most important part to staying in shape is his diet. "I swear 75 percent of everything, if not more, is diet. And that only gets to be more true the older I get," he says. "I could train like The Rock and still not get where I want to be if I'm not eating properly."

For Lowe, that means eating the Atkins Diet, a high-protein, low-carb, moderate sugar eating plan that he's done since his mid-30s.

"People talk about keto, and I've done itit's that great. But I feel like eating Atkins is a more manageable form of keto," he says. "If I'm eating right, I'm not just wasting my time in the gym. I've never had a diet/weight issue. Being on Atkins more about training, maintaining and having the kind of energy I want to have to be as active as I am and to live the kind of life I want to live."

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Combined with his sobriety, it's a big part of what's helped him maintain his healthy lifestyle."One of the great benefits of being sober 30 years is that I'm not carrying all those carbs. No one liked going to a Dodger game and having a couple of beers at the game more than me, but alcohol (consumption) is something I think everybody should take a look at," he says, "because that is some sneaky ass carbs and calories right there."

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Rob Lowe Shared How He's Staying Fit and Healthy in His 50s - menshealth.com

KEY POINTS

A recent survey showed some young people were using the internet in their pursuit of a fitter or a muscular body.

U.K. researchers recently conducted a survey on the effect of healthy lifestyle technologies, including social media and apps, for young people. In their report called "Digital Health Generation,"they warned about young people's use of fitness trackers in their quest for getting a fitter or nicer body. They said that while the app is possibly motivating, it could also lead to obsessive behavior.

The research, which was co-authored by Professor Emma Rich from the Department for Health at the University of Bath in the U.K., suggested that schools should increase their digital literacy education to include matters of health, BBCreported. Prof. Rich said they found lots of participants using apps to track their diet, sleep, menstrual cycle, and heart rate, but in many cases, what the trackers showed did not correspond with how the bodies of the respondents felt.

Rich expressed concern that people were constantly checking their fitness tracking apps, which she said could lead to the development of obsessive behavior in their attempt to get the most likes or shares from their own peers.

"Many spoke of the need for health and fitness apps to come with warning alerts... advising them on when they might be exercising or dieting excessively,"she said. fitness tracking app Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay

Researchers also noted the use of fitness and health apps could contribute to some young people exercising too much or engaging in dangerous dietary practices. Some respondents recognized the need to limit using the apps, saying such technology should be able to recognize when users needed to stop.

Jack Bardzil, a 19-year-old student from Bath and one of the respondents, said fitness apps and trackers could make people paranoid.

"There are heartbeat monitors and in the future, they might have glucose monitoring... these things can lead to paranoia,"he told researchers. Bardzil also added that the way social media platforms oftentimes promote content based on the users previously-viewed material felt unsettling "as they can keep shoving it down your throat."

Tom Madders, the director of Communications, Campaigns, and Participation at the mental health charity YoungMinds, said that while tracking your fitness is a positive experience, it could also lead to negative mental health consequences when the user is already overzealous in using it.

"For some young people, fitness trackers may exacerbate disordered eating and exercise, and they must be designed in a way that minimizes the risks - for example, by not bombarding people with notifications,"he also stated, according to BBC.

The rest is here:
Young People Who Rely Much On Fitness Apps Tend To Experience Paranoia And Anxiety - International Business Times

One of the more puzzling aspects of the novel coronavirus is just how many organ systems are impacted through the course of the disease. Weve heard about theheart, lungs and respiratory symptoms, but a growing mystery is its impact on the nervous system.

Areport in Aprilsuggested more than a third of 214 Covid-19 patients studied experienced neurological complications ranging from loss of smell to stroke.

The virus can lead to neurological complications like delirium, brain inflammation, stroke and nerve damage. In aUniversity College London studypublished earlier this month, 10 out of 43 patients had temporary brain dysfunction and delirium, while 12 had brain inflammation, eight had strokes and eight had nerve damage.

Another paper published last month inThe Lancet Psychiatrylooked at 153 patients in the UK and found even those younger than 60 could have psychosis, depression or strokes.

