Brain & mental disorder research

[eots]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1tMrwvbosw&feature=relmfu]Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind Part 1 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sunshine]

But link between caffeine and depression remains unclear...

Study: Female Coffee Drinkers Are Less Depressed
September 30, 2011 - Women who drink coffee may have a lower risk of depression, according to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Several recent studies have looked at a possible link between coffee and suicide, and found that coffee drinkers were less likely to kill themselves. Depression can contribute to suicide, so a logical question might be, does coffee lower the risk of depression? In this new study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers used data from an ongoing project called the "Nurses' Health Study." Women in the study periodically answer questionnaires about their health and lifestyle. Some 50,000 nurses who reported their coffee consumption and depression status were included in this study. Researchers found that women who drank more coffee were less likely to be diagnosed with depression. However, the association is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship.

"This study can not prove that caffeine reduces the risk of depression," says Michel Lucas, of the Harvard School of Public Health, "but only suggests the possibility of such protective effect." The lower risk of depression was not observed in people who drink decaffeinated coffee. Also, nurses in the study who reported drinking tea and other beverages with caffeine didn't show a significant change in their risk of depression, possibly because of the much lower levels of caffeine in those drinks. Lucas say the study cannot answer whether coffee possibly helps protect against depression, but he says caffeine does have biochemical effects that might explain why coffee-drinkers – or, more accurately, caffeine-users – are less likely to be depressed. "We cannot assume causality in this study. It suggests some possibilities. As we know, caffeine is a well-known psycho-stimulant, which increases also a sensation of well-being and energy."

Lucas says caffeine is also associated with regulation of dopamine and serotonin, chemical neurotransmitters linked to mood and depression. Future research may prove whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between coffee-drinking and a lower risk of depression. But for now, the Lucas says, "If you're worrying about your drinking cups of coffee, then I think this study is a little bit reassuring for people that like coffee." Michel Lucas of the Harvard School of Public Health and his colleagues published their study on the link between coffee consumption and depression in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine.

Source

Interesting, but if I had a depressed and suicidal patient I wouldn't tell them to go have a cup of coffee. LOL

Something even many clinicians don't know: Prozac inhibits the enzyme that metabolizes caffeine. So the person on Prozac who drinks that one cup of coffee in the morning is holding on to the caffeine as though it were 3 cups. The 3 cup drinker can barely sit still, he is so jittery, and will even test toxic for caffeine.

 

[Sunshine]

It does mean that medication is not a fake, nor a lie nor a placebo. I spent 10 YEARS doing other things as well as taking different meds. You do not help the situation by pretending medication does not work.

Does psychiatry over prescribe? Yes it does. And that should be addressed. But your ignorant rant about meds does not address reality. They work. And for a hell of a lot of people they are the ONLY thing that works well enough to let them lead semi regular lives.

There is a plethora of evidence to substantiate the fact that meds work and are needed.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'over prescribe.' Perhaps you could clarify that. If you mean keeping a patient sitting against the wall drooling, then yes, that is over prescribing as that is completely unnecessary with modern antipsychotics.

The meds do work. And many lives have been saved because of them. The bottom line with an illness like schizophrenia is that the meds do not 'cure' it. The person can remain stable over the long term with medications, and I have seen and facilitated that for several years.

As to there being 'tests' I think it noteworthy to mention that while Florence Nightingale believed with every fiber of her body that 'cleanliness' was therapeutic and facilitated health, she did not believe in Germ Theory. And Germ Theory was not born out until there were microscopes.

these drugs have killed many people and caused premature death and life long movement disorders in many others

The Treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia with ... MORE Drugs! - YouTube

Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind Part 1 - YouTube

When they come up with a pill for idiocy, I will submit your name, as you surely need it.

 

[waltky]

Better staffing and more money needed for adequate mental health treatment...

