Trials of a drug/psychotherapy combination treatment are ongoing

Tony Kirby – The Lancet

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions, compulsive behaviors, or both. New developments in the treatment of OCD involve medications that work in conjunction with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), the most promising of which is D-cycloserine.

OCD could be placed in a new classification of its own outside the current anxiety disorders umbrella when mental health nomenclature is revised in future years. The issues around this severe and disabling condition are discussed in a Seminar in this week’s edition of the Lancet, written by Dr Jonathan S Abramowitz, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, and colleagues.

OCD has a lifetime rate of 2-3% in the general population-and is a symptomatically heterogeneous condition, in which various different kinds of obsessions and compulsions exist. However, research indicates that certain obsessions and compulsions tend to co-occur to form five main dimensions:

1. 1.  obsessions about being responsible for causing or failing to prevent harm; checking compulsions and reassurance-seeking;
2. 2.  symmetry obsessions, and ordering and counting rituals;
3. 3.  contamination obsessions, and washing and cleaning rituals;
4. 4.  obsessions concerning sex, violence, and religion;
5. 5.  hoarding, which are obsessions about acquiring and retaining objects, and associated collecting compulsions.

 

Two common features of OCD-excessive doubting and repetitive actions-suggest that specific brain regions are involved in the condition. People with OCD are more likely to have first-degree family members who suffer from the same disorder than are matched controls who are more likely to have first-degree family members who do not have the disorder. Twin studies of adults suggest that obsessive-compulsive symptoms are moderately heritable, with genetic factors contributing 27-47% of variance in scores on measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The remaining 53-73% of the variance is attributed to environment factors.

Some experts argue that OCD should be moved into its own class in the forthcoming revisions to diagnostic manuals (made by a working group of experts from around the world-The American Psychiatric Association spearheads the effort)-but there is considerable disagreement, on both conceptual and empirical grounds.

Randomized controlled trials have indicated that drug therapies for obsessive-compulsive disorder include serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as clomipramine, and some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Recent studies have shown D-cycloserine to be a promising compound for extinguishing the fear connected to OCD more quickly than placebo when combined with the psychological intervention of exposure and response prevention (behavioral) therapy.

Exposure entails systematic, repeated, and prolonged confrontation with stimuli that provoke anxiety and the urge to perform compulsive rituals. In situational exposure, the patient encounters actual feared stimuli-eg, toilets, cemeteries, and knives. In imaginal exposure, the patient confronts anxiety provoking obsessional images, thoughts (eg, of a loved one’s death), and doubts (eg, “I might have hurt an innocent person by mistake”).

Response prevention means refraining from performing compulsive rituals. For example, a patient who fears the number 13 because it will bring bad luck would practice writing this number and imagining causing bad luck. He or she would also refrain from performing any rituals to reduce anxiety or the chances of bad luck (eg, saying prayers, checking for reassurance).

The aim of exposure and response prevention, which is the most effective long-term treatment for OCD, is to teach patients that obsessional anxiety does not persist indefinitely, and that avoidance behavior and compulsive rituals are unnecessary for averting harm. Another possible intervention is deep brain stimulation of the basal ganglia, through surgically implanted electrodes-this needs to be tested for safety and efficacy.

The authors conclude: “Despite some promising models, what causes obsessive-compulsive disorder remains unknown. A combination of cognitive and neurobiological factors might be needed to fully explain the disorder… Some have suggested that OCD should be regarded as the center of a new diagnostic category of obsessive-compulsive-related disorders…however, this proposal is controversial. Further research is needed to determine whether such a reclassification of the disorder would improve the understanding of the causes and treatment of this severe, debilitating, and chronic disorder.“

Abramowitz S, Taylor S, McKay D. Seminar: Obsessive-compulsive disorder Lancet 2009 Aug;374:491-99 [Full text ()]

 

 

Women are more likely than men to have depression — that is, until age 65, when the numbers become almost equal. Why? It may have to do with the drop in testosterone levels in older men, according to recent research reported in Archives of General Psychiatry (Volume 65, page 283).

More…

© 2009 MediZine LLC. All rights reserved.

Autistic impressions

Hollywood movies rarely deal with disability – except for autism, when characters are typically shown as having special intelligence. Why do we like to think everyone with autism is especially gifted?

