Mum's sign to help people understand her autistic son

Lisa has put a sign outside asking neighbours not to phone the police if Ryan has a 'meltdown'. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

World Hacks: The secret HIV protection for women with cheating husbands

Could this vaginal ring help protect women from HIV in communities where men refuse to use condoms? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

NI nursing shortage is 'worrying picture' - RQIA chief

The health regulator formally notifies the health department there is a serious nursing shortage. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Chris Packham wants better education for children with autism

The TV presenter and author says families want a better education for their autistic children. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

PMQs: Thornberry and Green on NHS and Brexit funding

The government finds £350m to fund NHS services through winter in the Budget, but 11 times that amount for Brexit, says Emily Thornberry. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Global response to malaria at crossroads

Global response to malaria at crossroads - WHO report shows gains are levelling off via WHO news Read More Here..

Minimum alcohol price 'could hit drinkers on low incomes'

Minimum alcohol pricing is "unprecedented" and "impossible to predict", warns a free market think-tank. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Tenovus to build 'world's biggest' mobile chemotherapy unit

Cancer charity Tenovus has received funding to build a mobile unit that will travel to treat patients. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

1 in 10 medical products in developing countries is substandard or falsified

An estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, according to new research from WHO.

This means that people are taking medicines that fail to treat or prevent disease. Not only is this a waste of money for individuals and health systems that purchase these products, but substandard or falsified medical products can cause serious illness or even death. via WHO news Read More Here..

Medicinal cannabis: Health Minister signs licence for Ava Barry

Simon Harris has signs a licence for a seven-year old from County Cork to access medicinal cannabis. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Teenage brains 'not wired for high stakes'

Developing brain circuits shape how adolescents approach their goals, say US psychologists. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Viagra can be sold at pharmacies in UK

Men will no longer require a GP's prescription to obtain the impotence drug, regulators have decided. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Mental health issues 'affect third of mums'

Sally Bunkham did not initially recognise that she had postnatal depression. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

WHO delivers medicines as diphtheria spreads in Yemen

WHO delivers medicines as diphtheria spreads in Yemen via WHO news Read More Here..

On tour with Crohn's

What's it like being in a rock band, and dealing with the symptoms of Crohn's disease? Follow Black Foxxes frontman Mark Holley as he pushes himself further than ever. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Scarlet fever cases hit 50-year high in England

Experts are unable to explain why the contagious disease is on the increase in England. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

'Third of mothers' experience mental health issues

Stress, anxiety and depression can follow on from becoming a new mum, a survey by BBC 5 live reveals. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Pharmaceuticals sector 'worth £2.7bn to Scottish economy'

The Fraser of Allander Institute says the sector makes an "important" contribution to Scotland's economy. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

We must do better on baby deaths and injuries - Hunt

All unexpected baby deaths and serious injuries to be independently investigated in the future. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Madagascar’s plague epidemic is slowing, but we must sustain the response

Madagascar’s unprecedented outbreak of pneumonic plague is slowing down but the response must be sustained, WHO cautioned on Monday (November 27).

“The worst of the outbreak is over, but we must stand ready to detect and respond to new infections until the end of the plague season in April 2018,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. via WHO news Read More Here..

Clean air target 'could be met more quickly'

Targets for reducing illegal levels of NO2 pollution from vehicles will be achieved more quickly than the government expects, a study says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

EU settles dispute over major weedkiller glyphosate

The EU will renew glyphosate's licence for five years, despite some health concerns. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Ethical hackers to boost NHS cyber-defences

The hackers will work in an operations centre that will look for threats before they hit hospitals. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Children of German tycoon Schlecker jailed for fraud

Anton Schlecker and his family profited from their pharmacy chain's demise. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Manus Island: 'Concerned' doctors offer to treat asylum seekers

Prominent Australian physicians say they fear for the health of asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Vaginal mesh operations should be banned, says NICE

Implants can cut into the vagina - and some women have been left in permanent pain, unable to walk. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Give child 'super-spreaders' flu vaccine, say experts

NHS bosses say children should be vaccinated, as they could put relatives at risk of getting the flu. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Women have 1.9 children on average, a record low

Women in England and Wales are having 1.9 children on average, fewer than their mothers who had 2.2 children. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Are mince pies too boozy for children?

A woman was asked for ID over a mince pie - so how much alcohol is in the festive treats and are they OK for kids? via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Marijuana And Sexual Dysfunction — Could Your Marijuana Usage Be Hindering Your Performance in Bed?

What is marijuana? Marijuana, also called pot, cannabis, weed, reefer, Mary Jane, dope, broccoli, chronic, reefer, and 420, among countless others, consists of a mixture of dried plant leaves, flowers, and/or stems of the Cannabis Sativa plant. In addition, there is a resin-based version of marijuana that is called hash. Most people either smoke marijuana or vape it (warming it, but not cooking it), but it can also be ingested in oil form. The most common way to ingest marijuana is to roll it up and smoke it like you would a cigarette or cigar, or use a smoking tool like a pipe. Some users, however, consume weed by infusing foods (i.e., butter and cooking oil) or teas.

What happens to your body when you ingest marijuana? THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the most active ingredient in marijuana. When you smoke this herb, it travels to your lungs before entering your bloodstream. Once in your blood, it travels to your brain and other organs (i.e., heart, tissues, etc.). FYI: Drinking or eating marijuana can delay the effects of THC. But, once it bonds with your brain’s neural receptors you become “high.”

THC can also affect the sections of your brain that control memory, thinking, concentration and focus, and coordination. When this occurs, it can trigger unpleasant side effects like distorted thinking, delayed learning, lethargy, increased appetite, low inhibitions, hallucinations, distorted perception, clumsiness, and memory loss. These side effects are normally temporary; however, they can still lead to dangerous consequences, especially if you drive while under the influence.

Is marijuana legal in the U.S.? Yes and no. The state legalization process (for medical marijuana) first began during the seventies. But, unfortunately, even though the process started 40-plus years ago, there has been very little progress on this front, in many states. Why not? Because each state is tasked with developing and enforcing its own laws, rules, and regulations.

Ironically, marijuana possession (in small amounts) has been legalized in other parts of the world (i.e., Czech Republic, Canada, and Israel), yet only 29 states (Oregon, Montana,  Alaska, Ohio, New Mexico, Arkansas, California, Illinois, New York, Colorado, Delaware, Washington, DC, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Arizona, Maine, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia) have moved to decriminalize the herb for medicinal purposes.