WHO: Treatment for Mental Health Inadequate and Under-funded
October 09, 2011 - The World Health Organization is calling on governments to increase services for people suffering from mental, neurological and substance use disorders. A report released to coincide with World Mental Health Day, which falls on October 10, finds countries all over the world spend very little on the treatment of mental illness.

The World Health Organization’s “Mental Health Atlas 2011” surveys 184 countries. It finds one in four people will require mental health care at some point in their lives. Yet, globally, less than $3 per capita per year is spent on mental health. And, in poor countries, that figure is as low as 25 cents. In addition to the problem of under-investment, WHO’s director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Shekhar Saxena, says low and middle-income countries have very few mental health professionals. “To give you some examples, there are countries in Africa, which have a population of nine million, having only one psychiatrist and, in Asia, countries having 29 million people with only two psychiatrists. This is obviously extremely inadequate to look after any mental health needs in the country. The difference between the number of psychiatrists per 100,000 population in low-income countries versus high-income countries is 150-fold, which is enormous,” said Saxena.

WHO reports the majority of people in the world do not receive treatment for mental illness. Figures show up to 50 percent of people suffering from mental disorders in Europe and North America do not receive treatment, and up to 85 percent of people in developing countries do not receive treatment. The report says governments spend most of the money designated for mental health on long-term care at psychiatric hospitals. It says today, nearly 70 percent of mental health spending goes to mental institutions. Dr. Saxena tells VOA this is a very inefficient use of scarce resources. He says the money would be better spent in treating mental illness at the primary care level rather than in expensive hospital care, which serves relatively few people.

“We believe that training primary care providers, general doctors, general nurses, medical assistants as well as health workers will be the right way to go. And, the program assists countries to provide training to these professionals and equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and treat the majority of these problems. Obviously, they cannot treat all the problems. There is a system of referral by which the specialists can see fewer patients, but much of the burden can be handled by the primary care,” said Saxena. WHO's Mental Health Atlas provides information on depression - the leading cause of disability worldwide, on psychotic conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disease, and on neurological disorders such as epilepsy and dementia. The survey finds people with mental illness and their families are victims of human rights abuses, discrimination and stigmatization. And this, the study says, often discourages people with these conditions from seeking help.

Source

 

[barry1960]

Brain disorder research...isn't that the purpose of this message board?

 

[eots]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'over prescribe.' Perhaps you could clarify that. If you mean keeping a patient sitting against the wall drooling, then yes, that is over prescribing as that is completely unnecessary with modern antipsychotics.

The meds do work. And many lives have been saved because of them. The bottom line with an illness like schizophrenia is that the meds do not 'cure' it. The person can remain stable over the long term with medications, and I have seen and facilitated that for several years.

As to there being 'tests' I think it noteworthy to mention that while Florence Nightingale believed with every fiber of her body that 'cleanliness' was therapeutic and facilitated health, she did not believe in Germ Theory. And Germ Theory was not born out until there were microscopes.

these drugs have killed many people and caused premature death and life long movement disorders in many others

The Treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia with ... MORE Drugs! - YouTube

Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind Part 1 - YouTube

When they come up with a pill for idiocy, I will submit your name, as you surely need it.

this is your response to the fact a single dose of anti-psychotics can cause a life long movement disorder ??.. is this your flailing attempt to debate that fact ? I would say that your response makes you the idiot

 

[waltky]

Granny's lil' helpers gettin' more popular...

CDC: Antidepressant use skyrockets 400% in past 20 years
19 Oct.`11 - Use of antidepressant drugs has soared nearly 400% since 1988, making the medication the most frequently used by people ages 18-44, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

Eleven percent of Americans ages 12 years and older took antidepressants during the 2005-08 study period, the authors write. They add that though the majority of antidepressants were taken to treat depression, the drugs also can be used for anxiety disorders and other conditions. The data are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which included information from 12,637 participants about prescription-drug use, antidepressant use, length of use, severity of depressive symptoms and contact with a health professional.

