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A Glossary of Terms to Understand Mental Illness More Thoroughly
"Acute"
Acute refers to something
that occurs at a specific time often for a relatively short duration.
i.e, acute exercise refers to a bout of exercise done at a specific time for a specific amount of time.
- Acute
anxiety is anxiety that exists in a person in response to a specific event (same
as state anxiety).
excerpt from: American Family
Physician Website: Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Initial Assessment
After obtaining a patient history, the physician
should try to categorize the anxiety as acute (or brief or intermittent)
or persistent (or chronic).15,16
Acute
anxiety lasts from hours to weeks (in contrast, panic attacks last for minutes) and is usually preceded by a stressor. Often, comorbid conditions (e.g., major depression) aren't present.15 Persistent anxiety lasts for months
to years and can include what is called "trait anxiety." Trait anxiety
can be viewed as part of a patient's temperament; i.e., a patient may say, "I've always been nervous, but I don't know about what."
Although there's usually not
a precipitating stressor in most cases of persistent anxiety, a stressor can exacerbate the patient's baseline level of anxiety.
This situation is called "double anxiety" (i.e., acute
anxiety superimposed on persistent anxiety).15 GAD is a form of persistent anxiety and can occur in patients with or without trait anxiety.
Patients with
GAD present with a wide variety of symptoms and range of severity.12 Some patients may emphasize
a special symptom (e.g., insomnia) and not report other symptoms that are usually associated w/ GAD.12
Some patients
may not complain of anxiety or specific worries but present with exclusively somatic symptoms (physical symptoms) such as diarrhea, palpitations, dyspnea, abdominal pain, headache or chest pain.2
These patients
warrant a full medical evaluation because there may be no indication that GAD is the etiology. Conversely, physicians should include a psychiatric disorder in the differential diagnosis when symptoms
are vaguely described, don't conform to known pathophysiologic mechanisms, persist after a negative work-up and aren't resolved
by reassurance.
Patients with
this clinical profile should be asked as early in the evaluation as possible about worries, "nerves," or anxiety, acute or chronic stressors and about the presence of symptoms listed in Tables 110 and 2.10,11 ( click the underlined links to view tables)
" Affective Disorder - (also called Mood Disorder) "
(click the above underlined link to
go to the Affective Disorder Page, which includes descriptions of all the disorders below)
A category of mental health problems that includes:
A category of mental
health problems that includes a disturbance in mood, usually profound sadness or apathy, euphoria or irritability, such as the disorder, depression.
" Agoraphobia "
A Greek word that
literally means "fear of the marketplace."
This
anxiety disorder is characterized by a fear of open, public places or of being in crowds. Agoraphobics often experience panic attacks in a place or situation from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing.
" amino acid '
An
organic compound containing an amino group (NH2), a carboxylic acid group (COOH) and any
of various side groups, especially any of the 20 compounds that have the basic formula NH2CHRCOOH and that link together by
peptide bonds to form proteins or that function as chemical messengers and as intermediates in metabolism.
or the easier to understand version: amino acids - (click to directly visit the source site)
Amino
acids are the molecular units that make up proteins. All proteins are various compositions
of 20 specific naturally occurring amino acids.
The 20 amino acids
(that make up proteins) each
have assigned to them both 3-letter (can be upper or lower case)
and 1-letter codes (upper case). This makes it quicker and easier
for notation purposes and are worth learning.
The following list
gives these notations along with hypertext references to download amino acid gif images and also interactive
molecules.
The format of the list is:
amino acid name - 3 letter code - 1 letter code (reference to gif image, reference to interactive
molecule)
- alanine - ala - A gif, interactive
- arginine - arg - R gif, interactive
- asparagine - asn - N gif, interactive
- aspartic acid - asp - D gif, interactive
- cysteine - cys - C gif, interactive
- glutamine - gln - Q gif, interactive
- glutamic acid - glu - E gif, interactive
- glycine - gly - G gif, interactive
- histidine - his - H gif, interactive
- isoleucine - ile - I gif, interactive
- leucine - leu - L gif, interactive
- lysine - lys - K gif, interactive
- methionine - met - M gif, interactive
- phenylalanine - phe - F gif, interactive
- proline - pro - P gif, interactive
- serine - ser - S gif, interactive
- threonine - thr - T gif, interactive
- tryptophan - trp - W gif, interactive
- tyrosine - tyr - Y gif, interactive
- valine - val - V gif, interactive
Sometimes it's not possible to differentiate 2 closely related amino acids,
therefore we have the special cases:
- asparagine/aspartic acid - asx - B
- glutamine/glutamic acid - glx - Z
excerpt: from: ask the dietician
I exercise frequently, so I try to eat a diet rich in amino acids. Unfortunately, I don't really know how to tell what amino
acids (or how much of them) I get from what I eat.
Since food labels don't give us this information, is there another way to find out?
First you need to write down
everything you eat. Then your choices are to either send your food records to a Registered Dietitian who could analyze the amino acid
content in the foods you eat or find a nutrition software package that has amino acid content
of foods in their database.
A dietitian's report could
include the levels of 9 essential amino acids in your foods including histidine, which is essential only for children. Their report also graphs your food plus any amino acid supplements you may take so you can see the combined effect.
A dietitian could also include
the amounts of non-essential amino acids you eat. Remember that non-essential
amino acids are still necessary to the body, but that your body can manufacture non-essential
amino acids from essential amino acids.
Your other choice is a nutrition
software package. Look for software that contains a database of amino acid content in food.
There are very few nutrition software packages that contain amino acid food values though.
Those that do are designed for nutrition professionals and are usually not available to consumers.
new question: What are the
benefits and problems associated with amino acid supplements, particularly a supplement
with a wide variety of amino acids, for an individual on a heavy workout schedule and a high carbohydrate diet? I've heard that L-tryptophan supplements are associated with
a blood disease, is this true?
Tryptophan
is an essential amino acid when taken as a supplement can make a person sleepy. Turkey is
high in tryptophan and do you remember how a turkey dinner makes people sleepy? Tryptophan isn't associated with a blood disease.
Phenylalanine
is another essential amino acid that isn't metabolized very well by children and adults
with PKU. Is this the blood disease you were thinking of? PKU is genetically passed from parent to child.
There's no research to support
any benefit to taking amino acid supplements for persons who exercise. Amino acids are either essential (8 can't be made by
the body & must come from a source outside the body) or non-essential (12 that can be made within the body from essential amino acids).
If you take an amino acid supplement, make sure it contains only essential amino acids
(isoleucine, leucine, lysine,
methionine, phenylalanine, threonine,
tryptophan and valine) or you're wasting your money.
Amino
acids eaten in crystalline form will be absorbed directly into the blood stream. Your body can only use so much protein
and any excess is used for energy or stored as fat. Your body uses protein to build and repair lean tissue (muscles & organs).
Weight lifting will increase muscle size and the average US diet and the RDA contains enough protein (females
50 gm & males 63 gm per day) to promote an increase in muscle mass.
Some weight lifters talk about
lifting breaking down their muscles. Any movement of protein out of muscles will go into the blood pool of amino acids that's available to all lean tissue. Research has shown that the uptake of amino
acids improves in weight lifters during recovery after exercise.
A healthy person doesn't loose
significant protein other than through hair and nails. So the protein and amino acids you
eat stay in your body.
" Anger - an emotion or feeling
"
The experience of
intense annoyance that inspires hostile and aggressive thoughts and actions.
" Antidepressants "
Medications used in the treatment of depression and other psychiatric disorders.
Antisocial
Personality Disorder
A disorder characterized by a disregard for the feelings, property, authority and respect of others, for an individual's own personal gain.
This may include violent or aggressive destructive actions towards other individuals, without a sense or remorse or guilt.
" Anxiety - an element of Anxiety Disorder "
Anxiety is a form of negative self-appraisal characterized by worry, self-doubt and apprehension. A feeling of unease and fear of impending anger characterized by physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling and feelings of stress. In contrast to fear, the danger or threat in anxiety is imagined, not real.
" Arousal "
An abrupt
change from sleep to wakefulness, or from a "deeper" stage of non-REM sleep to a "lighter" stage
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral condition
in which children have difficulties paying attention and focusing on tasks. This common disorder begins in early childhood and can continue into adulthood. If not recognized and treated, it can cause problems at home, school and work and with relationships.
More about the
details of ADHD can be found if you click here!
Additional Article:
The Impact Of ADHD in America
"Autism"
What is
Autism?
Autism is a complex condition sharing many similarities with other conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia
and ADHD. For a diagnosis of autism to be made, there must be some other symptoms such as difficulties with:
Autism appears to be occurring more often and while autism used to
occur primarily from birth, over the past 10 years there's been a dramatic increase in late onset autism,
most frequently diagnosed in the 2nd year of life.
What causes Autism?
As with many
conditions there's debate as to whether autism is inherited or caused by something
like diet or environment.
Autism is 4 times as common in boys as it is in girls. Parents and siblings of autistic
children are far more likely to suffer from:
-
milk or gluten allergy
-
have digestive disorders
-
irritable bowel syndrome
-
high cholesterol
-
night blindness
-
light sensitivity
-
thyroid problems
-
cancer
Being breastfed increases
the risk. One might suspect that autistic children may inherit certain imbalances;
an alternative explanation might be that other family members eat the same food and may be lacking the same nutrients and
there's growing evidence that some of the nutritional approaches used to help correct dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD can make
a significant difference to the autistic child.
Recently there's
been a raging debate over the danger of the MMR vaccine causing autism in children. The official line is that there's no good evidence of such a danger. There's some truth in this, in that Dr. Andrew Wakefield's
research at the Royal Free Hospital, while important, is the first hint of a problem and it may be too early to jump to conclusions.
For most children, the MMR vaccine is unlikely to be a problem, however no one really knows the full consequences or giving a child
3 immune attacks-mumps, measles and rubella- all at the same time.
Getting all 3
illnesses at once simply doesn't occur in nature, so there's a logical argument for single vaccines if a parent so chooses,
especially for children with weakened immune systems.
Perhaps for children with nutrient deficiencies, lacking essential fatty acids, susceptible to food allergies and/or gut problems, these triple
vaccines are the last straw.
How
to Improve the Symptoms of Autism
- Ensure that any nutrient
deficiencies are addressed - Research has shown that addressing nutrient deficiencies can dramatically improve symptoms in
Autistic children. Nutrients of particular importance are Vitamins B6, Vitamin C Vitamin
A, Zinc and Magnesium .
- Vitamin B6 is of particular
help in children with pyroluria a condition in which high levels of compounds called pyroles are excreted in the urine and cause a deficiency
of zinc and B6. Pyroluria should be suspected in children with facial swelling and with a history of frequent colds and middle ear infections and can be tested with a simple urine
test
- Ensure adequate intake of
essential fats - Research has shown that some autistic children have an enzymatic defect
that removes essential fatty acids from brain cell membranes more quickly than it should.
