Samsung Develops Gadget to Detect Strokes

In recent news, engineers at the Samsung Electronics Creative Lab (C-Lab) have developed an Early Detection Sensor & Algorithm Package (EDSAP) that has the ability to detect strokes.

“The resulting headset is equipped with sensors that transfer data to algorithms that allow you to observe your brainwaves on your Smartphone, tablet or upright computer to make sure you are not at risk.”

Interestingly, this device could potentially save lives by ensuring that people obtain proper medical attention in a timely manner.  Samsung claims that it’s even more efficient than hospital equipment as it analyzes brainwaves more rapidly and detects more detail due to a rubber-like ultra-conductive material.

Apparently, the headset is merely a prototype and the sensors will actually function effectively in any type of headgear such as barrettes or even eyeglasses.

There is no word on when this device could be available to the general public; however they do suggest that this technology could lead to other applications such as monitoring heart muscle activity.

Despite the fact that the device is not approved or regulated, it is refreshing that companies like Samsung are spending some of their efforts on developing gadgets other than newer models of Smartphones and Tablets.

Until then…

“A stroke, sometimes referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult (CVI), or colloquially brain attack is the loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This disturbance is due to either ischemia (lack of blood flow) or hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain cannot function normally, which might result in an inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, failure to understand or formulate speech, or a vision impairment of one side of the visual field.”

Warning Signs:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding.
  
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
  
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Some Statistics:

• In 2010, worldwide prevalence of stroke was 33 million, with 16.9 million people having a first stroke. 
• Stroke was the second-leading global cause of death behind heart disease, accounting for 11.13% of total deaths worldwide.
  
• Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 129,000 people a year.
  
• Stroke kills someone in the U.S. about once every four minutes.
  
• African-Americans have nearly twice the risk for a first-ever stroke than white people, and a much higher death rate from stroke.
  
• Over the past 10 years, the death rate from stroke has fallen about 35 percent and the number of stroke deaths has dropped about 21 percent.
  
• About 795,000 people have a stroke every year.
  
• Someone in the U.S. has a stroke about once every 40 seconds.
  
• Stroke causes 1 of every 20 deaths in the U.S.
  
• Stroke is a leading cause of disability.
  
• Stroke is the leading preventable cause of disability.

Samsung developing wearable headset to detect strokes
Stroke
American Heart Association

© www.mentalhealthblog.com

Depression May Be Linked to Inflammation in the Brain

New research in Canada reveals that inflammation deep in the brain may be linked to depression.  Specifically, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) studied the brain scans of patients with depression and those without.  Results showed 30% more inflammation in the brains of patients with clinical depression.  In addition, symptoms worsened with the degree of inflammation.  Keeping in mind that researchers only studied the scans of 40 patients, concrete conclusions are a tad premature.

Nevertheless, this research does offer new ideas for investigation, which could uncover other possible causes for the illness as well as potential new treatments for depression.  In other words, perhaps reducing inflammation in the brain may alleviate or eliminate the symptoms.  This is exciting news for the individuals that do not respond to medication, which, according to this research, consists of 30 to 50 per cent of patients!

“Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants.

[…] The purpose of inflammation is to eliminate the initial cause of cell injury, clear out necrotic cells and tissues damaged from the original insult and the inflammatory process, and to initiate tissue repair.

[…] Too little inflammation could lead to progressive tissue destruction by the harmful stimulus (eg. bacteria) and compromise the survival of the organism. In contrast, chronic inflammation may lead to a host of diseases, such as hay fever, periodontitis, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer (e.g., gallbladder carcinoma).”

According to Dr. Jeffrey Meyer of CAMH, it is theorized that the body of patients that have suffered some type of infection or trauma may have healed, however the brain has not had the opportunity to recover.  This may explain why patients with certain types of inflammatory disease, such as lupus, are several times more likely to develop clinical depression.

Of course, it is still unclear whether the inflammation in the brain occurs before depression sets in or as a result of the illness.

_______________________________________________
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn't worth living.

During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness or unhappiness
  
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
  
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities, such as sex
  
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
  
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so that even small tasks take extra effort
  
• Changes in appetite — often reduced appetite and weight loss, but increased cravings for food and weight gain in some people
  
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness — for example, excessive worrying, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still
  
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
  
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that are not your responsibility
  
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
  
• Frequent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
  
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Facts: 

• Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression.
  
• Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.
  
• More women are affected by depression than men.
  
• At its worst, depression can lead to suicide.
  
• There are effective treatments for depression.

