Bipolar Disorder

So I just learned something new this week and that is that depression can be either unipolar or bipolar disorder.I'm sure you all have heard of bipolar disorder but what exactly is it all about, we'll be covering this subject more in depth today.

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive disorder and it consists of severe alterations in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior. The previous mentioned alternate from one extreme to another between depression and mania.The image below demonstrates the two extremes I just mentioned.

Let's further break things down to get a better understanding of what mania and depression involve.

Signs and Symptoms of Mania include

• Feeling extremely optimistic or extremely irritable
• Unrealistic grandiose beliefs
• Speaking rapidly
• Having no rest, yet feeling energetic
• Highly distractible
• Reckless behavior
• Racing thoughts
• Impaired judgement

Signs and symptoms of bipolar depression include

• Thoughts of death and suicide
• Can't experience pleasure
• Fatigue 
• Loss of energy
• Weight changes
• Sluggishness
• Feelings of worthlessness
• 
  

For those of you who didn't know there are actually two types of bipolar disorder; bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I Disorder consists of full-blown episodes of mania.These episodes can last for days and are so severe that they require hospital intervention. It usually also involves a severe depression state. Bipolar II Disorder involve milder manic phases (Hypomania).Bipolar disorder does run in family but the exact genes that cause it have not yet been identified.

Despite the effort to find a cure to this disorder, researchers have not yet found one.There are treatments for it though, but know that because it is a lifelong disorder, long-term treatments are needed. Treatment includes:

• Mood stabilizing medication
• Antidepressant medication
• Psychotherapy- Cognitive behavioral therapy, Family-focused therapy, Interpersonal and social rythm therapy.
• Electroconvulsive Therapy

Now, I can only imagine how hard it can be to live with a bipolar disorder but let's not forget of their caregivers whose lives have also been dramatically affected by such disorder. It can be very hard to cope with a loved one's bipolar symptoms. For that reason I applaud each and every one of you out there who manage to take care of someone with bipolar disorder.



http://www.helpguide.org/mental/bipolar_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

Anxiety Disorders

Have you ever suffered of shortness of breath, followed by a chest pounding feeling with a sense of nervousness before a speech? If the answer is yes, you may have experienced anxiety. This can be normal for many of us. I for example despise public speeches even if there is only an audience of five I will begin to sweat, feel sick to my stomach, and to top it off I stutter like crazy! Unfortunately for more than four million adults, in the U.S. alone, their anxiety experiences can be a lot more severe than mine.


There are actually different types of Anxiety Disorders. Some of these include the following:

• Panic Disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Social anxiety disorder
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Phobia

In the image above you can see just a brief description of the different anxiety attacks I mentioned. Now let's go a bit more in depth regarding the first two types of anxiety disorders I just mentioned.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder affects 6 million American adults, it may sometimes run in the family, yet there is no known exact cause of it. Signs can include the following:

• Sudden and repeated attacks of fear
• An intense worry of she the next attack will occur
• Physical symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, breathing problems, dizziness, or numb hands during an attack.
• A feeling of being out of control during an attack

Panic disorder is treated with psychotherapy or/and medication.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

People who have PTSD develop it after a traumatic incident such as a mugging, rape, torture, car accidents, and natural disasters. They tend to feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger. Scientists are currently focusing on genes and specific brain areas that can can be associated with this disorder.

Signs and symptoms of PTSD can include the following:

• Re-experiencing Symptoms. Such as having flashbacks or bad dreams
• Avoidance Symptoms. An example of this would be staying away from things that remind you of that traumatic event.
• Hyperarousal Symptoms. Being easily startled, feeling tense.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with psychotherapy and medications are used to treat PTSD.



http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/panic-disorder/index.shtml
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-anxiety-disorders
http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cr7IomSy8s
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/05/how-to-overcome-anxiety-starting-now.html

Olfaction: Your Nose Knows

So we all know we have five senses; sight, hearing, taste smell and touch. I think we all know by now what we can do with each of this senses BUT would you be able to explain what or exactly how this senses work? Today we'll be discussing one of these senses in particular and that is, the sense of smell. Can you imagine what it would be like to go around in life without being able to smell the food you eat or not being able to be outside in a spring afternoon and smell the fresh scent of the flowers, trees, and grass? I mean there are some situations I think I could get by without smelling, but we won't be thinking of those today.

So the sense of smell is usually referred to as that, the sense of smell but today I'd like for you all to learn of a new term; olfaction. Olfaction, which is the sense of smell, is the response to chemicals that contact the membranes inside the nose. It plays an important role on our food selection and believe it or not in social behavior as well.