How this virus damages the brain and nerves still isnt totally clear. But as two physicians dedicated to the study of the nervous system, we wanted to find some answers.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been a practicing neurosurgeon for the last 20 years and has always been amazed at the remarkable ways the brain is protected by the body. A hard shell of bone, a bath of clear fluid and a blood brain barrier, which creates checkpoints before certain molecules are even allowed to enter. It is our most important organ and more impervious than most. And, yet this virus is still able to sneak into the central nervous system.

And Dr. Minali Nigam is a newly minted resident physician and chose to go into neurology, a field that interconnects the mind and body. Seemingly small details like the ability to raise an eyebrow can tell us what part of the nervous system is injured. Theres so much we dont know about the brain, which means tremendous potential for our knowledge to grow.

Among the most common neurological symptoms are loss of smell and taste, which could be the first clues that someone has Covid-19.

Other possible symptoms include headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, weakness, seizures, paralysis, strokes and more.

We know the virus spreads through particles in the air, so it first enters the body through the nose and mouth. When this happens, its possible the virus then potentially crosses the cribriform plate, the bone at the top of the nose, to reach the olfactory bulb that houses the olfactory nerve and its branches. If the virus damages these nerves, a person can lose their sense of smell. If the virus also directly invades taste buds, it can prevent nerve fibers from transmitting signals to the brain and cause a person to lose their sense of taste.

Of course, thats just one hypothesis, but we knowaccording to one studythat up to 88% of 417 of patients who tested positive for Covid-19 had these types of symptoms. Most of them recovered within two weeks, without any ongoing neurological issues.

Another hypothesis has to do with a protein receptor called angiotensin converting enzyme known as ACE2 which is found in cells all over the body in the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, muscles, nose and mouth. In the nose and mouth, the virus is thought to bind to ACE2 receptors in sensory nerve cells and block these cells from facilitating smell and taste.

ACE2 also helps maintain blood pressure and protects the heart and brain from damage. Its role is to lower levels of a molecule called angiotensin II. If angiotensin II levels build up, blood vessels constrict and reduce blood flow to organs, potentially damaging them.

Here is the most interesting thing we are starting to learn. Whether it is the body or the brain, most symptoms dont seem to come directly from the virus, but rather, the bodys overzealous immune response to fight the virus.

The story of how such a virus, with so little genetic information, can wreak havoc to our nervous system is really fascinating, said Dr. Majid Fotuhi, medical director ofNeuroGrow Brain Fitness Centerand affiliate staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Take strokes, for example.

When the virus binds to ACE2 in blood vessels, it triggers an immune response sometimes referred to as a cytokine storm. Too much inflammation can impair the bodys clotting system and form millions of small clots or several large clots. Together with the higher levels of angiotensin II that constrict blood vessels, clots can block blood flow to the brain and lead to a stroke.

Some strokes are minor and patients may not realize they are having one. As people age, multiple strokes could build up and cause memory loss or poor attention. Other patients who recover from Covid may show symptoms of their silent strokes as depression, anxiety, insomnia, or cognitive decline later in life, according to Fotuhi.

But make no mistake, sometimes these strokes are severe or deadly even among healthy peoplein their 30s and 40s, doctors have found.

Too much inflammation can also break down the protective wall known as the blood-brain barrier and lead to brain swelling, seizures or spread of infection.

Thats how5-year-old Skylar Herbert, daughter of two Detroit first responders, could have developed brain swelling from meningitis. She was the first child from Michigan to die from Covid-19.

Its not clear why she developed meningitis. But we know that the meninges is a protective layer around the brain and spinal cord and is rich in blood vessels and ACE2. In theory, if the virus binds to ACE2 in the meninges, this could lead to damage to the blood vessels and significant inflammation.

Some patients with the virus were also found to have Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a nerve disorder that can lead to paralysis. Here antibodies, formed in response to the virus, react to proteins found on nerves, causing damage.

But its important to remember that everyone responds to the virus differently.

There are people who have a measured response to the virus and their immune system can manage it without overreacting, Fotuhi said.

Healthy people who are asymptomatic are the ones who had just enough immune response to destroy the virus without creating a cytokine storm or blood clots.

Neurological complications arent unique to Covid-19. Viruses like the flu, measles, respiratory syncytial virus and Zika have them, too, as do theother types of coronaviruses,SARS and MERS.

How this happens boils down to two main mechanisms: direct viral invasion of the nervous system or damage from a hyperactive immune system.