It is important to point out that medical marijuana has not been thoroughly tested due to government regulations and production limitations. However, research suggests that it may ease nausea and vomiting during chemo treatments, alleviate chronic pain, boost appetite in those with HIV/AIDS, and relieve muscle spasms. In November 2016, Nevada, Massachusetts, California, and Maine also passed measures to legalize recreational marijuana.

Common Sexual Dysfunctions and the Effects of Marijuana

What are sexual dysfunctions? Sexual dysfunctions, also known as erectile dysfunction (ED), sexual disorders, premature ejaculation (PE), sexual malfunctions, and sexual arousal disorders, are issues that can occur during any stage of the sexual response cycle (i.e., anticipation, plateau, orgasm, and decline). This issue can prevent couples from experiencing sexual fulfillment during sexual intercourse.

What are the different types of sexual dysfunctions? They usually involve four categories: (1) desire disorders (a lack of sexual desire or a loss of interest in sex); (2) arousal disorders (an inability to become or stay aroused during sex or sexual activities; (3) orgasm disorders (unable to climax (orgasm) or a delay in climaxing); and (4) pain disorders (pain that occurs during sexual intercourse).

Should I use marijuana for my issue? Regarding marijuana and sexual dysfunction, THC can negatively affect penile function, possibly leading to premature ejaculation. How? Well, there are receptors in a man’s penile tissue that when confronted with THC, increases the risk of erection and orgasm issues. Why does this happen? Marijuana boosts dopamine levels in the body. Dopamine regulates moods and emotions. If you get accustomed to really high levels of dopamine, you may subsequently find that your natural level of this hormone may not be high enough to sexually stimulate you, thus, making it harder for you to maintain an erection.

Is it Even Safe?

Is it safe to use pot for sexual dysfunctions? Unfortunately, the answer is complicated. Study results have been both inadequate and variable. For instance, a recent La Trobe University study interviewed over 8000 Australian men and women, between 16–64 years old, to determine how marijuana usage could affect sexual function. Researchers focused on condom use, sexual partners, sexual dysfunctions, and sexual-transmitted diseases (STDs).

Results indicated that men, who use marijuana daily, are four times more likely to have orgasm problems and three times more likely to experience premature ejaculation, than men who do not use it or don’t use it regularly. In addition, researchers also found that daily male marijuana users are at-risk for delayed orgasms. So, why do men use it if it has serious side effects? Well, the researchers of the La Trobe University study believe that some men with premature ejaculation use marijuana because they believe that the herb will help them “last longer” – the reality is, however, that for many men, it actually worsens their conditions, causing them to ejaculate even faster. The common practice methods used to fix premature ejaculation don’t involve the use of marijuana.

Similarly, another study on sexual dysfunctions and marijuana found that marijuana usage is linked to lower testosterone levels, which is a contributor to erectile dysfunction. Like the previous study, the results also suggested that cannabis (marijuana) is associated with orgasm problems like premature ejaculation and an inability to achieve orgasm. Likewise, a 2010 study found that marijuana can affect sexual functions by disrupting the part of the nervous system that regulates erections, thereby, possibly leading to sexual dysfunctions like erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

What are the Signs of Overuse?

To better understand the possible signs of overusing marijuana, it is important to answer the following questions. Have you gained or lost any weight, since using marijuana for sexual dysfunction? Do you need a higher amount of pot to get the same results, i.e., “last longer?” Are you spending exorbitant amounts of money on this herb hoping it will improve your sexual performance? Do you suffer from terrible withdrawal symptoms (i.e., cravings, insomnia, increased hunger, mood swings, irritability, depression, and/or anxiety) when you ease up on it or quit taking it all together? And lastly, is it creating a disturbance at work and/or issues in your relationship?

The truth is, most people believe that marijuana, in general, is harmless, but this is certainly not the case when it is being overused for sexual dysfunctions. Dr. Juan Paredes, a South Beach Clinic board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in male sexual dysfunctions, asserted that one of the major consequences of marijuana overuse, when treating sexual dysfunctions, is that it can lead to extremely weak orgasms, premature orgasms, or no orgasms at all.

In summary, marijuana usage and allowances have started to relax in some states and countries. And, legal restrictions and people’s perceptions of the herb have also eased over the last ten years. Because there is an increased acceptance of marijuana usage for a variety of reasons (i.e., from recreational to medicinal), it is important to learn the possible consequences of regularly ingesting it. Why? Well, because more and more studies are finding that there is a relationship between marijuana and male sexual dysfunctions. And, although smoking, eating, or even drinking marijuana may relieve some symptoms for some men, for others, it could end up being a disaster waiting to happen—in the bedroom.

References

Pro Con. (2017). 29 Legal medical marijuana states and DC. Retrieved from here.

Wu, B. (2017). Marijuana and erectile dysfunction: What is the connection? Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317104.php

Harclerode J. (1984). Endocrine effects of marijuana in the male: preclinical studies. National Institute on Drug Abuse Research Monograph Series, 44, 46-65. Access here.

Smith, A. M.A., Ferris, J. A., Simpson, J. M., Shelley, J., Pitts, M. K. and Richters, J. (2010). Cannabis use and sexual health. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7, 787–793. DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01453.x

Localization and Function of Cannabinoid Receptors in the Corpus Cavernosum: Basis for Modulation of Nitric Oxide Synthase Nerve Activity

Image via GDJ/Pixabay.

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Avatar therapy 'reduces power of schizophrenia voices'

Patients became less distressed and heard voices less often compared with those who had counselling. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Simon Dobbin: Brain-damaged fan gets BBC DIY SOS build

Simon Dobbin's home was transformed as part of the BBC television show. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

'I'm not going to listen to you anymore'

How avatar therapy is helping people stand up to schizophrenic voices by giving them a face. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Acting early

The singer, now 26, said she had the procedure done as she "always wanted a big family". via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Outrage after India minister terms cancer 'divine justice'

An Indian minister's remark about the disease "saddens" patients and their family members. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

London's first Aids ward

Gideon Mendel's emotional photos of patients at the end of their lives. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Three cups of coffee a day 'may have health benefits'

But there is no reason to start drinking coffee for health reasons, the BMJ study found. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Counting the cost of the tampon tax

What women spend on tampons during their lifetimes, and how much of that goes to the government. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Anne Wafula-Strike: Paralympian wins train toilet payout

Anne Wafula-Strike was on a three-hour train journey with an out-of-order accessible loo. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Budget 2017: Chancellor on funding for NHS in England

Philip Hammond says "we will always back it" and more patients were being treated by the NHS in England. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Surgeon grows vegetables across from his hospital to cope with stress and burnout

From this Reuters/Yahoo article:

"Dr. Brian Halloran, a vascular surgeon at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, starts planning his garden long before spring arrives in southeast Michigan. His tiny plot, located in the shadow of the 537-bed teaching hospital, helps Halloran cope with burnout from long hours and the stress of surgery on gravely ill patients. "You really have to find the balance to put it a little more in perspective," he said.

