 
[I am so grateful to Jane for sharing her experiences and letting us learn from her!. -LPC]
I’ve seen the movie, Sybil, as well as the other Hollywood depictions of Dissociative Identity Disorder (or DID, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder), and they disturb me. Always the person has wild personality changes. But, just as not all mentally ill people are violent, not all individuals with DID are unstable.
I was diagnosed with the disorder a number of years ago. At first for me, when I was diagnosed, I had little control, but from what I gather, my behavior was never to the extreme as always seen on TV and in the movies. Of course, I have not always known what has happened during a personality change, but from what I am told I have not been violent.
DID usually stems from repeated trauma as a child. In order to protect oneself, alternate personalities (“altersâ€) are created to bear the brunt of this trauma. With no recollection of what happened the child stays relatively intact.
Some people have many more alters than others. I have at least seven. I act differently, react differently and perceive the world differently as each alter. One of my alters buys socks. I still don’t know who it is yet, but new pairs show up from time to time in my drawer. I now have two drawers full.
Read in Full:Â http://blogs.psychcentral.com/always-learning/2010/06/i-am-not-sybil-learning-about-dissociative-identity-disorder/
 
We trawl the world’s journals so you don’t have to:
Theme issue on mental health (JAMA).
Brand – Consumer storytelling theory and research (Psychology and Marketing).
Diversity and leadership (American Psychologist).
Origins of intergroup bias: Developmental and social cognitive research on intergroup attitudes
Language, cognition and the cerebellum: Grappling with an enigma (Cortex). (European Journal of Social Psychology).
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We trawl the world’s journals so you don’t have to:
Theme issue on mental health (JAMA).
Brand – Consumer storytelling theory and research (Psychology and Marketing).
Diversity and leadership (American Psychologist).
Origins of intergroup bias: Developmental and social cognitive research on intergroup attitudes
Language, cognition and the cerebellum: Grappling with an enigma (Cortex). (European Journal of Social Psychology).
 
