Mental Health Blog

Fast Food Junkies At Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

2008-11-29T22:36:00.005-05:00

The Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet (KI) published a doctoral thesis that links Alzheimer’s disease with high levels of fast food intake. In the study, Susanne Akterin observed mice that were fed diets rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol. After only nine months, the rats had developed what looked like the preliminary stages Alzheimer’s disease. More specifically, the irregularities found in the brain had greatly resembled those of early Alzheimer’s.

Although the exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease remains unknown, there are many identified risk factors, such as “a variant of a certain gene that governs the production of apolipoprotein E, one of the functions of which is to transport cholesterol”. This study sought to demonstrate the link between this risk factor and diet in mice.

Basically, the brains of these rats were modified to mimic the effects of the apoE4 gene variant by ingesting a diet similar to fast food for nine months. The results showed a chemical change in the brain comparable to that found in Alzheimer’s patients.

The change in question was an increase in phosphate groups attached to tau, a substance that forms the neurofibrillary tangles observed in Alzheimer’s patients. These tangles prevent the cells from functioning normally, which eventually leads to their death. Ms Akterin and her team also noted indications that cholesterol in food reduced levels of another brain substance, Arc, a protein involved in memory storage.

In short, the results of this study suggest that a diet high in fat/cholesterol combined with genetics can potentially contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Although, there has been no direct causal link identified, the study has provided yet another reason to lay off the burgers and fries.

Fast Food A Potential Risk Factor For Alzheimer’s

www.mentalhealthblog.com

GUEST POST: Pre-Marital Counseling – The Myths and Facts

2008-11-24T18:49:00.004-05:00

As newly-engaged couples begin to plan their weddings, more are realizing they also need to be planning their marriages. These are not the same thing, nor are they mutually exclusive.

In all the hoopla and pageantry of a wedding, the idea that you really will be in a life-long commitment when you're done can get lost in the shuffle. Increasingly, couples are enlisting the aid of professional counselors to talk about their problems and concerns before they walk down the aisle.

Myth 1: People who need counseling before they even get married shouldn't be getting married.

Fact: Otherwise, happy couples who seek ways to better communicate and understand one another will have a far greater chance at long-term happiness, with far more coping strategies to deal with crises than those who assume there isn't value to premarital counseling.

Myth 2: I already know everything about my fiancée. We know how we fight, what makes us happy and what makes us angry. We don't need a therapist telling us how to live.

Fact: Few of us know our betrothed well enough to say we really and truly know everything about them, but if that's the situation you're in, that's great. Most of us keep some things bottled up to avoid hurting our loved ones.
In therapy the "gloves come off" and we're more likely to be honest and achieve real communication and bring about change in how we talk to one another.

Myth 3: We should solve our own problems without bringing in an outsider.

Fact: This dated view of counseling keeps many people from looking for answers. Therapists aren't outsiders and can be trusted to remain objective and keep confidences.

This is not always the case if you choose to talk to a family member or close friend about what's bothering you. And, you may not be fighting fair or really listening to what the other person has to say. If you don't change that behavior, it'll be destructive. Without the aid of an "outsider," you'll never know.

There are no hard and fast rules to follow that will guarantee a marriage is going to work. But, with a divorce rate that continues to hover around 50%, there's no reason premarital counseling shouldn't at least be considered for most couples—even (perhaps especially) the happy ones.

By-line:

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of distance learning degrees. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

www.mentalhealthblog.com

A Common Sense Approach to Cocaine Addiction Treatment

2008-11-16T21:58:00.012-05:00

“For the first time, researchers from the Institut de physiologie et biologie cellulaire (CNRS/Université de Poitiers) have shown that positive and stimulating environmental conditions make it easier to treat cocaine addiction”.

In particular, Marcello Solinas and Mohamed Jaber exposed cocaine addicted mice to an enriched environment during cocaine withdrawal. The environment consisted of small houses, a running wheel, tunnels and many other stimulating items in a large cage.

The researchers observed three measures of typical addictive behaviour:

Results showed that all three of these typical behaviours disappeared after the mice had endured 30 days of the enriched environment. In the brain, this disappearance was seen by a decrease in activity in the specific areas associated with dopamine transmission and relapse.

Does this seem like news to anyone? Of course rehab won’t work for individuals who are thrust right back into the same environmental circumstances. The rehabilitation process should definitely include changes to living conditions. Availability of cocaine will clearly hinder the probability of relapse. The same basic routine will allow an addict to easily slide back into old habits.

Besides pointing out the obvious, this “new” research does provide a bit of insight. Addiction treatment centres may want to consider adding housing support workers to the therapeutic process. The social, physical and mental stimulation seem to be key factors in maintaining sobriety; therefore it might be beneficial to include exercise regimens and educational programs as well. The ideal solution does not seem to be spending 30 days discussing the reason you became an addict only to settle right back into the same old routine after successful completion of a program. Evidently, the emotional aspect is a necessary step in the process, but if anything, this research proves that there is more to treating cocaine addiction. It’s a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Drug Addiction: Environmental Conditions Play Major Role In Effective Treatment And Preventing Relapses, Animal Study Shows

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Would You Prefer A Spotless Mind?