Hospitals such as St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor have been investing in programs ranging from yoga classes to personal coaches designed to help doctors become more resilient. But national burnout rates keep rising, with up to 54 percent of doctors affected."

Burnout as a syndrome is marked by emotional exhaustion, cynicism and decreased effectiveness. A 2015 Mayo Clinic study found that more than 7% of 7,000 doctors had considered suicide within the prior 12 months, compared with 4 percent of other workers.

Some blame the way medicine is practiced in the United States since the introduction of EMRs, fueled in part by growing clerical demands that have doctors spending two hours on the computer for every one hour they spend seeing patients.

It can cost more than a $1 million to recruit and train a replacement for a doctor who leaves because of burnout.

Atrius Health, Massachusetts' largest independent physicians group, is aiming to cut 1.5 million mouse "clicks" per year.

Tips for managing stress (watch the 2-minute BBC video embedded below)

- Take a few deep breaths
- Get plenty of exercise
- Socialize - don't stress alone, talk to someone and have a laugh
- Get out - go to the park



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/brainsmart 

References:

Counting the costs: U.S. hospitals feeling the pain of physician burnout

Posted at Clinical Cases and Images. Stay updated and subscribe, follow us on Twitter and connect on Facebook.

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Choice of tipple 'determines different moods'

Spirits may make you angry or tearful, while red wine or beer may make you relax, research says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Kids v Cars

How one woman championed a way to bring community spirit back to city streets and keep children fit. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Risky behaviour

The biohacker movement wants to cure disease without the help of government or big companies via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland to start in May

The move will raise the cost of the strongest, cheapest alcohol by setting a minimum price of 50p-per-unit. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Losing hope amid Uganda doctors' strike

The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga finds abandoned hospitals and desperate patients in Uganda. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

NHS overcharged by millions for key drug, says watchdog

A 6,000% price rise in an essential thyroid drug led the NHS to overpay, the UK competition body says. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

NHS: The front-line nurses keeping patients out of hospital

District nurses help keep patients out of hospital, but in England numbers have halved since 2010. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Why do so many US women die giving birth?

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Re-Learning the Joy of Living with Journaling and Meditation

Moving along the treadmill of life, many of us succumb to the ever-present pressures to be faster, stronger, more efficient, and smarter. Perspective on what is happening in our lives is lost. We focus on failure and lacking within ourselves, rather than the abundance and opportunities for growth that surround us.

We stop taking the time to appreciate the simple pleasures of our lives as we spiral our way into a depleted existence—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Now more than ever, there is a global need to circumvent this pattern of being. We need to learn to unconditionally love and appreciate ourselves just as we are, how we are.

Growing Epidemic

Traditionally, it was believed the cause of stress, anxiety, and depression was attributable to genetic disposition, personality traits, the existence of stressful events, physical health problems, and substance abuse, as well as serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine imbalances within the brain. Whilst this is largely still the case, this perception has altered over the last decade or so.

In our fast-paced world, we judge ourselves as harshly as we judge others. We are encouraged and manipulated to compete with others with whom we continually compare ourselves. We try so hard to emulate or exceed expectations placed upon us that we forget our personal needs in the process (no time for that!). Stress and anxiety often manifest as a result as we try and prove our worth to the world, and depression looms when we judge ourselves as falling short of the benchmark that is set for us to achieve.

Prolonged periods of stress wreak havoc on the human mind and body. Chronic muscle tension leads to tension headaches and migraines. The cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems become over-taxed and the risk increases for the development of diseases like asthma, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease (just to name a few).

In recent times the media has reported stress, anxiety, and depression as reaching epidemic proportions, reportedly attributable to numerous causes including an increase in hours in front of computer screens, national and cultural competitiveness, the exposure to a broadening range of choices due to advances in technology, and the belief that worthiness is related to monetary success.  Additionally, there is a sense of “collective stress” in regards to issues such as climate change and terrorism.

Mindfulness & Self-Reflection

Whilst living a faster pace, society has forgotten the art of living in the present moment, and yet there is much evidence to support that engaging in mindfulness and self-reflection enables sufferers to break the cycle of anxiety, stress, and depression as it promotes a greater sense of well-being and perspective.

Those who engage in the art of mindfulness and self-reflection can improve their ability relate to the world around them in a more compassionate and empathetic manner.  A feeling of gratitude, joy, and abundance is also often a pleasant side effect.

The Value of Meditation & Journaling

Studies have shown that journaling can positively impact a person’s mental health as it allows one to “capture” a thought for long enough to acquire a 360-degree perspective on what that thought is about, where it came from, and how acting on that thought might impact those around us.

Many forms of meditation, like mindfulness meditation, work particularly well with journaling as it takes the mind out of a conscious, judgmental state and into a reflective, sub-conscious state. Such meditative practices smooth the path for writing down thoughts and feelings by prompting less judgment of the thoughts being written down.

Meditative practice can be merely taking five minutes to go for a walk in the park or to focus on breathing patterns—anything that promotes being in the present moment. Likewise, there are many effective journaling techniques that may help people with self-reflection and mindfulness that work well with meditation, and they are not restricted just to writing.

For many, mindfulness can be achieved through writing, art, photography – any means that allows a person to step into a reflective zone. It is for an individual to explore what takes them to that special place where they can set down their emotional and mental baggage to touch base with their soul, and nurturing a sense of gratitude and appreciation for all the simple attainable pleasures within day to day life.

References

University of Michigan Depression Center, Depression toolkit.org. Journaling http://www.depressiontoolkit.org/takecare/journaling.asp

Tams, L, Journalling To Reduce Stress (1 May, 2013) Michigan State University Extensiona, < href="http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/journaling_to_reduce_stress">http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/journaling_to_reduce_stress

Hidaka BH, Depression as a disease of modernity: explanations for increasing prevalence, 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330161/

McCormack, A, “Lovitude: Trying To Calm The Monkey Mind”, 2016, Peacock Dreaming Publications, Nelson (NZ)

Image via GDJ/Pixabay.

