


Archive for January, 2011
 
May asks…
I’m wondering if any research has established a link between patients with Bipolar Disorder I or II and nervous system disorders? I’ve suffered from different types of neuralgias for years, as well as IBS and migraines. One of my doctors said she often sees these or similar co-morbidities, but she’s not sure why.
Chronic pain combined with a mood disorder does not make for a very pleasant life. I recently read somewhere that people with chronic pain tend to carry a lot of stress and tension, both physically and psychologically, much like BP sufferers do.
If that’s true, then I’m surprised that all of the “good behaviors†I’ve adopted as a BP patient haven’t done anything to calm the pain from my central neural windup – a firestorm of pain that is self-perpetuating. The recommendations are almost identical in terms of what to avoid, what one should do, and the types of mindfulness and relaxation techniques that are standard lifestyle changes following a diagnosis of bipolar or chronic pain.
I do not dare ever mention my bipolar condition outside of my home, so it’s not like I can ask a fellow pain sufferer if he or she has experienced mental illness along with his or her nervous system dysfunction. I’d love to know if anyone is studying this central nervous system cross-talk of BP and neuralgia.
Dr. Fink answers…
Bipolar disorder is, at its most basic, a neurological condition – an illness/disruption of the function of neurons, so it wouldn’t be surprising at all to find overlap with other neurologic disorders. We have little data on rates of co-morbid neurological disorder with bipolar disorder, but we do know that pain, migraines, and IBS are much more common in people with depression.
We’re beginning to learn that many psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, are actually associated with inflammation in the brain and body caused by the body’s response to physical or emotional stress, such as infection or even sleep deprivation. When the immune system responds to infection, for example, such as a flu virus, tissues become inflamed and actually cause many (or even most) of the symptoms associated with the infection.
Read in Full:Â http://blogs.psychcentral.com/bipolar/2010/08/bipolar-disorder-neurologica/
 
The family of a teenager with severe learning difficulties has branded a council “barbaric†for wrongly taking him away from his home.
By Martin Beckford
Published: 7:00AM BST 06 Aug 2010
The 19 year-old, who has a mental age of two, was taken into care by social workers after apparently claiming he was abused.
But the allegations were unfounded and a judge has ruled that the decision was a “deplorable†breach of the young man’s human rights and of mental health laws.
None of those involved can be named but his sister has now come forward to describe Manchester City Council’s behaviour in the case as “barbaric, unprofessionalâ€.
She told Channel 4 News on Thursday night: “They’re supposed to be a caring service, I didn’t see an ounce of care, an ounce of thought of best interest in any of it.â€
The teenager, known only as E, suffers from a genetic condition called tuberous sclerosis, which has created tumours in his brain that mean his language skills are like those of a toddler.
He had lived with a foster mother since 1995 but last year he reportedly made comments at school about being locked in a wardrobe.
His comments were reported to social workers and he was taken away from his home in April – placed first in a respite unit then a care home.
The teenager’s foster mother cried as she told Channel 4 News how she was not allowed to see him for almost two months, and at one meeting claimed she found him suffering from scratches to his arms but was unable to take him home.
“He just couldn’t understand it. He said ‘I want to go home, mum, I want to go home'”.
The young man has since been reunited with his foster mother, referred to in court papers as F, after the allegations of abuse were found to be untrue. He is said to be doing well.
Earlier this year a judge in the Court of Protection, Mr Justice Baker, ruled that the local authority had breached E’s right to respect for privacy and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and his right not to be deprived of his liberty without legal authority under Article 5.
It also failed to abide by the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, which are meant to ensure that those who lack mental capacity are not deprived of their liberty without proper authority.
The judge said: “There was, in my judgment, a deplorable failure to take into account the close relationship between E and F, the need to sustain that relationship, and a consequent failure to arrange any contact for several months between this vulnerable young man and the person who had been his carer – his mother figure – for most of his life.”
He said social workers had not been trained properly and blamed the “blatant errors†on those “higher up the line of managementâ€.
The judge allowed the council to be named last week, although the individuals in the case must remain anonymous.
A spokesman for Manchester City Council told Channel 4 News: “Serious concerns were raised about this young man’s welfare and we had an obligation to act. It was not an easy decision to keep ‘E’ at the home where he was receiving respite care, but his welfare was our primary consideration.
“While we strongly believe we did the right thing, the judge has made it clear that we went about it the wrong way. We regret this and have now put in place measures so that in future similar cases we will follow the correct procedures.â€
 