2008-11-02T21:51:00.009-05:00

"For more than two decades, researchers have been studying the chemical--a protein called alpha-CaM kinase II--for its role in learning and memory consolidation. To better understand the protein, a few years ago, Joe Tsien, a neurobiologist at the Medical College of Georgia, in Athens, created a mouse in which he could activate or inhibit sensitivity to alpha-CaM kinase II."

Tsien’s research showed that specific memories were erased when mice recalled long-term memories during a period when the brain over-expressed alpha-CaM kinase II.

How exactly was this established? Mice were placed in a chamber. In this chamber, a tone sounded, which followed a mild shock. The mice then learned to associate the chamber and tone with the shock. In other words, the tone signalled that a shock would ensue. The mice were placed in another chamber a month later, which provided sufficient time for the memory to become long-term. The researchers then over-expressed the alpha-CaM kinase II protein and again, sounded the tone. Amazingly, the mice showed no fearful reaction to the tone as they had done so previously. However, when placed in the initial chamber, the mice demonstrated the same fearful response they had a month prior. “Tsien had, in effect, erased one part of the memory (the one associated with the tone recall) while leaving the other intact.”

Imagine the possibilities! Imagine a drug that could manipulate the brain’s sensitivity to this protein enough to erase parts of our long-term memories and completely alter our current state of mind.

The idea could mean a huge relief for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It could also prove to be very useful in treating a variety of phobias. In addition, it could be used to reform criminals, strengthen relationships, and alleviate pain and suffering. Practically any irrational behaviour that is being caused by a 'bad' memory could be repaired and replaced by rational behaviour with hardly any effort. The time and money saved from long-term therapy could be very substantial.

But, unethically, we are toying with the very intricate details that define our own unique make-up. Despite this immorality, could the discovery really be more useful or harmful?

Selectively Deleting Memories

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Economic Crisis Turns Deadly

2008-10-19T21:32:00.010-04:00

While reading As economy sinks, officials fear violent solutions, which discusses the recent economic crisis taking place in the United States, it became overwhelming to discover the number of related deaths due to an inability to manage and cope with financial difficulties.

An out-of-work money manager in California loses a fortune and wipes out his family in a murder-suicide.

A 90-year-old Ohio widow shoots herself in the chest as authorities arrive to evict her from the modest house she called home for 38 years.

In Massachusetts, a housewife who had hidden her family's mounting financial crisis from her husband sends a note to the mortgage company warning: "By the time you foreclose on my house, I'll be dead." Then Carlene Balderrama shot herself to death, leaving an insurance policy and a suicide note on a table.

In Los Angeles, California, last week, a former money manager fatally shot his wife, three sons and his mother-in-law before killing himself.

In Tennessee, a woman fatally shot herself last week as sheriff's deputies went to evict her from her foreclosed home.

In Ocala, Florida, Roland Gore shot his wife and dog in March and then set fire to the couple's home, which had been in foreclosure, before killing himself.

In Akron, Ohio, the 90-year-old widow who shot herself on Oct. 1 is recovering. A congressman told Addie Polk's story on the House floor before lawmakers voted to approve a $700 billion financial rescue package. Mortgage finance company Fannie Mae dropped the foreclosure, forgave her mortgage and said she could remain in the home.

Granted these are difficult situations which often call for desperate measures, but death should not be an option. Surely the government will introduce some funding for programs aimed at reducing these numbers and not simply increase funding for programs that seek to turn the economy around. If the financial crisis cannot be avoided, at the very least, social programs should be put into place to help individuals deal with such tough times more appropriately.

There is an obvious need for financial counselling and money management training. It also couldn’t hurt to develop more combined approaches that focus on housing, stress management and marriage counselling as many of these issues become interrelated. In addition, there should be a more significant focus on awareness. Many resources already exist, but many people may not know where to turn. There is an abundance of local, national and even international crisis hotlines in existence. Some of these resources include, but are not limited to:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a network of crisis centers serving the entire country. Calls originating from anywhere in the country will be routed, 24 hours a day, to the nearest available crisis centers. This call routing is based on crisis center call capacity and availability.

Befrienders Worldwide
"We work worldwide to provide emotional support, and reduce suicide. We listen to people who are in distress. We don't judge them or tell them what to do - we listen."

National Hopeline Network
1-800-SUICIDE

If there is an immediate need for help, make sure to call 911 for emergency services or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

The Psychology of Voter Behaviour

2008-10-14T23:42:00.006-04:00

Research suggests that voters are likely to make their way to the polls when they have a dislike for one of the candidates. One would assume the opposite to be true, however, research over a 24 year period led by professor Jon A. Krosnick of Ohio State University shows that “people are more motivated by the threat of something bad than the opportunity for something good”. Even more intriguing is that voters actually seek to like these disliked candidates.