- Consequently supplementing
the Omega 3 fatty acid EPA, which can slow the activity of this enzyme may show beneficial effects.
- Remove Allergens - In addition
to nutrient deficiencies, the most significant contributing factor in autism appears to
be undesirable foods and chemicals that often reach the brain via the bloodstream because of faulty digestion and absorption.
- The foods which seem to adversely
influence a large number of children include wheat and other gluten containing grains, milk and other dairy products including casein, citrus fruits, chocolate,
artificial food colorings, paracetamol, salicylates (prunes, raisins, raspberries, almonds,
apricots, canned cherries, black currants, oranges, strawberries, grapes, tomato sauce, plums, cucumbers and granny
smith apples), nightshade family foods (potatoes, tomatoes,
aubergines).
- The strongest direct evidence
of foods linked to autism involves wheat and dairy and the specific proteins they contain
- namely gluten and casein. These are difficult to digest and can result in allergy especially if introduced too early in
life.
- Supplement Nutrients for
a healthy gut - A large proportion of parents of autistic children report that
their child received repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotic drugs for ear or other respiratory infections during the first
year of life.
- Such broad spectrum antibiotics
kill the good as well as the bad bacteria in the gut, weakening the intestinal membranes. Restoring a healthy gut, by supplementing
digestive enzymes and probiotics is known to produce positive results in autistic children.
- The amino acid L-glutamine
is especially important in restoring the integrity of the digestive tract. Drinking 5g dissolved in water just before bedtime
can help heal the gut.
Avoidance Behavior
Avoidance describes an exaggerated predisposition to withdraw from normal situations and to avoid personal challenges as threats. This is the behavioral state that often accompanies the distress of someone who has a high level of neuroticism and low self-efficacy (Vaughan & Oldham, 1997).
Closely related to the characteristics of behavioral inhibition or introversion, the trait of avoidance appears to be partly inherited and is associated with shyness, anxiety and depressive disorders in both childhood and adult life, as well as the subsequent development of substance abuse disorders (Vaughan & Oldham, 1997; Kagan et al., 1988).
The people with low levels of harm avoidance are described as healthy extroverts and are characterized by confident, carefree, or outgoing behaviors.
Avoidant Personality Disorder
People
with avoidant personality disorder avoid situations with potential for conflict or rejection and are disturbed by their own social isolation, withdrawal and inability to form close, interpersonal relationships.
"Basic Sleep Cycle"
The progression through orderly
succession of sleep states and stages. For the healthy adult, the first cycle is begins by going from wakefulness to non-REM
sleep.
The first REM period follows
the first period of non-REM sleep, and the 2 sleep states continue to alternate throughout the night w/an average period of
about 90 minutes.
A night of normal human
sleep usually consists of 4-6 non-REM/REM sleep cycles.
" Behavioral Therapy "
A form of psychotherapy that focuses on modifying observable problematic behaviors by manipulating the individual's environment.
"
Biological Clock "
A term for
the brain process causing us to have 24-hour fluctuations in body temperature, hormone secretion and other bodily activities.
The most
important function fosters the daily alternation of sleep and wakefulness. The biological clock is found in a pair of tiny bilateral brain areas called the suprachiasmatic nuclei.
additional resource:
Understanding the Biological Clock
"
Bipolar Disorder "
A mood disorder, once called manic-depressive disorder, that's characterized by episodes of major depression and mania.
" Borderline Personality Disorder "
People with this disorder present instability in their perceptions of
themselves and have difficulty maintaining stable relationships.
Moods may be inconsistent, but never neutral - their sense of reality is always seen in "black and white."
Adults
with borderline personality disorder often seek care taking through the manipulation of others, leaving them often feeling empty, angry and abandoned, which may lead to desperate and impulsive behavior.
" Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist "
Licensed physicians who specialize in the
evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders in children and adolescents.
" Chronic "
Chronic refers to something that
persists for a relatively long period of time. Chronic depression, i.e., would be depression that lasts a long time. A chronic exerciser is someone who does exercise on a regular basis.
" Circadian Rhythm "
The innate, daily, fluctuation of behavioral and physiological functions, including
sleep waking, generally tied to the 24 hour day-night cycle but sometimes to a different (e.g., 23 or 25 hour)
periodicity when light/dark and other time cues are removed.
"Claustrophobia"
A fear of enclosed spaces.
"
Clinical depression "
This is depression (see definition) that persists for a relatively long period of time or becomes so severe that a person needs special help to cope with day-to-day affairs.
"
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)"
A method
of treating psychiatric disorders based on the idea that the way we think about the world and ourselves (our cognitions) affect our emotions and behavior.
" Cognitive Disorders
"
The class of disorders consisting of significant
impairment of cognition or memory that represents a marked deterioration from a previous level of functioning.
" Cognitive Therapy "
A method of treating psychiatric disorders
that focuses on revising a person's thinking, perceptions, attitudes and beliefs.
" Compensation "
A process
of psychologically counterbalancing perceived weaknesses
by emphasizing strength in other arenas.
"
Compulsion "
An uncontrollable,
repetitive and unwanted urge to perform an act. A compulsive act is a defense against unacceptable ideas and desires, and failure to perform the act leads to anxiety.
" Cyclothymia "
A mood disorder of at least 2 years' duration viewed as a mild variant of bipolar disorder.
Cyclothymia is characterized by numerous periods of mild depressive symptoms not sufficient in duration or severity to meet the criteria for major depression interspersed with periods of hypomania.
" Delirium "
A
condition in which changes in cognition, including a disturbance in consciousness, occur over a relatively short period of
time.
" Delusions "
A perception, such as delusions of grandeur, that's thought to be true by the person
experiencing it, although the perception is wrong.
Dementia
A group of mental disorders involving a general
loss of intellectual abilities, including memory, judgment and abstract thinking. Dementias may be associated with poor impulse control and personality changes.
Denial
The refusal to accept reality and to act as if a painful event, thought or feeling didn't exist.
Dependent Personality Disorder
Persons with this disorder rely heavily on others for validation and fulfillment of basic needs. They often lack self-confidence, have difficulty making decisions and are unable to properly care for themselves.
Depression
Depression is a state of being associated with feelings of hopelessness or a sense of defeat. People with depression often feel down or blue even when circumstances would dictate otherwise.
All people feel depressed at times, but a depressed person feels this way much of the time.
Diagnosis
The
determination by a physician of the cause of a person's problems, usually by identifying both the disease process and the
agent responsible.
Diaphragm
The large, concave
muscle attached to the rib cage at bottom of the chest (top of the abdomen).
Inhalation occurs when diaphragm contracts. Exhalation is passive as the muscle relaxes.
Displacement
The redirecting of thoughts, feelings and impulses from a source that causes anxiety to a safer, more acceptable one.
Dysthymia (also known as Dysthymic Disorder)
A mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by a loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities that's present most of the time for at least 2 years.
Many people
with dysthymia experience major depressive episodes at times.
Dyslexia
A reading disorder. A child with dyslexia reads
below the expected level given his/her age, school grade and intelligence.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
A treatment method usually reserved for very
severe or psychotic depressions or manic states that often aren't responsive to medication treatment. A low-voltage alternating electric current is sent
to the brain on an anesthetized patient to induce a convulsion or seizure, which has a therapeutic effect.
Emotional Memory Management
Our brain is constantly functioning, it never
stops. It maintains our breathing, blood flow, body temperature & other aspects that allow us to stay alive
& think. Just about every aspect of daily functioning is directly related to our memory.
Emotional Memory Management,
or EMM, is concerned w/the thinking part of brain functioning & the manner in which the brain pulls memory files, makes those files & how those
files influence our daily life.
It's fascinating!
Endorphins
Chemicals in the brain responsible for
mood.
Epidemiology
Scientific
discipline studying the incidence, distribution & control of disease in a population. Includes the study of factors affecting
the progress of an illness & in the case of many chronic diseases, their natural history.
Euphoria
A feeling of elation that isn't based on reality & is commonly exaggerated.
Factitious Disorders
Conditions
in which physical &/or psychological symptoms are fabricated in order to place an individual in the role of a patient
or sick person in need of help.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
A psychiatric condition in which
the main symptoms are chronic worry & fear that seems to have no real cause. There may be many associated physical reactions, such as trembling, jitteriness, sweating,
lightheadedness & irritability.
Hallucinations
A strong perception of an event or object when no such situation
is present. Hallucinations may occur in any of the senses; sight, sound, touch and taste.
Histogram
(sleep)
A graph indicating
sleep stages throughout the night.
Histrionic Personality
Disorder
People with this
disorder are overly conscious of their appearance, are constantly seeking attention, exaggerate emotions and often behave dramatically.
Hostility
The disposition
to inflict harm on another person and/or the actual infliction of harm, either physically or emotionally.
Hypercapnia
An excessive
or elevated level of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Hyperirritability
Extreme irritability; seen in sleep deprived subjects.
Hypersomnia
Excessive, prolonged
sleep
Hyperventilation
Abnormally deep or rapid breathing,
often seen when someone is anxious.
Hypnophobia
Morbid fear of falling asleep.
Hypnotics
Sleep-inducing drugs
Hypomania
An episode of illness that resembles
mania, but is less intense and less disabling. Hypomania is characterized by a euphoric mood, unrealistic optimism, increased speech and activity and a decreased need for sleep.
Kleptomania
A pathological compulsion or impulse to steal.
Learning Disorder
When a child's
academic ability is below what's expected for the child's age, schooling and level of intelligence. A learning difficulty is usually identified in reading, math, or
writing.
Lethargy
A feeling of tiredness, drowsiness, or lack of energy.
Light Sleep
The term used to describe non-REM sleep stage 1 and sometimes, stage 2.
Light Therapy
Used in the treatment of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and other conditions. Exposes the eyes to light of appropriate intensity and duration and at the appropriate time of day
to effect the timing, duration and quality of sleep.
Limit-Setting Sleep Disorder
A disorder due to childs difficulty in falling asleep by delaying and refusing to go to bed
Maintenance Treatment
Treatment
to prevent a new mood episode, such as depression, mania, or hypomania.
Major Depressive Disorder (also known as Clinical Depression)
A major mood disorder characterized by one or more (recurrent) episodes of major depression, with or without full recovery between episodes.
Mania
An episode usually
seen in the course of bipolar disorder characterized by a marked increase in energy, extreme elation, impulsivity, irritability, rapid speech, nervousness, distractibility and/or poor judgment. During manic episodes, some people also experience hallucinations or delusions.