In one evening, he memorised every name and number from A to G in the phone book. While waiting for a meal in a restaurant, he committed the entire tableside jukebox to memory.

A dropped box of toothpicks? One glance and he is certain that 246 have spilt on the floor.

His mind was like a computer and, for years, Dustin Hoffman’s Rain Man character has often been the first reference point for autism.

Dustin Hoffman’s Raymond Babbitt – setting the mould for autistic savant characters

Other films since this 1988 release have depicted similar areas of brilliance that are sometimes associated with autism, known as savant qualities.

In 1998, for instance, Mercury Rising told the story of a nine-year-old autistic boy who used his savant abilities to crack a $2bn encryption code.

And in Mozart and the Whale, a 2006 film about two savants with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning type of autism, Josh Hartnett’s character could glance at his watch and then calculate exactly how long he has had his job as a taxi driver.

The link between autism and savant skills in cinemas is clear, but does art really imitate life? Do people with autism always have an amazing intellectual skill?

“The simple answer is no,” says Dr Stuart Murray professor of contemporary literature and film at the University of Leeds and author of the book Representing Autism. “By far, the majority of people with autism do not have any kind of savant ability.”

‘Autism celebrities’

In fact, the current estimate is that one or two in 200 people with an autism spectrum disorder have a savant talent, according to the National Autistic Society, although the exact numbers are still unknown in the UK.

WHAT IS AUTISM? A developmental disability that influences how a person communicates and relates to others Often referred to as a spectrum disorder – because it affects people differently Asperger syndrome is a type of autism at the less severe end of that spectrum More than half a million people in the UK have an autism spectrum disorder Source: National Autistic Society

Well known savants – including Kim Peek, who partially inspired Rain Man, Steven Wiltshire, a London artist who can recall entire cityscapes after brief observation, and Daniel Tammet, author of Born on a Blue Day, about living as an autistic savant – are the exception to the autism rule, Dr Murray says.

“These people are almost like autism celebrities,” he says. “It’s not something that crops up very much in the day to day life of living with autism.”

So if autistic savants are the exception and not the norm, why are they are they so over-represented in films?

Read More …  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8192895.stm

By Megha Satyanarayana – Free Press staff writer

Kenneth Lang, the 56-year-old Dearborn resident who kept more than 100 Chihuahuas in a home raided in July, exhibited an extreme form of obsessive-compulsive disorder called hoarding.

The OCD evolved from frequent hand-washing when he was a child, his family said.

More…
Copyright ©2009 Freep.com

William Harms – University of Chicago

Divorce and widowhood have a lingering, detrimental impact on health, even after a person remarries, research at the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University shows.

“Among the currently married, those who have ever been divorced show worse health on all dimensions. Both the divorced and widowed who do not remarry show worse health on all dimensions,” said University of Chicago sociologist Linda Waite and co-author of a new study on marriage and health. Waite, the Lucy Flower Professor in Sociology and Director of the Center on Aging at the National Opinion Research Center at the University, conducted the study with Mary Elizabeth Hughes, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.

They drew data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study that looked at individuals age 50 and above. They analyzed data from 8,652 white, black and Hispanic people between the ages of 51 and 61. The study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Although a number of studies have looked at the connection between health and marriage, theirs is the first to examine both marital transitions and marital status on a wide range of health dimensions. Based on genetics and other factors, people enter adulthood with a particular “stock” of health, other research has shown. “Each person’s experience of marital gain and loss affect this stock of health,” Waite said. “For example, the transition to marriage tends to bring an immediate health benefit, in that it improves health behaviors for men and financial well-being for women.“

These advantages are enhanced throughout marriage. Divorce or widowhood undermines health because incomes drop, and stress develops over issues such as shared child care.

Among the findings:

• *Divorced or widowed people have 20 percent more chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer than married people. They also have 23 percent more mobility limitations, such as trouble climbing stairs or walking a block.
• *People who never married have 12 percent more mobility limitations and 13 percent more depressive symptoms, but report no difference in the number of chronic health conditions from married people.
• *People who remarried have 12 percent more chronic conditions and 19 percent more mobility limitations, but no more depressive symptoms, than those who are continuously married.

The impacts of marriage, divorce and remarriage on health are based on the ways in which the various illnesses develop and heal, Waite said.