Conversely, if voters have a strong dislike for all candidates, they will not be very apt to vote. Similarly, if we have no real preference for any particular candidate, voters are equally likely to opt not to vote. Basically, voters are most likely to cast their vote when a strong like or dislike exists for a candidate.

Oddly enough, the research suggests that negative advertising actually works. Who would imagine that all the tactful mud slinging that goes on during an electoral campaign could actually entice us to vote one way or the other?

In addition, voters tend to approach candidates in which they know little about in the same way people tend to approach strangers. That is, by hoping that the experience will be a pleasant one. First impression appears to be the key to a successful campaign. This is important for politicians to know because the study implies that people rarely change their opinions after that first impression. This knowledge would really help their campaign strategy. Starting out with a bang seems to have a bigger impact than going out with one.

All in all, the most efficient way of swaying voters is to make a villain of the opponent. It seems that, for voters, it is easiest to cross a candidate off the ballot than to place an 'X' beside the most qualified.

The Psychology of Voting

The results are in and the voter behaviours of Mental Health Blog readers are as follows:

CPC: 25%
Liberal: 50%
NDP: 25%
BQ: 0%
Green: 0%
Independent: 0%

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Getting Lost - Selective Developmental Topographical Disorientation

2008-09-30T21:18:00.016-04:00

Have you ever found yourself going in circles and unable to find your way in a familiar environment, such as driving through your own neighbourhood? A recently discovered disorder called Selective Developmental Topographical Disorientation explains this phenomenon. “It's like somebody picks up the whole world and sets it back down at a 90-degree angle,” says Sharon Roseman, who has a type of topographical disorder. "Finding our way" is a kind of task that requires the skills of memory, attention, perception, and decision-making. Specifically, the ability to complete such tasks involves two separate types of memory; procedural and spatial.

Procedural memory is implicit and long term. It consists of our "how to" knowledge; basically our knowledge of the task's procedure. In this particular case, procedural memory would consist of landmarks, distances, and specific movements required for completion of some procedure (i.e. finding our way home). Spatial memory, on the other hand, is a cognitive map or mental picture of your entire trek. This map is formed through sensory information gathered from one’s surroundings. One must be capable of creating and reading such mental layouts in order to navigate our way home.

“Researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute recently documented the first case of a patient who, without apparent brain damage or cognitive impairment, is unable to orient within any environment.”

It is already known that damage to the brain can cause problems in terms of orientation and navigation, however in this study, no malformations or lesions were detected in the brains of the subjects. The researchers of this study, led by Giuseppe Laria of UBC Faculty of Medicine, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioural tests to study the disorder among subjects who reportedly get lost in their own neighbourhoods. Findings concluded that the patients were unable to form cognitive maps.

Not only will these findings create awareness, the research and discovery of this first case of Selective Developmental Topographical Disorientation will lead to more research on treatment and help for many who may not even be aware of their own disorder. Also, newer techniques like virtual reality could prove to be very useful in terms of therapy for this new type of disorder.

For more information on this disorder visit: www.gettinglost.ca

Sources:
Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Developmental Brain Disorder
Lost in your neighbourhood? Could be a genetic disorder

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Humans Perceive Personality and Emotion from Cars

2008-09-26T11:30:00.032-04:00

Truls Thorstensen (EFS Consulting Vienna), Karl Grammer (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Urban Ethology) and other researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered that people attribute certain personality traits or emotions to the front of a car. Humans are able to collect information on people's sex, age, emotions, and intentions based on the look of the face. In theory, if humans have this ability to perceive traits and emotion on the human face, could they not attribute the same types of perceptions on inanimate objects that possess face-like qualities?

To investigate this theory, "the researchers therefore asked people to report the characteristics, emotions, personality traits, and attitudes that they ascribed to car fronts and then used geometric morphometrics to calculate the corresponding shape information."

Ninety percent of cars possessed human or animal-like faces according to about a third of the subjects. Of course, the headlights were seen as eyes, the grill as a mouth and about 50% of cars had some part representing a nose. Interestingly, most subjects agreed on the personality traits of certain cars. Subjects tended to prefer cars with either a wide stance, narrow windshield or narrow, but widely spaced headlights. In addition, the more the subject liked a type of car, the more they could perceive a characteristic of power. This suggests that the subjects prefer mature, dominant, masculine, arrogant, angry-looking cars.

There is no doubt that this kind of research will benefit car manufacturers, but what does it say about human nature? There will be an influx in dominant angry-looking cars in the automobile industry. Not only will elaborate designs become distracting, but if humans actually perceive personality traits and emotions from car fronts, it would be safe to assume that incidents of road rage and bullying behaviour might actually increase. Although, this research is interesting and useful, it is likely that it will be used solely to generate more wealth instead of being used to improve the safety of our roads.