The family of a teenager with severe learning difficulties has branded a council “barbaric†for wrongly taking him away from his home.
By Martin Beckford
Published: 7:00AM BST 06 Aug 2010
The 19 year-old, who has a mental age of two, was taken into care by social workers after apparently claiming he was abused.
But the allegations were unfounded and a judge has ruled that the decision was a “deplorable†breach of the young man’s human rights and of mental health laws.
None of those involved can be named but his sister has now come forward to describe Manchester City Council’s behaviour in the case as “barbaric, unprofessionalâ€.
She told Channel 4 News on Thursday night: “They’re supposed to be a caring service, I didn’t see an ounce of care, an ounce of thought of best interest in any of it.â€
The teenager, known only as E, suffers from a genetic condition called tuberous sclerosis, which has created tumours in his brain that mean his language skills are like those of a toddler.
He had lived with a foster mother since 1995 but last year he reportedly made comments at school about being locked in a wardrobe.
His comments were reported to social workers and he was taken away from his home in April – placed first in a respite unit then a care home.
The teenager’s foster mother cried as she told Channel 4 News how she was not allowed to see him for almost two months, and at one meeting claimed she found him suffering from scratches to his arms but was unable to take him home.
“He just couldn’t understand it. He said ‘I want to go home, mum, I want to go home'”.
The young man has since been reunited with his foster mother, referred to in court papers as F, after the allegations of abuse were found to be untrue. He is said to be doing well.
Earlier this year a judge in the Court of Protection, Mr Justice Baker, ruled that the local authority had breached E’s right to respect for privacy and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and his right not to be deprived of his liberty without legal authority under Article 5.
It also failed to abide by the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, which are meant to ensure that those who lack mental capacity are not deprived of their liberty without proper authority.
The judge said: “There was, in my judgment, a deplorable failure to take into account the close relationship between E and F, the need to sustain that relationship, and a consequent failure to arrange any contact for several months between this vulnerable young man and the person who had been his carer – his mother figure – for most of his life.”
He said social workers had not been trained properly and blamed the “blatant errors†on those “higher up the line of managementâ€.
The judge allowed the council to be named last week, although the individuals in the case must remain anonymous.
A spokesman for Manchester City Council told Channel 4 News: “Serious concerns were raised about this young man’s welfare and we had an obligation to act. It was not an easy decision to keep ‘E’ at the home where he was receiving respite care, but his welfare was our primary consideration.
“While we strongly believe we did the right thing, the judge has made it clear that we went about it the wrong way. We regret this and have now put in place measures so that in future similar cases we will follow the correct procedures.â€
 
Â
While the season of summer still has more than a few weeks to go, the reality of summer is quickly coming to an end. School is starting, parents are out shopping for their kids’ new clothes and school supplies already, and college students are preparing for their annual return to campus.
What’s a person to do with the last few remaining weeks of summer?
Well, I can’t tell you what to do or not to do, but I can offer these five tips for ending your summer well. Whether they work for you or not, you won’t know until you try them. But it’s a good bet that you be disappointed with the results if you only try.
1. Finish what you started.
Sometimes we find ourselves putting off the end of a project because we believe we’ll always have time “later.†Later never comes, of course, so the project never really ends. There’s no better way to feel like you’ve accomplished something this summer — no matter how big or small that something is — by simply finishing it up.
2. Don’t worry, be happy.
Many of us spend a lot of time worrying about things we have little or no control of, making our worry essentially worthless in the cosmic scheme of things. Why expend the energy on needless worry when you could be expending it on some last-minute summertime activities, like going to the pool, the waterpark, getting in one last getaway some place, or even just hanging with your friends. Sometimes the simplest activities can turn out to be the most enjoyable. For many of us, this is the one time of the year we can really enjoy the outdoors. Get at least one last thing in — a ballgame, a trip to the beach, a hike in the mountains, something summery! — before the summer’s over!
3. Prepare now, so you won’t be overwhelmed later.
How many times do we think, “Ah, I can study later†or “Ah, I can start organizing the things I need to head back to campus next week.†Then next week comes and boom! — it’s time to go and you’re nowhere close to being packed. Organize yourself now for the semester or the next few months ahead, and you’ll find yourself less likely to get bogged down in things you could’ve done earlier. You might also find it’s a great way to relieve some of the stress of going back to school — being organized helps a person feel more organized internally, more in-control of their own destiny and life.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/08/05/5-tips-to-end-the-summer-well/