“Some health situations, like depression, seem to respond both quickly and strongly to changes in current conditions,” she said. “In contrast, conditions such as diabetes and heart disease develop slowly over a substantial period and show the impact of past experiences, which is why health is undermined by divorce or widowhood, even when a person remarries.“

“While the saying goes, ‘Better to have loved and lost,’ multiple divorces create multiple prolonged stressful conditions and undermine personal empowerment – far worse than never marrying,” said stress-management specialist Debbie Mandel in a commentary on the research. “A good marriage is like making deposits in your health savings account for midlife and the golden years.“

 

By Tracy Loew • Statesman Journal • July 31, 2009

Twelve people have been appointed to the new Oregon Commission on Autism
Spectrum Disorder.

Oregon’s autism rate is rising, and the state ranks near the top nationwide
in its percentage of autistic children, at about one in 87.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed an executive order in March creating the
commission, at the recommendation of a legislative work group. The 13th and
final member of the commission, a state senator, has yet to be appointed.

The commission is charged with designing a 10-year plan to improve services
and address issues faced by Oregonians living with ASD and their families.

“I am excited about this opportunity to serve Oregon and represent higher
education on the commission,” said member Mickey Pardew, a special education
professor at Western Oregon University.

Rep. Chris Edwards, D-Eugene, spearheaded the work group, which put together
a long list of recommendations for legislators.

However, Oregon’s budget crisis stalled all but the commission.

Earlier this year legislators considered a bill that would have required
insurers to cover autism diagnosis and treatment. House Bill 3000 would have
forced insurers to recognize autism as a medical condition. It died in
committee.
*tloew@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6779

*Commission

Members of the new Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder are:

Marilyn Gense (chairwoman), special education coordinator, Willamette
Education Service District

Jean Rystrom (vice-chair-woman), regional practice director of pediatrics,
Kaiser Permanente

Joyce Bernheim, health care attorney

Gleason Eakin, retired educator, administrator and founder of the Northwest
Autism Foundation

Rep. Chris Edwards, D-Eugene

Kirby Erickson, autism specialist, Southern Oregon Education Service
District

Robert Nickel, developmental pediatrician, OHSU Child Development and
Rehabilitation Center

Michelle (Mickey) Pardew, professor, Special Education Division at Western
Oregon University

*Dora Raymaker, writer, researcher, trainer*

Eric Richards, director of operations, Office of Student Learning and
Partnerships, Oregon Department of Education

Clyde Saiki, deputy director, Oregon Department of Human Services

Kristi Sandvik, executive director of special education programs, Hillsboro
School District

—
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org
info@autisticadvocacy.org
732.763.5530

————————————————
Take a look at our innovative new Public Service Announcement produced with
the Dan Marino Foundation at http://www.nomyths.org

If you like what we do, help support the Autistic Self Advocacy Network by
making a donation at:
https://www.change.org/donation/create?charity_id=211198

 

HEADLINES

“57^th wedding anniversary ends in murder”:

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2009/07/27/10280646-ap.html

“Sanity report delayed on accused murderer”:

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/07/29/073009_7a_Grabe_folo.html

“Popular pupil dies after seizure”:

http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/news/popular_pupil_dies_after_seizure_1_594248?referrerPath=/1.60007

“US police use taser and pepper spray on disabled man”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/28/usa

 

“U.S. Signs U.N. Disabilities Pact in change of course”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/fwd_reuters_us_signs_un_disabilities_pact_in_change_of.htm

 

India “Rights of disabled children protected in RTE: HRD”:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Rights-of-disabled-children-protected-in-RTE-HRD/articleshow/4853504.cms

“Updates: Gary McKinnon Loses Appeal Against Extradition To The U.S.”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/gary_mckinnon_loses_appeal_against_extradition_to_the_us.htm

“Pennsylvanians with disabilities call for an end to Institution-Only options”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/pennsylvanians_with_disabilities_call_for_an_end_to_institut.htm

“ASAN Board member Dora Raymaker appointed to Oregon Commission on ASD”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/fwd_asan_board_member_dora_raymaker_appointed_to_oregon_aut.htm

“Elderly prioritised over people with learning disabilities, say charities”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jul/24/care-green-paper-learning-disabilities

“Squeeze on allowance benefit could leave older and disabled people struggling to cope”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jul/29/attendance-allowance-support