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What It Takes to Get Teens Moving

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Young people 'experimenting more in bed'

Study reveals increasing diversity in young people's heterosexual practices. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

'Stillbirth was hardest day of my life'

Women are now being advised to sleep on their side in the last three months of pregnancy. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Breast cancer tumours 'larger' in overweight women

Women with a higher body mass index might need more frequent mammograms, researchers suggest. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

'Hot, old and hyperactive': The menopause in 60 seconds

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Social care: MPs seek cross-party group to 'sustain' NHS

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Women advised to sleep on side to help prevent stillbirth

The risk of stillbirth is doubled if women go to sleep on their backs in the last trimester, a study finds. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

Some cancer patients have PTSD years after diagnosis, study finds

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Thousands run in Delhi 'smogathon'

Air pollution levels were eight times the safe level and doctors wanted the half marathon postponed. via BBC News - Health Read More Here..

God in the Brain: the Science of Neurotheology

We are the only species on the planet known to practice religion. This feature is universal among humans: there is no nation on Earth that does not practice one or another form of spiritual belief.

The question is what makes our brain different so that we practice spirituality? Does religion serve any purpose to our species in terms of benefiting survival and progress? These questions are very philosophical. Many thinkers believe that religiosity is what distinguishes Homo sapiens from the rest of the animal kingdom and brought our species to dominate this planet. On the other hand, a large numbers of thinkers believe that religion impedes progress and keeps our society in a barbaric state. There is no doubt that religion played a very important role in early human history: providing the first explanations for the existence of the world around us. The need for such explanation highlights an important step in the development of the brain and cognitive processes.

Behavioral traits might become strengthened by evolution if they bring survival benefits. Researchers think that altruism, for instance, is this kind of behavioral trait: it might be disadvantageous for a particular individual at a particular instance, but it brings advantages to the species in general. Altruistic behavior is promoted by the majority of the world’s religions. Therefore, religious practices might have provided evolutionary advantages for early humans in terms of survival too.

Some people are so deeply religious that the system of beliefs they practice shapes their whole life. It would be reasonable to assume that something interesting should be going on in their brain. It is also quite likely that these brain processes are different from the processes in the brains of unbelievers. This is what the new science of neurotheology is aiming to study. Neurotheology investigates the neural correlates of religious and spiritual beliefs. Such studies may help to uncover why some people are more inclined towards spirituality, while others remain deeply skeptical about the whole idea of God’s existence.

There are already some interesting findings from the field of neuroscience that can help to open the window into the spiritual brain.

First, there is no single part of the brain which is “responsible” for an individual’s relationship with their God/s. Like any emotionally intense human experience, religious experiences involves multiple parts and systems of the brain. Several experiments with the use of brain scanners confirm this point of view. In one study, Carmelite nuns were asked to remember their most intense mystical experience while neuroimaging of their brain was conducted. The loci of activation in this experiment were observed in the right medial orbitofrontal cortex, right middle temporal cortex, right inferior and superior parietal lobules, right caudate, left medial prefrontal cortex, left anterior cingulate cortex, left inferior parietal lobule, left insula, left caudate, and left brainstem.

Similarly, an fMRI study on religious Mormon subjects found areas of activation in the nucleus accumbens, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and frontal attentional regions. The nucleus accumbens is the brain area associated with reward. It is also involved in emotional responses to  love, sex, drugs, and music. One recent study also identified a number of changes in regional cortical volumes that are associated with several components of religiosity, such as an intimate relationship with God and fear of God.

It appears likely that life-changing religious experiences may be linked to changes in brain structure. For instance, one study demonstrated that the brains of older adults who reported such experiences feature a degree of hippocampal atrophy. Hippocampal atrophy is an important factor in the development of depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. It remains unclear exactly how structural changes in the brain and the level of religiosity relate to each other.

It is well known that some drugs simulate spiritual experiences. For instance, psilosybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”, stimulates temporal lobes and mimics religious experiences. This implies that spirituality is rooted in neuronal physiology. It is no wonder that psychoactive compounds are often used in ritualistic and shamanistic practices around the world.

All studies that involve brain imaging of people in specific states suffer from one major limitation: it is hard to be sure that people are actually in that particular state at the time of measurement. For instance, if we measure the brain activity when a subject is supposed to solve a mathematical task, we can’t be 100% sure that his or her mind is not wondering around instead of focusing on the task. The same applies to the measurement of any spiritual state. Therefore, the patterns of brain activation obtained through brain imaging should not be viewed as ultimate proof of any theory.

Various religious practices have the potential to influence our health, in both positive and negative directions. It was noted that religious people, in general, have a lower risk of anxiety and depression. This, in turn, is linked to a stronger immune system. On the other hand, people engaged in religious struggles might experience the opposite effects. Research into the brain’s response to religious practices might help to develop further our understanding of the connection between health and spirituality.

References

Beauregard M and Paquette V (2006) Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns. Neuroscience Letters 405(3):186-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.06.060

Ferguson MA et al. (2016) Reward, salience, and attentional networks are activated by religious experience in devout Mormons. Social Neuroscience: 1–13. doi:10.1080/17470919.2016.1257437.

Griffiths RR et al. (2006) Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology. 187 (3): 268–83; discussion 284–92. doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5.

Griffiths RR et al. (2008) Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later. Journal of psychopharmacology. 22 (6): 621–32. doi:10.1177/0269881108094300.

Kapogiannis D et al. (2009) Neuroanatomical Variability of Religiosity. PLoS ONE4(9): e7180. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007180

Kapogiannis D et al. (2009). Cognitive and neural foundations of religious belief. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(12), 4876–4881. http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0811717106

Owen AD et al. (2011) Religious factors and hippocampal atrophy in late life. PLoS ONE. 6 (3): e17006. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017006.

Sayadmansour A (2014) Neurotheology: The relationship between brain and religion. Iranian Journal of Neurology, 13(1), 52–55.

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Medicinal Plants and the Brain — St. John’s Wort, Skullcap, and Ashwagandha

Medicinal plants still comprise a nebulous cloud in biomedical science. We know they have been used since the dawn of man, but there are precious few good quality scientific studies that support their use. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, plant medicines consist of many different molecules that interact together in the body to have a variety of, poorly understood, pharmacological effects. Despite variably successful attempts to identify single molecules in plants for drug development, we should acknowledge that the whole is greater than a single part. There is an increasing number of clinical studies which strongly imply that root, leaf, and flower extracts of medicinal plants can influence the brain and are effective at treating cognitive disorders. This article series will examine plants where we have double-blind, placebo-controlled studies to support their medicinal influence on the human brain.

