Deep Brain Stimulation in Tourette Syndrome: A Description of 3 Patients With Excellent Outcome

A neurologist describes a new paper published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Three of his patients suffering from severe, treatment refractory Tourette syndrome received deep brain stimulation implants, and the procedures were successful. Dr. Savica talks about which areas of the brain were targeted by DBS, and the need for more research to determine the best target. For more details, read the free article here. DOI: 10.4016/38287.01.

2011 Gloria Neidorf Memorial Lecture on Bipolar Disorder

The controversial link between sensitivities to foods including milk casein, wheat, and gluten, and effects on psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A young investigator presents her ideas in the The Gloria Neidorf Memorial Lecture for 2011 at the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Annual Symposium in New York City. Brief presentation followed by a Q&A with the public.

Greg Murray, The Quality of Life Scale

A collaboration with a psychiatry group at UBC in Vancouver and a Sydney, Australia researcher measuring quality of life in bipolar disorders, separate from its symptoms. Murray describes how they developed a scale, now available for free clinical and individual use (click here), through a series of questionnaires and analyses. They created a useful instrument for the treatment of bipolar disorder that considers important dimensions.

Michalak, E., Murray, G. (2010). Development of the QoL.BD: a disorder-specific scale to assess quality of life in bipolar disorder Bipolar Disorders, 12 (7), 727-740 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2010.00865.x

Disasters and Mental Health Research

Disasters (both man-made and natural) can have disastrous effects on the large groups of people who experience them. A researcher talks about the long term psychological effects of 9/11, and how scientists have studied the best methods to identify and help people at risk of developing PTSD. Complete transcript accompanying video.

Exercise as a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia

A neurologist reports on the newly published article “Physical Exercise as a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging,” Ahlskog et al, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2011. Their meta-analysis found that exercise affects brain health in animal models, and suggest it can modify cognitive outcomes with normal aging and perhaps reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease like dementia. Physical (as opposed to mental) exercise is recommended. Although the amount and type of exercise has not been completely assessed, patients are being counseled to practice regular vigorous exercise. DOI: 10.4016/33263.01.

The Downward Spiral of Upward Social Comparison

Comparisons among peers, acted out as situations around a fashion photo shoot and party, mixed with narrated citations. An unusual video format, with lots of good research info about media and peer comparisons affecting body image, drinking, eating disorders, identity, racism, individuality, suicide, and more.

BPD Expert Dr. Marsha Linehan at the National Institute of Mental Health

The pioneer of Dialectic Behavioural Therapy, a variation of CBT designed for suicidal people with Borderline Personality Disorder (now being applied to other mental health issues), talks about her research and challenges with treating BPD patients. Includes full transcript. See also: Learning From Suicide, another excellent lecture by Linehan on the ethics of research on suicidal people.

Synthetic Neurobiology

Futuristic lecture covering augmented cognition, neurobiology, neuromodulation, computational neuroscience, optogenetics, mouse studies, neuroengineering, and potential therapies. Includes supplementary slides.

The Benign Violation Theory of Humor

The combination of a moral violation with benign consequences is a recipe for amusement, says an interesting new study on what makes things funny. Available alongside the peer-reviewed research article Benign Violations: Making Immoral Behavior Funny, McGraw and Warren, Psychological Science, 2010, in a multimedia pubcast, or an audio podcast version.

Why Women Apologize more than Men: Gender Differences in Thresholds for Perceiving Offensive Behavior

Pubcast accompanying an article in Psychological Science. A co-author describes a psychology experiment in which men and women were monitored to see how many apologies they gave and received. The women they studied apologized more, but the gender difference was due to perceptions of whether or not an offense had taken place that warranted an apology.