Source

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Sweet Dreams vs. Stinky Nightmares

2008-09-23T21:24:00.005-04:00

Researchers have recently discovered that subjects report having more emotionally pleasant dreams when they smell the scent of roses while dreaming. Conversely, subjects who experienced the scent of rotten eggs while dreaming reported more negatively charged dreams. Actually, subjects tended to rate their dreams more positively when the aroma was pleasant.

Each subject was tested with three different odours; roses, rotten eggs, and no odour at all. Oddly, "there was hardly any kind of a dream dealing with smelling and tasting". And, it seemed that the more impacted your mood is by a smell while awake, the more so it affects you in dreamland.

Tubes were attached to the nostrils of 15 healthy women in their twenties where an olfactometer pumped constant streams of air into their noses and a ten second shot of a specific odour during REM periods.

How exactly does the brain smell?

Essentially, smell enters the nose and confronts the cell body dendrites of some 10,000 sensory neurons. The odour molecules bind to receptors on a few different classes of neurons, which are, in effect, randomly located in the nose. The binding of the scent alters the electrical properties of these neurons down their axons, which extend to the olfactory bulb. The axons from these activated neurons synapse to a few glomeruli (globular tangle of axons and dendrites) in the olfactory bulb. The synapsing of the activated axons at these glomeruli sends signals, which are transmitted to the brain areas such as the olfactory cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus in the limbic system, which is involved with emotional behaviour and memory.

The following is an interesting article that explains the olfactory system in greater depth: How the olfactory system makes sense of scents

A few questions come to mind after reading about this new research. I wonder how this new information might differ for people with brain injuries to areas of the brain associated with smell or even those with nasal problems. Also, could this really mean that we could all sleep better with scented air fresheners in our bedrooms?

Source

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Nova Scotia Discriminates Against Drivers with Mental Illness

2008-09-22T21:00:00.013-04:00

"Service Nova Scotia now requires people renewing their licences to indicate on an application form if they’ve had a 'psychiatric or psychological condition'". If the answer to that question is yes, Nova Scotians' are required to provide more in depth information including medical information that is usually kept in strict confidentiality. This medical information is reviewed by provincial government staff and, if necessary, cases can be referred to a committee of specialists to make recommendations on whether the individual is mentally capable of driving. The application also inquires about any history of lung, heart, eye or neurological diseases. Obviously, doctors can charge a fee for this application and without it people run a risk of losing their licence.

Thankfully, Service Nova Scotia has withdrawn this new form, for now, claiming that the "department failed to check the appropriateness of the wording before putting the new forms into use." Instead, Dulcie McCallum, Nova Scotia's freedom of information and protection of privacy review officer, states that "it would be more appropriate to ask if people were taking any prescription medication that could affect their driving". "That doesn’t connect it to any particular illness or disability or historically disadvantaged group and it may be a bona fide question", she continues. Now, this does not sound like the idea has been completely rejected. In fact, the renewal process still asks whether one has a mental or physical disability that may prevent them from properly operating a motor vehicle and depending on one's response, more detailed information could be requested.

Typically, people come to the realisation that they are no longer able to drive on their own; however Nova Scotia has decided that the government must decide when an individual is no longer mentally fit for driving. Paul Arsenault of the provincial registrar of motor vehicles insists that this is important for public safety.

Granted, prescription medication is being prescribed in record doses, but as far as I know, doctors still have a legal obligation to report whether someone is no longer capable of operating a motor vehicle? Or do they? Apparently, Nova Scotia's doctors are not bound by law to report such cases. Should this not be a more appropriate angle, especially since doctors already have the power to prescribe and have total access to a medical history? It seems more than ridiculous to expect government bureaucrats to police the province’s drivers. What’s next? Are government employees going to start patrolling for drunk drivers too?

David Simpson, an Ontario rights advocate of the Mental Health Police Records Coalition explains that "what you always have to be worried about in situations like this is if there is some sort of systemic bias in place or covert discrimination, that they believe because you have a mental illness you’re going to use your vehicle as a weapon to injure people or injure yourself." What about people busy texting, eating, chatting on their cell phone, fiddling with their blackberry, or operating their GPS?

Furthermore, how long would it be before people with high blood pressure and risk of heart attack or stroke lose their licence as well? We can only hope this line of
thinking doesn’t make its way into Ontario.

Government cancels form asking drivers about mental health
Critics: Don’t tie driver’s licence renewal to psychiatric history

POLL RESULTS:

Should one's mental health be considered when issuing a driver's licence?

38% - YES

61% - NO

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Harold of Red Green Interviews Thom Hartmann for his Documentary, ADD and Loving It

2008-09-16T20:36:00.013-04:00

Rick Green, a producer, director and comedian, along with Patrick McKenna, an anchor comedian, from Canadian television were both in to interview Thom Hartmann during his radio program for their upcoming documentary, ADD and Loving It. The show will air on Global TV's Global Currents, which hosts weekly one-hour, independently-produced documentaries. The following is the entire interview:

Both Patrick and Rick are well known for their roles in The Red Green Show. Patrick, known to many as Harold, lives quite successfully with ADD. Their documentary will seek to observe how people are coping and surviving with ADD.