Some neurologic manifestations like confusion or weakness may also be nonspecific complications of critical illness that are unrelated to the actual virus.

Neurologic involvement seems to be a prominent feature of this particular coronavirus, said Dr. Felicia Chow, a neuroinfectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

Or we may be seeing more neurologic complications with Covid simply because there are many more cases of Covid overall compared with prior coronavirus outbreaks.

Like what doctors see with Covid-19 and strokes.

Whats been reported so far isnt really something that we see that commonly with at least certain types of respiratory viruses, she said. But its hard to say with the still limited information that we have. A much deeper dive is needed to understand the true neurologic burden and sequelae of this pandemic.

There arent large studies looking at Covid-related neurological symptoms, so right now doctors are treating these symptoms like they would for patients who dont have the virus.

But small studies with a few hundred people have come out. One consistent feature is that patients with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity who get Covid are at higher risk for severe outcomes, including neurological complications, than healthy and fit individuals.

Thats why regular exercise, healthy diet, proper sleep and reducing stress are still important during this pandemic. By maintaining an a
ctive, healthy lifestyle, patients who end up getting infected can improve their odds of a faster and more favorable recovery, said Fotuhi.

For doctors, patients with Covid may not be sick with the typical viral symptoms youd expect like cough or fever. Some patients who show up in the emergency room have only shown signs of stroke. And brain symptoms could be a patients first and only symptoms. In certain situations, blood thinners and steroids may be as important as anti-viral medications.

Covid can have many different faces, Fotuhi said. Its important for people to appreciate that.

And its something well keep in mind as we take care of patients.

In covering the pandemic as journalists and caring for Covid patients as doctors, weve learned to keep an open mind. What we think today may change tomorrow and thats OK. Its part of the learning process. As our knowledge of the virus continues to grow, were one step closer in persevering through this pandemic together.

Go here to see the original:
Doctors working to determine how COVID-19 affects the brain - KTLA

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce will host the week of virtual events, August 24-28.

FREDERICK, Md., July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the launch of this year's S.H.E. Week, a week of virtual events celebrating the Strength, Heart and Equality of women in Frederick County.

This year's event, being held August 24-28, also revolves around the concept of resiliency and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.

"All of the things we value, all of the aspects of life we've taken for granted, have been turned upside down or altered," said Chamber President/CEO Rick Weldon. "Many of these changes are so dramatic that each of us has had to adjust and adapt at home, at work and at play. We've never needed to embrace resilience the way 2020 requires, yet women throughout Frederick County have done just that. S.H.E. Week 2020 gives us an opportunity to celebrate resilient women, fill our toolbox with new ideas and strategies, and prepare for the uncertainty that lies ahead."

"Last year we were blown away by the response to our inaugural event. Our committee members have worked tirelessly to exceed expectations. The 2020 line-up is filled with engaging topics, powerful speakers and valuable information that women from all backgrounds can use in their careers and overall life," said Jennifer Gerlock, vice president of marketing and communication at the Chamber. "S.H.E. Week will be celebrating women's equality day with a special program about the 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote."

S.H.E. WEEK EVENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

LIVE EVENTS

Monday, August 24 (S)heroes and Stories: Using Your Voice to Change the Narrative and Inspire Others to Action Time: 7:30 a.m. (Virtual Coffee Chat & Welcome from Yumi Hogan, First Lady of Maryland) Time: 8-9:30 a.m. (Workshop)

In this engaging and entertaining presentation, Julie Gaver will demonstrate why storytelling continues to be one of the most powerful forms of communication. Learn how to create your personal narrative in order to better persuade, inspire and educate others. You'll come away with useful tips and strategies to help you not only find your own (s)hero, but better share her with the world!

Instructor: Julie Gaver, Owner | Julie Gaver Discovery

Tuesday, August 25 Life Lessons from Unstoppable Women Time: 5-7 p.m.

With honesty, wit and a little bit of sass, this panel of unstoppable women share their life experiences and the lessons they've learned along the way. They address challenges from climbing the career ladder and finding inner fulfilment, to forging authentic relationships and overcoming life's setbacks. Each of these impressive professionals has a tale to tell and an experience to share. Empowering, engaging and unapologetically impassioned, their incisive observations will make you think, reflect and motivate you to tackle whatever life sends your way! This session will include time for a Q& A afterwards.