St. John’s wort is a commonly known plant that is native to Europe and yields bright yellow flowers. Its name comes from flowering around St. John’s day on the 24th June. St. John’s wort has been used as long ago as the ancient Greeks, and the physician Dioscorides (40–90AD) used it in the treatment of sciatica. However, St. John’s wort has become known as less of a treatment for nerve pain and more so for depression, with multiple double-blind, placebo-controlled trials confirming its antidepressant properties. Authors typically compare St. John’s wort with mainstream anti-depressant drugs and find it has a preferable side effects profile. It is not without its downsides however, as excessive use has been linked to serotonin syndrome, sun sensitivity, and easy skin burning, and more generally with increased pharmaceutical drug metabolism by the liver. This means St. John’s wort may not be suitable for applications alongside other pharmaceutical drugs, and it is contraindicated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

American skullcap is a member of the mint family that is native to North America and grows wild in meadows and swamps. It was used by the Native Americans as a sedative and America’s 19^th century physicians, the Eclectics, widely used the herb for complaints involving an overactive nervous system such as insomnia, anxiety, and epilepsy. A human double-blind, placebo-controlled study supports skullcap’s application against anxiety, and a mood elevating effect has also been noted. Herbalist’s view both St. John’s wort and American skullcap as ‘nervine tonics’, meaning that they act upon the nervous system medicinally and are also considered to have a long-term renewing effect. While, this claim is yet to be verified by scientific studies, it certainly warrants further investigation.

Ashwagandha, the root of which is a popular home remedy in India, is a plant native to India that is mentioned in the traditional Ayurvedic medical text, the Charaka Samhita, approximately 2000 years ago. Here it is recommended as a tonic for emancipation, reproductive ability, and longevity. In Ayurveda, it is classified as a ‘rasayana herb’, a class of plant that are considered to restore and support long-term health and that overlaps to some degree with the Western definition of a ‘tonic herb’. Two double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies support ashwagandha’s role in the reduction of anxiety. It’s wide-ranging medicinal properties are supported by two additional well-controlled, human clinical studies on osteoarthritis and subclinical hypothyroidism. The emerging picture is that ashwagandha possesses a wide range of medicinal properties that will likely be better understood in the future. Ashwagandha has been well-tolerated across clinical trials, with a side effect profile similar to placebo.

References

Auddy B, Hazra J, Mitra A, Abedon B, and Ghosal S. A standardized Withania somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. J Am Nutraceutical Assoc. 2008;11:50–6. Access here.

Brock C, Whitehouse J, Tewfik I, and Towell T. (2014). American Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): A Randomised, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study of its Effects on Mood in Healthy Volunteers. Phytotherapy Research, 28(5), 692-698. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5044

Castleman, Michael. “The new healing herbs.” Bantam Book, New York (2001): 465-471. ISBN: 1605298891

Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, and Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine 34.3 (2012): 255. DOI: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022

Dannawi M. Possible serotonin syndrome after combination of buspirone and St John’s Wort. Journal of Psychopharmacology 16.4 (2002): 401-401. DOI: 10.1177/026988110201600420

Hoffman, David. Holistic herbal. Element Books, 1988. ISBN: 1852300248

Laakmann G, Schüle C, Baghai T, and Kieser M. St. John’s wort in mild to moderate depression: the relevance of hyperforin for the clinical efficacy. Pharmacopsychiatry 31.S 1 (1998): 54-59. DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-979346

Markowitz JS, Donovan JL, DeVane CL, Taylor RM, Ruan Y, Wang JS, and Chavin KD. Effect of St John’s wort on drug metabolism by induction of cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme. Jama 290.11 (2003): 1500-1504. DOI: 10.1001/jama.290.11.1500

Ramakanth GS, Uday Kumar C, Kishan PV, and Usharani P. A randomized, double blind placebo controlled study of efficacy and tolerability of Withaina somnifera extracts in knee joint pain. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine 7.3 (2016): 151-157. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2016.05.003

Scudder, John. Specific Medication and Specific Medicines, 1870. ISBN:

Sharma AK, Basu I, and Singh S1. Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2017). DOI: 10.1089/acm.2017.0183

Szegedi A, Kohnen R, Dienel A, and Kieser M. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John’s wort): randomised controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. Bmj 330.7490 (2005): 503. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38356.655266.82

Woelk, Helmut. Comparison of St John’s wort and imipramine for treating depression: randomised controlled trial. Bmj 321.7260 (2000): 536-539. PMCID: PMC27467

Wolfson P and Hoffmann DL. An investigation into the efficacy of Scutellaria lateriflora in healthy volunteers. Alternative therapies in health and medicine 9.2 (2003): 74. PMID: 12652886

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Criminal Brain: Fact or Fiction?

When we are confronted with the acts of excessive and unprovoked violence, we can’t help but wonder what is wrong with individuals committing such crimes. Think of serial killers: what motivates them? Both researchers and society, in general, have wanted to know how to explain the extreme brutality observed in some people. In most cases, they have no mental disorders that could explain their behavior. Even without going to the extremes, most of us did at some point in life come across people whose level of aggressiveness seemed beyond any reasonable explanation. Think of a hooligan looking for any excuse to pick a fight and beat someone up. Or a young boy torturing a defenseless animal with a smile on his face. Multiple theories were invented to this end, ranging from religious explanations (satanic possession) to scientific and psychological theories that involve a variety of mental disorders or problems with brain development.

The idea that excessive aggressiveness and criminal tendency might be heritable traits gained popularity with the publication of Dr. Cesare Lombroso’s book “Criminal Man” in 1878. In the book, Lombroso introduced the concept of the “born criminal”. He also developed the field of criminal anthropology that studied specific anatomical differences between normal and criminal individuals. Lombroso’s theory contributed to the science of eugenics that played a crucial role in the Nazi ideology of selective breeding of a superior race and the policy of exterminating the Untermenschen.

Although Lombroso was eventually proven wrong, the concept that criminal behavior might be linked with genes survived. Evidence that criminal and violent behaviors run in some families was a particularly strong argument to investigate the issue further. These investigations produced rather interesting discoveries.

The question to what degree the predisposition for crime might be genetically determined was first answered by a twin study performed in Denmark. Twins are ideal subjects for genetic research: identical twins have exactly the same sets of genes, while non-identical twins are as similar to each other as usual brothers and sisters. However, both identical and non-identical twins, if brought up together, can be considered as having the same upbringing. The study compared the rate of crime offenses among the identical twins with this rate in non-identical twins. It turned out that a Danish man with an identical twin who has a criminal record is 50% more likely to be an offender himself, as compared with the average Danish man. In non-identical twins, the chances of both of them having the criminal records are 15-30% higher than the average for the population. The findings definitely point to a degree of genetic predisposition. In addition, another study performed in Sweden has shown that when the identical twins were brought up separately, the chances of developing a criminal career were higher among children from parents with criminal records, even when the children were brought up in law-abiding adopted families.