It seems they chose Hartmann because of all the work he has done in this area. Hartmann has written several books on the topic of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adult attention-deficit disorder (AADD). He also proposed the well-known hunter vs. farmer theory. His theory stipulates that ADD is an expected evolutionary adaptation to hunting lifestyles. He suggests that these types of individuals have a unique ability to rapidly shift their focus and external attention and to hold multiple trains of thought. This type of person has greater difficulties in "farming" cultures since behaviours are more planned, predicted, organized and repetitive. Interestingly, Hartmann has also established specialized schools for children with ADHD, such as The Hunter School where they can flourish in the proper environment.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

The PTSD Victims of 9/11

2008-09-11T22:03:00.015-04:00

The Journal of Urban Health has published a study by New York City’s health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It estimated that as many as 70,000 people in New York could be suffering from PTSD because of the attacks on the World Trade Centre seven years ago today. Health officials have determined that more than 400,000 people were exposed to the tragedy on September 11, 2001. Recent data suggests that, of those who experienced the atrocity, 35,000 to 70,000 may have developed PTSD and 3,800 to 12,600 may have developed asthma. There are 71,437 people on the health registry who agreed to be monitored for up to 20 years since the disaster. "Half of those surveyed said they were in the dust cloud left by the collapsing towers, 70 per cent witnessed a traumatic sight – such as a plane hitting a tower or falling bodies – and 13 per cent were injured that day". Of the endless list of rescue and recovery workers, commuters, area workers, Lower Manhattan residents, and passersby, PTSD was highest among those who had sustained injuries (35%), followed by those with low-income (31%), and Hispanic (30%) respondents.

What is PTSD? - (The Ottawa Anxiety and Trauma Clinic)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that occurs as a result of exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving the threat of death or serious injury. The threat may be experienced directly or may involve witnessing others at risk for death or injury.

DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD - (National Center for PTSD)
Diagnostic criteria for PTSD include a history of exposure to a traumatic event meeting two criteria and symptoms from each of three symptom clusters: intrusive recollections, avoidant/numbing symptoms, and hyper-arousal symptoms. A fifth criterion concerns duration of symptoms and a sixth assesses functioning.

Criterion A: stressor - The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following have been present:

1. The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others.

2. The person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Note: in children, it may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behavior.

Criterion B: intrusive recollection - The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways:

1. Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: in young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed.

2. Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: in children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content

3. Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur upon awakening or when intoxicated). Note: in children, trauma-specific re-enactment may occur.

4. Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.

5. Physiologic reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

Criterion C: avoidant/numbing - Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by at least three of the following:

1. Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma

2. Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma

3. Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma

4. Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities

5. Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others

6. Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)

7. Sense of foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)

Criterion D: hyper-arousal - Persistent symptoms of increasing arousal (not present before the trauma), indicated by at least two of the following:

1. Difficulty falling or staying asleep

2. Irritability or outbursts of anger

3. Difficulty concentrating

4. Hyper-vigilance

5. Exaggerated startle response

Criterion E: duration - Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in B, C, and D) is more than one month.

Criterion F: functional significance - The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

In addition, depression, alcohol/substance abuse, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders commonly occur with PTSD.

Therapeutic Approaches Commonly Used to Treat PTSD - (Veterans Affairs Canada)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): involves working with cognitions to change emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Exposure therapy: is one form of CBT that is unique to trauma treatment typically by flooding or gradually desensitizing the patient in a safe context until the trauma is no longer stressful.

Pharmacotherapy: use of medication to reduce anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It also facilitates successful participation in other forms of therapy.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): involves elements of exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with techniques (eye movements, hand taps, sounds) that create an alternation of attention back and forth across the person's midline.

Group treatment: trauma survivors share traumatic material within the safety, cohesion, and empathy provided by other survivors.

Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy: focuses on the emotional conflicts caused by the traumatic event, particularly as they relate to early life experiences.

Post-traumatic stress disorder may affect up to 70,000 New Yorkers: Sept. 11 study

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Tanorexia: The Tanning Junkies

2008-09-09T20:45:00.012-04:00

Can one actually become dependent on tanning? Is it really possible to become addicted to using tanning beds? Tanorexia gets its name from similar characteristic pathologies such as those seen in other mental illnesses like substance abuse and body image disorders.

A study performed by Fox Chase Cancer Center examined this phenomena and discovered that "25% of those surveyed reported symptoms of tanning dependence, including symptoms similar to alcohol and drug-addicted individuals". This finding was revealed by using a modified version of a traditional substance abuse and dependence questionnaire that was administered to 400 students and other volunteers at Virginia Commonwealth University. The survey measured such items as tolerance to tanning, withdrawal symptoms, difficulty controlling tanning behaviour in spite of the knowledge of its negative consequences. Some of the questions included:

Do you think you need to spend more and more time in the sun to maintain your perfect tan?