Guests: Crystal Maguire | Winsupply of Frederick Dr. Denise Rollins | Whole Heart Grief & Life Resource Center Jessica Underwood | JR Capital Build Dr. Andrea Chapdelaine | Hood College

Moderator: Amber Smith | Frederick Lifestyle Magazine | S.H.E. Week Committee Member

Wednesday, August 26 (Women's Equality Day) Women's Equality Day: Reflecting on the 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote and Discussing the Mountains Left to Climb Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment which granted women the constitutional right to vote. Trailblazing women have held government positions at the local, state, and national level; however, women still only make up 25% or less of the U.S. Senate and the House, and those numbers are even lower for women of color.

This lively panel will cover the past, present and future of women's role in politics, and also discuss the importance of local participation. Even if you never plan to run for office, everyone will leave this event with ideas for how to get involved, from big to small.

Guests: Dr. Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer | Political Science & Gender Studies Professor at Shepherd University Betty Mayfield | League of Women Voters Frederick Chapter

Story continues

Moderator: Rachael Pashkevich Koontz | Thermo Fisher Scientific | Women in Business Co-Chair

Thursday, August 27 Women of Color: Stories of Resilience Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Moderated by April Lee, this panel discussion engages three women, Dr. C. Yvonne Smith, Piper Crawford and Sue Hough, each of whom will share their personal stories and struggles as a woman of color in the business world. Each has their own unique tale of bravery, vulnerability and resilience and that will challenge, educate and inspire you through their words. This session will include time for a Q& A afterwards.

Guests: Dr. C. Yvonne Smith | Wake Integrated Psychological Services Piper Crawford | JKW Beauty Boutique Sue Hough | Octavo Designs | Women in Business Committee Member

Moderator: April Lee | Lee Building Maintenance

Friday, August 28 Next Steps: Develop a PR Roadmap to Expand Your Reach Time: 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Your challenges and setbacks are not mistakes they are part of your story! Through sharing your stories of resilience, you can inspire and motivate others. So how do you get yourself out there? In this talk, Sandy Dubay Sponaugle will provide PR tips to help both individuals and businesses find their message, audience and platformsso they can create an exciting next chapter! This session will include time for a Q& A after the presentation.

Instructor: Sandy Dubay Sponaugle, CEO/Founder | Platinum PR

VIP Happy Hour Wrap Up Time: 4-5:30 p.m.

This exclusive networking celebration event is available only to our VIP ticket holders, sponsors and speakers. We'll wrap up the week with opportunities to mingle as well as discuss key lessons and take-aways from our sessions. (Not to mention play a few games and win prizes!)

PRE-RECORDED EVENTS

Taking the Leap: Steps for Launching Your Own Business Hear from Amanda Haddaway, local business owner and human resources expert, about her entrepreneurial journey and some steps you can take if you're thinking about leaping into building a small business. During the session, you'll learn about:

Instructor: Amanda Haddaway | HR Answerbox

Nourishing Roots for Resiliency

In nature, trees develop deeper and stronger roots from the wind (resistance). Like the trees, the struggles and resistance we experience in life make us stronger and more resilient. We can nourish and support our resiliency by implementing simple techniques and tools that help support healing, growth, sustaining a healthy body and mind. Using a "holistic" approach (mind, body, spirit and heart), Holistic Health Coach Kim Wilson will share tools and tips for getting back to the roots of a healthy lifestyle for improved health and wellbeing while supporting your own beautiful bio-individuality.

Instructor: Kim Wilson | Farm Girl Fuel | S.H.E. Week Committee Member

Power in the Pivot

In this presentation, we'll cover how you can go from exhausted, anxious, and consumed by fear to having a peaceful and thriving life and business by pivoting and taking your powerback. You'll learn how to reclaim four key areas of your life including your voice, your energy, your finances, and your business.

Instructor: Laura Wallace | Worx Graphic Design

In addition to the live and pre-recorded sessions, interviews on various topics will also be offered as part of the programming and delivered digitally.