 
Â
While the season of summer still has more than a few weeks to go, the reality of summer is quickly coming to an end. School is starting, parents are out shopping for their kids’ new clothes and school supplies already, and college students are preparing for their annual return to campus.
What’s a person to do with the last few remaining weeks of summer?
Well, I can’t tell you what to do or not to do, but I can offer these five tips for ending your summer well. Whether they work for you or not, you won’t know until you try them. But it’s a good bet that you be disappointed with the results if you only try.
1. Finish what you started.
Sometimes we find ourselves putting off the end of a project because we believe we’ll always have time “later.†Later never comes, of course, so the project never really ends. There’s no better way to feel like you’ve accomplished something this summer — no matter how big or small that something is — by simply finishing it up.
2. Don’t worry, be happy.
Many of us spend a lot of time worrying about things we have little or no control of, making our worry essentially worthless in the cosmic scheme of things. Why expend the energy on needless worry when you could be expending it on some last-minute summertime activities, like going to the pool, the waterpark, getting in one last getaway some place, or even just hanging with your friends. Sometimes the simplest activities can turn out to be the most enjoyable. For many of us, this is the one time of the year we can really enjoy the outdoors. Get at least one last thing in — a ballgame, a trip to the beach, a hike in the mountains, something summery! — before the summer’s over!
3. Prepare now, so you won’t be overwhelmed later.
How many times do we think, “Ah, I can study later†or “Ah, I can start organizing the things I need to head back to campus next week.†Then next week comes and boom! — it’s time to go and you’re nowhere close to being packed. Organize yourself now for the semester or the next few months ahead, and you’ll find yourself less likely to get bogged down in things you could’ve done earlier. You might also find it’s a great way to relieve some of the stress of going back to school — being organized helps a person feel more organized internally, more in-control of their own destiny and life.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/08/05/5-tips-to-end-the-summer-well/

 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 5, 2010
Eating disorders appear to occur more frequently in individuals with bipolar disorder.
According to a recent study, more than 14 percent of patients with bipolar disorder also suffer from an eating disorder, and these individuals are likely to have a more severe course of illness.
“Our findings are consistent with others suggesting that bipolar disorder may co-occur with eating disorders, and this relationship likely has clinical and theoretical significance,†according to Dr. Susan L. McElroy of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who led the study with her colleagues.
Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name “manic depression,†is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating “highs†(what clinicians call “mania“) and “lows†(also known as depression). Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million American adults, and the median age of onset for bipolar disorders is 25 years.  Eating disorders, which are more likely to affect women, affect slightly over four percent of the population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
To assess the frequency of eating disorders in this population, McElroy and her team enrolled 875 outpatients with bipolar I or II disorder in their study. Fifty-six percent of the patients were women, and the average age was 41.1 years. The participants completed questionnaires and were interviewed by clinicians to assess bipolar and eating disorder diagnoses. Eating disorder diagnoses included anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Other information such as psychiatric history (including history of suicide attempts, rapid cycling, and age of onset of symptoms), family psychiatric history, other psychiatric diagnoses, and demographic information was also gathered.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/05/high-rate-of-eating-disorders-in-bipolar-patients/16424.html
Â
Â
 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 5, 2010
Eating disorders appear to occur more frequently in individuals with bipolar disorder.
According to a recent study, more than 14 percent of patients with bipolar disorder also suffer from an eating disorder, and these individuals are likely to have a more severe course of illness.
“Our findings are consistent with others suggesting that bipolar disorder may co-occur with eating disorders, and this relationship likely has clinical and theoretical significance,†according to Dr. Susan L. McElroy of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, who led the study with her colleagues.
Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name “manic depression,†is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating “highs†(what clinicians call “mania“) and “lows†(also known as depression). Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million American adults, and the median age of onset for bipolar disorders is 25 years.  Eating disorders, which are more likely to affect women, affect slightly over four percent of the population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
To assess the frequency of eating disorders in this population, McElroy and her team enrolled 875 outpatients with bipolar I or II disorder in their study. Fifty-six percent of the patients were women, and the average age was 41.1 years. The participants completed questionnaires and were interviewed by clinicians to assess bipolar and eating disorder diagnoses. Eating disorder diagnoses included anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Other information such as psychiatric history (including history of suicide attempts, rapid cycling, and age of onset of symptoms), family psychiatric history, other psychiatric diagnoses, and demographic information was also gathered.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/05/high-rate-of-eating-disorders-in-bipolar-patients/16424.html
Â
Â
 