Do you continue tanning so your tan will not fade?

Does this [your belief that tanning can cause skin cancer] keep you from spending time in the sun or going to tanning beds?

The study investigated the participants’ level of intentional and incidental sun exposure, tanning booth use, and chemical sunless tanner usage as well as other health related habits like smoking and exercise.

Research confirmed that 27% of those studied were classified as dependent on tanning, 40% had used tanning booths and the mean age of onset for tanning booth use was only 17 years old. In addition, sun tanners and indoor tanners during the winter were found to be more closely linked to tanorexia than those who are solely indoor tanners. Most intriguing is that those found to be dependent on tanning were more likely to be either thin or smokers, suggesting probable links to risk taking behaviours. This discovery provides a new avenue for further research and development. It also confirms the wideheld belief that tanorexia really is an addiction.

Some Startling facts about skin cancer:

According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer.

Skin cancer accounts for half of all types of cancers.

Over 1 million new cases are diagnosed yearly in the U.S.

90% of all skin cancers are associated with ultraviolet radiation

Using a tanning bed once a month or more can increase your risk of skin cancer by more than half.

Addicted To Tanning Beds? 'Tanorexia' Common Among University Students
Tanorexics - Ellie Harrison

www.mentalhealthblog.com

The Rolling Stones: A Form of Music Therapy

2008-09-01T21:53:00.015-04:00

In recent news, a 60 year old grandfather of Stoke, England, awoke from a 10 week coma when he heard the sound of "I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)" by the Rolling Stones pumping through his headphones.

Sam Carter slipped into a coma after developing severe anaemia. Doctors were not very hopeful about his recovery. In fact, his survival rate was a mere 30%. His wife was reluctant to use a 'music therapy' approach, but all else was failing.

After many weeks of silence, Sam said:

I can't remember much from being in a coma, but I do remember that when that song came on it took me right back to when I was a youngster. I could remember how excited I was to get it down at the record shop. I suddenly had a burst of energy and knew I had a lot more life left in me and that's when I woke up - to the sound of the first song I ever bought.

When I heard about this miracle, it reminded me of how music therapy is sometimes used in cases of acquired brain injury, autism, emotional traumas, geriatric care, hearing impairments, speech and language impairments, substance abuse, and many other areas of mental health. This form of therapy does not seem to get the attention and credit it might deserve. Music therapy uses music and musical elements to treat physical, emotional, cognitive and social problems. The music can facilitate contact, interaction, self-awareness, learning, self-expression, communication, and personal development.

Many questions come to mind regarding the efficiency of music therapy. How does it work and does it work in the same way for everyone? What type of music works best? What sort of brain injuries respond better to this form of therapy? When is it the best treatment option? Who should perform this type of therapy and is there a certified body governing its use? Are success rates linked to age, severity of damage etc?

Unfortunately, the answers to most of these questions are rarely black or white. In terms of an exact methodology; none seems to exist. There is no step by step approach. Instead, many differing methods are used to develop communication, language and intellectual development, assist in the grieving process, relieve stress, motivate rehabilitation, aid memory and imagination etc. Music therapy works by keeping the patient's attention, structuring time, providing an enjoyable method of repetition, helping memory, encouraging movement, and tapping into memories and emotions. Many studies attest to these findings, such as, a Finland study suggesting that listening to music shortly after a stroke can facilitate cognitive and emotional recovery.

But, how exactly does music affect the brain? Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center demonstrated that

one brain system, based in the temporal lobes, helps humans memorize information in both language and music— for example, words and meanings in language and familiar melodies in music. The other system, based in the frontal lobes, helps us unconsciously learn and use the rules that underlie both language and music, such as the rules of syntax in sentences, and the rules of harmony in music.

Still, it is not easy to identify when this alternative treatment is most appropriate. It appears to be used most often when all else has failed, as was the case with Sam Carter, however since it doesn’t cause any harm it might be best not to leave this option as a last resort.

I have also discovered that the Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT) is a national body that lists accredited University educated music therapists for anyone seeking this form of therapy.

Some interesting facts:

The information most adults consistently recall from childhood is songs and rhymes.

Emotional engagement is the key to effective learning. Music therapy engages the emotions; thus unlocking the brain and preparing it for learning.

People have at least seven distinct intelligences. One of these intelligence areas is the musical area. Often people with special needs learn best through music because that part of the brain is an older part of the brain and less likely to be damaged from birth defects, accidents, etc.

Research studies have shown that 80 - 90% of individuals with autism respond positively to music as a motivator.

Research has shown that music is a valued tool for stimulating the right side of the brain; and also is helpful in encouraging bilateral activity between the brain hemispheres.

The area of the brain that responds to music is located in a different area than the speech and language area.