Manic
Depression (also known as Bipolar Disorder)
Classified as a type of affective disorder (or mood disorder) that goes beyond the day's ordinary ups and downs. Manic depression is characterized by periodic episodes of extreme elation, elevated mood, or irritability (also called mania) countered by periodic, classic depressive symptoms.
Melancholy
Symptoms usually found in severe major depressive episodes, including loss of pleasure, lethargy, weight loss and insomnia.
Melatonin
Hormone secreted by the brains pineal gland
Micro-arousal
Partial awakening from sleep
Micro-sleep
Period lasting up to a few seconds during which the polysomnogram suddenly shifts from waking
characteristics to sleep.
Meta-analysis
A type of statistical analysis that researchers use to make sense of many different research studies
done on the same topic. By analyzing findings from many different studies, conclusions can be drawn concerning the results
of all studies considered together. Both unpublished and published studies can be included in this type of analysis.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
Drugs used in the treatment of clinical depression. These substances decrease depressive symptoms by stopping an enzyme that breaks down the mood stimulating chemicals in the
brain.
Monocyclic
A single major sleep period and a single major wake period in a 24-hour day.
Mood Disorder (also known as Affective Disorder)
A category of mental health problems which includes a disturbance in mood, usually
profound sadness or apathy, euphoria, or irritability, such as the disorder depression.
Motor Activity in Sleep
Any muscular movement during sleep
Motor Atonia
The absence of muscle activity during sleep
Movement arousal
Body movement associated with arousal or awakening; a sleep scoring variable.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Persons with this personality disorder
have severely overly inflated feelings of self-worth, grandiosity and superiority over others.
Narcolepsy
A sleep disorder characterized by excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnogogic hallucinations and an abnormal tendency to
pass directly from wakefulness into REM sleep.
Neurotransmitters
In the brain these chemicals transfer
messages from one nerve cell to another and affect mood.
Nightmare
Unpleasant and/or frightening dream occurring in REM sleep (different from a night terror)
Night Terrors
Also known as sleep terrors, or pavor nocturnus. Night terrors are characterized by an incomplete arousal from slow wave sleep. If, the individual is awakened during a night terror, he/she is usually confused and doesn't remember details of the event. Night terrors are different from nightmares; if an individual is awakened
during a nightmare, he/she functions well and may have some recall of the nightmare.
Nocturia
Excessive, often frequent, urination during the night
Nocturnal Confusion
Episodes of delirium and/or disorientation near or during nighttime sleep; often seen in victims of Alzheimers Disease and more common in the elderly
Nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED)
Getting up during the night and eating while sleepwalking. No recall in the morning.
Nocturnal Enuresis
(Bedwetting)
Urinating while asleep
Norepinephrine
A hormone that regulates blood pressure by causing
blood vessels to narrow and the heart to beat faster.
NREM or non-REM sleep
Characterized by slower and larger brain waves and little or no dream behavior;
quiet sleep, slow-wave sleep; approximately 80% of sleep
NREM Sleep Intrusion
Brief period of NREM sleep patterns appearing in REM sleep; a portion of NREM sleep not appearing in its usual sleep cycle position.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
An anxiety disorder in which a person has an unreasonable thought, fear, or worry that he/she tries to manage through ritualized activity. Frequently occurring disturbing thoughts or images are called obsessions and the rituals performed to try to prevent or dispel them are called compulsions. People
with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder often become uncomfortable in situations that are beyond their control and have difficulty maintaining positive, healthy interpersonal relationships as a result.
Oxygen Desaturation
Less than normal amount of oxygen carried by hemoglobin in the blood; values below 90% are
considered abnormal
Oxygen Saturation
The
measure of oxygen carried by hemoglobin in the blood. Normal values 90% - 100%.
Panic Disorder (also called Panic Attacks)
An anxiety disorder characterized by chronic, repeated and unexpected intense periods of fear when there's no specific cause for the fear. In between panic attacks, people with panic disorder worry excessively about when and where the next attack may occur. Panic disorder may be accompanied by agoraphobia.
Paranoid Personality Disorder
People
with this disorder are often cold, distant and unable to form close, interpersonal relationships. Often overly suspicious of their surroundings, people with paranoid personality disorder generally can't see their
role in conflict situations and& often project their feelings of paranoia as anger onto others.
Parasomnia
An event happening
during sleep, or induced or exacerbated by sleep, such as sleepwalking or asthma; not a dyssomnia.
Pathological Sleep
Abnormal sleep patterns.
Pavor Nocturnus (Night Terrors)
See Night Terrors above
Perceptual Disengagement
Change
in consciousness at the onset of sleep when environmental stimuli are no longer perceived and there's no longer any conscious,
meaningful interaction with the environment.
Periodic Breathing
Repetitive apneic pauses, common in premature infants.
Phobia
An uncontrollable, irrational and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
Pineal Gland
The gland in the brain secreting the hormone melatonin.
Post-Prandial Drowsiness
Sleepiness that occurs after
a meal, usually lunch
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A debilitating condition that is related to a past terrifying physical or emotional
experience causing the person who survived the event to have persistent, frightening thoughts and memories, or flashbacks, of the ordeal. People with PTSD often feel chronically, emotionally numb.
Premature morning awakening
Early termination
of the sleep period in a sleep maintenance DIMS due to inability to return to sleep after the last of several awakenings
Prognosis
The
patient's chances for recovery; a medical assessment of the probable course and outcome of a disease, based on the recorded
history of the disease, the physician's own experience of treating the disease and the patient's general condition and age.
Projection
The attribution of one's undesired
impulses onto another.
Psychiatrist
A
medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of mental, emotional, or behavioral problems.
Psychodynamic therapy
A branch of psychotherapy that deals with the psychology of mental or emotional
forces or processes developed in early childhood and their effects on behavior and mental states.
Psychologist
A specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional problems. Because psychologists
aren't physicians, they can't prescribe drugs. Their role with patients usually involves testing, counseling and psychotherapy.
Psychosocial
Involving both psychological and social aspects or relating
social conditions to mental health.
Psychotherapy
The treatment of mental
and emotional disorders using psychological methods, such as talk therapy.
Psychiatric Nurse
A Masters-prepared clinical specialist in psychiatric
mental health nursing.
Quiet Sleep
The term frequently used instead of NREM
sleep to describe the sleep of infants.
Rage
A state of intense emotional experience associated with uncontrolled destructive behavior.
Reaction Formation
The converting of wishes or impulses that are perceived to be dangerous into opposite
thoughts.
Regression
The reversion to an earlier stage of development in the face of unacceptable impulses.
Relapse
The recurrence of a disease after apparent recovery, or the return of symptoms after remission.
REM sleep
Rapid eye movement sleep - sleep characterized by the active brain waves, flitting motions of the eyes and weakness
of the muscles; most dreaming occurs in this stage, which accounts for about 20% of sleep in adults.
REM Density
A function that expresses the frequency of eye movements per unit of time during REM sleep.
REM-Associated Disorders
Sleep disturbances that occur in REM sleep.
REMS latency
The period of time in the sleep period from sleep onset to the first appearance of stage
REMS.
REM Motor Atonia
The active suppression of activity in the antigravity
and voluntary muscles during REM sleep. The muscles are completely flaccid and limp.
REM
onset
Designation for commencement of a REM period, used also as a shorthand term for a sleep-onset REM period
REM period
REM portion of a NREM-REM cycle; early in the night it may be
as short as a half-minute, whereas in later cycles longer than an hour.
REM rebound or
recovery
Lengthening and increase in frequency and density of REM periods, which results in an increase in REM
percent above base line. REM rebound follows REM deprivation once the inhibitory influence is removed
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD)
Disorder in which REM motor atonia is partially or completely absent
and the individual acts out the ongoing dream. The behavior in REM behavior disorder is often correlates with the ongoing,
hallucinatory REM dream episode.
REM Sleep Episode
REM sleep portion of a NREM-REM sleep cycle. Early in the first sleep
period, episodes may be only several minutes in duration. Later REM episodes almost are always longer, 20 to 30 minutes up
to an hour.
REM Sleep Intrusion
Brief interval of REM sleep appearing out
of its usual positioning in the NREM-REM sleep cycle.
REM Sleep Latency
Interval
from sleep onset to the first appearance of REM sleep
REM Sleep Onset
Designation
for the first epoch of a REM sleep episode
REM Sleep Percent
Proportion of
total sleep time occupied by REM sleep
REM Sleep Rebound
Compensatory increase
in REM sleep following experimental reduction. Extension of time in and an increase in frequency and density of REM sleep
episodes usually an increase in REM sleep percent of total sleep time above baseline values.
Remission
A return to the asymptomatic state, usually accompanied by a return to the usual level of functioning.
Repression
The blocking of unacceptable impulses from consciousness.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Sleep disorder characterized by a deep creeping, or crawling sensation in the
legs that tends to occur when an individual isn't moving. There's an almost irresistible urge to move the legs; the sensations
are relieved by movement.
Restlessness (Referring to Quality of Sleep)
Persistent
or recurrent body movements, arousals, and/or brief awakenings in the course of sleep
Sedatives
A group of drugs used to produce sedation (calmness). Sedatives include sleeping pills and antianxiety drugs.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
A commonly prescribed class of drugs for treating depression. SSRIs work by stopping the reuptake of serotonin, an
action that allows more serotonin to be available to be taken up by other nerves.
Serotonin
A chemical that transmits nerve impulses in the brain (neurotransmitter),
causes blood vessels to narrow at sites of bleeding and stimulates smooth muscle movement in the intestines. It is thought
to be involved in controlling states of consciousness and mood.
Serotonin & Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
A commonly prescribed class of drugs for treating depression, which work by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin
and norepinephrine, an action that allows serotonin and norepinephrine to be available to be taken up by other nerves.
Schizoid Personality Disorder
People with this disorder are often cold, distant, introverted
and have an intense fear of intimacy and closeness. They're often so absorbed in their own thinking and daydreaming that they stay detached from others and reality.
Sleep
A state marked by lessened consciousness, lessened movement of the skeletal muscles and slowed-down metabolism
Sleep Apnea
Cessation of breathing for 10 or more seconds during sleep.
Sleep Architecture
NREM/REM
stage and cycle infrastructure of sleep understood from the vantage point of the quantitative relationship of these components
to each other.
Sleep cycle
Synonymous with NREM-REM cycle
Sleep Debt
Result of recurrent sleep deprivation which occurs over time when an individual doesn't experience
a sufficient amount of the restorative daily sleep that is required to maintain a sense of feeling rested and refreshed.
Sleep Deprivation
Acute or chronic lack of sufficient sleep.