“Deaf-blind communication goes portable(Includes Video)”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8183838.stm

RESEARCH & HEALTH

“With autism, diet restrictions may do more harm than good”:

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=10794991

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/health/28autism.html?_r=1&ref=health

“Most stomach symptoms no more likely in autism”:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE56Q5DM20090727?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

“Autism not tied to bowel movement patterns”:

http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE56L6OS20090722

“Visual processing hinders ability to read body language: Autism study”:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159878.php

“Cuddle chemical” helps autistics recognise emotions”:

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2883/cuddle-chemical-helps-autistics-recognise-emotion

“Cuddle chemical may create green-eyed monster”:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17563-cuddle-chemical-may-create-greeneyed-monster.html

“INVEGA(R) approved as the first and only treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder”:

http://www.examiner.com/p-382954~INVEGA_R__Approved_as_the_First_and_Only_Treatment_for_Schizoaffective_Disorder.html

 

“Scent of fear puts brain in emergency mode”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/scent_of_fear_puts_brain_in_emergency_mode.htm

“Scents really can soothe stress”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/scents_really_can_soothe_stress.htm

“More leisure time boosts mood, improves health”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/more_leisure_time_boosts_mood_improves_health.htm

“Lack of sunlight linked to cognitive impairment in the depressed”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/lack_of_sunlight_linked_to_cognitive_impairment_in_the_depre.htm

“Exercise helps fight depression”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/exercise_helps_fight_depression.htm

“Improved ‘Prolonged Grief Disorder’ Criteria would help bereaved”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/improved_prolonged_grief_disorder_criteria_would_help_bere.htm

  

“FDA approves INVEGA(R) SUSTENNA(TM) for the acute and maintenance treatment of Schizophrenia”:

http://www.examiner.com/p-383025~FDA_Approves_INVEGA_R__SUSTENNA_TM__for_the_Acute_and_Maintenance_Treatment_of_Schizophrenia.html

“Aussie developing edible vaccines … The Australian scientist who won a Nobel Prize for discovering the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers is now working on a way to make edible vaccines.”:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5761335/aussie-developing-edible-vaccines/

“Are your child’s eyes ready for the classroom?”:

http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Children_s_Health_200/Are_Your_Child_s_Eyes_Ready_for_the_Classroom.shtml

“Virtual Hospital”:

http://www.uihealthcare.com/vh/

EDUCATION

“Death highlights lack of regulation at ‘psychoeducational’ schools”:

http://www.ajc.com/news/death-highlights-lack-of-100352.html

India “Education is now a right”:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Education-is-now-a-right/articleshow/4858277.cms

NAS “New duties to improve special educational needs provision”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1380&a=20211

“Hawking joins college’s campaign”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8179677.stm

 

“What a difference a year makes”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/education_what_a_difference_a_year_makes.htm

 

“Mum praises school for special care of her son … The parents of young William Burtonwood are confident he has a bright future ahead of him thanks to the care and support he received from his primary school … Soon after starting, William, aged 11, was referred for specialist help and was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and autism and received a special educational needs statement…”:

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/boltonnews/4529603.Mum_praises_school_for_special_care_of_her_son/?ref=rss

“Schools defend autism decision”:

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1623944.html

“Budget deal could give special-ed students diplomas”:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/28/MN4C18U1AR.DTL

“Good SEN practice: Golden Rules for adults”:

http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/good-sen-practice-golden-rules-adults-7002

“NAS Out of Schools Clubs reach the finals of 2009’s National Lottery Awards”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=253&a=19927

“Cobham Hilton lends helping hand to Jigsaw School children”:

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/business/business_news/4528586.Cobham_Hilton_lends_helping_hand_to_children/

“Temperament and children in the autism spectrum”:

http://www.examiner.com/x-14386-Des-Moines-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner~y2009m8d5-Temperament-and-children-in-the-autism-spectrum

“Charter School Profile: Colorado Virtual Academy”:

http://www.examiner.com/x-16322-Colorado-Charter-Schools-Examiner~y2009m8d6-Charter-School-Profile–Colorado-Virtual-Academy

“Homeschool 101: How do I know what to include on my back-to-school supply list for homeschoolers?”:

http://www.examiner.com/x-11342-St-Louis-Homeschooling-Examiner~y2009m8d5-Homeschool-101–How-do-I-know-what-to-include-on-my-backtoschool-supply-list-for-homeschoolers

“Back to school – Paving the way for various activities”:

http://www.examiner.com/x-10423-San-Jose-Education-Examiner~y2009m8d5-Back-to-school-Paving-the-way-for-various-activities

EMPLOYMENT

“Bethel agency’s growing possibilities provides jobs for autistic adults”:

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_12909647

“Autelligent Laboratories

We believe all people have a contribution to make and deserve an opportunity to be productive.

