Possible Smart Pill??

Can a Pill Make People With Down Syndrome Smarter?

http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/17/can-a-pill-make-people-with-down-syndrome-smarter/

I chose to read an article and write my blog post about the common disability, Down syndrome. I have always been really fascinated about how a lack or partial lack of a chromosome can cause such a difference in verbal and mental capacities. I believe that Down syndrome is a more debilitating disability compared to autism because they do not have the advanced ability to expand on topics and learn. I found an article in The New York Times called “Can a Pill Make People with Down Syndrome Smarter?” We discussed in class whether a “smart pill” really exists and research had shown that there are in fact some medicines that can increase memory.

The drug that the article speaks about is memantine, which is currently used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Research had shown that in mice there was an instant normalization in learning and remembering, due to this pill. The results on human subjects showed a cognitive benefit of memantine over the placebo subjects. The results were not strong enough for many writers to believe that this study is worth continuing.

I’m really interested in reading how everyone else feels about this article. I thought this was a fantastic road for research to go down and I really hope it is successful one day. I do not think that memantine is harming the research subjects so I personally feel as if it is worth government funding and continuing trials. Do you guys think that this would really be possible for a pill to be created to help increase learning in humans with Down syndrome? Is it worth the time and money to continue further testing and trials? 

Kirsten Fulop

Imaging of brain structures that deteriorate in Parkinson's

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121126164306.htm

Researchers at MIT recently discovered a new imaging technique that allows them to monitor the progression of Parkinson’s in living patients affected by the disease.  Current theories state that the first degenerative signs of Parkinson’s disease can be seen in the substantia nigra, a structure that is fairly deep in the brain.  Its location has caused the failure of previous attempts to monitor Parkinson’s through brain scans.  Researchers at MIT used four different types of magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, scans to show the progression of the disease throughout the brain.  Each type of MRI uses a different magnetic field and when combined the various images show an image of the patient’s brain structure.  The scans produced by the new imaging technique support previous theories on the progression of Parkinson’s disease.   

            This research is extremely important because until now doctors have not been able to see if treatments actually slow the brain deterioration experienced by their patients, only if treatments lessen symptoms.  Being able to actually see the degeneration of the brain allows doctors and researches to more closely evaluate the effectiveness of drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease and could avoid unhelpful or even potentially harmful treatments.  This knowledge could potentially help the millions of people around the world currently suffering from Parkinson’s disease.   

Crows Have Opinions

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/avian-einsteins/201211/crows-have-opinions

This article struck me, as it is somewhat similar to what we discussed for CWA 5. It discusses the abilities of crows and how humans may not be the only creatures able to make inferences even when we do not have solid visual proof. Through experimentation the researchers are able to show that the crows understand "hidden causal agents". In the experiment the crows were required to use a tool to retrieve food from inside a box. While they were doing this, two experimenters would enter the cage. One would stand in the corner with his arms crossed and eyes closes, while another went into a hide connected to the cage. Then, researchers outside would use a remote control to trigger a stick to come out of the hide towards the crows, who would be tapped by the stick if they were in the process of getting food. After the crows were able to witness the purpose of the stick and how it operated, the researchers left the cage. The "trick" of the experiment was the remote controlled stick. The crows would see the stick move, and see perhaps the researcher in the corner enter and exit, but never saw another researcher enter the hide. However, they still inferred there was someone there triggering the stick. When they saw the researcher in the corner enter and exit, they returned to foraging with no concern. When there was no human present, they exhibited more hesitance and concern for getting the food. Hence, according the researchers, the crow is acting upon things that it did not necessarily see but formed a belief or idea about.

This idea suggests that crows are in fact able to form opinions. In many classical examples of animal experiments, animals are conditioned to stimuli and responses. Normally, the crow would see the person entering the hide and expect the stick to come out. However, even when there was no human present, the crows still thought there was a chance of the stick coming out. What do you think? Is it just a case of conditioning or is it possible crows and other animals can formulate beliefs just like we do about abstract ideas like god and ghosts?