Twin studies can detect correlations but certainly can’t help in finding out which genes are behind these correlations. The study performed in the Netherlands provided important information on the possible identity of such genes. Researchers have studied genetic defects in one particular family with 14 males spanning 4 generations that displayed an unusually high level of aggression and criminal offenses. The subjects in question had very low IQ (around 85) and were prone to impulsive behavior and physical and sexual violence. The researchers found a specific hereditary defect in the family: the gene for monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) was mutated. Mutation prevented the enzyme from working properly. This is important as this enzyme is responsible for breaking down neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. A lack of MAOA activity leads to the rising of neurotransmitter levels in the brain and they, in turn, cause the over-excitation of neurons. The gene for MAOA is located on the X chromosome, and this explains why high levels of aggression were observed only in males. Meanwhile, females have a second X chromosome with the non-mutated functional version of the gene.

An important question, which sparked fierce ethical debate, is to what extent criminal behavior might indeed be genetically programmed. This is a classic discussion of nature vs nurture. To what extent do our genes make us who we are? We easily accept the fact that some people are born smarter or physically stronger than the rest of us. We know that genes are involved in making these individuals who they are. Genes responsible for stronger muscles or better brain connections allow these people to excel where others may struggle. Nonetheless, the idea that some of us are born with a predisposition for a higher level of aggression or reduced empathy appears very unpalatable to many people. However, this idea makes perfect biological sense. We evolved as hunter-gatherers, and at this stage of our evolutionary history, aggressiveness was crucially important for survival. Genetically, we didn’t change since the Stone Age. And this aggressiveness still plays an important role in our society, from competition in the workplace to multiple armed conflicts around the world. Aggression levels, like many other human behavioral traits, can be genetically determined to a degree. This means that there is variability: in some people, the level of aggressiveness is very low, while in others it can be quite high.

Aggressiveness still doesn’t equal crime: although violent crime requires a perpetrator to be aggressive, the two things are not the same. Social factors still play a key role when it comes to the expression of aggressive behavior. It works the same way with other genetic attributes. A born athlete will never reach his Olympic dream and could turn into a couch potato if they don’t train. Most scientists, even the very successful ones, are not born geniuses: they simply worked and studied hard. Similarly, people with a predisposition for higher levels of aggression are at higher risk of becoming criminals when they are exposed to the social factors that lead them in that direction.

References

Baum ML (2013) The Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) Genetic Predisposition to Impulsive Violence: Is It Relevant to Criminal Trials? Neuroethics 6, 287-306. doi: 10.1007/s12152-011-9108-6.

Brunner HG; Nelen MR; van Zandvoort P; Abeling NGGM; van Gennip AH; Wolters EC; Kuiper MA; Ropers HH; van Oost BA (1993) X-linked borderline mental retardation with prominent behavioral disturbance: phenotype, genetic localization, and evidence for disturbed monoamine metabolism. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 52 (6): 1032–9. PMID 8503438.

Buades-Rotger, M., & Gallardo-Pujol, D. (2014). The role of the monoamine oxidase A gene in moderating the response to adversity and associated antisocial behavior: a review. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 7, 185–200. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S40458

Christiansen KO. Seriousness of criminality and concordance among Danish twins. In: Hood R, editor. Crime, Criminology and Public Policy. The Free Press; New York: 1974. pp. 63–77.

Farrington DP, Gundry G, West DJ (1975) The familial transmission of criminality. Med Sci Law 15(3):177-86. doi: 10.1177/002580247501500306

Hunter P (2010) The psycho gene. EMBO Rep. 11 (9): 667–9. doi: 10.1038/embor.2010.122.

Kendler, K. S., Lönn, S. L., Morris, N. A., Sundquist, J., Långström, N., & Sundquist, K. (2014). A Swedish national adoption study of criminality. Psychological Medicine, 44(9), 1913–1925. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713002638.
McDermott R et al. (2009) Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) predicts behavioral aggression following provocation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106, 2118–2123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0808376106.

Taylor S (2013) Criminal Minds: The Infuence of the Monoamine Oxidase AGenotype and Environmental Stressors on Aggressive Behaviour. Burgmann Journal II, 71-77. link here

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The Puzzle of Multiple Personality Disorder

Dissociative identity disorder (DID, commonly referred to as multiple personality disorder) is well known to the general public through multiple movies and books. However, the disease remains poorly understood and rather mysterious for the medical specialists. The definition of this disorder implies that a patient has at least two distinctive and relatively long-lasting identities (sometimes called “alters”) that manifest themselves in a person’s behavior. Their presence is accompanied by memory impairments that cannot be explained by usual forgetfulness.

However, there are no clear clinical criteria to help in the diagnostics. There is a whole range of dissociative disorders that range from daydreaming and lapses in attention to serious pathologies. The diagnostics rely on descriptive data rather than something measurable. This leads to lots of confusion, controversies, and inconsistencies.

Historically, the incidence of multiple personality disorder varied wildly. For a long time, the condition was considered among the rarest psychological disorders, with less than 100 cases described before 1944. The incidence of DID rose sharply in the 1970s–1980s, reaching 20,000 by the end of the century. In addition, this growth was accompanied by the increase in the number of alters reported in patients, from just one to 13–16 by the 1980s. These changes in the statistics might have been caused by increasing recognition of the disease symptoms among practitioners, but also led to the growing skepticism in the research community about the very existence of this distinct condition.

The variability on the geographic distribution of this condition is substantial too: the disorder is diagnosed in the US much more frequently than anywhere else. The overwhelming majority of publications on this condition originate from North America, making some researchers believe that DID is a purely American disease confined to this continent. This further adds to the skepticism of many health practitioners: there are no reasons to believe that qualified specialists capable of recognizing this condition are vastly underrepresented in other developed countries.

There is little clarity regarding what causes the disorder. The iatrogenic hypothesis suggests that DID can be a result of psychotherapeutic treatment, while the traumatogenic hypothesis states that the disease develops as a result of severe trauma, usually in childhood. Some researchers believe that most cases of DID are pseudogenic, i.e., simulated. There is an opinion that many patients want to believe that they have the disorder, to explain the inconsistencies in their own behavior.

The incidence of DID is 5–9 times higher in females compared to males. Again, there is no agreement among specialists regarding what causes such a big gender difference.

The potential reasons for the sharp increase in the incidence of DID were examined in the scientific literature. Although there are many possible explanations for this phenomenon, the iatrogenic explanation appears to be the most substantiated. The unusually large number of diagnosis in the 1980s were clustered around a small number of practitioners, many of whom used hypnosis as a therapeutic tool. It is quite possible that under the influence of hypnosis the patients with a higher level of suggestibility may start to believe that they are suffering from split personality disorder, and behave accordingly. The level of hypnotisability of people with the diagnosis of DID is known to be the highest among any clinical population.