Options for participation in S.H.E. Week include bundles (VIP and regular access) as well as individual session attendance. VIP and regular access admissions include an exclusive workbook pdf and private Facebook group for further content delivery, discussion and participant interaction. All live sessions will be re
corded and delivered to participants via the Facebook group immediately following the presentation.

VIP event registration ranges from $45-65 with regular event access between $35 and $65. Single session registrations are available as well. Sponsorship opportunities for the week exist and can be accessed by contacting Jennifer Gerlock at jgerlock@frederickchamber.org.

Registration is open at frederickchamber.org/she-week

S.H.E. Week 2020 is brought to you by the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce's S.H.E. Week and Women in Business Committees, with support by our title sponsor FCB Bank, a division of ANCB Bank along with Warthern Team of Real Estate Teams, Ellen Keyser Homes, Lawyers Signature Settlements, LLC, AMI Signs, Edgewater Federal Solutions, Inc, Northwestern Mutual, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, Peace of Mind Pets MD, BKG Media and Promotions, Girls on the Run Mid and Western Maryland, Neely Coaching and Training, Support Unlimited, Inc., and Fox Mountain Property Inspections.

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce's Women in Business Committee's mission is to empower and develop women through education, networking, mentoring and partnerships and to promote opportunities for all women throughout Frederick County. Women in Business Committee members develop programs that provide opportunities for women to learn and network as well as share their expertise with each other and to address the unique issues of women in business.

SOURCE Frederick County Chamber of Commerce

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S.H.E. Week 2020 expands programming to celebrate the Strength, Heart and Equality of Women in Frederick County - Yahoo Finance

One of the more puzzling aspects of the novel coronavirus is just how many organ systems are impacted through the course of the disease. Weve heard about the heart, lungs and respiratory symptoms, but a growing mystery is its impact on the nervous system.

A report in April suggested more than a third of 214 Covid-19 patients studied experienced neurological complications ranging from loss of smell to stroke.

The virus can lead to neurological complications like delirium, brain inflammation, stroke and nerve damage. In a University College London study published earlier this month, 10 out of 43 patients had temporary brain dysfunction and delirium, while 12 had brain inflammation, eight had strokes and eight had nerve damage.

Another paper published last month in The Lancet Psychiatry looked at 153 patients in the UK and found even those younger than 60 could have psychosis, depression or strokes.

How this virus damages the brain and nerves still isnt totally clear. But as two physicians dedicated to the study of the nervous system, we wanted to find some answers.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been a practicing neurosurgeon for the last 20 years and has always been amazed at the remarkable ways the brain is protected by the body. A hard shell of bone, a bath of clear fluid and a blood brain barrier, which creates checkpoints before certain molecules are even allowed to enter. It is our most important organ and more impervious than most. And, yet this virus is still able to sneak into the central nervous system.

And Dr. Minali Nigam is a newly minted resident physician and chose to go into neurology, a field that interconnects the mind and body. Seemingly small details like the ability to raise an eyebrow can tell us what part of the nervous system is injured. Theres so much we dont know about the brain, which means tremendous potential for our knowledge to grow.

Among the most common neurological symptoms are loss of smell and taste, which could be the first clues that someone has Covid-19.

Other possible symptoms include headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, weakness, seizures, paralysis, strokes and more.

We know the virus spreads through particles in the air, so it first enters the body through the nose and mouth. When this happens, its possible the virus then potentially crosses the cribriform plate, the bone at the top of the nose, to reach the olfactory bulb that houses the olfactory nerve and its branches. If the virus damages these nerves, a person can lose their sense of smell. If the virus also directly invades taste buds, it can prevent nerve fibers from transmitting signals to the brain and cause a person to lose their sense of taste.

Of course, thats just one hypothesis, but we know according to one study that up to 88% of 417 of patients who tested positive for Covid-19 had these types of symptoms. Most of them recovered within two weeks, without any ongoing neurological issues.

Another hypothesis has to do with a protein receptor called angiotensin converting enzyme known as ACE2 which is found in cells all over the body in the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, muscles, nose and mouth. In the nose and mouth, the virus is thought to bind to ACE2 receptors in sensory nerve cells and block these cells from facilitating smell and taste.

ACE2 also helps maintain blood pressure and protects the heart and brain from damage. Its role is to lower levels of a molecule called angiotensin II. If angiotensin II levels build up, blood vessels constrict and reduce blood flow to organs, potentially damaging them.