Creatine for Muscle and Mood

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inner-source/201210/creatine-muscle-and-mood-0

In this article, Creatine is discussed as a paired medication along with anti-depressant medication, more specifically Lexapro which was mentioned in the article, to reduce the symptoms of depression and almost eliminate it all together from target individuals. The article references a study of 52 Korean women who were diagnosed with major depression and, as a result, prescribed Lexapro to treat their depression symptoms. However, half of the women in the study were also given 5 grams of Creatine while the other half of the women were given placebo pills. After 2 weeks, the women that were given both Lexapro and Creatine had almost no symptoms of depression and, after about 8 weeks, all of these women who were given both drugs were declared not depressed anymore. However, the women that did not take both drugs were still diagnosed as clinically depressed at the end of the 8 weeks. Creatine is believed to reduce the damage of our genetic material as well as increase the production of the energy molecule ATP in the brain. It is understood that because of this increase in ATP production in the brain, the brain is less likely to make the individual feel depressed.

This research does sound promising with treating the symptoms of majorly depressed individuals, however, it does seem to have a lot of holes in the research. Depression is becoming increasingly common worldwide, being affected by many different variables in an individuals life. Thus, treatments will always be necessary to decrease these symptoms. However, in regards to Creatine, there does not seem to be real proof that Creatine truly helped these individuals, only the speculation that it did. For example, the article stated that there was not much difference in decrease of symptoms between people who were taking just the anti-depressant medication and the people taking just the placebo. Therefore, there could be a physiological effect of the Creatine on the body but the psychological effect could simply be that of a placebo. Pills are believed to alleviate symptoms so it is only logical to believe that taking more pills would make you feel even better. Overall, I believe that Creatine could potentially help treat symptoms of major depression, however, from this article, it feels like most of the results seem to be speculation of the effects of Creatine rather than actually facts and data. This needs to change before Creatine can be considered a real option for treating major depression.

The Puzzle of Pain

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/listening-pain/201211/the-puzzle-pain

The Puzzle of Pain discusses the idea of pain being both a gift and a curse. Pain is the body's way of telling the mind that something is wrong, dangerous or harming the body and that it needs to be taken care of immediately. If it isn't taken care of, then the pain will either stop, continue or increase in intensity. In the case of Ashlyn, she had a rare genetic disorder that allowed her to not feel pain. She could stick her hand in boiling water and and be unaffected, even though physically, her body is being damaged. Thus, the gene that seems to be regulating pain and is being effected is the SCN9A gene. When mutated, this gene can either cause no pain whatsoever or it can cause chronic pain throughout the body, depending on how it is manipulated. This gene can be the answer to regulating pain for certain patients. This gene, when manipulated correctly, can dampen pain for people suffering with chronic pain. With a different manipulation, this gene could also heighten the effects of pain, which would be beneficial for people suffering from the disorder Ashlyn has, where they cannot feel any pain. 

I believe that this research is very beneficial because people suffering from constant chronic pain will be a topic of medical discussion for years to come. People will continue to has these disorders that allow them to feel no pain or makes them feel pain all the time. Therefore, this research is not only extremely relevant but also necessary to enhance the lives of these individuals. However, there are a few problems with this research. One, for example, is about the manipulation of the gene itself. Will this be a permanent mutation, as in will the body be able to correct this mutation in the SCN9A gene once it detects it? Also, how are these researchers able to manipulate the gene to only allow a certain threshold of pain, for both types of patients? How will this mutation control the amount of pain each person is able to experience?

Research Finds Firstborns Gain the Higher I.Q.

Firstborns Gain the Higher I.Q.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/science/22sibling.html?ref=intelligence

According to this article written by Benedict Carey through the New York Times, “the eldest children in families tend to develop higher I.Q.’s than their siblings…” I found this article very interesting, and wished to gain more insight on the methods used in this research. The eldest sibling was known to have an I.Q. three points higher than that of the closest sibling, not due to biological factors. The article explains the way family dynamics play into this research and it even describes the process they took to reach to this conclusion.
        
Even though this research was done on males; researchers say the same results would work on females as well. There was even a study done on men who became the eldest in the household after their sibling had died. These men had I.Q. scores “the same, on average, as those of biological firstborns.” Firstborns are given a lot more attention by their parents, which could be a huge factor towards the higher I.Q. score.

