08-30-07 CNN Post by snk on Brain Mold (Long Citation First)

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REGARDING:

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Are you suffering from brain mold?

Whether you're one of those hot, exhausted people cleaning up after a flood

or just fighting the good fight to keep that dark, dank film off the grout

in the shower -- mold could affect your mood.

In what's being hailed as a first, a public health study led by Brown

University finds a link between regular old household mold and depression.

The study included data from the World Health Organization of nearly 6,000

people in Europe.

Some of the science is intuitive - sure, if you have a moldy home, you're

likely to feel out of control - and perceptions of control are linked to

depression.

And yes, if you're depressed, you might not be the best housekeeper.

Exposure to mold can produce physical symptoms that are well-documented: For

those with allergies, asthma or suppressed immune systems, mold can make you

sick- and if you're sick from mold, that could certainly affect your mental

state.

But researchers hypothesize there may be another possible pathway: mold on

the brain. Molds are toxins - and researchers suspect (but haven't proven)

these toxins may impede the function of the frontal cortex, that

touchy-feely part of our brain that rules emotion.

As someone slightly household-chore-challenged, I wondered - just how much

mold might it take to affect my mood?

It's hard to quantify, says lead researcher and Brown University

epidemiologist Ed Shenassa, adding that while a little mold in the bath

won't do it, the more mold your have, the more likely it is to impact

emotion.

Let's be clear: What we have here is an association between mold and mood--

more research is needed to see whether mold does indeed directly cause

depression.

But Shenassa says there is a clear takeaway from this study: " Healthy homes

promote healthy lives. " That means not letting carpets, wallpaper or ceiling

tiles to get wet, and stay wet for more than 48 hours, and giving leaks in

the roof, walls and plumbing the immediate attention they deserve, because

they're all sources of mold.

The study appears in the October edition of the American Journal of Public

Health.

RESPONSE:

I finally pulled the article and read it.

Article is:

Shenassa, Edmond: Dampness and Mold in Home and Depression: An Examination

of Mold-Related Illness and Perceived Control of One's Home as Possible

Depression Pathways, Am J Pub Health, 97, 10, 1893-1899, 2007

It is weaker than I expected, with too much hypothesis on the

post-interpretation. My comments are below.

1. Basic Survey by non-qualified investigators of house ranking for

mold and moisture (no description of how, who, what criteria, no apparent

differentiation of mold vs moisture). They ranked none, minimal, moderate,

high. Stated was Spearman rank correlation of 0.56 but that ain't great.

2. Self-answered questionnaire

Example not provided nor discussed in detail

Technically part of this self-answered aspect is very appropriate I

must admit (as in what do you feel), but the health part is perception and

unverified.

3. Weak Odds Ratios (OR)

A. In General

Minimal v None 1.28 to 1.39 (depends on model)

Moderate vs none 1.34 to 1.44 (depends on model)

Extensive vs none 1.09 to 1.34 (depends on model)

B. Specific

- Mold Related Physical Health OR was 1.51

Where " The mold-related physical health index was a summation of 6

conditions (cold or throat illness, wheezing, asthma attack,

other respiratory problems, fatigue, and headache). " (Group was a min of 3

yes; was based on self-reported statement that doctor had said so in last 12

months, but not verified)

This is not surprising given the common list (un-described ranking) and

broad opportunity for other agents in a damp house.

- Crowding (>= 1 person per room) OR were 1.55 to 1.78

B. Male/Female (e.g., females higher odds)

1.62 to 1.63 (depends on model)

In line with work of others on IAQ complaints.

4. Control Perception

I was surprised that no (stat sig) association was found between perceived

control of their life and the depression outcome.

5. A couple other pieces of interest:

a. No Ventilation 2300 people or 39.1% - like that should be a

confounder (wasn't stated whether it was considerd).

b. Home ownership 4,379 people or 74.4% (implied that was insig. on

outcomes)

.......................................................................

" Tony " Havics, CHMM, CIH, PE

pH2, LLC

5250 E US 36, Suite 830

Avon, IN 46123

www.ph2llc.com

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