Mental-health professionals not associated with the survey cited several reasons as possible explanations for the spike:

•The struggling economy and the record number of layoffs and home foreclosures. "These drugs can be very helpful for people who need them,'' says Elaine Ducharme, a psychologist and public educator in Connecticut for the American Psychological Association. "People should expect to be depressed after a layoff. They should not be put on a drug, though, unless they have an acute problem."

•Ad campaigns waged by pharmaceutical companies citing benefits of the drugs.

•Families who might be reimbursed by health insurance companies for a prescription but may delay getting therapy from a mental-health professional because of the cost of treatment.

In fact, less than one-third of Americans taking one antidepressant and less than one-half of those taking multiple antidepressants have seen a mental-health professional in the past year, the report shows. "Unfortunately, some families are looking for a quick fix, but a pill is never going to get to the root of the problem," says David Palmiter, a psychologist and author of Working Parents, Thriving Families: 10 Strategies That Make a Difference. Ducharme agrees. "That is the thing that bothers me the most," she says. "These drugs can be dangerous, and there needs to be follow-up care."

MORE

 

[waltky]

Uncle Ferd gonna get the doctor to give Granny a B-12 shot...

Study: Vitamin B12 Deficits in Older Adults Linked to Brain Decline
October 24, 2011 - A new study says deficiencies of Vitamin B12 might be responsible for declining brain function in older adults. Although people normally get plenty of B12 from fish, meat and dairy products, as well as fortified cereals and supplements, their ability to absorb the essential nutrient can be blocked by a number of factors.

Those include excessive alcohol consumption, anemia and various digestive-system disorders. Health experts say regular screening and heightened public awareness.can help avoid those potentially brain-wasting deficits. Just as muscles in the body shrink from malnutrition, a new study done on people age 65 and older says the human brain starts shrinking when there is not enough vitamin B12 in the body. It’s a key component of the neurotransmitters in the brain, and part of the nutritional substance essentially of the brain cells, of the nerves or neurons in the brain," said Dr. Michael Yochelson, a neurologist and the chief medical officer at National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington.

He says the link between vitamin B12 deficiencies and loss of brain volume is important to know about, because the vitamin plays such a critical role in cognition. “We found that evidence of B12 deficiency was associated with a smaller brain volume and with increased white-matter hyper intensities on the brain images. We also found that the markers of vitamin B12 deficiency were associated with lower cognitive scores in this sample," said Dr. Martha Claire Morris, one of the authors of the study. Fish, meat, dairy products, and foods rich in protein are good sources of vitamin B12. Yochelson notes that plant-based diets, as well as diets high in carbohydrates, are generally lacking in B12.

He believes people worldwide should be taking vitamin B12 supplements, in the form of pills, injections, or nasal sprays, to prevent the kind of brain function loss described in the study. “The key [lesson] from this is that we probably need to be testing for this very early on because if there is any hope of successful treatment, it's most likely early treatment before somebody develops cognitive impairment,” Yochelson said. Dr. Yochelson says the new study should serve as a foundation for more research on younger populations, especially those in Africa, South Asia, and South and Central America, regions with the highest rates of B12 deficiency.

Source

 

[waltky]

The efficacy of talk therapy...

Peer Counseling Aids Mental Illness Recovery
December 02, 2011 : Non-pharmaceutical treatment has been used for 50 years

In a courtyard outside the local library in Kent County, Maryland, five men and women gather around a table to talk. “I like it here," John says. "You meet a lot of people. And not only that, the same people have the same problem, some worse than others. I come here to be around people, to meet people.” “Since I found this group, I don’t feel so isolated," says Victoria. "I don’t feel so insulated.” John and Victoria - who are only using first names to protect their privacy - are members of a support group run by Chesapeake Voyagers. The mental health, wellness and recovery center works to help people who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, panic attacks and other disorders that can alter thought, mood or behavior.