ScienceDaily (June 3, 2010) — Children with autism have a different chemical fingerprint in their urine than non-autistic children, according to new research published tomorrow in the print edition of the Journal of Proteome Research.
The researchers behind the study, from Imperial College London and the University of South Australia, suggest that their findings could ultimately lead to a simple urine test to determine whether or not a young child has autism.
Autism affects an estimated one in every 100 people in the UK. People with autism have a range of different symptoms, but they commonly experience problems with communication and social skills, such as understanding other people’s emotions and making conversation and eye contact.
People with autism are also known to suffer from gastrointestinal disorders and they have a different makeup of bacteria in their guts from non-autistic people.
Today’s research shows that it is possible to distinguish between autistic and non-autistic children by looking at the by-products of gut bacteria and the body’s metabolic processes in the children’s urine. The exact biological significance of gastrointestinal disorders in the development of autism is unknown.
The distinctive urinary metabolic fingerprint for autism identified in today’s study could form the basis of a non-invasive test that might help diagnose autism earlier. This would enable autistic children to receive assistance, such as advanced behavioural therapy, earlier in their development than is currently possible.
At present, children are assessed for autism through a lengthy process involving a range of tests that explore the child’s social interaction, communication and imaginative skills.
Early intervention can greatly improve the progress of children with autism but it is currently difficult to establish a firm diagnosis when children are under 18 months of age, although it is likely that changes may occur much earlier than this.
The researchers suggest that their new understanding of the makeup of bacteria in autistic children’s guts could also help scientists to develop treatments to tackle autistic people’s gastrointestinal problems.
Professor Jeremy Nicholson, the corresponding author of the study, who is the Head of the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, said: “Autism is a condition that affects a person’s social skills, so at first it might seem strange that there’s a relationship between autism and what’s happening in someone’s gut. However, your metabolism and the makeup of your gut bacteria reflect all sorts of things, including your lifestyle and your genes. Autism affects many different parts of a person’s system and our study shows that you can see how it disrupts their system by looking at their metabolism and their gut bacteria.
“We hope our findings might be the first step towards creating a simple urine test to diagnose autism at a really young age, although this is a long way off — such a test could take many years to develop and we’re just beginning to explore the possibilities. We know that giving therapy to children with autism when they are very young can make a huge difference to their progress. A urine test might enable professionals to quickly identify children with autism and help them early on,” he added.
The researchers are now keen to investigate whether metabolic differences in people with autism are related to the causes of the condition or are a consequence of its progression.
The researchers reached their conclusions by using H NMR Spectroscopy to analyse the urine of three groups of children aged between 3 and 9: 39 children who had previously been diagnosed with autism, 28 non-autistic siblings of children with autism, and 34 children who did not have autism who did not have an autistic sibling.
They found that each of the three groups had a distinct chemical fingerprint. Non-autistic children with autistic siblings had a different chemical fingerprint than those without any autistic siblings, and autistic children had a different chemical fingerprint than the other two groups.
Journal Reference:
- Yap et al. Urinary Metabolic Phenotyping Differentiates Children with Autism from Their Unaffected Siblings and Age-Matched Controls. Journal of Proteome Research, 2010; 9 (6): 2996 DOI: 10.1021/pr901188e
Source:Â http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603091641.htm
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ScienceDaily (June 3, 2010) — Children with autism have a different chemical fingerprint in their urine than non-autistic children, according to new research published tomorrow in the print edition of the Journal of Proteome Research.
The researchers behind the study, from Imperial College London and the University of South Australia, suggest that their findings could ultimately lead to a simple urine test to determine whether or not a young child has autism.
Autism affects an estimated one in every 100 people in the UK. People with autism have a range of different symptoms, but they commonly experience problems with communication and social skills, such as understanding other people’s emotions and making conversation and eye contact.
People with autism are also known to suffer from gastrointestinal disorders and they have a different makeup of bacteria in their guts from non-autistic people.
Today’s research shows that it is possible to distinguish between autistic and non-autistic children by looking at the by-products of gut bacteria and the body’s metabolic processes in the children’s urine. The exact biological significance of gastrointestinal disorders in the development of autism is unknown.
The distinctive urinary metabolic fingerprint for autism identified in today’s study could form the basis of a non-invasive test that might help diagnose autism earlier. This would enable autistic children to receive assistance, such as advanced behavioural therapy, earlier in their development than is currently possible.
At present, children are assessed for autism through a lengthy process involving a range of tests that explore the child’s social interaction, communication and imaginative skills.
Early intervention can greatly improve the progress of children with autism but it is currently difficult to establish a firm diagnosis when children are under 18 months of age, although it is likely that changes may occur much earlier than this.
The researchers suggest that their new understanding of the makeup of bacteria in autistic children’s guts could also help scientists to develop treatments to tackle autistic people’s gastrointestinal problems.
Professor Jeremy Nicholson, the corresponding author of the study, who is the Head of the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, said: “Autism is a condition that affects a person’s social skills, so at first it might seem strange that there’s a relationship between autism and what’s happening in someone’s gut. However, your metabolism and the makeup of your gut bacteria reflect all sorts of things, including your lifestyle and your genes. Autism affects many different parts of a person’s system and our study shows that you can see how it disrupts their system by looking at their metabolism and their gut bacteria.
“We hope our findings might be the first step towards creating a simple urine test to diagnose autism at a really young age, although this is a long way off — such a test could take many years to develop and we’re just beginning to explore the possibilities. We know that giving therapy to children with autism when they are very young can make a huge difference to their progress. A urine test might enable professionals to quickly identify children with autism and help them early on,” he added.
The researchers are now keen to investigate whether metabolic differences in people with autism are related to the causes of the condition or are a consequence of its progression.
The researchers reached their conclusions by using H NMR Spectroscopy to analyse the urine of three groups of children aged between 3 and 9: 39 children who had previously been diagnosed with autism, 28 non-autistic siblings of children with autism, and 34 children who did not have autism who did not have an autistic sibling.
They found that each of the three groups had a distinct chemical fingerprint. Non-autistic children with autistic siblings had a different chemical fingerprint than those without any autistic siblings, and autistic children had a different chemical fingerprint than the other two groups.
Journal Reference:
- Yap et al. Urinary Metabolic Phenotyping Differentiates Children with Autism from Their Unaffected Siblings and Age-Matched Controls. Journal of Proteome Research, 2010; 9 (6): 2996 DOI: 10.1021/pr901188e
Source:Â http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603091641.htm
 