Study finds link between depression, brain inflammation
Inflammation
Depression (major depressive disorder)
Depression

© www.mentalhealthblog.com

Commonly Used Medications Linked to Dementia

A new study reveals that higher doses or prolonged use of medications with anticholinergic effects significantly increases the risk for developing dementia.  Although, this is not the first study to discover such a link, it is the first to suggest that the risk of dementia as a result of taking such medications may not be reversible.

“An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and the peripheral nervous system. Anticholinergics inhibit parasympathetic nerve impulses by selectively blocking the binding of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to its receptor in nerve cells. The nerve fibers of the parasympathetic system are responsible for the involuntary movement of smooth muscles present in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, lungs, etc.”

Anticholinergic agents are used to treat a variety of conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory disorders, insomnia, dizziness etc.  Some of these commonly used medications include Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Advil PM etc.), Bupropion (Zyban, Wellbutrin), Dextromethorphan (cough suppressant) and the list goes on.  In addition, some of these medications can be acquired without a prescription and can have very strong anticholinergic effects.

Moreover, many older patients, already at higher risk of developing dementia, are frequently using these types of medications.  Doctors should be taking a proactive approach and monitoring the use of these drugs, including non-prescription use.

“For instance, the most commonly used medications in the study were tricyclic antidepressants like doxepin (Sinequan), first-generation antihistamines like chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), and antimuscarinics for bladder control like oxybutynin (Ditropan). The study estimated that people taking at least 10 mg/day of doxepin, 4 mg/day of chlorpheniramine, or 5 mg/day of oxybutynin for more than three years would be at greater risk for developing dementia.”

Consequently, the study suggests that medical professionals should seek substitutes such as citalopram (Celexa) or fluoxitene (Prozac) for depression or loratadine (Claritin) for allergies or behavioral changes for urinary incontinence.  However, if substitutes are not available, the suggestion is to prescribe the lowest dose possible, monitor its effectiveness closely and cease use if there is no real benefit to the patient.

This study differs from other research as it used more rigorous methods, longer follow-up periods and better assessment of medication use by using pharmacy records of both prescription and non-prescription use.  It is also the first of its kind to link anticholinergic medication dosages to dementia risk.  Results were obtained by tracking nearly 3,500 Group Health seniors participating in the long-running Adult Changes in Thought study (a longitudinal population-based prospective cohort study of brain aging and incident dementia in the Seattle metropolitan area), some of which have also agreed to have their brains autopsied after they die.  Stay tuned.

Quick Facts:

Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia.

While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:

• Memory
• Communication and language
• Ability to focus and pay attention
• Reasoning and judgment
• Visual perception

Many dementias are progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse.
Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells, which interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other.

There is no one test to determine if someone has dementia. Doctors diagnose Alzheimer's and other types of dementia based on a careful medical history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and the characteristic changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior associated with each type.

Some risk factors for dementia, such as age and genetics, cannot be changed, however some of the most active areas of research in risk reduction and prevention include cardiovascular factors, physical fitness, and diet.

The total number of new cases of dementia each year worldwide is nearly 7.7 million, implying one new case every four seconds. The number of people with dementia is expected to nearly double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.

The costs are estimated at US$ 604 billion per year at present and are set to increase even more quickly than the prevalence.

Caring for dementia patients is overwhelming for caregivers. The stresses include physical, emotional and economic pressures. Care givers require support from the health, social, financial and legal systems.

People with dementia are frequently denied the basic rights and freedoms available to others. For example, physical and chemical restraints are used extensively in aged-care facilities and acute-care settings.

Improving the awareness and understanding of dementia across all levels of society is needed to decrease discrimination and to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers.

More research is needed to develop new and more effective treatments and to better understand the causes of dementia. Research that identifies the modifiable risk factors of dementia is still scarce.

Higher dementia risk linked to more use of common drugs
Anticholinergic
alz.org
World Health Organization

© www.mentalhealthblog.com

Daily affirmations

  

Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’ve come up with a little routine lately. It’s simple, but more powerful than I imagined it would be: I say affirmations out loud every single day.

Pick something you do every day that requires minimal thinking. For me, it’s washing myself in the shower (so it’s accompanied by wonderful aromas from my shower gels). It could be doing the dishes, putting on make up, shaving, getting dressed, whatever. Just choose a time where you have a few minutes and make sure it’s something that you do daily.

The way I’ve been doing it is picking a theme each day. Today it was communication for me. In the time I set aside, I say as many affirmations as I can on that topic. I’ve been challenging myself by choosing affirmations that push my belief in myself. This has helped me grow. As an example, here are some of mine from today:

“I have a voice that deserves to be heard.”

“I can speak freely.”

“I show love in the things that I say.”

“I am powerful when I speak my truth.” 