One in five adults in America suffers from some form of mental illness, according to a recent survey. Although help is available, most never seek it - perhaps because of a lack of understanding about the illness or the dread of stigma. But the repercussions of untreated mental illness - job loss, family disruption, isolation, homelessness and hopelessness - can be devastating. Over the past four decades, researchers have developed powerful new medications to ease symptoms, but peer counseling - a non-pharmaceutical treatment that has been used effectively for half a century - is still an important part of therapy. “The first day that I came to meet with Chesapeake Voyagers was a huge task for me to open the door," says Rebecca. "I wanted to run away so quick and cry, but yet, I knew I had to do that if I was going to get better.”

The 47 year old has battled depression since childhood, though she says it wasn't diagnosed until recently. For Rebecca, isolation is a huge problem. “I had two attempts at suicide. I think that when you’re in this valley of darkness where you can’t pull yourself together enough to even do the basic needs - showering, your personal hygiene - it’s a real struggle to try and feel like you’re worthwhile, that you have a place in society," she says. "You don’t feel like you’re socially fit to go into crowds, go to stores. You don’t feel like you can make meals. Depression takes away your character. So you have nothing to fall back on.”

Support groups - like those run by Chesapeake Voyagers - offer something to fall back on: a community of people facing similar issues. And, as more people bear their soul to the world on reality television programs, it could lead more people like Rebecca, John and Victoria to feel comfortable talking to others about what they’re going through. Peer support counselors - many of whom have experienced and successfully dealt with mental health problems themselves - lead the groups. Counselor Audrey D’Allaird is bipolar and says she couldn't find a job until she discovered Chesapeake Voyagers. "Essentially, with bipolar you have extreme highs and extreme lows, and I could get a job so quickly, but I could lose it just as fast. I didn’t understand that. I didn’t understand it was mental illness."

D’Allaird leads support groups dealing with depression, and the effects of emotional and physical abuse. Another of her groups focuses on drug and alcohol addiction - conditions that research shows are closely tied to mental disorders. In addition to support groups, Chesapeake Voyagers hosts social events like evenings out for dinner, bowling or going to the movies. The center also offers access to computers for finding jobs and housing, as well as information on other mental health resources. Similar services are available in communities around the country and, increasingly, in virtual communities through websites and Internet bulletin boards.

Source

 

[Gagafritz]

That just makes sense. People who have social networking and connections and are not isolated do better across the board for any illness, event or issue in their lives.

 

[eots]

Truth About Antidepressants & Chemical Imbalance, Psychology - YouTube

If it's on Youtube, it MUST be true!

it is a lot of places nit wit...including the drug manufactures own studies available on pdf files at their web sites ..but I suggest you just go with your little you tube strawman and take two blue pils and dont give it a seconded thought...k

 

[Jackson]

these drugs have killed many people and caused premature death and life long movement disorders in many others

Hallucinations & Schizophrenia Extreme States of Mind Part 1 - YouTube

When they come up with a pill for idiocy, I will submit your name, as you surely need it.

this is your response to the fact a single dose of anti-psychotics can cause a life long movement disorder ??.. is this your flailing attempt to debate that fact ? I would say that your response makes you the idiot

With what authority do you speak?

 

[eots]

When they come up with a pill for idiocy, I will submit your name, as you surely need it.

this is your response to the fact a single dose of anti-psychotics can cause a life long movement disorder ??.. is this your flailing attempt to debate that fact ? I would say that your response makes you the idiot

With what authority do you speak?

I have some expertise on the subject but that's irrelevant, its on the labels, its in the ads said really fast behind a woman running through daisy fields for gods sakes...its called Tardive dyskinesia the facts are not in dispute


Tardive dyskinesia (English pronunciation: /ˈtɑrdɨv ˌdɪskɨˈniːʒə/) is a difficult-to-treat form of dyskinesia (disorder resulting in involuntary, repetitive body movements) that can be tardive (having a slow or belated onset).[1] It frequently appears after long-term or high-dose use of antipsychotic drugs,[N 1] or in children and infants as a side effect from usage of drug Tardive dyskinesia may persist after withdrawal of the drug for months, years or even permanently.
Tardive dyskinesia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_3bbpFjI68]Tardive Dyskinesia Symptoms - (AIMSDVD.com) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[lizzie]

Having worked with people with massive tramas of the brain, and having seen them going through massive changes in personality as a result of these traumatic events, I am convinced that all "mental illness" is the result of deviations from "normal" brain activity.