Article Date: 05 Aug 2010 – 4:00 PDT
Advanced Brain Technologies announced results demonstrating that a modified music program followed for ten weeks, improved speech skills in children with Down syndrome. The results of the study, conducted in Nottingham, United Kingdom, were published Monday, in an early online before print version of the article scheduled to appear in the journal Music and Medicine(i).
It is well documented that children with Down syndrome have difficulty with hearing, auditory processing and language development. This pilot study was undertaken to trial tests and questionnaires for suitability for use with the children, to determine if any benefit could be established from the use of The Listening Program® as a prelude to a more formal study. The Listening Program® was developed by Advanced Brain Technologies (ABT) as a modified music method to improve auditory processing, self regulation and brain performance.
Nine children between the ages of 5 and 12 years took part, acting as their own controls. They used The Listening Program over a 10-week period. Each child listened to acoustically modified music, through headphones, for two 15-minute sessions, 5 days a week, for 10 weeks. A battery of tests recommended by specialists in speech and language and human communication, were performed before and after intervention. In addition, questionnaires were completed at the end by parents and teachers involved.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196885.php
 
Article Date: 05 Aug 2010 – 4:00 PDT
Advanced Brain Technologies announced results demonstrating that a modified music program followed for ten weeks, improved speech skills in children with Down syndrome. The results of the study, conducted in Nottingham, United Kingdom, were published Monday, in an early online before print version of the article scheduled to appear in the journal Music and Medicine(i).
It is well documented that children with Down syndrome have difficulty with hearing, auditory processing and language development. This pilot study was undertaken to trial tests and questionnaires for suitability for use with the children, to determine if any benefit could be established from the use of The Listening Program® as a prelude to a more formal study. The Listening Program® was developed by Advanced Brain Technologies (ABT) as a modified music method to improve auditory processing, self regulation and brain performance.
Nine children between the ages of 5 and 12 years took part, acting as their own controls. They used The Listening Program over a 10-week period. Each child listened to acoustically modified music, through headphones, for two 15-minute sessions, 5 days a week, for 10 weeks. A battery of tests recommended by specialists in speech and language and human communication, were performed before and after intervention. In addition, questionnaires were completed at the end by parents and teachers involved.
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196885.php
 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 5, 2010Â
Ketamine may provide short term relief for patients with severe bipolar depression.
A new study showed that when patients with severe, treatment-resistant bipolar depression were given a single intravenous (IV) dose of ketamine (also known as N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist or NMDA), their symptoms improved within 40 minutes.
“In patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression, robust and rapid antidepressant effects resulted from a single intravenous dose of an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist,†writes Carlos Zarate Jr., MD, of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md., and his colleagues.
Bipolar disorder, also known by its older name “manic depression,†is a mental disorder that is characterized by constantly changing moods. A person with bipolar disorder experiences alternating “highs†(what clinicians call “mania“) and “lows†(depression). Bipolar disorder affects about 2.6 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Standard antidepressants may take weeks to months to become effective. Ketamine, which is sometimes used as a recreational drug, is legally used as an anesthetic. Zarate and his team have previously shown that ketamine can improve symptoms of unipolar depression; however, bipolar depression may respond differently to medication.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/08/05/ketamine-may-give-temporary-relief-for-bipolar-patients/16423.html
Â