There is still further research that needs to be done. However, this article does provide a great amount of information on this finding. There is an additional finding at the end of this article, which talks about children under the age of 12 who tend to outscore the eldest on I.Q. tests. More research must be done to figure out why this happens; however, this is a great start.

Embattled Childhoods May Be the Real Trauma for Soldiers with PTSD

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119140625.htm

Many of us are very interested in studying PTSD and helping those who have developed it. What I had always assumed about PTSD was that it was only developed after a traumatic experience has occurred. This article summarizes a research study that challenges that widely accepted idea.

Researchers from Aarhus University noticed that many studies concerning PTSD were lacking an appropriate baseline. Soldiers were really only being tested for PTSD symptoms after they returned from combat. Unfortunately, many people have some symptoms of PTSD that have developed from stressful situations they have experienced in their lifetime. These experiences include abuse, physical punishment, and other combat experiences. The study Dorthe Bernsten conducted made sure the 746 soldiers were tested for these experiences as well as symptoms of depression.

The soldiers were tested five weeks before they left for Afghanistan, and then two weeks, 2-4 months, and 7-8 months after their return. The soldiers were also followed up with during deployment about their perceptions of what they were experiencing, the stress they were under, and how they felt about killing people. What they found was truly unexpected. They found that most soldiers were resilient and did not develop any PTSD symptoms. The rest were not consistent in what they experienced. Some experienced the gradual increase of symptoms that did not seem to have any specific cause.

A surprising number of soldiers actually showed improvement from their original symptoms while they were in active combat. I thought this was the most interesting. The researchers provided social support and camaraderie as reasons why this might have been the case. They were probably lacking in this before they left.

I wonder if this information could be used to develop some sort of preparation program before leaving for Afghanistan. It could form some sort structured support group for the soldiers to revel in before they left and return to when they get back. Is anyone else surprised by these results?

Adolescents' Personalities and Coping Habits Affect Social Behaviors

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120801154845.htm

This article describes a study completed by researchers in the human development department at the University of Missouri about the different ways adolescents deal with stress and learn what are effective coping strategies. It describes that there are really two types of coping strategies: problem-focused and emotion-focused. Problem-focused coping strategies are those that aim to nullify the cause or source of stress. These are mainly used by adolescents who are empathetic, fairly skilled at regulating their emotions, and are more prone to be considerate of others before themselves. Emotion-focused coping strategies are those that target the emotions that are felt as a result of stress. These can look like venting, deep breathing, and avoidance. These strategies are generally utilized by impulsive adolescents who are more likely to think of themselves before others, are emotionally unstable, and are more prone to exhibit aggressive characteristics.

From that summary, it is easy to conclude the following: problem-focused coping strategies are good, and emotion-focused coping strategies are bad. However, this is over-simplifying the issue. Even well-adjusted, emotionally stable children experience stressors that they are unable to control or anticipate. They cannot utilize problem-focused coping mechanisms to make things better. An example of a situation where problem-focused coping strategies would not be appropriate is in the case of parents' divorce. This situation is sure to bring about change which will then create anxiety, anger, fear, and other emotions that the adolescent is not able to handle by taking away the problem. In this case, emotion-focused coping strategies would be appropriate. On the other side of the coin, emotion-focused coping strategies would not be entirely appropriate in the case of academic stress. Problem-focused coping strategies would be more appropriate and could look like studying in advance and/or managing time in such a way to avoid the stress of leaving work all to the last minute.

The researchers used this study to show that teaching a variety of coping strategies under both realms--problem-focused and emotion-focused--will allow adolescents to make an educated decision about which strategies are appropriate for different situations. I hope this article is taken seriously and is somehow worked into education and counseling models. Coping strategies are learned after a person has experienced something that caused stress. This is unfortunate as we all grow up with many people around us who have had these experiences and have developed some way to deal with them. This information, though it seems like it would be obvious, could help families who are going through difficult situations AND those who would like to help their children become more able to regulate their emotions and manage stress effectively.