Sleep Disorders
Broad range of illnesses arising from many causes, including, dysfunctional sleep mechanisms, abnormalities
in physiological functions during sleep, abnormalities of the biological clock, and sleep disturbances that are induced by
factors extrinsic to the sleep process.
Sleep efficiency (SE)
Proportion of
sleep in the period potentially filled by sleep, ratio of total sleep time to time in bed.
Sleep
Episode
Interval of sleep that may be voluntary or involuntary
Sleep ExtensionExtending sleep time by
increasing the time in bed
Sleep Fragmentation
Brief arousals occurring throughout
the night, reducing the total amount of time spent in the deeper levels of sleep.
Sleep
hygiene
Conditions and
practices that promote continuous and effective sleep, including regularity of bedtime and arise time; conforming time spent
in bed to the time necessary for sustained and individually adequate sleep (i.e., the total sleep time sufficient to avoid
sleepiness when awake) restriction of alcohol and caffeine beverages in the period prior to bedtime, employment of exercise,
nutrition, and environmental factors so that they enhance, not disturb, restful sleep
Sleep
Hyperhydrosis
Excessive sweating during sleep.
Sleep Inertia
Feelings
of grogginess and/or sleepiness that persist longer than 10 to 20 minutes after waking up
Sleep
Interruption
Breaks in the sleep architecture resulting in arousal and wakefulness
Sleep latency
Time period measured from "lights out," or bedtime, to the beginning of sleep
Sleep log (diary)
Daily, written record of an individual's sleep-wake pattern containing such information
as time of retiring and arising, time in bed, estimated total sleep period, number and duration of sleep interruptions, quality
of sleep, daytime naps, use of medications or caffeine beverages, nature of waking activities, and other data
Sleep-maintenance DIMS or insomnia
Disturbance in maintaining sleep once achieved; persistently
interrupted sleep without difficulty falling asleep
Sleep Mentation
Thoughts,
feelings, images, perceptions, hallucinations, and active dreams taking place during sleep
Sleep
onset
Transition from wake to sleep, normally into NREM stage 1 (but in certain conditions, such as infancy
and narcolepsy, into stage REMS)
Sleep Onset Imagery
Images and experiences
during the moments following the transition from wake to sleep
Sleep-onset REM period
Atypical beginning of sleep by entrance directly into stage REM
Sleep paralysis
Waking
and not being able to move for a short period of time, usually occurs out of REM (dream) sleep.
Sleep pattern (24 hour sleep-wake pattern)
Individual's clock hour schedule of bedtimes and rise times
as well as nap behavior: may also include time and duration of sleep interruptions
Sleep
stage NREM
Major sleep state apart from REMS; comprises sleep stages 1-4
Sleep
stage 1
A stage of NREM sleep occurring after wake. Its criteria consist of a low-voltage EEG with slowing to
theta frequencies, alpha activity less than 50%, EEG vertex spikes, and slow rolling eye movements; no sleep spindles, K-complexes,
or REMS. Stage 1 normally assumes 4-5% of total sleep.
Sleep stage 2
A
stage of NREM sleep characterized by sleep spindles and K complexes against a relatively low-voltage, mixed-frequency EEG
background; high-voltage delta waves may comprise up to 20% of stage 2 epochs; usually accounts for 45-55% of total sleep
time.
Sleep stage 3
A stage of NREM sleep defined by at least 20 and not more
than 50% of the period (30 second epoch) consisting of EEG waves less than 2 Hz and more than 75 uV (high -amplitude delta
waves); a "delta" sleep stage; with stage 4, it constitutes "deep "NREM sleep; appears usually only in the first third
of the sleep period; usually comprises 4-6% of total sleep time.
Sleep stage 4
All
statements concerning NREM stage 3 apply to stage 4 except that high-voltage, slow EEG waves, cover 50% or more of the record;
NREM stage 4 usually takes up 12-15% of total sleep time. Somnambulism, sleep terror, and sleep-related enuresis episodes
generally start in stage 4 or during arousals from this stage
Sleep stage REM
The
stage of sleep found in all mammal studies, including man, in which brain activity is extensive, brain metabolism is increased
& vivid hallucinatory imagery, or dreaming occurs (in humans). Also called "paradoxical
sleep" because, in the face of this intense excitation of the CNS and presence of spontaneous rapid eye movements, resting
muscle activity is suppressed. The EEG is a low-voltage, fast-frequency, non alpha record. Stage REMS is usually 20-25% of
total sleep time.
Sleep structure
Similar to sleep architecture. Sleep structure, in addition to encompassing sleep stage and cycle relationships, assesses the within-stage
qualities of the EEG and other physiological attributes.
Sleepiness (somnolence, drowsiness)
Difficulty
in maintaining the wakeful state so that the individual falls asleep if not actively kept aroused; not simply a feeling of
physical tiredness or listlessness
Sleep talking
Talking in sleep takes place during stage REMS, representing a motor breakthrough of dream speech, or in the course of transitory arousals
from NREMS and other stages. Full consciousness isn't achieved and no memory of the event remains.
Sleepwalker or Sleepwalking
Individual subject to somnambulism (one
who walks while sleeping). Sleepwalking typically occurs in the first third of the night during deep NREM
sleep (stages 3 & 4).
Sleep-wake, 24
hour cycle
The clock hour relationships of the major sleep and wake phases in the 24 hour cycle: similar to sleep pattern.
Sleep-wake shift (change, reversal)
Sleep wholly or partially moved
to a time of customary waking activity and the latter is moved to the habitual sleep period; common in jet lag and shift work.
Sleep-Wake Transition
Disorder occuring during the transition from wakefulness to sleep or from one sleep stage to another; a form of parasomnia
Slow wave sleep (SWS)
Sleep stages
3 and 4
Somatization Disorder
A chronic disorder characterized by multiple,
often long-standing physical complaints such as aches and pains.
Somatic Complaints
Awareness of pain or problems in the body
Somnambulism
Walking
while asleep
Somnifacient
Inducing sleep; hypnotic, as in a drug
Somnolence
Prolonged drowsiness or sleepiness.
Somnoplasty
Commercial name for radiofrequency treatment of certain sleep disorders
Soporific
Causing or tending to cause
sleep
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
A mood disorder characterized by depression related to a certain season of the year - especially winter.
Self-esteem
Feelings about one's self.
Social Phobia
An anxiety disorder in which a person has significant anxiety and discomfort related to a fear of being embarrassed, humiliated, or scorned by others in social or performance situations.
Specific Phobia
A type of phobia characterized by extreme fear of an object or situation that isn't harmful under normal conditions.
Stanford Sleepiness
Scale (SSS)
7-point rating scale consisting of 7 numbered statements describing
subjective levels of sleepiness/alertness
Subjective Sleepiness
Feelings of sleepiness
State anxiety
State anxiety is anxiety present in very specific situations; i.e., state sports anxiety
is present when a person is anxious in a specific sports situation even if the person isn't generally anxious.
Suicidal Behavior
Actions taken by one who is considering or preparing to cause their own death.
Suicidal Ideation
Thoughts of suicide or wanting to take one's life.
Suicide
The intentional taking of one's life.
Suicide Attempt
An act focused on taking one's life that is unsuccessful in causing death.
Supportive Therapy
Psychotherapy that focuses on the management and resolution of current difficulties
and life decisions using the individual's strengths and available resources.
Symptom Breakthrough
The return of symptoms in the course of either the continuation or maintenance
phase treatment.
Sublimation
The channeling
of unacceptable impulses into more acceptable outlets.
Trait anxiety
Trait anxiety is the level of anxiety present in a person on a regular basis. A person with high
trait anxiety is anxious much of the time while a person low in trait anxiety tends to be anxious less often and in fewer
situations.
Tricyclic antidepressants
Drugs used in the treatment of clinical depression. Tricyclic refers to the presence of 3 rings in the chemical structure of these drugs.
Tourette's Syndrome (TS)
A tic disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable
vocal sounds. This disorder usually begins during childhood or early adolescence.
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary
movements and vocalizations called tics. The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the pioneering French
neurologist who in 1885 first described the condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.
The early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed first in childhood, with the average onset
between the ages of 7 and 10 years. TS occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about 3 to 4 times more
often than females. It's estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of TS and as many as one in 100 exhibit
milder and less complex symptoms such as chronic motor or vocal tics or transient tics of childhood.
Although TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the
condition experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing
into adulthood.
What are the symptoms?
Tics are classified as either simple or complex. Simple motor tics are sudden, brief, repetitive
movements that involve a limited number of muscle groups. Some of the more common simple tics include eye blinking and other
vision irregularities, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging and head or shoulder jerking. Simple vocalizations might
include repetitive throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting sounds.
Complex tics are distinct, coordinated patterns of movements involving several muscle groups.
Complex motor tics might include facial grimacing combined with a head twist and a shoulder shrug. Other complex motor tics
may actually appear purposeful, including sniffing or touching objects, hopping, jumping, bending, or twisting.
Simple vocal tics may include throat-clearing, sniffing/snorting, grunting, or barking. More complex
vocal tics include words or phrases. Perhaps the most dramatic and disabling tics include motor movements that result
in self-harm such as punching oneself in the face or vocal tics including coprolalia (uttering
swear words) or echolalia (repeating the words or phrases of others).
Some tics are preceded by an urge or sensation in the affected muscle group, commonly called a
premonitory urge. Some with TS will describe a need to complete a tic in a certain way or a certain number of times in order
to relieve the urge or decrease the sensation.
Tics are often worse with excitement or anxiety and better during calm, focused activities. Certain
physical experiences can trigger or worsen tics, i.e., tight collars may trigger neck tics, or hearing another person sniff
or throat-clear may trigger similar sounds. Tics don't go away during sleep but are often significantly diminished.
What's the course of TS?
Tics come and go over time, varying in type, frequency, location and severity. The first
symptoms usually occur in the head and neck area and may progress to include muscles of the trunk and extremities. Motor tics
generally precede the development of vocal tics and simple tics often precede complex tics. Most patients experience
peak tic severity before the mid-teen years with improvement for the majority of patients in the late teen years and early
adulthood. Approximately 10% of those affected have a progressive or disabling course that lasts into adulthood.
Can people with TS control their tics?
Although the symptoms of TS are involuntary, some people can sometimes suppress, camouflage, or
otherwise manage their tics in an effort to minimize their impact on functioning. However, people with TS often report a substantial
buildup in tension when suppressing their tics to the point where they feel that the tic must be expressed. Tics in response
to an environmental trigger can appear to be voluntary or purposeful but aren't.
What causes TS?
Although the cause of TS is unknown, current research points to abnormalities in certain brain
regions (including the basal ganglia, frontal lobes & cortex),
the circuits that interconnect these regions and the neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin
& norepinephrine) responsible for communication among nerve cells. Given the often complex presentation
of TS, the cause of the disorder is likely to be equally complex.