With your caring and excellent help, we are creating jobs for the 40 million people worldwide who are diagnosed with Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Today less than one in five of us are currently employed. We are motivated and competent and we deserve equal employment. Help make this a reality.

Autelligent Laboratories is dedicated to creating a space where autistic software engineers can more than contribute, we can excel.”:

http://www.autlabs.com/

Luxury Quality Scented Candles “Humbolt Candles – Autism & Disability Employment Company”:

http://www.humboldtcandles.com/index.html

“Auties.org”:
Individuality, Diversity, Equality, Achievement

Auties..org is an Aspie & Autie friendly site for all people on the Autistic Spectrum who are ready to dare reach out to occupation and employment, open the doors to the community and market their abilities directly to the public and for those interested in supporting these pioneers.

http://www.auties.org/

“Prospects”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=473&a=2348

“AutismJobs”:
Linking job seekers with vacancies in work related to autism, Aspergers and ASDs

http://www.autismjobs.org/?section=00010009

“Current job vacancies within the NAS”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=170

For further employment information, please view”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/employment_on_the_autism_spectrum.htm

GENERAL/HUMAN INTEREST

“Care for people with learning disabilities … You would think that after the neglect, abuse and institutional discrimination against people with learning disabilities revealed over the last few years, it would be hard to forget the one and a half million people with learning disabilities. Not so. The long awaited green paper on the future of adult social care and support concentrates almost exclusively on how to fund social care for older people (What about learning disabilities?, Society, 22 July).”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/jul/24/learning-disabilities-discrimination-blind-care

“BT futurologist: we’re living in sci-fi … As well as pointing out people who are to some degree a synthesis of organism and technology, she went on to illustrate her talk with the everyday use of robots such as Leonardo, which looks like a toy along the lines of a Gremlin, but has been manufactured to help autistic children communicate.”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/jul/23/bt-futurologist-science-fiction

“Positive Relationships: Let’s talk about … Additional needs(requires free registration for full access):

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/login/923402/

TUNISIA

“Autism Africa”:

http://www.autismafrica.com/index.php

“Tunisia Map”:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/maps/map_country_tunisia.html

“Tunisia Facts, Information & History”:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_tunisia.html

Official Tourism Sites

Tunisian National Tourism Office Introduction to Tunisia’s cities, attractions, accommodations, festivals, shops, and more.

Embassy of Tunisia Entry requirements for Tunisia and information on its government.

 

Other Sites We Like

Tunisia.com Information on museums throughout Tunisia, including the National Bardo Museum, the Ceramic Museum, and the Memorial of Martyrs of Sejoumi.

Arab.net Overview of the culinary culture of Tunisia, with information on traditional dishes.

Choose Tunisia Listing of restaurants in Tunisia, with descriptions of each one.

Tunisia National Radio Introduction to selected musicians, including audio files of musical performances.

Tunisia Online A timeline of historical events in Tunisia.

http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/tripmarks/africa-text/48

“Tunisia: Nat Geo Music”:

http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/country/content.country/tunisia_628/en

Archived from 2001(Star Wars/Tunisia) “In a Village Far, Far Away, Star Wars Stirs Debate”:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0813_wirestarwars.html

ADD/ADHD

“Does your child need ADHD drugs? …

Unbeknownst to her parents, Sydney Kirk tried a little medical experiment on herself when she was in the eighth grade. For a day or two, every so often, she stopped taking her drugs for her attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.