Replacing addiction with a healthy obsession

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/21/health/cnnheroes-exercise-addiction/index.html?hpt=he_c1

I found this article interesting because it talked about overcoming addiction.  We spent a good amount of time covering drugs and addiction in class.  This articles discusses how exercise can be used to overcome addiction.  It is a relatively new development, however their have been studies conducted which shows positive results for exercise helping to beat addiction.  One study showed that when rats had an exercise wheel in their cage then they were more likely to use that, rather than morphine.  The article also discusses how exercising offers a certain "high", which addicts are use to getting from their drugs, but can now experience it in a positive way.  Exercise is almost the complete opposite from what for example alcohol can offer a person.  A person is getting healthier, having better self-esteem, etc, and they are focusing on something that keeps their mind off addiction. 
I think this article has a lot of valid points.  I still think their needs to be more research on the topic.  The article appeared because one person wrote a book on his journey to recover from alcoholism.  It worked for him, but that may not be the case for everyone.  The final verdict is yet to be decided.  With other recovery methods, I believe a lot has to do with the willpower of the individual and their willingness to change.  I believe that exercise is a good thing and can definitely help, however I do not believe it is the save all way for helping addicts recover. 

Relation between job loss and Heart attacks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20391529

This article talks about how job loss leads to increased chance of heart attack. In the article they state that there still needs to be more research done in the area of how stress effects cardiovascular disease, but this shows us some insight on how it could increase the chance of heart attacks. They say that people who recently lost a job were 27% more likely to have a heart attack and that number jumped up to 63% for people who had lost more than 4 jobs. They also showed that in their studies people who lost their jobs had a higher risk of having a heart attack than people with stressful jobs. They also state that for people who keep busy by doing physical activities when they lose a job, their risk of having a heart attack are reduced greatly. 

A Brief History of Electroshock Therapy and One Man's Personal Story

This link takes you to a video of a TED talk that is about 20 minutes long.  As a warning, there is some vulgar language in the talk, but I think it is worth watching anyway.

http://www.ted.com/talks/sherwin_nuland_on_electroshock_therapy.html

It is the story from a man who emerged from a deep depression because of electroshock therapy.  We discussed this in class the day before Thanksgiving break, and I think some of our minds were blown by the idea.  I myself have known about this therapy for a while, and have discussed it in other classes and for some reason it has come up in “casual” discussions with friends, but each time, I still have such a hard time believing that it could work.  Believing that such a seemingly terrible experience to put someone through could have such a positive effect on a person’s life.  I have never known someone who has gone through something like this, and still do not, but listening to this man talk about his experience with it definitely brings the subject closer to home.  When someone talks so passionately and positively about his experience, it makes me believe more readily that it works. 

            I think if we knew how and why it worked, people would not attach such a negative stigma to it, though.  As Sherwin Newland describes in the TEDtalk, the therapy came about as a type of exorcism for the evils in the body.  Long ago, it was believed that evil spirits brought about these depressive issues, and to rid people of them, they needed to be shaken from the body.  They thought that the seizures that were induced from herbs/drugs, and later electroshock therapy, is what rid people of the burdens of depression.  Though we know now that depression is not caused by evil spirits, we still do not have an answer to how sending jolts of electricity repeatedly through a person can raise them from the depths of depression back to a practicing surgeon, for example.  We are taught as small children not to stick a key into an electrical socket (a lesson I myself did not believe from my parents, and had to learn through my own experience), but something that simple, and “dangerous” could be the answer to bringing someone out of a terrible situation.  How is this explained!?

What are the moral implications of this type of therapy, if any?  Do the ends justify the means in this case?  If you read the comments below the talk, there are some stories of others who have undergone similar treatments – some successful, and others less so.  It was just incredible for me to see this man talk about his experience, and I thought it was worth sharing.  I hope you take the time to watch through the whole thing, and let me know your thoughts through comments.  You will also get points for the class J

Multiple sclerosis: New drug 'most effective'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20151891

This article explains a bit about Multiple sclerosis.  Someone with MS has a dysfunction within their immune system.  The immune system targets the nerves causing pain and discomfort.

There have been many drugs out on the market to help treat MS but no definitive cure.  And there still is no definitive cure but there is a new drug option that seems to work the best.  The drug, alemtuzumab, is also used to treat cancer patients with leukemia.  It works by completely wiping out the immune system so that the immune system has to rebuild itself and start from scratch.  

Is this the best option?  It runs the risk of causing other immune system deficits.  And similar to the other drugs on the market, it isn't a cure but only the most effective.  I know that some treatment is better than no treatment however, do the benefits outweigh the potential harm? 