How is TS treated?
Because tic symptoms don't often cause impairment, the majority of people with TS require no medication
for tic suppression. However, effective medications are available for those whose symptoms interfere with functioning.
Neuroleptics are the most consistently useful medications for tic suppression; a number are available but some are more effective than others (i.e.,
haloperidol & pimozide). Unfortunately, there's no one medication that's helpful to all people with TS, nor does any medication completely eliminate symptoms.
In addition, all medications have side effects. Most neuroleptic side effects can be managed by
initiating treatment slowly and reducing the dose when side effects occur. The most common side effects of neuroleptics include
sedation, weight gain and cognitive dulling.
Neurological side effects such as tremor, dystonic reactions (twisting
movements or postures), parkinsonian-like symptoms and other dyskinetic (involuntary)
movements are less common and are readily managed with dose reduction.
Discontinuing neuroleptics after long-term use must be done slowly to avoid rebound increases
in tics and withdrawal dyskinesias. One form of withdrawal dyskinesia called tardive dykinesia is a movement disorder distinct
from TS that may result from the chronic use of neuroleptics. The risk of this side effect can be reduced by using lower doses
of neuroleptics for shorter periods of time.
Other medications may also be useful for reducing tic severity, but most haven't been as extensively studied or shown to be as consistently
useful as neuroleptics. Additional medications with demonstrated efficacy include alpha-adrenergic agonists such as clonidine
and guanfacine.
These medications are used primarily for hypertension but are also used in the treatment of tics. The most common side effect from these medications that precludes their use is sedation.
Effective medications are also available to treat some of the associated neurobehavioral disorders that can occur in patients with TS. Recent
research shows that stimulant medications such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine can lessen ADHD symptoms in people with TS without causing tics to become more severe.
However, the product labeling for stimulants currently contraindicates the use of these drugs
in children with tics/TS and those with a family history of tics. Scientists hope that future studies will include a thorough discussion
of the risks and benefits of stimulants in those with TS or a family history of TS and will clarify this issue.
For obsessive-compulsive symptoms that significantly disrupt daily functioning, the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (clomipramine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine & sertraline) have
been proven effective in some patients.
Psychotherapy may also be helpful. Although psychological problems don't cause TS, such problems may result from TS. Psychotherapy can help the person with TS better cope with the disorder and deal with the secondary social and emotional problems that sometimes occur.
More recently, specific behavioral treatments that include awareness training and competing response training, such as voluntarily moving in response to a premonitory urge, have shown effectiveness in
small controlled trials. Larger and more definitive NIH-funded studies are underway.
Tricotillomania
Recurrent hair pulling resulting in
significant hair loss with a motivation of self-gratification or tension release.
Vegetative
Symptoms
A group of symptoms that refer to sleep, appetite, and/or weight regulation
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it's in the news & very important additional resources!
The Science Behind How We Taste : Everyone has a preference on taste, but why? Throw in a pinch of nature,
a dash of nurture, and the senses of smell, sight, and sound, and that's the science behind taste.
" No one thinks
of the pen while reading the letter.
They want only to know what is in the mind of the writer.
That's what I am in
God's hands...a little pencil."
---
Mother Teresa ---
By learning more about brain circuitry involved in fear and anxiety, scientists may be able to devise new and more specific treatments for anxiety disorders.
i.e., it someday may be possible to
increase the influence of the thinking parts of the brain on the amygdala, thus placing the fear and anxiety response under conscious control.
In addition, with new findings
about neurogenesis (birth of new brain cells) throughout
life, perhaps a method will be found to stimulate growth of new neurons in the hippocampus
in people with PTSD.
12/5/05
By Bernadine Healy, M.D.
There's an old Jewish proverb that
says when the father helps the son, both smile, but when the son must help the father, both cry.
How well this captures the brutality
of Alzheimer's disease, a slow degeneration of the mind that's bringing many of the greatest generation to its knees and mirrors to their
progeny just how difficult it might be if life breaks that way for them, too. The general belief is that such a fate would
be inevitable, that there's nothing to be done to ward off a chapter in life best forgotten. Not
so.
To listen and watch videos concerning the workings of the brain - click here - to travel to anxieties 102 to view them!
Amygdala
Amygdala (am-ig-duh-luh) A bunch of cells on each side of the brain. The word amygdala
is latin for the word "almond." That's what the area of cells looks like.
This part of the brain
is responsible for emotions. Using brain imaging technologies and neurochemical techniques, scientists are finding that a network of interacting structures
is responsible for anxiety and fear.
Much research centers
on the amygdala. The amygdala is believed to serve as a communications hub between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that
interpret them.
It can
signal that a threat is present and trigger a fear response or anxiety.
It appears that
emotional memories stored in the central part of the amygdala may play a role in disorders involving
very distinct fears, like phobias, while different parts may be involved in other forms of anxiety.
Doctors: Front of brain controls fear
By Marsha Walton/CNN
Whether it's
a mouse vs. a cat, or a human vs. an oncoming car, a well-placed sense of fear is critical for survival.
But there's also danger when
that fear is so overwhelming that it keeps an animal or human from functioning.
Researchers say they have
now pinpointed the part of the brain in laboratory rats that functions to calm fears when it is stimulated. Scientists say further studies may help in treating humans with anxiety
disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
"The reduction of fear is an active, not a passive process," said Gregory Quirk, associate professor of physiology at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico.
Animals lose their fears by learning new memories, not erasing the old ones, said Quirk, whose work is published in this week's edition of the British
journal Nature.
The proper balance between learning new memories and erasing old ones is important. The prefrontal cortex,
in the front of the brain, appears to be where the brain learns not to be afraid.
Findings mesh with treatments
These findings seem to weave
in well with some types of treatments now used on patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, said Robert Hayes, professor emeritus of psychology and counseling at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Therapies known as EMDR - eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and cognitive behavioral therapy are used to get the patient desensitized to the event that caused the trauma.
"All of these things have
the patient deal again and again with the trauma in a safe way, so the original trauma doesn't have the power to tap into those fears," said Hayes. He said Quirk "may be on to something" in his study, but there's often a long road from research with rats
to similar results with humans.
Some therapists already are
testing a technique that uses a magnet to stimulate the safety center of the brain in patients with anxiety disorders. It's hoped that technique, called transcranial magnetic stimulation, will help some patients control their anxiety attacks.
How the research worked
Here's how researchers came to that
conclusion:
The scientists conditioned
laboratory rats to associate a certain tone with an electric shock to the foot. After a few such tests, the rats heard the
same tone but didn't get a shock. Many of the rats still froze when they heard the tone, even though they weren't getting
a shock.
That reaction is the same
type of association that Ivan Pavlov became famous for when he conditioned dogs to associate the ringing of a bell with the
smell of meat, causing them to salivate when they heard the bell alone.
On a 2nd day of tests, the
tone was again played without the shock. What Quirk found was that the animals with the most activity in their prefrontal cortex were the least likely to freeze, or show fear, when they heard the tone. What this shows, Quirk said, is that a part of the brain is saying: Calm down, you don't always have to get stressed when you hear that tone.
Scientists call the process
of inhibiting fears "extinction."
Quirk and colleague Mohammed Milad
measured the electrical activity of neurons in the rats' brains through implanted electrodes.
They found that increased activity of certain neurons strengthened the safety signal by inhibiting another part of the brain - the amygdala - that remembers fears.
"Basically what we did was
eavesdrop on the conversation the cells were having," Quirk said.
Rats that showed the least
amount of fear were those whose cells most robustly communicated the safety signal. That "all clear" signal helped the rats maintain their
energy and focus and not waste energy freezing unnecessarily.
Quirk compared the freezing
response in the rats to the sweating or breathing difficulties some humans show when they have panic attacks. Such attacks often take place even when there is no real threat or danger to the person.
Human responses
While no similar tests have
been conducted on humans, Quirk said it may be that people with anxiety disorders also have
less activity in the prefrontal cortex, or "safety memory" in their brain. In that case, the amygdala may be stronger than the prefrontal cortex, making fear memories overpower safety memories.
The amygdala
- which makes cats run from dogs and humans stay away from a corner where they were once mugged - "may be the reason that
when two combat veterans are walking down the street and hear a car backfire, one keeps walking and the other sweats and has
a panic attack," Quirk said.
Whether
you're ecstatic, dejected or frightened, emotions certainly can have a grip on your life. In the world of science, however, emotions didn't have such a hold. In the past they took a back seat to more clear-cut scientific topics.
But now an increasing amount of evidence
is showing that the emotion of fear is decipherable. The identification of a specific brain system that processes fear is spurring a great interest in the field. New discoveries could explain the mystery behind many mental disorders and prompt
the development of new treatments.
A
bang against the window draws you out of a snooze. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. You bolt upright. A shadow dances outside the
window. Is it the serial killer you read about in the paper?
An almond-shaped area of the brain,
the amygdala (uh-mig-dah-la) receives signals of the potential
danger and begins to set off a series of reactions that will help you protect yourself, according to an increasing number of studies.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Additional
messages sent to the amygdala determine that the wavering image is only a branch. This time
there is no need to bolt. The fear response is snuffed out and you return to sleep.
Research is revealing the
brain areas and mechanisms that are involved in this amygdala-based fear circuit. There's hope that the detailed understanding of how the brain processes fear will lead to:
- New methods to treat fear-related disorders such as phobias, where specific fears are taken to an extreme.
- Insights on how gender, age and illness affect fear interpretations.
Researchers began to find
evidence that the amygdala was involved in the emotion of fear in the late 1930's. Monkeys with damage to the brain cluster and surrounding areas had a dramatic drop of fearfulness.
Later, studies showed that
rats with targeted amygdala damage would snuggle up to cats. For years, however, an understanding of how the amygdala fit into a brain system to process fear was unclear.
Then starting in the 1970's
some scientists began using precisely controlled study designs to systematically map the brain's fear system. Research in rodents revealed brain pathways, centering on the amygdala, that were
preprogrammed to respond to danger.
Accumulating revelations about
this fear system led researchers recently to examine the human brain's response to fear with imaging studies. One study showed that pictures of frightening faces initiate a quick rise and fall of activity in the amygdala.
In the future, scientists
believe imaging techniques may help determine the course of treatment for disorders involving a malfunction in fear processing.
i.e., a person with an extreme
fear of germs who continuously washes, known as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, often goes through months of behavioral therapy. The idea is to train the person to learn to overcome their fear.
But what if imaging tests
show that the amygdala is continuously active and doesn't diminish its activity over time
as it normally would to a fearful stimulus?
