Brain is the Final Frontier – Prof. David Anderson.
Psychiatric disorders like Autism, Depression and Schizophrenia take a terrible told on human suffering. We know much less about their treatment and the understanding of their basic mechanism that we do about the diseases of the body.
If you are concerned about a cancer diagnosis, you got bones scans, biopsies and blood tests but if you are concerned about depression diagnosis what will you get- “A Questionnaire”
Prof. Anderson efficiently thrown light upon the importance of understanding the mechanism behind complex neuropsychiatric disorders but also gave fresh impetus to change our traditional view of psychiatric disorders as merely chemical imbalances. Moreover, he explained the need of understanding the neural circuits behind psychiatric disorders which may also support the chemical imbalance theory and help us in providing new diagnostic and treatment strategies.
Prof. Anderson works with drosophila and mice model for behavior and psychiatric disorder at Caltech.
Lebestky T, Chang JS, Dankert H, Zelnik L, Kim YC, Han KA, Wolf FW, Perona P, & Anderson DJ (2009). Two different forms of arousal in Drosophila are oppositely regulated by the dopamine D1 receptor ortholog DopR via distinct neural circuits. Neuron, 64 (4), 522-36 PMID: 19945394
Wang L, & Anderson DJ (2010). Identification of an aggression-promoting pheromone and its receptor neurons in Drosophila. Nature, 463 (7278), 227-31 PMID: 19966787
I am a philosopher who learned how to overcome numerous learning disabilities without the aid of prescription drugs and professional help. I could see the link between them and emotional immaturity or emotional illiteracy. Although pointing it out to the scientific community has fallen on deaf ears.
Watching your video allowed me to see what you are discovering is what I discovered, although I couldn’t prove it like you can.
Keep up the good work. I feel more will be accomplished if a few bright scientists collaborate with philosophers. Working together they could accomplish more.
David Zimmer
I do agree with you Mr.Zimmer, and what you are pointing out is the unproven hypothesis which states that “Induction of brain structure by experience/learning”. Fewer data is available in that context, but with the advent of next generation imaging modalities, I guess the it will either prove it or reject it. About the collaboration of scientist are indeed philosophers, so as their degree says – Doctor of Philosophy
I found an interesting piece by His Holiness Dalai Lama(http://goo.gl/QUk4N)on “How Thinking Can Change the Brain”.
Come on guys, get serious! For a starter, there is no such thing as ADHD 🙂
This is an artificially conceived diagnosis to aid selling of prescription drugs.
If you really apply the criteria for ADHD at least 50 of all children can be identified 🙂 A child with ‘ADHD’ was considered only ‘naughty’ or ‘playful’ in more innocent times.
Well, I believe that is much optimistic way to see the problem. However, when the diagnosis is been made by a skilled neurologist/neuropsychiatrist based upon DSM 4 (http://goo.gl/xt1lL) or when DSM 5 will finally arrive (http://goo.gl/fh6XV)you can distinguish between a “naughty” n “playful” kid from a children with ADHD
However, ADHD is a far more complicated problem than it seems. For one thing, the three main the signs of ADHD are not unique to the problem. ADHD, poor awareness, and impulsivity are also the the signs of not related circumstances like actual physical integrated, problem, autism, and lack, to name a few. Your kid’s indicators will not fade away if he or she is recognized and taken care of for the incorrect problem.
I do agree with the nature of complexity behind ADHD. According to a research two-thirds of U.S. children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have comorbid learning disorders or other mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions (http://goo.gl/X8mVb).
However, I think it depend upon the ability of clinician to make right diagnosis in a multi-disciplinary environment, where the child is assesed by a counselor, clinical psychologist and finally by a psychiatrist.