Of course the nose is the organ responsible for the sense of smell but have you ever wondered how it gets transmitted or signaled to our brain, so we can somehow know whether we like a smell or not? Take a look at the image below (I'm a visual learner so seeing videos and images explaining step by step of systems and procedures really help me understand them better, and I hope it does the same for you).

The neurons responsible for smell are the olfactory cells which are located in the (Cilia) nasal cavity, you can see them in the closer image of them below. As the image depicts once the odorant molecules are inhaled, they activate the olfactory receptor cells by binding to receptors, at the same time its axon carries an impulse to the olfactory bulb. The Olfactory bulb then sends axons to the olfactory area of the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus amygdala, and the hippocampus where a complex substance can activate a scattered population of cells.

As with anything else humans differentiate in olfaction. Here are some facts I found to be quite interesting:

• Everyone has a unique "smell print". No two people smell the same way.
• Scents can cue memories. As in when you smell a specific scent it might take you back to for example when you were a kid and your grandma baked for you.
• Women tend to have stronger smell senses than men.
• Dogs' olfactory ability is estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans.
• About 5% of the population suffers of Anosmia; a disorder in which you can't smell.
• A cockroach antenna has 195,000 olfactory receptors.

Want to test yourself on what you learned on today's blog? Go ahead and take the Olfaction Quiz! Let me know how you do on it!




http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/nosek.html
http://compassionate-therapy.net.au/resources/the-senses-olfaction/

Alzheimer's; The epidemic

Can you imagine what it is like to wake up from a nap and not know where you're at? Add to that having a young man tell you he is your son, but you simply don't recall ever having a child. Unfortunately, this is a scenario people with Alzheimer's go through multiple times a day at times. I firsthand know how hard it can be to have a relative with that condition, in my case it was my great grandfather who was diagnosed with it.

Alzheimer's is a neurological disease in which brain cells die causing memory loss and cognitive decline, this may leave you wondering what exactly happens to the brain when a large amount of cells die. As you can see in the image below it causes the brain to shrink.

As we all know any damage to the brain can be devastating, consequently a person with Alzheimer's suffers of the following:

• Memory Loss
• Confusion
• Depression
• Restlessness
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Sleeplessness
• Loss appetite

Unfortunately as the disease progresses so does the seriousness of this symptoms.

Many people tend to think that Alzheimer's is simply a result of old age, to many's surprise it can actually be due to genetics as well. In addition, people who have suffered of a head trauma, or simply have high blood pressure can be prone to it as well. Something I found to be very interesting and is one of the reasons to why I am talking about this today is that women have a high probability of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease when compared to men. As a woman, I found this quite alarming. I for a fact am certain that not one of the females (Grandma, aunts, sister, etc.) I know are aware of this statistics thus I'd like to raise some sort of awareness. 

Take a look at this video to learn about some very scary statistics over this disease I promise you this 1 minute video is worthwhile.

Unfortunately there is no known cure for this type of Dementia, but know that there are treatments out there that can slow down the worsening of the symptoms and improve their quality of life.  Know that you are not alone in this journey just like you there are millions of others with a relative or family friend with this condition. When times are hard, simply try to reach out to others who are going through the same situation as you, one way you can do this is through online support groups. Go ahead and click on this Link  to get in contact with support groups. Or if you prefer to speak to someone call this number 1- 800-272- 3900 or 1-866-403-3073

If you want more information on Alzheimer’s disease take a look at the video below or simply click on the links I put up as well. As always, I hope you all enjoyed today’s blog.

http://www.alz.org/braintour/severe_stage.asp

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php#causes

One Brain, Two Hemispheres

So we all know we have a brain and that it is basically the control system of our entire body, but how many of you know that our brain consists of two hemispheres and that each hemisphere specializes in different functions and parts of our body? Don’t worry this week I will be talking about the two hemispheres in our brain and their input.

In order to begin explaining what each hemisphere is responsible for you must understand that the two hemispheres are connected through the corpus callosum which allows them to communicate. It is the corpus callosum that enables brain lateralization as well. In other words the work is divided between both hemispheres with the exception of the trunk and facial muscles, which both hemispheres control.

Initially you would think that the right hemisphere is responsible for our right side and vice versa, but guess what!? That is not how it works, turns out its kind of the opposite! Surprisingly enough each brain hemisphere is connected to skin receptors and muscles on the opposite side. An example of this would be hearing, both hemispheres receive the information from both ears yet, they receive stronger information from the contralateral ear.

Let's further talk about what's each hemisphere's forte.

The Right Hemisphere

This hemisphere can recognize emotions in others and spatial relationships better than the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere tends to look more on overall patterns as well as holistic thinking. Below are listed a couple of dominant functions of the right hemisphere

* Spatial abilities

* Art, Music

* Visual Imagery

* Cognitive Functioning

* Face Recognition

* Creative Thinking

* Nonverbal

The Left Hemisphere

This hemisphere specializes more in language, and logic. I also listed a couple of dominant functions of the left hemisphere.