This could signify that the
area is defective and a lifetime of therapy designed to alter behavior wouldn't be able to stifle the fear response. In this case, drug treatment alone potentially may hold more benefits.
Currently, researchers are
further deciphering the fear process in humans. They hope to determine the effects of age, gender and illness on the system.
In addition, scientists are
uncovering the biochemical reactions that run the fear response and are searching for the brain regions that modify the response in the amygdala.
They also are hunting for the brain structures that help store dreadful memories over time.
Insight on the fear system also is motivating researchers to untangle the possible differences between fear and anxiety. Fear involves a quick hit and run process in the brain. Anxiety stirs a slower reaction that lasts a while.
This suggests that the processing
of the two emotions may be different. Indeed, early studies show that different parts of the amygdala may process
anxiety vs. fear. It also appears that some illnesses result from defects in these anxiety areas while others are more linked to fear paths.
Researchers also are examining
the role of the amygdala in less distressing types of emotions, such as happiness.
Other research focuses
on the hippocampus (hip-po-camp-us). The hippocampus
is a part of the cerebrum. The hippocampus is responsible for processing
threatening or traumatic stimuli and plays a key role in the brain by helping to encode information into memories.
Studies have shown that the hippocampus appears to be smaller in people who have undergone severe stress because of child abuse or military combat. This
reduced size could help explain why individuals with PTSD have flashbacks, deficits in explicit memory and fragmented
memory for details of the traumatic event.
The cerebrum
is made up of 2 halves w/one on each side of the head, you have often heard people say that they're right brained or left brained when referring to this.
It's believed by some scientists that the right half of the cerebrum is responsible
for thinking about abstract things - like music,
colors or shapes.
The left
side is thought to be responsible for the more analytical thoughts for things such as math, logic & speech.
One thing for sure, the right half
of the cerebrum controls the left half of the body &
the left side of the cerebrum
controls the right side of your body.
There
are different kinds of memory, short-term & long term. The cerebrum also
is responsible for controlling the types of memory we have as well as what memories we keep.
Short-term memory describes information that the brain has recently received.
Long-term memory deals w/things that have happened in the past & this section of the brain transfers this old information to make it presently
short-term memory so you can remember it in the present.
Sleep is an important time for the brain to do sorting thru of our memories. Some researchers believe that this is the time that
the brain cleans out its file cabinets, so to speak, sending unusuable info to the trash heap & filing things we may refer
to in the future.
You can see how "confusion" in ones' mind could occur when there's not enough sleep time for the brain to file your memories correctly.
The Pituitary Gland (pit-oo-it-tary) is a very small section of the brain, only the size of a
pea. The pituitary gland produces & releases hormones into your body.
The Hypothalamus
(hi-poh-tha-luh-muss) sits right in
the center of the brain. The hypothalamus is like the body's
thermometer.
It knows what temperature
your body should be at different times of the day & when participating in different activities so it sends messages to
your brain so that your body knows when to sweat or shiver.
At night when you sleep, your body temperature changes. The hypothalamus is in control of all of this.
The brain sends messages thru-out the body using nerves. Nerves are bundles of thin
threads that carry messages thru-out the body. The name of this network of nerves that travel thru-out the body is, The Nervous System.
Messages are sent thru a large bundle of nerves called the Spinal Cord, which runs down your back
inside of your spine. Your ears, eyes & skin are even working for your brain, sending messages thru the nervous system about what's going on outside your body.
Cerebellum
The cerebellum (say:
ser-eh-bell-um) is located at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum. It is about
1/8 the size of the cerebrum.
This part of the brain controls balance,
movement & coordination (how your muscles work together). Because of your cerebellum, you can stand upright, keep your balance
& move around.
The brain stem is beneath the cerebrum & in front of the cerebellum. The brain stem connects the rest of the brain
to the spinal cord, which runs down your neck & back.
The brain stem controls
all the functions that are necessary for your body to stay alive, like breathing air, digesting food, & circulating blood.
It's in charge of your involuntary
muscles - the ones that work automatically w/out you even thinking about it.
There are involuntary muscles
in the heart & stomach & it's the brain stem that tells the heart to pump more blood
when you're exercising, or your stomach to start digesting your breakfast in the morning. (Remember, the cerebrum has
control over the voluntary muscles. Controlling all of the body's muscles is too big a job for one brain part!)
The brain stem is also responsible
for sorting thru the millions of messages that the brain & the rest of the body send back & forth.
This information about the brain & "how it all works" was gathered at several websites including, NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health & PBS's special section about The Secret Life of the Brain. You can visit either place by clicking on the underlined
link in this paragraph. It's truly worth the visit to the PBS site.... understanding as much as you can about the brain does help in the recovery from mental illness. It's a reassuring factor.
from the amazing site, www.howstuffworks - comes a great description of how the brain works. for lack of
my own eloquence in wording, i have taken the words directly from the site here... so pay them a visit and thank them for
their great site!
Every animal you can think of, mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, all have brains. But the human brain is unique. It gives us the power to think, plan, speak, imagine... It's truly an amazing organ.
The brain performs an incredible
number of tasks:
- It controls body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate & breathing.
- It accepts a flood of information about the world around you
from your various senses (eyes, ears, nose, etc.).
- It handles physical motion when walking, talking, standing
or sitting.
- It lets you think, dream, reason & experience emotions.
All of these tasks
are coordinated, controlled & regulated by an organ that is about the size of a small head of cauliflower: your brain.
Your brain, spinal cord
& peripheral nerves make up a complex, integrated information-processing & control system. The scientific study of
the brain & nervous system is called neuroscience or neurobiology.
Because the field of
neuroscience is so vast & the brain & nervous system so complex, this article will start at the beginning & give
you an overview of this amazing organ.
Neurons
Your brain
is made of approximately 100-billion nerve cells, called neurons. Neurons have the amazing ability to gather & transmit
electrochemical signals, they are something like the gates & wires in a computer.
Neurons share the same characteristics
& have the same parts as other cells, but the electrochemical aspect lets them transmit signals over long distances (up to several feet or a few meters) & pass messages to each other.
Neurons have
3 basic parts:
- Cell body: This main part has all of the necessary components
of the cell, such as the nucleus (contains DNA), endoplasmic reticulum & ribosomes (for
building proteins) & mitochondria (for making energy). If the cell body dies, the neuron
dies.
- Axon: This long, cable-like projection of the cell
carries the electrochemical message (nerve impulse or action potential) along the length
of the cell.
- Depending upon the type of neuron, axons can be covered with
a thin layer of myelin, like an insulated electrical wire.
Myelin is made of fat & it helps to speed transmission of a nerve impulse down a
long axon. Myelinated neurons are typically found in the peripheral nerves (sensory & motor
neurons), while non-myelinated neurons are found in the brain & spinal cord.
- Dendrites or nerve endings: These small, branch-like
projections of the cell make connections to other cells & allow the neuron to talk with other cells or perceive the environment.
Dendrites can be located on one or both ends of the cell.
Neurons come
in many sizes. For example, a single sensory neuron from your fingertip has an axon that extends the length of your arm, while
neurons within the brain may extend only a few millimeters.
Neurons have different shapes
depending on what they do. Motor neurons that control muscle contractions have a cell body on one end, a long axon in the middle
& dendrites on the other end; sensory neurons have dendrites on both ends, connected by a long axon with a cell body in
the middle.
Some types of neurons: motoneuron (a), sensory neuron
(b), cortical pyramidal cell (c)
Neurons also vary with respect to their functions:
- Sensory neurons carry signals from
the outer parts of your body (periphery) into the central nervous system.
- Motor neurons (motoneurons) carry signals from the central nervous system to the outer parts (muscles, skin, glands) of your body.
- Receptors sense the environment
(chemicals, light, sound, touch) & encode this information into electrochemical messages
that are transmitted by sensory neurons.
- Interneurons connect various
neurons within the brain & spinal cord.
The simplest type of neural
pathway is a monosynaptic (single connection) reflex pathway, like the knee-jerk reflex.
When the doctor taps the the right spot on your knee with a rubber hammer, receptors send a signal into the spinal cord thru
a sensory neuron.
The sensory neuron passes
the message to a motor neuron that controls your leg muscles. Nerve impulses travel down the motor neuron & stimulate
the appropriate leg muscle to contract. The response is a muscular jerk that happens quickly & doesn't involve your brain.
Humans have lots of hard-wired reflexes like this, but as tasks become more complex, the pathway "circuitry" gets more complicated
& the brain gets involved.
Please don't stop here! Click the link below to visit the most amazing web page provided by PBS.
It's colorful, informative & interesting, to say
the least. Perhaps I'm a bit "obsessive" about all this, but it's important to know our bodies & how they work!
The brain is incredibly interesting. When you have an hour
to kill, check this out. It's really worth visiting their site! The Secret Life of the Brain - "The History of the Brain"
- glide through the pages that reveals info about the human brain & its historic beginnings w/pre-history, & moving
on to antiquity, the middle ages, the renaissance, 1800's, 1900's, 1950's, & 2000.
This series is amazing! It allows you to click on a significant
year-by-year description of important new discoveries about the brain & its inner workings!
3-D Brain Anatomy Please
note: (If you do not have the Macromedia Shockwave Player downloaded on your computer, you are automatically signaled to download
it upon opening the first page, allowing you to experience the 3-D experience more fully.)
This is just incredible. Glide your mouse over the 3-D picture
of the brain & click, a description appears just to the right of the picture describing the specific section of the brain
that you clicked on.
Want to know what functions the different
parts of the brain control? Simply click on "Functions" & the answers are all yours. You can zoom in on any area of the
brain, rotate the picture & so much more. It's an excellent place to learn & have some fun!
Brain Dysfunction May Link Suicide, Epilepsy
Epileptics 4 times more likely to attempt
to take their own lives, study finds
MONDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay
News) -- The same brain dysfunction that underlies epilepsy may also influence suicide risk, researchers report.
The study findings also suggest
that suicide and depression may have different brain mechanisms.
"For reasons that aren't understood, depression both increases the risk for developing epilepsy and is also common among people with epilepsy who experience many seizures,"
lead researcher Dale C. Hesdorffer of Columbia University, New York City, said in a prepared statement.
"One question we had was whether
some symptoms of depression were more important than others for increasing the risk for developing epilepsy.
Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt were possibilities, because people with epilepsy seem to be more likely to commit suicide than the general population. But we looked at all symptoms of depression," Hesdorffer said.
Published online October 10
in the journal Annals of Neurology, the study included 324 people with epilepsy and 647 people without the disorder.
The researchers found that a history of depression was associated with an increase in the risk of epilepsy.
They were also surprised to
find that people with epilepsy were 4 times more likely to have attempted suicide before ever having an epileptic seizure. This was true even after the researchers accounted for other factors such as alcohol
consumption, age, gender and depression.