“I told my parents I just forgot to take them, but really I wasn’t taking them on purpose,” says Sydney, who’s now 15 and about to start 10th grade at a private school in Olney, Maryland. “I just didn’t like how they made me feel. They made me shy and less talkative. I wasn’t myself.”:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/30/adhd.drugs.children/index.html

“Iowa youths abuse pills for ADHD treatment”:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090726/NEWS/907260347

“Why Ritalin isn’t candy”:

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/why-ritalin-isn%E2%80%99t-candy

“Hallucinations are rare side effects of ADHD medications”:

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/090801/6080119AU.html

“Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with ADHD”:

http://www.citeulike.org/user/bjh878/article/5314003

“Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental health publishes Vyvanse ADHD Data”:

http://www.drugs.com/clinical_trials/child-adolescent-psychiatry-mental-health-publishes-vyvanse-adhd-data-7835.html

“You may think Emily’s just naughty but I know better”:

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/features/4529605.You_may_think_Emily_s_just_naughty_but_I_know_better/

“Gilbert woman helps students prepare for SAT”:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2009/08/04/20090804gr-learning0807.html

ADRES “Adverse Drug Reaction Electronic System(Adverse Drug Reactions Website)”- This website provides patients, doctors, and other medical professionals with a comprehensive examination of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), side effects, and other safety information for both prescription and over-the-counter medications.. Our goal is to allow users of our website make informed decisions when taking (patients) or prescribing (doctors) drugs. We are providing unmatched information and analysis tools.

http://www.adverse-drug-reaction.net/

“adders.org”
Our objective is to promote awareness to AD/HD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and to provide information and as much free practical help as we can to those affected by the condition, both adults and children, their families in the UK and around the World via this website.

http://www.adders.org/

“ADDISS” The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service…

http://www.addiss.co.uk/index.html

“ADDA”:

http://www.add.org/index.html

“hi2u ADHD Pages”:

http://www..adhd..org.uk/

“CHADD”:

http://www.chadd.org/am/CustomPages/home/CHADD_Home.htm?CFID=2282059&CFTOKEN=38105335&jsessionid=f2303343221169802693562

SPORT

“Former professional racing cyclist supports Edd and Ben the Marathon Men”:

http://www.thamenews.net/readmore.asp?Content_ID=4595

“Take on the adidas Women’s Challenge this September”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1815&a=18075

“10-kilometre runs”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1816

“Trek Hadrian’s Wall – 7-9 August, 2009”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2088

“Trek Jordan 2009 – 10-14 September”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1833

“Cycle India – 27 November – 6 December, 2009”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1832

“Cycle Cuba – 14-22 March 2010”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2357

“Sky Diving”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1726

MUSIC

“Recluse ‘could be new Susan Boyle … A young man with Asperger’s Syndrome who did not set foot outside his home for seven years could become a singing sensation to rival Susan Boyle when he appears on the X Factor.”:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090805/ten-recluse-could-be-new-susan-boyle-5a7c575.html

“Asperger’s man who couldn’t leave his home for seven years heading for X Factor fame”:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1204455/Aspergers-man-leave-home-seven-years-heading-X-Factor-fame.html?ITO=1490

Callum Francis “Britain’s Got Talent 2009 semi-finalist on holiday in Malta … According to Britain’s Got Talent website Callum dreams of becoming a star on the West End stage. He has been studying at Sylvia Young’s stage school in London for the past year. Callum, who is mildly autistic, found the school’s unusual mix of academic and vocational lessons the perfect way to keep him focussed.”:

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=91809

“Stars shine for Autism Christmas Concert”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1972&a=19766

“The AutisMusic Project”:

http://www.autismusic.com/

ART

“Eric Jiani” Revisited:

http://www.art-alternatives.nl/pagina_eng/ericjiani.html

“Eric Jiani”:

http://www.eric-jiani-artist.com/

“Summer arts project for teenagers in London on the autism spectrum”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2122&a=19213

GLIMPSE – the talents of the autism community

They are painters, sculptors and photographers; poets and storytellers; musicians and creators of amazing video games. They are kids, teens and adults. Last year, a new online publication arose to celebrate the talents of autistic individuals and other developmental disabilities: GLIMPSE, offered by ICDL (The Interdisciplinary Council of Developmental and Learning Disorders). In late 2008, Volume 2 of GLIMPSE was released, and was expanded into a print book and notecards. The works are serious, humourous, deeply personal and illuminating. See it for yourself, share it with others, submit your own/your child’s work for inclusion in Volume 3, to release later this year. Find information and ordering details at www.icdl.com