* Science and Math

* Reasoning

* Writing

* Organization

* Abstract Thinking

* Details

* Verbal

Even though each hemisphere emphasizes on different functions they do work together. Yet, some people tend to be more left brain oriented, vice versa, or simply equally oriented by both. Want to know if you are right or left brain dominant? How about you test yourself with the following:

If you said yellow you could be left brain dominant,
but if you said green you are right brain dominant.

Name the color of the first word on the image below out loud... How hard was that?

On the video below, you will be asked to concentrate on the nose, give it a try and let me know what image was more dominant. (I can't talk more about it before you see it or I will spoil it for you!)

 So what did you all think, are you left or right brain dominant? Comment below and let me know! If you want to learn a little more or you simply want to understand something better feel free to take a look at the links below they are definitely excellent educative websites and videos.

References:

http://www.mindupdate.com/2007/09/brain-asymmetry-and-why-it-is-important/ http://www.livescience

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.hmtl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qi5_dANWYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCiVXQUhhRs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

I think we all know the importance and impact that brain development can have on us and the importance of staying drug free during pregnancy. But exactly how bad is it for an expectant mother, to have a drink or two?

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition which children of mothers who drink heavily during pregnancy are born with. Children with this syndrome tend to have the following problems: hyperactivity, impulsiveness, difficulty maintaining attention, varying degrees of mental retardation, motor problems, heart defects, and facial abnormalities.

FAS is a term coined over 30 years ago, despite the efforts to decrease alcohol during pregnancy through public awareness, FAS remains the leading known preventable cause of mental retardation.

How Alcohol Affects the Brain

Alcohol suppresses the release of glutamate, the brain’s main excitatory transmitter, and enhances activity of GABA, the main inhibitory transmitter. Subsequently, many neurons obtain less excitation and neurotrophins than normal, and they undergo apoptosis, which triggers cells to basically auto destroy themselves.

Impact of Alcohol on Physical Abnormalities

FAS children may be identified by their dysmorphic facial features. Know that features are not always present. As you can see in the image below their facial features can include the following: Underdeveloped jaw, thin upper lip, short nose, small eye opening, flat midface, and smooth philtrum.

 

Statistics

*        12.2% of pregnant women (about 1 in 8) reported any alcohol use in the past 30 days. This rate has remained stable over the 15 year period.

*        Pregnant women most likely to report any alcohol use were:

o   35-44 years of age (17.7%), College graduates (14.4%), Employed (13.7%), Unmarried (13.4%

 

 I am writing this blog today in an effort to raise awareness over this topic. In addition to the brief description of FAS I gave you today, the two videos below shows what life is like for a person with FAS, the second video is a a more severe case of FAS, and I wanted to give you guys something to compare. I encourage you all to take a glance at them because they are a great eye opener, and I just hope it will encourage you guys to stand up for such an important cause.

 

Resources:

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/FASDFactsheet/FASD.pdf

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/fetal-alcohol-exposure

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/data.html

 

Ad-dic-tion

So we are back to new topic Thursday! I really wanted to talk about something interesting today so I chose the following topic; Addiction. This topic actually hits close to home since I know, first hand, what it is like to have a relative undergo a drug addiction and I know exactly how hard it can be on the family and how much people around them are hurt by the addiction.

Definitions of Addiction

Ad-dic-tion

Noun. A strong or harmful need to have something or do something.

Synonyms; dependency, habit, problem

Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, social and spiritual manifestations.

 

So what do YOU think when you hear the word addiction? People tend to think about drug and alcohol addiction only, when hearing that word, but addiction actually covers whole lot more than that. Like the first definition states, an addiction can be a strong need to have something, such as a drug, at the same time it can be a strong need to do something such as gambling, or surfing the internet constantly. Oddly enough people who have an addiction usually know that their addiction is harmful yet they are unable to quit it. Some theorists have tried to explain addiction by stating that in a way it’s an attempt to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Which leads us to what is a withdrawal symptom? Withdrawal symptoms are the way our body reacts when a drug which it is used to have, is absent.

As addiction persists people with addictions become more tolerant of the drug they use. In other words they need to consume a larger amount of the drug in order to fulfill or satisfy their need for it. This is what can sometimes lead to overdoses and, and also makes it a whole lot more complicated for people to simply quit drugs.

An interesting fact I'd actually like to share with you is that believe it or not genetic does play a role in the likelihood that an individual will develope an addiction. Obviously this is not the only contributing factor but it is definitely something I didn't know before. These are a couple of other contributing factors:

-The repeated engagement in drug use or other addictive behaviors
-Exposure to trauma or stressors
-Cognitive and affective distortions

Addictions don't just hurt the individual but those around them as well. The clip below shows how drug addictions can negatively affect someone physically.