The following video depicts how music therapy can help to develop new ways of communicating and teach new skills to children with severe disabilities:

Sources:

Riverbend Down Syndrome Parent Support Group
Music Therapy - Getting Cured Through Melody
Listening To Music Improves Stroke Patients' Recovery, Study Shows
Rolling Stones classic wakes grandfather from coma
Music And Language Are Processed By The Same Brain Systems
Canadian Association for Music Therapy

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Extreme Stress in the First Trimester Linked to Schizophrenia

2008-08-24T18:17:00.004-04:00

"New research supports a growing body of literature that attributes maternal exposure to severe stress during the early months of pregnancy to an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia in the offspring". - source

The researchers, Dolores Malaspina, Anita Steckler, and Joseph Steckler are referring to extreme stressors such as that experienced during natural disasters, terrorist attacks, war, sudden death etc.

The discovery came about after reviewing a collection of data gathered from 88,829 people born in Jerusalem between the years 1964 to 1976. A correlation existed among a higher risk of developing schizophrenia among the offspring of mothers who were in their second month of pregnancy during the Arab-Israeli "Six Day War". In addition, the correlation was even greater among females. In fact, females were 4.3 times more likely to develop schizophrenia, as opposed to males who were merely 1.2 times more likely to develop the disorder.

The theory is that stress hormones are amplified during such times of great distress and the placenta is very sensitivity to these hormones.

This research does not provide proof or a causal link, but it does support the existing research that suggests similar results. Malaspina makes sure to note that some exposure to maternal stress hormones are necessary, but extreme stress should be addressed in order to avoid any sort of impact on the fetus.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

A Vaccine Could Prevent Relapse for Cocaine Addicts

2008-08-17T21:11:00.007-04:00

Researchers at Linköping University and the German Cancer Research Center DKFZ have discovered the possibility of preventing relapse among cocaine addicts.

Because dopamine-producing nerve cells; part of the brain’s reward system in the midbrain, become more excited with drug use, blocking their glutamate receptors could remove the risk of relapse entirely. They discovered this finding by using a mouse model of cocaine dependence.

"When you take cocaine, the number of glutamate receptors increases, rendering the cell more excitable. When we block this process, we prevent relapses into addiction. This is interesting clinically since that is the phase when we get hold of patients" says the study’s lead author and neurobiologist, David Engblom.

Dopamine becomes more concentrated in the midbrain with the use or abuse of dependence-inducing drugs, such as cocaine, which has a very rapid effect on dopamine levels in the brain. The increased concentration of dopamine produces physical and mental reactions characteristic of a "high".

To terminate this process, patients could be injected with a vaccine that would block glutamate receptors and thus prevent a relapse. It seems like a rather simplistic solution and the research is clearly in its early stages of development, however any research at all that seeks to advance the treatment of addiction is well worth mentioning and investigating further.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Psychiatrists Reveal First Case of Climate Change Delusion

2008-07-09T20:32:00.009-04:00

It is being called the climate change delusion as noted by Joshua Wolf and Robert Salo in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. The previously unreported phenomenon has finally found its first victim, a 17 year old Australian man. After eight months of depression and visions of apocalyptic events, the young man was referred to the inpatient psychiatric unit at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. In addition, "the patient had also developed the belief that, due to climate change, his own water consumption could lead within days to the deaths of millions of people through exhaustion of water supplies." (source) His belief was strong enough to convince the man to quit drinking water, our lifeblood.

Could this just be another paranoid delusion characteristic of some other mental illness or a purposeful introduction of a new mental health disorder as a political stunt to instil yet more fear of global warming into the nation?

A more frightening thought is the idea that many politicians in positions of great power are likely suffering from this so-called climate change delusion.

And, at what point are those who insist on walking, biking, or taking a city bus to work considered to be at risk of developing this new mental illness?

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Impulsive Decision-Making And Hunger

2008-06-23T17:53:00.011-04:00

Finally, there exists a causal link between serotonin and impulsivity. The neurotransmitter serotonin is a chemical messenger in the brain that regulates emotions and it has often been associated with social decision-making.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have shed more light on the ‘myth’ that people tend to become aggressive when they are hungry. Our serotonin levels decline when we do not eat because the essential amino acid used to create serotonin can be found in food, such as tryptophan rich products like poultry and chocolate.

The researchers of the study, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council, manipulated the subjects’ diet in order to reduce serotonin levels. They then used the ‘Ultimatum game’ to study the subjects’ reactions to unfair behaviours. In this game, a player suggests a manner in which to divide a sum of money into two portions, one for themselves and another for the other player. If the other player agrees on the split they each keep their agreed-upon portion. If the other player disagrees with the split then no one gets paid. Typically, people tend to reject 50% of offers that are less than 20-30% of the total stake. However, with lowered serotonin, rates of rejection increased to over 80%. As per Molly Crockett, PhD student at Cambridge Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute:

"Our results suggest that serotonin plays a critical role in social decision-making by normally keeping aggressive social responses in check. Changes in diet and stress cause our serotonin levels to fluctuate naturally, so it’s important to understand how this might affect our every day decision-making" - Article

Now that proof exists that serotonin, which is manufactured through diet, affects the impulsivity of decision-making, it would be interesting to examine how this might apply to other situations involving choices, such as how much impact serotonin levels have on decision-making among users of cocaine, a known appetite suppressant.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Could Excessive Cell Phone Use Lead to Cognitive Impairment Among Youth?