Having seen a friend go through Leukemia it's hard to say what was the cancer and what was the medication.  Should we allow others to go through this as well?  

- Morgan Eary 

Why genes don't predict behavior.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-genes-dont-predict-voting-behavior

The concept here is interesting:  Could genes potentially play a role in the behavior of voting?  But after reading this article it seemed a bit like a waste of money to conclude that they don't.  This complex behavior or higher order thinking doesn't seem to have any predictive biological factors but rather environmental factors such as socioeconomic status, parental opinions, ethnicity, etc.  Thoughts?

- Morgan Eary

Hydrogen bonds in Amyloid-beta peptide

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121105081451.htm

Researchers recently discovered that the cause of Alzheimer's may be Amyloid-beta peptide, not the amyloid plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's patients.  This article discusses recent findings in the research of Amyloid-beta peptide.  Until now the structure of Amyloid-beta in its most dangerous form was not known but recently researchers at Lulea University of Technology and Warwick University have been able to use NMR spectroscopy to study the its hydrogen bonds.  Hydrogen bonds are essential to the structure and function of molecules.  Being able to identify the correct hydrogen bonds could lead to a treatment that blocks Alzheimer's instead of just attempting to alleviate symptoms.
 
While a cure is not imminent, this research does make an important step in the correct direction and could potentially help the millions of people currently struggling with Alzheimer's disease.  Researchers at Lulea University are already collaborating with other researchers to work towards fully characterizing the oligomers they believe are responsible for Alzheimer's disease. I believe that this research is important because being able to stop the progression of Alzheimer's instead of just treating the symptoms would change of the lives of millions of people around the world.

Behavior Therapy Normalizes Brains of Autistic Children

http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/26/behavior-therapy-normalizes-brains-of-autistic-children/

This article discusses how children with a mild form of autism enter an intervention program. These children showed dramatic improvement in both I.Q. and normal developmental behaviors such as brushing their teeth and engaging with family members during meals. Geraldine Dawson did a study using this Early Start Denver Model by taking EEG readings before and after the intervention. The intervention actually changed the brain activity of the children enrolled. Dawson believes that while the intervention is not a cure, it shows that some aspects of ASD can be manipulated and redirected toward normal development.

I have always been fascinated with the brain and autism. The implications from this study can be life changing for people who are living with the disorder. The idea that people with mild forms of ASD can retrain their brain, if started young, to follow a more normal developmental path is a huge deal. I would like to look up the actual study instead of reading about it in Time magazine, but if what is reported is true, this has the potential to make a difference in the lives of many people.

Can comparing your DNA to fMRI scans reveal psychological problems?

http://discovermagazine.com/2012/may/04-the-brain-can-tell-you-what-drugs-take-choices/article_view?b_start:int=0&-C=

In this article, Ahmad Hariri, is using links between people’s genetic code and their behavioral characteristics or responses to certain stimuli. Patients were place in a fMRI machine and asked questions about their personal history, drug and alcohol use, and stressful experiences. In another they were asked to guess weather the number on a card would be high or low and they were rewarded with money for getting it right. Hariri then compares their responses to their DNA and looks for links among patients. This is much faster than the traditional ways of research.

Hariri has already found associations between people with a short copy of the serotonin transporter gene and anxiety-related disorders. Hariri wants to make a “comprehensive genetic test for the mind”. This test could show how well a person would react to certain drugs. It would also serve as a warning to people by warning them that they are more prone to certain psychological problems. For example, some people that Hariri found were more prone to anxiety, but only if they did not have a strong social support. Therefor they could make sure to surround themselves by loved ones and friends.

I am extremely interested in research like this. For there to someday be a diagnostic test that can be run simply from a person’s DNA is amazing. Babies could have their DNA tested at birth and the information could be passed on the parents to assist in raising them. For example, if someone’s DNA shows they have a strong tendency to drink, then their parents could know that drinking will be a big issue they would have to address. Same can go for anxiety and other psychological traits. By individually testing how certain DNA components affect emotion, Hariri will most likely eventually be able to create this (in my opinion).

I think this will create invaluable knowledge that may not be directly known from family history or current psychological status.