See how they go along with the theme? Sticking to one topic each day allows me to explore what I am talking about in depth. You might want to do something kind for yourself afterwards. I make myself a nice cup of tea and journal. Do whatever works for you.

It sounds like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. It’s made me more comfortable with myself and more willing to do things that are difficult. You believe what you are repeatedly exposed to, so rehash themes as needed. I have a general cycle with a broader theme for each day of the week and then pick a subsection of that day’s message. 

For more information on affirmations, read this. There is also a list here of some affirmations you can try out until you develop your own.

Do you use affirmations? What has changed in your life as a result of them? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

A Problem with Brain-based Models

We are living in a time of obsession with the brain.  It is true that neuroscience is producing discoveries which are interesting an may be useful (time will tell), though humans will always amount to much more than what we carry in the cranium.  On a daily basis I see in my news feeds items like "Gene found responsible for chronic tardiness", or "CAT scan shows region involved in ADHD", or "Bipolar Disorder rise attributed to increase in brain abnormality".

A problem I have with research like this, and like so much that we consume, is that it does not appear to take into account developmental, contextual, and environmental factors. Because of this the dialog focuses on a reductionist and brain-based model as though the person-in-environment does not exist. This facilitates intrusive and authoritarian “treatments” and is often a dead end in improving human welfare. To say that diagnosis X is rising really does not tell us what we need to know, which is why or how. And that’s putting aside all the arguments involving inadequate support for diagnoses and the inter-rater reliability problems associated with them. Sometimes it seems as though the research paradigm is oriented toward simplistic goals for the purpose of developing efficient delivery of interventions, mainly drugs. And by efficient I mean not having to develop human relationships or spending much face time with people.

The "innovations" all seem to actually reduce time spent in human contact, thereby increasing the ROI in billing.

I am not an expert in the technicalities of diagnosing, though I think I do well in the formulation of human life problems.  I do know that our young adults are functioning in a context which is often pathogenic in and of itself. Here are some of the factors we see as relevant:

• Stress related to global political and marketplace influences
• Extremely poor sleep routines and hygiene
• Arrhythmic lifestyles, or more simply put, chaos
• Too much screen time, not enough play and exercise
• A paucity of trusting, mutually satisfactory relationships, in any sphere
• Racism and discrimination
• Increased sense of threat and diminished opportunity for affiliation
• Poverty
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Poor nutrition
• The inherent “volatility” of the late adolescent and young adult
• The seasonal nature of the stresses in the academic environment
• Corruption, or at least mutual and self-serving contamination, among our leaders including those involved in healthcare and the Pharma-Insurance conglomerate
• Violence, rape, sexual assault, harassment
• Environmental toxins and their suspected role in some diagnoses (see http://bit.ly/1kRI8Dw)

If I bathed your brain in even half of these factors, what would you look like?

I have personally worked with many young folks who “looked” Bipolar (or ADHD or Whatever 209.45), but who were really experiencing intense emotion which they could not articulate in language nor act to soothe. The intense emotion was, more often than not, a result of a pathogenic environment of people, places and things, some of which they created themselves.

This is not a new problem.  Some years back we hanged and drowned and burned some women in Salem, MA.  It wasn't even thought until the 1970s that there might have been a fungus in the rye they ate which caused some alarming behavior.  Never mind whatever proportion of them were being assaulted.  But they were killed, because it was easier to attribute behavior to the individual rather than her context.  This is still the case.

Please recall Seurat and his pointillism, the painting style consisting of a series of dots.  A diagnosis is a few dots.  You have to stand back from the painting to see the darn thing.  It is much the same with humans.

I am sure there are other views. This is mine, and it does not necessarily foreclose on the concept of serious illness.  But I submit the threshold for this is much higher than what many appear to believe, especially those with an investment in the "treatment" for the illness.

15 mental health resolutions for 2015

imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Happy New Year! As we all know, this is the time of year when people take stock of their lives and find ways to improve. So in the spirit of goal-setting, here are 15 resolutions to keep you mentally healthy in 2015. I encourage you to adopt at least one of them!

1. I will set and maintain healthy boundaries.

2. I will say no to negativity. 

3. I will make time for myself.

4. I will love and accept my body the way it is.

5. I will continue to learn new things.

6. I will practice mindfulness and self-care.

7. I will ask for help when I need it.

8. I will find healthy ways of dealing with stress.

9. I will not indulge in excess.

10. I will surround myself with supportive people.

11. I will take medications as instructed. 

12. I will physically take care of my body (exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.).  

13. I will only speak positively about myself, in or out of my head.

14. I will shrug off unhealthy guilt. 

15. I will be proud of myself for each step towards recovery.

What mental health resolutions are you making? Post yours in the comments!