The researchers also found
that the presence of specific depression symptoms didn't predict a greater likelihood of later epileptic seizures.
The findings suggest that
there's a common underlying brain mechanism for epilepsy and suicidal behavior and that depression and suicidal behavior may be related to different brain mechanisms, the study authors wrote.
"Increasingly, clinicians
treating people with epilepsy ask about current depression, but they may not ask about past suicide attempt or suicidal thoughts," Hesdorffer said. "Our results may alert clinicians to the need to ask this question and offer any needed counseling to prevent the occurrence of later completed suicide."
More information
The Epilepsy Foundation has more about epilepsy and depression (www.epilepsyfoundation.org ).
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., news release,
Oct. 10, 2005
Emotional Memory Management
Our brain is constantly
functioning, it never stops. It maintains our breathing, our blood flow, our body temperature & other aspects that
allow us to stay alive & thinking. Just about every aspect of daily functioning is directly related to our memory. Emotional Memory Management, or EMM,
is concerned w/the thinking part of brain functioning & the manner in which the brain pulls memory files, makes those files & how those files
influence our daily life.
Researchers studying psychological & neurological
aspects of the brain, combined w/on-going theories regarding memory, thought control & therapy/counseling have concluded that there are several theories about memory. Your brain containing information about everything that has
ever happened to you in your life, reserves this information in memory files. Have you ever wondered about how your brain's
file system works?
I certainly have
wondered about it. Being in recovery from mental illness, many new discoveries come to light from old information that
has been "filed" away somewhere in your brain. What causes these memories to appear so clearly to us - just all of a sudden?
Studies in neurology
have concluded that the memory files in our brain contain more than just data & info about our lives. Emotions have also been recorded. In a manner that is still partially unknown, the brain has the ability to store not only memories
but emotions as well - as they occurred at the time the memory was made. Memory files thus contain two parts, the information about the
event & the feeling we had at the time of the event.
How
Memories Are Made...
Each of us experiences
a variety of good, bad and in-between experiences. A specific memory area of the brain will hold memories for about 5 days,
to see if they're important. Memories that aren't important are usually "dumped" or erased after the 5 day waiting period. These erased memories can never be recovered. As an example,
we don't remember how many times we turn on a light unless it shocks us or blows up.
A
memory is stored in long-term storage or "dumped" depending on it's emotional value. From a neurological standpoint, emotions or concentration releases a brain chemical, called "calpain", that then stores the memory, basically "memorizing" the experience
including the details (who, what, where, when, etc.) and the emotion present at the time. This is why we can easily memorize information in an area of interest but have difficulty memorizing
dull or uninteresting topics.
People with a "photographic memory" are felt to have
more of this brain chemical operating or have better control over the release of the chemical.
When an
emotional event occurs, the brain releases chemicals that tell the brain to store the memory file. The stronger the emotional
experience was, the longer the memory remains.
When an
individual experiences a boring event, the brain doesn't release the chemicals needed to retain the memory for more than 5 days. This memory is eventually
erased over a period of time.
Memories created with
informational data only, as when memorizing spelling words or learning math, are kept through frequent repetition or constant
use.
When those
informational or data memory files aren't frequently used, the memory slowly fades away. Although we don't always
remember the usual mundane experiences that happen on a day to day basis, we'll always remember times which have a good
or bad value.
examples:
- the time a store was robbed when we were
there
- the time an old lady threatened us over a
can of green beans
- the time we spilled gasoline all over our clothes in
one of those self-serve pumps
If a daily
memory doesn't have a strong good or bad emotional value, it's faded out.
As years pass, we build
up quite a file system. We build up a collection of good memories and bad memories. Our brain has the ability to pull these
memories at the drop of a hat - almost instantly.
Those with
emotional memories can't only give you the exact details, but a variety of random and irrelevant details surrounding the event.
This is how powerful "emotional memory" can be.
When we
hear that data relayed about a certain event is incorrect, our brain alerts us to errors if we have a memory file about that
particular event. Our brains not only react, but notice mistakes. This is another automatic brain activity.
An emotional memory
file is a neurological/brain activity. The brain makes, organizes, sorts & controls it's files. Remember, the file contains
2 parts, info & emotion.
After years of neuropsychological researchers have concluded the following
rules regarding file control:
Rule: The brain operates on chemicals. These
chemicals produce emotional responses in the brain & body. The chemicals combine in our brain to produce certain
moods, reactions & feelings.
The brain operates on chemicals known as neurotransmitters. These brain
chemicals called "neurotransmitters" produce various emotional conditions. Neurotransmitters have a normal level in the brain
& can be "low" or "high" depending upon certain situations.
Serotonin is one of the most actively researched neurotransmitters
at this time. The reason for this is that serotonin is known to be related to depression, headaches, sleep problems & many mental health concerns.
When serotonin is low in the brain system - depression & other
mental health problems are produced. Low Serotonin is also associated w/bulimia, a severe eating disorder, where the body craves sweets & carbohydrates in a desperate effort to raise serotonin levels.
Antidepressants, such as Prozac & Zoloft, work by increasing serotonin in the brain. As the Serotonin level returns to normal, the depression
lifts.
Serotonin - The Molecule of Happiness
Serotonin was first recognized
as a powerful vasoconstrictor in blood serum. It was isolated in 1948 by Page & was later found to be associated
with the central nervous system.
The chemical name for serotonin is 5-hydoxytryptamine which is often abbreviated to 5-HT.
Serotonin is naturally produced
in the Pineal gland which lies deep at the centre of the human brain. The average adult human possesses only 5 to 10
mg of serotonin, 90 % of which is in the intestine & the rest in blood platelets &
the brain.
One role of this 'wonder drug'
is as a neurotransmitter, allowing numerous functions in the human body including the control of:
- appetite
- sleep
- memory & learning
- temperature regulation
- mood
- behavior
- cardiovascular function
- muscle contraction
- endocrine regulation
- depression
Subsequent to his discovery
of serotonin, Page commented that no physiological substance known possesses such diverse
actions in the body as does serotonin.
5-HT is also found in wasp
stings & scorpion venom where its function is of an irritant, since intravenous injection of serotonin
in humans leads to pain, gasping, coughing, a tingling & prickling sensation, nausea, cramps & other unpleasant symptoms.
Synthesis of Serotonin
Serotonin
is manufactured in the human brain using the essential amino acid tryptophan which is found in foods such as bananas, pineapples,
plums, turkey & milk.
The
enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase adds a hydroxyl group to tryptophan's benzene ring at position 5, creating 5-hydroxytryptophan.
Another enzyme, amino acid decarboxylase, then removes a carboxyl group from 5-hydroxytryptophan, forming 5-hydroxytryptamine
which is more commonly known as serotonin.
Serotonin as a neurotransmitter
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter
involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers within the brain that allow
the communication between nerve cells.
Packets of serotonin
(vesicles) are released from the end of the presynaptic cell into
the synaptic cleft. The serotonin molecules can then bind to receptor proteins within
the postsynaptic cell, which causes a change in the electrical state of the cell. This change in electrical state
can either excite the cell, passing along the chemical message, or inhibit it. Excess serotonin
molecules are taken back up by the presynaptic cell & reprocessed.
The neurons in the brain that
release serotonin are found in small dense collections of neurons called Raphe Nuclei.
The Raphe Nuclei are found in the medulla, pons & midbrain which are all located at the top of the spinal cord. Serotonergic neurons have axons which project to many different parts of the brain, therefore
serotonin affects many different behaviors.
Low serotonin
levels are believed to be the cause of many cases of mild to severe depression which can lead to symptoms such as:
- anxiety
- apathy
- fear
- feelings of worthlessness
- insomnia
- fatigue
The most concrete evidence
for the connection between serotonin & depression is the decreased concentrations of serotonin metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid &
brain tissues of depressed people.
If depression arises as a result of a serotonin deficiency then pharmaceutical agents that increase
the amount of serotonin in the brain should be helpful in treating depressed patients.
Anti-depressant medications increase serotonin levels at the synapse by blocking the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic cell. Anti-depressants are one of the most highly prescribed medications
despite the serious side-effects they can cause.
If depression is mild enough it can sometimes be managed without prescribed medications. The most effective way of raising
serotonin levels is with vigorous exercise. Studies have shown that serotonin levels are increased with increased activity &
the production of serotonin is increased for some days after the activity. This is
the safest way of increasing serotonin levels & many other benefits result from regular exercise.
Serotonin levels can also
be controlled thru the diet. A diet deficient in omega-3 fatty acids may lower brain levels of serotonin & cause depression. Complex carbohydrates raise the level of tryptophan in the brain resulting in a calming effect. Vitamin C is also required for the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin.
for more very interesting info concerning serotonin
click here!
Dopamine in abnormally high levels in the brain produce paranoia, excitement, hallucinations & disordered thought (schizophrenia). Abnormally low levels produce motor or movement disorders such as Parkinson's
Disease.
Norepinephrine is related to anxiety & depression. High levels of norepinephrine in the brain produce strong physical-anxiety symptoms such as trembling, restlessness, smothering
sensations, dry mouth, palpitations, dizziness, flushes, frequent urination & problems with concentration. A "panic attack" is actually a sudden surge of norepinephrine in the brain.
Endorphins are substances produced by the body that kill pain or produce a
feeling of well-being. Endorphins can be produced during pregnancy right before labor starts, when the woman feels a
sudden need to rearrange furniture, go dancing, or clean house. Exercise causes endorphins to be produced also, giving
us the sense of well being.
A chronic low level of serotonin, as when experiencing long-term severe stress, produces strong depression or a low mood. The low serotonin level in the body creates symptoms such as:
- Frequent crying spells
- Loss of concentration & attention
- Early morning awakening (about 4:00 am)
- Loss of physical energy
- Increase in thinking/mind speed, pulling bad memories
- "Garbage" thoughts about death, dying, guilt, etc.
- Loss of sexual interest
Emotional Memory files contain instructions for the brain to use these neurotransmitter
ingredients to produce the mood in the file. We note that all anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and anti- psychotic medications focus on changing the levels of these chemicals in the brain.
Rule: Thoughts change brain chemistry.
Our thoughts can change the level of neurotransmitters on a daily basis. If a man walks into a room with a gun, we
think "threat" and the brain releases norepinephrine. We become tense, alert, develop sweaty palms and our heart beats faster. Positive thinking works. What we think about a situation actually creates our mood. Negative thinking patterns can lower serotonin levels, thus making us depressed.