The rise of the DID diagnosis numbers also correlated with the growing number of split personality cases in the criminal court cases. The defense on the basis of DID was rarely successful, as it was often assumed that the defenders simply pretend to have the disorder to avoid taking responsibility for their crimes.

An opinion exists that the manifestations of DID are simply the consequences of other disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder. Many patients diagnosed with DID have previous history of these and other psychiatric conditions. Another theory suggests that the manifestations of DID are the consequences of trauma. There is plenty of clinical cases in support of this theory, but not so much statistical data.

Nonetheless, it is well proven that people with DID are at higher risk of depression and suicide. The patients often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, anxiety and eating disorders. Such statistics are not uncommon in other psychiatric conditions, though.

Importantly, there is a shortage of proper neurological studies of this disorder. Nobody knows what exactly causes it and what kind of changes take place in the brains of patients diagnosed with this disease. The brain imaging data from patients with DID do not reveal any specific diagnostic patterns. Several studies demonstrated that the changes in personality state in the DID patients are associated with certain changes in the blood flow in the brain. There are also differences in the brain blood flow patterns between patients with DID and healthy control subjects. It remains uncertain if these differences can be used in the diagnostics.

The question of how real the majority of DID cases are is yet to be fully answered. In general, researchers agree that there are cases with very pronounced and obvious manifestations that would be rather hard to explain without invoking the concept of DID. However, when it comes to less severe cases, the diagnostic remains really problematic. This creates a problem for patients, as not knowing the specific diagnosis means the lack of clarity with treating the problem. Also, there is no consensus regarding how to treat the split personality disorder. Various psychotherapeutic and hypnotherapeutic techniques are currently used, but their efficacy remains unknown due to the absence of controlled randomised clinical trials. Clearly, there is a lot of room for further research in this field.

References:

Maldonado, JR; Spiegel D (2008) Dissociative disorders — Dissociative identity disorder (Multiple personality disorder). In Hales RE; Yudofsky SC; Gabbard GO; with foreword by Alan F. Schatzberg. The American Psychiatric Publishing textbook of psychiatry (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub.

Reinders AA (2008) Cross-examining dissociative identity disorder: Neuroimaging and etiology on trial. Neurocase. 14 (1): 44–53. doi:10.1080/13554790801992768.

Paris J (1996) Review-Essay: Dissociative Symptoms, Dissociative Disorders, and Cultural Psychiatry. Transcult Psychiatry. 33 (1): 55–68. doi:10.1177/136346159603300104.

Kihlstrom JF (2005) Dissociative disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 1 (1): 227–53. doi:10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.143925.

Atchison M, McFarlane AC (1994) A review of dissociation and dissociative disorders. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 28 (4): 591–9. doi:10.3109/00048679409080782.

Piper A, Merskey H (2004) The persistence of folly: A critical examination of dissociative identity disorder. Part I. The excesses of an improbable concept. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 49 (9): 592–600. PMID 15503730.

Spiegel D, Loewenstein RJ, Lewis-Fernández R, Sar V, Simeon D, Vermetten E, Cardeña E, Dell PF (2011) Dissociative disorders in DSM-5. Depression and Anxiety. 28 (9): 824–852. doi:10.1002/da.20874.

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Cracking the Code–Revealing the Secret Behind Our Perception

When you’re an eye doctor, and I’ve spent my entire career as one, you learn a lot about how people use, and misuse, the sense of sight to perceive the world around them. As humans, we’re constantly interpreting and occasionally manipulating our experiences to distinguish fantasy from reality. Some people are better at this than others. Some, for example, are consistently taken in by conspiracy theories or fake news stories, whereas others can quickly sniff them out as bogus.

A few years ago, I asked myself-what’s the difference between people with keen powers of perception and those with weaker powers? Is it education? Experience? Genetics? I began researching the topic and discovered there isn’t even a term to classify our power of perception, so I adopted one. I call it perceptual intelligence, and it’s the title of my new book (in bookstores this month).

“Perceptual Intelligence,” (or PI), is our ability to interpret sensory data and arrive at a decision.  Just as with other forms of intelligence, some people have higher PI than others. Good decision-makers exhibit a high level of Perceptual Intelligence, whereas bad decision-makers demonstrate weaker PI.

PI, I learned, is an acquired skill. We can improve our PI, in fact, through awareness and practice.  You may, for instance, find yourself overreacting to certain situations or circumstances. But with proper knowledge and a different perspective, you can train yourself to arrive at a more appropriate reaction.

In this fast-paced digital age, where we’re often forced to make decisions on the fly; we often “leap before we look.”  That might mean handing over your credit card number without verifying a website’s security, or trusting a news story without considering the integrity of the source. People with high PI, however, consistently “look before they leap.” Before making a decision, they ask themselves, instinctively: Am I interpreting this sensory data correctly and making the best choice?

Every millisecond, our senses take in a massive amount of information, which then travels to the brain.  The brain, in turn, is where our perceptions originate. Those perceptions may accurately reflect reality but may also derail us toward fantasy. The driving question behind my book is: Why do our perceptions sometimes clash with reality? There are many reasons, I discovered.

One is medical. For example, a condition known as synesthesia can cause a person to literally see music or taste sounds. (A second form of synesthesia connects objects such as letters and numbers with a sensory perception such as color or taste.) Even the common cold, which affects the eyes, ears, nose, and throat—not to mention the brain, when our heads fill with congestion—has been known to distort our power of perception. When we are under the weather from the flu, our power of perception might seem so foggy that we develop a pessimistic view of situations that we might otherwise view with optimism. Another medical factor influencing perception is sleep deprivation. As any insomniac or parent of a newborn will tell you, a lack of sleep can distort our perception of the world, sometimes even fogging our memory of what happened during our sleepless state.

An obvious (and sometimes deadly) influence on our power of perception is drugs and alcohol. We don’t need to review criminal cases and “beer goggle” studies to see how drugs and alcohol impair our senses and affect our judgment.

There’s also our psychology, biology, genetics, habits, cultural upbringing, and memories, all of which combine to create our unique perceptual filter, influencing our decisions, thoughts and beliefs. The pope’s belief in life after death, for example, is diametrically opposed to that of theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss’. Yet each is convinced that his view is the correct one. Is the pope blinded by faith? Is Dr. Krauss closed to any idea that isn’t evidence-based? We all create a version of the world unlike anyone else’s. And how could it not be? It is shaped by our perceptions.