I tend to think that the majority of cases are more likely related to dysfunctional stress responses, although brain trauma can cause changes in personality and interaction, which aren't necessarily mental illness.

 

[waltky]

eots wrote: ...said really fast behind a woman running through daisy fields...

Hmmm...

... musta been one o' Uncle Ferd's g/f's...

... after eatin' some o' Granny's special brownies.

 

[eots]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlxYq-Cx8ZQ]Abilify Commercial - YouTube[/ame]

 

[eots]

Canadian judge rules SSRI antidepressants like Prozac can cause children to commit murder

The use of antidepressant and psychiatric drugs, particularly among children, is an extremely risky activity that could have fatal consequences for both the individuals that use them, as well as their friends and family. According to the National Post, a Canadian judge recently ruled that the extreme mind-altering effects of the antidepressant drug Prozac were in large part responsible for causing a 15-year-old boy to thrust a nine-inch kitchen knife into one of his closest friends.

 

[koshergrl]

How I wish this country would treat mental illness like an illness instead of like a life choice

I used to think the stigma of mental illness would be gone. However, I have decided it will not happen in my lifetime. Even in my profession, the stigma attaches. Mine is the most UNglamorous job in nursing. Over the spectrum of nursing, the pay is less for those of us who work in psychiatry. If we didn't love the job we wouldn't stay in it. I have NP friends in dermatology who make a great deal more than I do. LOL. But I can't complain. I do pretty well.

It never really occurred to me that the way the profession looks down upon us in psychiatry was the stigma of mental illness attaching to the providers, but this article in Current Psychiatry articulates it very well. Even in the medical profession, MDs don't consider psychiatrists to be doctors, just we in psych nursing aren't considered to be 'real' nurses.

Invisible tattoos: The stigmata of psychiatry — Current Psychiatry Online

that could be because psychiatry is a pseudo -science funded by pharma companies

Yeah but schizophrenia is a real illness.

And it is an illness, and I've seen the correlation between schizophrenia and seizure activity as well.

 

[eots]

I used to think the stigma of mental illness would be gone. However, I have decided it will not happen in my lifetime. Even in my profession, the stigma attaches. Mine is the most UNglamorous job in nursing. Over the spectrum of nursing, the pay is less for those of us who work in psychiatry. If we didn't love the job we wouldn't stay in it. I have NP friends in dermatology who make a great deal more than I do. LOL. But I can't complain. I do pretty well.

It never really occurred to me that the way the profession looks down upon us in psychiatry was the stigma of mental illness attaching to the providers, but this article in Current Psychiatry articulates it very well. Even in the medical profession, MDs don't consider psychiatrists to be doctors, just we in psych nursing aren't considered to be 'real' nurses.

Invisible tattoos: The stigmata of psychiatry — Current Psychiatry Online

that could be because psychiatry is a pseudo -science funded by pharma companies

Yeah but schizophrenia is a real illness.

And it is an illness, and I've seen the correlation between schizophrenia and seizure activity as well.

come on wheres the critical thinking ? unless you also study schizophrenia in patients that have never been subjected to the brain damaging effects of neroleptic you cant determine if the drugs are not the cause as these drugs are known to cause seizures...the fact is the cause of psychosis is unknown
there is no medical test.. schizophrenia cant be found in an autopsy..and then there are little facts like in placebo test people come out of psychosis by simple believing they have been medicated.. effectiveness of these drugs is in fact determined comparisons to placedo

 

[koshergrl]

So are you saying they aren't schizophrenic UNTIL they're medicated?

Because I can tell you, that's what you're saying.

Question...you have a brain disorder, don't you?