“the musical,” and more

Some interesting reviews from Toronto of Autism: The Musical which (EyeWeekly notes) offers a “real life alternative to Rain Man.” And, while I’m on the subject, two more musicals: In Brick Township, NJ, a “rock opera,” Day After Day, that is about “the daily struggles the families of autistic children face”; it’s being performed this Friday and has also been performed eight times in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York over the course of two months in 2004. On a slightly different note (sorry for the unintended pun), in New York there’s Next to Normal, the city’s “first mainstream musical about manic depression.” Housewife Diana is manic-depressive and, it seems, undergoes electro-shock treatment in the course of the show (someone it seems a little off to have just written that); one supposes taht a dance of “pill-proffering pharmacologists” will not exactly enchant the “this vaccine thing is all a conspiracy between Big Pharma and the government” lobby. Notes the February 14th New York Times: ………“Next to Normal” assesses the fragmenting effects of mental illness within a family. It also, in an honored tradition of all-American hometown weepers, makes a high school dance an acid test for a central character. And the lyrics traffic in Lifetime-style buzzwords. People sing with some regularity of wanting to “begin to heal,” and they ask questions like: “Who’s crazy: the one who’s uncured? Or maybe the one who’s endured?” Schmalzy stuff but “the uncured” and “the one who’s endured”: Those phrases resonate around here. Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar, broadway, children, electroshock treatment, manic depression, Music, musical, pdd-nos, Psychiatry, PsychologyShare This (Source: Autism Vox)

Hello seattle!: mental health court: no exit

(Source: soulful sepulcher)

La récupération de mme. Trudeau

Margaret Trudeau, Canada’s lively and lovely former first lady turned bipolar advocate, talks about her recovery (récupération in French) process to stay balanced.

“You need to develop a sense of forgiveness,” she says. “Forgiving myself and forgiving others for abandoning me, for hurting me, for their lack of understanding. I have to ask for forgiveness, and I have to forgive myself.”

The other essential ingredient to recovery, Trudeau says, is gratitude. “When you are a grateful person, you are a generous person, and then you are a happy person. When you give, you get—you certainly do.”

“I know what it was like to be so low, and to have that flame of hope—the one you should always have—go out. I have such gratitude for being well and having been given the gifts I have in my life.”

She is giving back through public speaking and media interviews about her life to reduce stigma and encourage people to reach our for help. Her above advice, key points in her recovery, family history, and more of this admirable woman’s story are tucked into a nice cover article in BP Hope magazine.

Read more in Margaret Trudeau: forgiveness.gratitude.wisdom. [free full text].

Mood Biomarkers Aid Bipolar Treatment

A new research finding will provide objectivity to the nebulous clinical diagnosis (and treatment) of mood disorders — mental health disturbances experienced by 44 million Americans each year.

Mood disorders are believed to result from complex imbalances in the brain’s chemical activity. Furthermore, researchers believe environmental factors can play a part in triggering, or cushioning against, the onset of mental illness.

Two of the most common mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness.

Indiana University School of Medicine scientists isolated biomarkers in the blood that identify mood disorders — a breakthrough that may change the way many disorders, including bipolar illness is diagnosed and treated.

The report will be published in the February 26 advance online edition of the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

The panel of markers is present in differing amounts in individuals suffering from high or low mood states. The concentration of the blood markers also varies depending on the severity of the depression or mania the individual experiences.

“This discovery is a major step towards bringing psychiatry on par with other medical specialties that have diagnostic tools to measure disease states and the effectiveness of treatments,” said Alexander B. Niculescu III, M.D., Ph.D., lead author and assistant professor of psychiatry, medical neurobiology and neuroscience at the IU School of Medicine Institute of Psychiatric Research.

“Although psychiatrists have been aware that bipolar illness and other psychiatric conditions produced molecular changes in the brain, there was no way to measure those changes while the patient was living,” Dr. Niculescu said. “Blood now can be used as a surrogate tissue to diagnose and assess the severity of the illness.”

The researchers discovered that the molecular changes in the brain are reflected in the blood producing biomarkers whose levels correlated with the severity of the symptoms. This gives psychiatrists an objective tool to assess the effectiveness of a medication on individual patients without the typical lengthy waiting period, said Dr. Niculescu.

The researchers isolated the blood biomarkers in 96 patients involved in the initial research, which was supported by National Institutes of Health grant funding, NAESAD and funds from Eli Lilly and Company. Next the Indiana University researchers are planning a larger study looking at these mood markers in response to treatments, and they will use their unique methodology to seek biomarkers for other psychiatric diseases.