“ARTROOM ………where under 17s can make and display art online”:

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artroom/index.php

MOVIES/ENTERTAINMENT

“Autistic film fans want full picture”:

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.2520380.0.autistic_film_fans_want_full_picture.php

 

Documentary: “The Autistic Me” to screen on BBC3, August 11”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/documentary_the_autistic_me_to_screen_on_bbc3_august_11.htm

    

“Rain Man to go on national tour”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2122&a=20076

“Morrissey does Rain Man(Includes Tour dates)”:

http://www.gm.tv/entertainment/tv/36580-morrissey-does-rain-man.html

“Adam: Playing It Straight”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/adam__playing_it_straight.htm

“Rose ‘immediately adored’ new film”:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090803/ten-rose-immediately-adored-new-film-5f8abb3.html

“Damages lawyer Rose Byrne”:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2009/07/26/2009-07-26_celebrity_pop_quiz_damages_lawyer_rose_bryne_.html?page=0

“Ioan Gruffud … Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”) will star in U.K.-based HSL Studio’s Kenneth Grahame biopic “Banking on Mr. Toad.”

Helmer Bruce Beresford is attached to direct the project, which charts Grahame’s journey to authoring of classic children’s book “The Wind in the Willows.” Pic will also touch on the relationship the author had with his autistic son.”:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006374.html?categoryId=28&cs=1

“Actors for Autism”:
http://www.actorsforautism.com/

BOOKS

“Visual Thinking Strategies for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders – The Language of Pictures”

Authors: Ellyn Lucas Arwood, Ed.D., Carole Kaulitz, M. Ed., and Mabel Brown, M.A.

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9040.htm

“2010 Hidden Curriculum One-A-Day Calendar for Kids – Items for Unstated Rules in Social Situations”

The Blackwell Family

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9020.htm

“2010 Hidden Curriculum One-A-Day Calendar for Older Adolescents and Adults”

Judy Endow

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9039.htm

“Two Calendar Package”

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9043.htm

“The Game of My Life: A True Story of Challenge, Triumph, and Growing Up Autistic”

Author: Jason J-Mac McElwain, Daniel Paisner

http://www.mugsy.org/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0451226194&templates=default&locale=uk

“Understanding Sam: (and Asperger’s Syndrome)”

Author: Clarabelle van Niekerk

http://www.mugsy.org/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=0974721719&templates=default&locale=uk

“Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the Secondary School(Autistic Spectrum Disorder Support Kit)”

Authors: Lynn Plimley and Maggie Bowen

http://www.mugsy.org/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=1412923115&templates=default&locale=uk

“Bright Splinters of the Mind: A Personal Story of Research with Autistic Savants”

Author: B. Hermelin

http://www.mugsy.org/cgi-bin/apf4/amazon_products_feed.cgi?Operation=ItemLookup&ItemId=1853029327&templates=default&locale=uk

“The ADHD Handbook: A Guide for Parents and Professionals”

Author: Alison Munden and Jon Arcelus

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781853027567

Award Winning “Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators”

Editors: Kari Dunn Muron and pamela Wolfberg Ph.D.

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9504.htm

“Helping Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities to Flourish: A Guide for Parents and Professionals

Author: Marilyn Martin

Foreword by Michelle Berg

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781843108580

“Caring for a Child with Autism”

A Practical Guide for Parents

Authors: Martin Ives and Nell Munroe, National Autistic Society

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781853029967

“Asperger Syndrome, Adolescence, and Identity: Looking Beyond the Label”

Authors: Harvey Molloy and Latika Vasil

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781843101260

“Autistic Planet”

Author: Jennifer Elder

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781843108429

MOVIE

“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” Rated: TBA

Worldwide Release Dates(From 18 September 2009): http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/cloudywithachanceofmeatballs/international/

Synopsis: Fans of the children’s picture book CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS will get to see the beloved title brought to life with gorgeous animation. Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, and Bruce Campbell lend their voices to this film about a town that has various types of food falling from the sky, rather than rain or snow.