What can you do to help someone with an addiction? Well below are a couple of links of centers that help people with addiction problems. In my family's case we found that rehabilitation centers can be VERY helpful but at the end it is through family support that you can help a loved one get through such a tough time in life.

http://www.thetreatmentcenter.com/lp/drug-and-alcohol-addiction-info-lp/?mm_campaign=8dce91bb9eaf191799b730525ae912e9&keyword=addiction&search&&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=DrugAb=arch&ad_type=e&creative=26176103829&position=1t1&gclid=CPLYzYT3ybwCFRNp7AodnXgAow


If you  want more information over addiction, I personally found this website to be very helpful.
http://www.asam.org/for-the-public/definition-of-addiction

Neurons

And we are back for the week with a complete new topic that I’m hoping will not bore you all. This week’s topic is... Neurons and their function!

So first question, what is a neuron? Well it is actually a cell that receives information and transmits it to other cells throughout our body. What makes neurons super cool is that there are approximately 100 billion of them in our brain! Even though, there’s billions of them and you’d think that they all look the same, guess what!? They don’t! Neurons vary enormously in size, shape and function. I’ll be talking more in depth about these differences later. There is actually two types of neurons; motor and sensory neurons. Motor neurons have their soma in the spinal cord (Which you can see in the first image). They receive excitation and conduct impulses along their axon to other organs which is why they are efferent from the nervous system. We also have the sensory neurons which are afferent to the rest of the nervous system.

Large neurons have dendrites, a soma, an axon, and presynaptic terminals while smaller neurons may lack an axon and well defined dendrites.

Dendrites are branching fibers that receive information from other neurons. The soma which is the cell body contains the nucleus, ribosomes, and mitochondria; this is actually where most of the metabolic work takes place. We then have the axon, which is the information sender to other neurons, organs, and muscles. Humans actually have axons running from our spinal cord to our feet. Something I find to be fascinating is the fact that axons can actually be a meter or even longer!

On the following image you can see the differences between a motor neuron and a sensory  neuron.

Information is sent from neuron to neuron through synapses, which is basically impulses. Interesting enough neurons never physically touch to exchange information. Information is actually exchanged

through a presynaptic terminal. In the following image you can see the events occurring at a synapse. 

As I mentioned earlier there is a variety of shapes of neurons. A lot of the times it is this diversity that determines the function of the cells and their contribution to the nervous system. The following is an image of the different shaped neurons that can be found throughout our bodies. For example the Pukinje cell (which you can see in the image below) can only be found in the cerebellum and are responsible for most of the electrochemical signaling in the cerebellum. 

Minimalist vs. Abolitionist: What's your take?

Today’s topic: (drum set please) Animal Research: Minimalist vs. Abolitionist! I know, I know this is a very controversial topic; people tend to be either 100% for it or completely against it, and there’s usually no middle ground in this subject, but I think this topic will really get us talking today.

 There’s actually two degrees of opposition which are the following: Minimalist and Abolitionist. Minimalist tends to believe that Animal experimentation can be useful up to certain extent and under specific regulations, on the other hand we have the Abolitionist (TUN, TUN TUN!!) I don’t know about you all but I happen to find the name itself a bit intimidating. Any who, who are the abolitionist and what’s their take on animal experimentation, you may wonder... Well Abolitionist are the complete opposite of the Minimalist, they think that animals should have the same rights as humans do, thus there should be absolutely no animal experimentation what so ever.  So… Which do you consider yourself to be?

These two groups can be quite extreme when it comes to getting their points across. For example it has been known that groups of abolitionists have vandalized laboratories, and have even gone to the extent of placing bombs under researcher’s car. Ironic don’t you think? Yeah let’s save animal’s lives by murdering the people who conduct experiments on them.

This ad represents a reply by supporters of animal research.

 

Many medical advances would not have taken place, if it had not been for animal testing. Many people think that animal testing is the base for research, and it simply isn’t. Animal research is only used to address specific questions that cannot be addressed any other way but through experimentation.

I, a Minimalist, personally believe that animal experimentation can be very helpful when it comes to finding cures. Thanks to those researches conducted, vaccines for smallpox, polio, etc. have been found. And yes I totally understand and agree on how it may not be fair because animals can’t speak for themselves and it may seem cruel, but understand that that is the only way we can address research questions. Just imagine if an animal testing were to be banned completely, the pace of medical research would hit a complete stop. In addition, in an attempt to decrease animal cruelty throughout an experiment, many of the animal research today is done under strict legal and ethical control.