Source: Indiana University

Indiana U Study May Alter Approach To Psychiatric Treatment

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have isolated biomarkers in the blood that identify mood disorders, a breakthrough that may change the way bipolar illness is diagnosed and treated. The report will be published in the February 26 advance online edition of the journal Molecular Psychiatry.The panel of markers is present in differing amounts in individuals suffering from high or low mood states.

Alexza Initiates First Phase 3 Clinical Trial For AZ-004 (Staccato(R) Loxapine)

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXA) announced that it has initiated its first Phase 3 clinical trial with AZ-004 (Staccato(R) loxapine). AZ-004 is an inhalation product candidate being developed for the treatment of acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Depressed? Anxious? Addicted? Try Ear Seeds

The practice of acupuncture is believed to have been developed in China and has been around for centuries to treat many common physical ailments. Recently though, acupuncture has been gaining momentum in mental health applications as well.

A New York Times article reports that acupuncture and “ear seeds” in particular is a growing trend in the treatment of conditions such as depression, anxiety and addiction. The article titled, “A Traditional Therapy Finds Modern Uses”, discusses the application of ear seeds to a patient being treating for cigarette addiction. Specifically, the application of ear seeds is referred to as auricular therapy and involves applying seeds from the Vaccaria plant, using small bits of tape, to specific areas on the outside of the ear. Reportedly the seeds are now used at the Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, a popular drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. In addition, the article mentions that ear seeds are being used to treat people who have been traumatized from 9/11, Katrina and the California wildfires.

The article reports that there is no specific evidence proving the ear seeds effectiveness in treating these mental ailments, however it’s something to consider before taking a more invasive pharmacological route.

Kay Redfield Jamison Vintage Video

Fans of Kay Redfield Jamison rejoice: here’s the vintage half-hour video An Unquiet Mind: Personal Reflections on Manic-Depressive Illness. A captivating speaker, she’s authored many papers and books on the subjects of bipolar, manic depression and recurrent depression. She is Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and is bipolar herself.

Newly unearthed is this eloquent lecture on her experiences with suicidal depression and psychotic mania, lithium, support, relapse and recovery. Produced in 2002 by the University of Virginia, now on YouTube via the Research Channel, vlogged by Channel N. Worth watching.

Bipolar Depression Licence Application For Seroquel(R)

AstraZeneca has submitted an application to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for a new licence for Seroquel(R) (quetiapine fumarate) in the UK for major depressive episodes in the framework of bipolar disorder. Quetiapine is currently licensed in the UK for the treatment of schizophrenia and manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder.1 Bipolar disorder affects about one in every 100 adults at some point in their life.

Mood Lighting Webcomic

Awesome webcomic Overcompensating by Jeffrey Rowland recently featured light therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Click the image to see all of Mood Lighting, including this endorsement in teensy words at the bottom: “SAD light is designed for successful creative people who need to not suck.”

SAD is affected by variable seasonable levels of sunlight, and other environmental cues. A vanguard considers it to be part of the bipolar spectrum, since it’s cyclical depression and predictably recurrent with the seasons in affected people. I remember an ignorant old skool nurse scoffing at the idea that mood changes with weather (”ridiculous” was her descriptor). She obviously hadn’t read the substantial literature on light therapy (also called phototherapy). There’ve been many trials and comprehensive meta-analyses like a review* by the American Psychiatric Assn. and this Cochrane Review on light therapy for non-seasonal depression. It doesn’t work for everyone (no treatment does) but is definitely effective for many people.

More accessible than medical literature is some valuable info about therapeutic blue light (and amber light) in the comments of this post. As well, the Center for Environmental Therapeutics has decent SAD and light therapy resources, including self-assessment tools.

People with bipolar disorders can be overstimulated by blue light (there are cases of hypo/mania triggered by light treatments), so do be careful. Amber light bulbs (like bug lights), screens for monitors, and glasses with yellow lenses might help though they haven’t been rigorously studied yet. Dr. Jim Phelps of PsychEducation published an interesting hypothesis last summer on wearing amber lenses to block nighttime artificial blue light (flourescent bulbs, TV screens, etc.) and potentially stabilize bipolar disorder by affecting circadian rhythms. It’s available here but sorry, there’s a paywall guarding the full text.

* Golden et al., The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162:656–662 [free full text]

Direct link to Mood Lighting at Overcompensating. Read some other strips while you’re there, laughter helps you out too.

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