2008-06-16T22:11:00.005-04:00

Dr. Gaby Badre, of Sahlgren’s Academy in Gothenberg, Sweden presented to the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) that there is a relationship between excessive cell phone use and sleeping problems, such as disrupted sleep, restlessness, stress and fatigue, among youth 14 to 20 years of age.

The study consisted of two groups; those who made less than 5 calls and/or text messages per day (control group) and those who made more than 15 calls and/or text messages per day (experimental group).

The results showed that youth in the experimental group had "increased restlessness with more careless lifestyles, more consumption of stimulating beverages, difficulty in falling asleep and disrupted sleep, more susceptibility to stress and fatigue". Furthermore, there seems to be a connection between excessive cell phone use and a tendency toward unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking among youth.

The study suggests that youth are delaying their biological clocks in order to remain in constant connection with the world. The impact on mental health and cognition could be detrimental if youth continue to disrupt their sleep patterns at a period in life where sleep is so critical. It makes me wonder if this trend will hinder the potential of today's youth.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Smells Like A New Treatment

2008-05-27T19:05:00.005-04:00

New research suggests that religious leaders may have been sitting on a potential treatment for depression all along. Even hippies seem to have caught on to the healing powers of incense long before the academic world.

A team of researchers from John Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem studied the psychoactive effects of burning incense. Researcher, Raphael Mechoulam "found that incensole acetate, a Boswellia resin constituent, when tested in mice lowers anxiety and causes antidepressive-like behavior". Specifically, this constituent activates the TRPV3 protein in areas of the brain that are associated with emotions and nerves. These areas are the same as those already being activated by current medication in use for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Evidently, mice bred without this protein were not affected by the incense.

Although, the idea seems rather harmless in comparison to many of the medications on the market at this time, I have to wonder whether or not this might be a better alternative to medication. I am not convinced that this treatment holds much weight when considering the possible health risks associated with daily doses of incense inhalation in order to sufficiently reduce anxiety and depression.

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Size Does Matter

2008-04-20T22:14:00.007-04:00

Researchers of the Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland have discovered that brain volume is linked to mental decline in people with Alzheimer's.

This linkage was discovered while performing autopsies on deceased elderly patients. The entire brain was found to be larger in patients who had not experienced any cognitive impairment. In particular, the hippocampus, a part of the forebrain in the medial temporal lobe that plays a major role in long term memory, has been discovered to be larger in size for those patients with no cognitive impairments. Most surprising, those in both categories had plaques and tangles in the brain as found in typical Alzheimer patients.

The study consisted of 12 patients who did not have Alzheimer's symptoms before death and 24 who had experienced symptoms of the disease. As per Dr. Deniz Erten-Lyons, the brains of those without symptoms of Alzheimer’s were found to be on average 10% larger.

Dr Jeffrey Kaye, director of the Layton Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Center and a professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine stated: "We are hopeful that this research will help us further understand the structural and genetic ties to Alzheimer's disease and perhaps offer clues that may help us develop new drugs or therapies."

This study could help lead the way to developing better tools for earlier detection rather than relying heavily on evaluations of thought process through mental tests. All studies seem completely worthwhile when up against a degenerative and terminal disease that has no cure and affects millions worldwide every year.

Source

www.mentalhealthblog.com

Can Meaningless Noise Assist in Diagnosing Schizophrenia?

2008-04-13T21:17:00.008-04:00

The British Journal of Psychiatry presented a study conducted by Yale School of Medicine regarding the tendency to extract a meaningful message from meaningless noise. The study implies that, over time, this ability could produce a 'matrix of unreality' that triggers the initial psychotic phase of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The study implies that this ability could be an early sign of schizophrenia.

The study consisted of a measly 43 participants who had already been diagnosed with prodromal symptoms such as social withdrawal, mild perceptual alterations or misinterpretation of social cues.

A medication called olanzapine was used in this study. It is also known as zyprexa, an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Participants were assessed for up to two years after being randomly assigned to either this medication or a placebo.

The participants listened to a reading of a text through headphones, but this text was read by six different people at the same time. The overlap of the words made comprehension virtually impossible. The only words detected with any kind of consistency were increase, children, A-OK, and Republican.

"Eighty percent of the participants who 'heard' phrases of four or more words in length went on to develop a schizophrenia-related illness during times that they were not taking olanzapine, said the lead author, Ralph Hoffman, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry. In contrast, only six percent of those in the study converted to schizophrenia-related illness if the phrases 'heard' were less than three words in length." – Article

Clearly this is not sufficient research to conclusively report the effectiveness of this type of screening tool, but it’s an interesting attempt. How long could it be until we are using simple white noise to render a diagnosis.

Detect anything meaningful?

www.mentalhealthblog.com