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/1196077-cloudy_with_a_chance_of_meatballs/

Official Website:

http://cloudywithachanceofmeatballs.com/

VIDEO GAME

“Batman: Arkham Asylum 16+(Xbox 360, PS3, Microsoft Windows)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Arkham-Asylum-Xbox-360/dp/B001PO5NI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1249225342&sr=1-1

Official Website/View Trailer:

http://www.batmanarkhamasylum.com/

“Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans – Special Edition”(Wii, Nintendo DS, PC)

Release Date August 7

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Horrible-Histories-Ruthless-Romans-Special/dp/B001V7RJEG/ref=pd_nr_vg_h__50?ie=UTF8&s=videogames

“Wii Sports Resort Review”:

http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/83/wii-sports-resort-2e5483.html

“Race is on to evolve the ultimate Mario”:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17560-race-is-on-to-evolve-the-ultimate-mario.html

TECH

 

“Cosy Social Networks Are Stifling Innovation”:

“To enable innovation it may be necessary to reduce the number of social ties between coders,” says Mayer-Schönberger.”

 

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327195.600-cosy-social-networks-are-stifling-innovation.html

SPACE

Photographed by the Hubble telescope, courtesy of NASA, it appears, with more details, here:
www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/28283519.html

“Snapshots From Inside An Exploding Star”

Physicists at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago have used the IBM Blue Gene/P supercomputer to model the extreme physics of a supernova explosion.

http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/visualisingsupernova/

Take care,

Julie

 
BRIGHT FUTURE: Front, William Burtonwood, aged 11 is pictured with his mother, Mandy Burtonwood, and back row, from the left, teaching assistants Jan Balchin and Linda Haslam with Anita Kobryn, learning mentor

11:00am Wednesday 5th August 2009

THE parents of young William Burtonwood are confident he has a bright future ahead of him thanks to the care and support he received from his primary school.

Mum Mandy cannot praise St Stephen and All Martyrs CE Primary School highly enough for bringing out the best in her son, who has special educational needs.

Yet only three years ago she was worried about to what the future held for him because he was constantly in trouble at his old school.

She said: “I withdrew him from the school he was at. The teachers were always ringing saying he had been naughty. It was all getting too much and we did not know what to do.”

Thanks to a glowing report from family members who had attended St Stephen and All Martyrs in Darcy Lever, she decided to send William there.

Soon after starting, William, aged 11, was referred for specialist help and was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and autism and received a special educational needs statement.

Read Article in Full: 
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/boltonnews/4529603.Mum_praises_school_for_special_care_of_her_son/?ref=rss

 

Andrew Hyde PLoS Medicine

Identification of criteria for the detection of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) appear able to identify bereaved persons at heightened risk for enduring distress and dysfunction, says a new study in this week’s open access journal PLoS Medicine. The results support the psychometric validity of the criteria for prolonged grief disorder and should be included in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11), say the authors.

Dr Holly Prigerson from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and her colleagues conducted a field trial to develop and evaluate algorithms for diagnosing prolonged grief disorder based on a set of symptoms agreed upon by experts in bereavement, mood and anxiety disorders, and psychiatric nosology.

They interviewed 291 bereaved individuals three times in the two years following the loss of a spouse about their experiences of these symptoms. Using item response theory and combinatoric analysis, the researchers identified the most sensitive and specific algorithm for the diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder. This algorithm included yearning (physical or emotional suffering because of an unfulfilled desire for reunion with the deceased) and at least five of nine additional symptoms including emotional numbness, feeling that life is meaningless, and avoidance of the reality of the loss, which had to have persisted for at least 6 months after the bereavement and to be associated with functional impairment.

In addition, the researchers report that individuals in their study given a diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder 6 months after a death had a higher subsequent risk of mental health and functional impairment than people not diagnosed with prolonged grief disorder.

Currently, grief is not recognized as a mental disorder in the DSM-IV or the ICD-10.

The authors say that their work confirms the distinctiveness of the symptoms of prolonged grief disorder, and “that PGD meets DSM criteria for inclusion as a distinct mental disorder on the grounds that it is a clinically significant form of psychological distress associated with substantial disability.”

In an accompanying Perspective article, Dr Stephen Workman (not involved in the research) from the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, says that by persuasively establishing PGD as a uniquely identifiable illness that may require specific treatments, Dr Prigerson and colleagues have separated prolonged grief disorder from normal grief and from other forms of pathologic grief responses. He says from a clinician’s perspective that the work is “rigorous, compassionate, and humane.”

The study was funded by U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Institutes of Health and U.S. National Cancer Institute grants.