Here is the most interesting thing we are starting to learn. Whether it is the body or the brain, most symptoms dont seem to come directly from the virus, but rather, the bodys overzealous immune response to fight the virus.

The story of how such a virus, with so little genetic information, can wreak havoc to our nervous system is really fascinating, said Dr. Majid Fotuhi, medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center and affiliate staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Take strokes, for example.

When the virus binds to ACE2 in blood vessels, it triggers an immune response sometimes referred to as a cytokine storm. Too much inflammation can impair the bodys clotting system and form millions of small clots or several large clots. Together with the higher levels of angiotensin II that constrict blood vessels, clots can block blood flow to the brain and lead to a stroke.

Some strokes are minor and patients may not realize they are having one. As people age, multiple strokes could build up and cause memory loss or poor attention. Other patients who recover from Covid may show symptoms of their silent strokes as depression, anxiety, insomnia, or cognitive decline later in life, according to Fotuhi.

But make no mistake, sometimes these strokes are severe or deadly even among healthy people in their 30s and 40s, doctors have found.

Too much inflammation can also break down the protective wall known as the blood-brain barrier and lead to brain swelling, seizures or spread of infection.

Thats how 5-year-old Skylar Herbert, daughter of two Detroit first responders, could have developed brain swelling from meningitis. She was the first child from Michigan to die from Covid-19.

Its not clear why she developed meningitis. But we know that the meninges is a protective layer around the brain and spinal cord and is rich in blood vessels and ACE2. In theory, if the virus binds to ACE2 in the meninges, this could lead to damage to the blood vessels and significant inflammation.

Some patients with the virus were also found to have Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a nerve disorder that can lead to paralysis. Here antibodies, formed in response to the virus, react to proteins found on nerves, causing damage.

But its important to remember that everyone responds to the virus differently.

There are people who have a measured response to the virus and their immune system can manage it without overreacting, Fotuhi said.

Healthy people who are asymptomatic are the ones who had just enough immune response to destroy the virus without creating a cytokine storm or blood clots.

Neurological complications arent unique to Covid-19. Viruses like the flu, measles, respiratory syncytial virus and Zika have them, too, as do the other types of coronaviruses, SARS and MERS.

How this happens boils down to two main mechanisms: direct viral invasion of the nervous system or damage from a hyperactive immune system.

Some neurologic manifestations like confusion or weakness may also be nonspecific complications of critical illness that are unrelated to the actual virus.

Neurologic involvement seems to be a prominent feature of this particular coronavirus, said Dr. Felicia Chow, a neuroinfectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

Or we may be seeing more neurologic complications with Covid simply because there are many more cases of Covid overall compared with prior coronavirus outbreaks.

Like what doctors see with Covid-19 and strokes.

Whats been reported so far isnt really something that we see that commonly with at least certain types of respiratory viruses, she said. But its hard to say with the still limited information that we have. A much deeper dive is needed to understand the true neurologic burden and sequelae of this pandemic.

There arent large studies looking at Covid-related neurological symptoms, so right now doctors are treating these symptoms like they would for patients who dont have the virus.

But small studies with a few hundred people have come out. One consistent feature is that patients with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity who get Covid are at higher risk for severe outcomes, including neurological complications, than healthy and fit individuals.

Thats why regular exercise, healthy diet, proper sleep and reducing stress are still important during this pandemic. By
maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle, patients who end up getting infected can improve their odds of a faster and more favorable recovery, said Fotuhi.

For doctors, patients with Covid may not be sick with the typical viral symptoms youd expect like cough or fever. Some patients who show up in the emergency room have only shown signs of stroke. And brain symptoms could be a patients first and only symptoms. In certain situations, blood thinners and steroids may be as important as anti-viral medications.

Covid can have many different faces, Fotuhi said. Its important for people to appreciate that.

And its something well keep in mind as we take care of patients.

In covering the pandemic as journalists and caring for Covid patients as doctors, weve learned to keep an open mind. What we think today may change tomorrow and thats OK. Its part of the learning process. As our knowledge of the virus continues to grow, were one step closer in persevering through this pandemic together.

Read more from the original source:
We're only just beginning to learn how Covid-19 affects the brain - KTVZ