Your Biological Clock
Each body is set
to a 24-hour clock, known by scientists as circadian rhythms. An internal biological clock is fundamental to all living organisms,
influencing hormones that play a role in sleep & wakefulness, metabolic rate, & body temperature. Disruption of circadian
rhythms not only affects sleep patterns but also has been found to precipitate mania in people w/bipolar disorder or what was once called, "Manic-depressive Illness."
Other types of illnesses also
are affected by circadian rhythms; for instance are, heart attacks occur more frequently in the morning while asthma attacks
occur more often at night because of these rythms.
Biological clocks have been the
focus of intensive research over the past 40 years & only recently have the tools needed to examine the molecular basis
of circadian rhythms become available. Early studies pointed to an area of the brain, the hypothalamus, as the location of
the circadian pacemaker in mammals. More recent findings show proteins called cryptochromes, located throughout the body,
are also involved in detecting changes in light & setting the body's clock.
Variations
have been found in the human clock gene, which may predispose people to be "early birds" or "night owls." Other research has
linked academic & behavior problems in adolescents to irregular sleep patterns.
Researchers
have found that imposing too early school start times on children requires unrealistic bedtimes to allow adequate time for
sleeping. Early school start times for adolescents are frequently associated w/significant sleep deprivation, which can lead
to academic, behavioral, & psychological problems, as well as increased risk for accidents & injuries, especially
for teenage drivers. Completing our understanding of biological clockworks will lead to better treatments for diseases affected
by circadian rhythm, as well as to methods of coping w/disrupted sleep patterns.
A Brief Mental Health History
NMHA & the History of the Mental Health Movement
In the 17th and 18th centuries,
individuals with mental illnesses underwent great suffering at the hands of American society. Viewed as demon possessed or
characterized as senseless animals, they were subject to deplorable treatment. Physical and mental abuse was commonplace and the widespread use of:
deprived patients of their dignity and freedom. Nineteenth century reformers, such as Phillip Pinel in France and Dorthea Dix, made great strides in promoting humane treatment
of those with mental illness but conditions were still far from ideal.
In 1900, Clifford Beers, a
Yale graduate and young businessman, suffered an acute breakdown brought on by the illness and death of his brother. Shortly
after a suicide attempt, Beers was hospitalized in a private Connecticut mental institution. At the mercy of untrained, incompetent
attendants, he was subject to degrading treatment and mental amd physical abuses.
Beers spent the next few years
hospitalized in various institutions, the worst being a state hospital in Middletown, Connecticut. The deplorable treatment
he received in these institutions sparked a fearless determination to reform care for individuals with mental illnesses in
the US and abroad.
In 1908, Beers changed mental
health care forever with the publication of A Mind That Found Itself, an autobiography chronicling his struggle with
mental illness and the shameful state of mental health care in America. The book had an immediate impact, spreading his vision
of a massive mental health reform movement across land and oceans.
The actualization of the movement
began that same year when Beers founded the Connecticut Society for Mental Hygiene. The Society expanded the following year,
forming the National Committee for Mental Hygiene. The Society, both in Connecticut then nationally, set forth the following
goals:
- to improve attitudes toward mental illness and the mentally ill
- to improve services for the mentally ill
- to work for the prevention of mental illness and promote mental health
The National Committee began
fulfilling its mission of change immediately, initiating successful reforms in several states. In 1920 the Committee produced
a set of model commitment laws which were subsequently incorporated into the statutes of several states. The Committee also
conducted influential studies on mental health, mental illness and treatment, prompting real changes in the mental health
care system.
The First International Congress
for Mental Hygiene in 1930 was, perhaps, the pinnacle of Beers career. The Congress convened 3,042 officially registered
participants from 41 countries, with many more actually in attendance, for constructive dialogue about fulfilling the mission
of the Mental Health Movement. The Movement was well established when Beers died in 1943.
In an historic merger, three
organizations, the National Committee for Mental Hygiene,
the National Mental Health Foundation, and the Psychiatric Foundation, an offshoot of the American Psychological Organization
primarily concerned with fund-raising, banded together on September 13, 1950 to form the National Association of Mental Health
(NAMH). NAMH continued Beers mission with new vigor.
In 1961, 5 years of participation
on Congress Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Mental Health culminated in the release of the landmark report Action for
Mental Health, an influential program for improving government mental health services. Through television programs, literature
distribution and other media, NAMH continued to educate the American public on mental health issues and promote mental health
awareness.
In 1979, the NAMH became the
National Mental Health Association (NMHA). In 1980, NMHAs 3 year leadership role in raising grass-roots support and cooperation
with the federal government resulted in the development and passage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980.
The Act fostered the continued
growth of Americas Community Mental Health Centers which allow individuals with mental illnesses to remain in their home communities
with minimal hospitalization.
NMHA created commissions on
the insanity defense, the mental health of the Nations unemployed and homeless, the mental health of rural Americans and the
prevention of mental emotional disabilities. These commissions examined the status of each issue and directed future reform
efforts. In 1990, NMHA played a leading role in the development of the Americans with Disabilities Act which protects mentally
and physically disabled Americans from discrimination in such areas as:
- state and local government services
NMHA continues to strive to
fulfill Clifford Beers goals, spreading tolerance and awareness, improving mental health services, preventing mental illness, and promoting mental health. Its massive National Public Education
Campaign on Clinical Depression, begun in 1993, continues inform Americans on the symptoms of depression and provide information about treatment. NMHA is also involved in the struggle for parity of mental health benefits with other
health coverage.
The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996
was a great victory, barring insurance companies and large self-insured employers from placing annual or lifetime dollar limits
on mental health coverage. NMHA was at the forefront of all efforts to win passage of the bill. Current efforts are underway
to gain broad-based parity, which covers a broad range of diagnoses, in all states.
Collaboration with the federally-supported
National GAINS Center for People with Co-Occurring Disorders in the Justice System has produced the Justice for Juveniles
Initiative. The special mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system are shamefully neglected. This collaboration holds the promise of reforming the juvenile justice system so that these needs are addressed.
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"STIGMA" ??? sounds like a disease
to me...
but little has been done to fight this prejudicial thinking about mental illness and those who experience it. Learn about what so many people in the US are afraid of here!
Doctors and
researchers have continued to study mental illness and its relationship to the brain and the body, but many mysteries
still remain. New research on chemical imbalances in the brain; that may be either inherited, or may develop because of excessive stress or substance abuse are shedding new light on the connection between the brain and its functions with mental illness.
The brain's inner workings are
still not totally clear and definable, but constant strides are being made.
Just as the
body, the brain is also vulnerable to disease. People with mental illnesses often exhibit many types of behaviors such
as extreme sadness and irritability and in more severe cases, they may also suffer from hallucinations and total withdrawal. Still people tend to look at those
experiencing mental illness as a subculture to be afraid of instead of receiving this population with compassion and acceptance. People with mental illnesses may experience hostility, discrimination and stigma.
Why does stigma still exist?
The media is responsible for many of
the misconceptions which persist about people with mental illnesses. Newspapers, in particular, often stress a history of
mental illness in the backgrounds of people who commit crimes of violence. TV news programs frequently sensationalize
crimes where persons with mental illnesses are involved. Comedians make fun of people with mental illnesses, using their disabilities
as a source of humor.
Also, national advertisers use stigmatizing images as promotional
gimmicks to sell products. Ironically, the media also offers our best hope for eradicating stigma because of its power to educate and influence public opinion. A general lack of education can also be blamed for the stigma.
How You Can Combat Stigma:
Share your experience with mental illness.
Your story can convey to others that having a mental illness is nothing to be embarrassed about.
Help people with mental illness re-enter society. Support their efforts to obtain housing and jobs.
Respond to false statements about mental
illness or people with mental illnesses. Many people have wrong and damaging ideas on the subject. Accurate facts and information
may help change both their ideas and actions.
What's
a Metabolism? (Keep in mind that food is fuel and fuel
is energy in the form of calories.)
We all have our own metabolism. Metabolism
is the rate your body converts food into energy for activity, the operational functions of life and the repairing of damaged
tissue. Our metabolism is always working whether we are sleeping, sitting, walking or exercising. The best way to use our
metabolism to its fullest potential is to burn an excess of calories during exercise and then rest, thus allowing our metabolism
to take over and repair the damage it needs to and to continue to burn calories as we continue on with our daily routines.
If
we keep this cycle going, our metabolism conforms to the cycle. Eat, take in fuel, exercise, burn calories and rest to repair
the damage.
Exercise and Mental Illness (a
better understanding is a better reason to want to exercise)
What are the mechanisms by which exercise has this positive effect on mental well being? Three main mechanisms have been put forward by researchers:
Biochemical
Mechanisms
The most well known example of a biochemical contribution comes
in the form of a feeling of euphoria following intense prolonged exercise. Known as "runners high" increases in plasma b - endorphin are believed to underlie this mental state, though it is still unclear if it promotes
mental well being long-term.
More promising
research points to norepinephrine and serotonin (5-HT) as mechanisms for improved mood, both are elevated following acute
exercise. Given that many anti-depressant medications also work by increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters in the brain, it seems reasonable to assume that this may be
the means by which exercise operates.
Physiological Mechanisms
Many of the feelings of stress, anxiety and depression we experience come from appraisals of the way our body feels at any given point.
i.e., if we perceive
muscle tension in our neck as stress, then it's stress and we may react in a manner consistent with stress responses.
Elevations in pulse
and breathing rate may be perceived as anxiety, which in turn really makes us anxious. Given that exercise results in lower blood pressure, slower pulse and easier breathing, we might assume that this is effecting
our perceptions of depression and anxiety.
I'm afraid not,
studies find only a weak relationship between physical fitness and reduction of depression and anxiety. However, this doesn't rule out the increase in cerebral blood flow and improved muscle relaxation that accompanies physical
fitness.
Psychosocial
Mechanisms
A number
of hypotheses are offered w/in this area and is probably the most easily understood.
The idea that regular exercise and physical fitness can improve perceptions of our self-worth and self-esteem isn't new and is probably a drive to participate in exercise for most of us whether depressed or not.
In todays materialistic
society "Body Image" appears to be one of the biggest obsessions. It affects us to the point that our every move is guided by it.
Eating patterns, dressing and exercise habits and even the way we walk or hold ourselves is in some way related to our drive to have a good body image.
It's not unexpected
to find that body image and self-esteem are more closely associated with each other than any other dimension of self (5).
Many of the effects
of exercise such as loosing fat and improving muscle shape and definition, offer a means to improvement of body image and therefore self-esteem.
It should be noted
that positive self-esteem is related to good mental well being. Changing our body appearance through exercise may also contribute to positive self-esteem through the sense of control we gain when we bring about change in our bodies.
Another factor that may contribute is social interaction that accompanies activities
that involve exercise. However, this would also suggest that playing chess could be just as effective if it was a simple act of social interaction.
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