Often, we mold our perceptions like Play-Doh to suit the story we create of our lives. But sometimes our perceptions work behind the scenes, shaping our thoughts and behaviors without us realizing.  When we have a vague memory of a painful incident, what purpose does it serve? Why do we hold onto an incorrect and hurtful perception when instead we could make something good of it? People with finely-tuned PI can identify and topple faulty ideas that try to sabotage them.

Part of strong perceptual intelligence is recognizing that your mind is more plastic than you think and can be molded. PI can be improved, like any other skill, such as driving a car, playing a sport, or learning an instrument.  Improving PI can have a profound effect on your life. Better decisions can reduce the risk of financial, health, family problems, and other issues that can arise from low perceptual intelligence.  You could say, therefore, that high PI even improves happiness.

Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, M.D., an expert in human perception, is America’s TV Eye Doctor and internationally renowned for his expertise in Keratoconus treatments, LASIK and other vision correction procedures. His book, Perceptual Intelligence (published by New World Library), is available in bookstores October 17, 2017 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indie Bound.

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Psychedelics and Drug Addiction

Overindulgence in anything can be intoxicating, even if it is something as essential as water. Though we all try to rationalize these things, sometimes we simply fail. Gone are the days when the word “addiction” was associated with some poorer and less educated parts of society. It is a fact that today substance abuse is equally prevalent among successful and intelligent people.

The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as something that a person keeps indulging in despite the harmful consequences of overindulgence. The person has a compulsion or focus on taking that particular substance or practicing that particular habit. Addiction results in distorted thinking, it changes behavior and body functions. This addiction leads to changes in wiring of the brain. Addiction is also characterized by building up tolerance, meaning that a person needs higher doses with time.

There are two broad reasons for addiction, psychological and physiological. The psychological component is present in every addiction, as a person seeks and gets pleasure from his or her addiction. Some seek enjoyment, others look for stress relief. Some people even believe that addiction improves their performance, mental or physical. Physiological addiction develops when the body becomes dependent on the substance for normal functioning. For example, long time smokers have a problem with bowel movement after quitting the habit.

Fortunately, addiction can be treated, but only if a person is willing to get rid of it. After all, it has lots to do with the habit forming, pleasure-seeking nature of humans, a part of the physiological dependence.

Still, the effectiveness of addiction therapy is very low because few people sincerely wish to give up their addiction. Consciously or not, many addicts look for an excuse to continue.  Statistics show that as few as 10% of people who attempts to quit their addiction actually succeed.

The use of psychedelic drugs is banned almost universally, even scientific studies on their effects are prohibited in most countries. Nonetheless, it appears that some specific properties of psychedelics can be used to successfully treat a variety of addictions.

The logic here is to use one mind-altering agent to overcome dependence on another. The dose makes the poison: a poisonous compound can be an efficient medicine when used at the right dosage. Psychedelic drugs may help to cure addiction when they are used under controlled conditions and at the right dose. This is precisely what many researchers are trying to do.

Psychedelic drugs differ from other addictive drugs in their mind alternating properties: they alter thinking processes and perception through their action on serotonin receptors. They are known to change the level of consciousness experienced. People taking these drugs feel as if they are in a kind of trance. Some of the conventional psychedelic drugs include “magic mushroom” hallucinogens (psilocybin), LSD, and mescaline. There has been several trials and observational studies showing that these drugs are capable of altering the brain by resetting thinking patterns.

Ibogaine is one such psychedelic drug that is being studied. It is a potent hallucinogen that brings various memories and experiences to the person taking it that has been traditionally used in shamanic rituals in western Africa. Many underground clinics for treatment of severe drug addiction have reported the wonderful effects of even a single dose of this plant-derived drug. But this drug is highly toxic, and many pharmaceutical companies are trying to come up with an analogue that is safe for humans, free from hallucinogenic effect, and still has potency to treat addiction. Very little is known about the mode of action of this drug. Moreover, some people in the scientific community think that only natural ibogaine will have the desired properties. Medical professionals caution against the use of this drug in underground clinics, as ibogaine is known to cause seizures and heart failure.

Another natural compound that shows promising results in the treatment of drug addiction and some psychiatric illnesses is psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms. A recent small scale proof-of-concept trial done by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, demonstrated that the drug can help lifelong smokers to quit the habit. The therapy with psilocybin worked much better than any other currently known forms of anti-smoking treatment.

In another study, psilocybin was used to treat alcohol addiction. This study was rather specific, as only people with the most extreme cases of alcohol addiction were accepted for the trial. Though this was a small scale study, it had terrific results in overcoming the years of alcohol addiction and completely changing the outlook for the participants.

LSD is perhaps one of the best-known psychedelics. It is used as a recreational and addictive drug, although it was banned in the 1960s and 1970s in most countries around the globe. But very few people know that LSD is the most intensively tested in clinical trials for the treatment of addictions.

In one of the large-scale studies performed in six hospitals across Saskatchewan, Canada, more than 1000 alcoholics were treated for their addiction with LSD. The study enrolled people known to be resistant to other forms of treatment for addiction, people with broken lives, former prisoners, and people with severely damaged health. The majority of those treated with LSD were able to stay away from alcohol for quite a long time. In fact, the researchers reported a success rate of 70%. Considering the statistics and the scale of the study, this is not something to be neglected. However, due to the criminalization of LSD, it could neither be used for treatment of alcohol addiction, nor could further clinical trials could be carried out.

Bearing in mind that psychedelic drugs have consistently provided excellent results in the treatment of various addictions, we should probably reconsider the total ban on their use for research and medical purposes. One future direction could be the development of synthetic analogues of psychedelics with lesser side effects but similar mind-altering properties. Taking into account the growing epidemics of opioid addiction in the US, psychedelics should be seriously considered for their potential to contribute positively to the solution for this problem.

References:

Jacobson, R. (2017, January 1). Treating Addiction with Psychedelics. doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0117-10

Johnson M, Garcia-Romeu A & Cosimano MP. Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2014;28(11):983–992. doi: 10.1177/0269881114548296

Krebs TS & Johansen P-Ø. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2012;26(7):994–1002. doi:10.1177/0269881112439253

Schenberg EE et al. Treating drug dependence with the aid of ibogaine: A retrospective study. Journal of Psychpharmacology 2014;28:993–1000. doi:10.1177/0269881114552713

Studerus E, Kometer M & Hasler F. Acute, subacute and long-term subjective effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a pooled analysis of experimental studies. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2011;25:1434–1452. doi:10.1177/0269881110382466

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