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) provides a wide range of mental health programs and services in some 135 communities across Canada. Now we have extended our reach in supporting Canadians’ mental health to an exciting new level. CMHA, National Office is proud to endorse the launch of TELUS health spaceâ„¢, powered by Microsoft® HealthVaultâ„¢, Canada’s first consumer eHealth platform.
“We are excited to be endorsing this growing new health ‘ecosystem’. We believe that empowering consumers to more effectively manage their own health will result in greater consumer engagement and better care management,” says Dr. Taylor Alexander, CEO, CMHA, National Office. “TELUS health space is an innovation that can promote new approaches to mental wellness by helping Canadians take an active role in managing their own health and living healthier lifestyles.”
Mental illness is the number one leading cause of disability in the world. Mental illness costs the Canadian economy a staggering $51-billion a year, and each day 500,000 people will miss work due to mental health problems.Â
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189698.php
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The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) provides a wide range of mental health programs and services in some 135 communities across Canada. Now we have extended our reach in supporting Canadians’ mental health to an exciting new level. CMHA, National Office is proud to endorse the launch of TELUS health spaceâ„¢, powered by Microsoft® HealthVaultâ„¢, Canada’s first consumer eHealth platform.
“We are excited to be endorsing this growing new health ‘ecosystem’. We believe that empowering consumers to more effectively manage their own health will result in greater consumer engagement and better care management,” says Dr. Taylor Alexander, CEO, CMHA, National Office. “TELUS health space is an innovation that can promote new approaches to mental wellness by helping Canadians take an active role in managing their own health and living healthier lifestyles.”
Mental illness is the number one leading cause of disability in the world. Mental illness costs the Canadian economy a staggering $51-billion a year, and each day 500,000 people will miss work due to mental health problems.Â
Read in Full:Â http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/189698.php
 
 Microglia are the immune cells in the brain. These are microglia in the cerebellum of a mouse which expressed EGFP microglia (via c-fms) and harbour SOD1 mutations. Notice the activated microglia in the grey matter (top of photo). Photo by ALAN REMBACH
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 1, 2010
A provocative study using genetically altered mice finds a cause-and-effect link between the immune system and a psychiatric disorder.
Mario Capecchi, a Nobel Prize-winning geneticist, discovered that bone marrow transplants cure mutant mice who pull out their hair compulsively.
The study provides the first cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness, and points toward eventual new psychiatric treatments.
“We’re showing there is a direct relationship between a psychiatric disorder and the immune system, specifically cells named microglia that are derived from bone marrow†and are found in the brain, says Capecchi.
“There’s been an inference. But nobody has previously made a direct connection between the two.â€
The findings – published in the journal Cell – should inspire researchers “to think about potential new immune-based therapies for psychiatric disorders,†says Capecchi, a 2007 Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine.
Capecchi and colleagues showed that pathological grooming and hair-pulling in mice – a disorder similar to trichotillomania (trick-o-til-o-MAY-nee-ah) in humans – is caused by a mutant Hoxb8 gene that results in defective microglia, which are immune system cells that originate in bone marrow and migrate from blood to the brain.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/06/01/immune-disorders-tied-to-mental-illness/14171.html
Â
 Microglia are the immune cells in the brain. These are microglia in the cerebellum of a mouse which expressed EGFP microglia (via c-fms) and harbour SOD1 mutations. Notice the activated microglia in the grey matter (top of photo). Photo by ALAN REMBACH
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 1, 2010
A provocative study using genetically altered mice finds a cause-and-effect link between the immune system and a psychiatric disorder.
Mario Capecchi, a Nobel Prize-winning geneticist, discovered that bone marrow transplants cure mutant mice who pull out their hair compulsively.
The study provides the first cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness, and points toward eventual new psychiatric treatments.
“We’re showing there is a direct relationship between a psychiatric disorder and the immune system, specifically cells named microglia that are derived from bone marrow†and are found in the brain, says Capecchi.
“There’s been an inference. But nobody has previously made a direct connection between the two.â€
The findings – published in the journal Cell – should inspire researchers “to think about potential new immune-based therapies for psychiatric disorders,†says Capecchi, a 2007 Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine.
Capecchi and colleagues showed that pathological grooming and hair-pulling in mice – a disorder similar to trichotillomania (trick-o-til-o-MAY-nee-ah) in humans – is caused by a mutant Hoxb8 gene that results in defective microglia, which are immune system cells that originate in bone marrow and migrate from blood to the brain.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/06/01/immune-disorders-tied-to-mental-illness/14171.html
 
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on June 1, 2010
Although discontinuing use of antidepressant during pregnancy can result in depressive relapse, a new study finds an increased risk of miscarriage in pregnant women using antidepressants.
Antidepressants are widely used in pregnancy and up to 3.7 percent of women will use them at some point during the first trimester.
The study, found in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found a 68 percent increase in the overall risk of miscarriage in pregnant women using antidepressants.
Most previous studies on the use of antidepressants in pregnancy did not look at miscarriages as a main outcome, had small samples and several showed contradictory results.
This large study sought to determine the association between antidepressant use in pregnancy, including classes, types and doses, and the risk of miscarriage.
Read in Full:Â http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/06/01/miscarriage-risk-with-use-of-antidepressants-during-pregnancy/14203.html