Blog Posts

Worried man blues

7/8/2021

Woody Guthrie --- Worried Man Blues (1944)

Just when you thought we couldn't link the IMMUNE SYSTEM to anything else --- we're going to link it to HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE --- which caused Woody Guthrie to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital and ultimately killed him.

So the BIG NEWS is NOT so much that all COGNITIVE DISORDERS are IDENTICAL --- it's that the IMMUNE SYSTEM (INNATE and/or ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY) are involved in seemingly MOST if not all COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.

Three Big Take Aways

Cognitive and Social Abilities Rely on Fine-Tuned Equilibrium of Innate & Adaptive Immune Responses (2019)
Innate Immune Cells are Regulators of Brain Development & Behavioral Function (2018)
The Vagus Nerve serves as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. (2018)

Click Here

***Physical Health, the Immune System & Mental Health

Immunotherapies in Huntington's disease and α-Synucleinopathies
(2020)

Affiliations

1Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
2WPI -Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
3Department of Neuro-Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.

Abstract

Modulation of immune activation using immunotherapy has attracted considerable attention for many years as a potential therapeutic intervention for several inflammation-associated neurodegenerative diseases.

However, the efficacy of single-target immunotherapy intervention has shown limited or no efficacy in alleviating disease burden and restoring functional capacity.

Marked immune system activation and neuroinflammation are important features and prodromal signs in polyQ repeat disorders and α-synucleinopathies.

This review describes the current status and future directions of immunotherapies in proteinopathy-induced neurodegeneration with emphasis on preclinical and clinical efficacies of several anti-inflammatory compounds and antibody-based therapies for the treatment of Huntington's disease and α-synucleinopathies.

The review concludes with how disease modification and functional restoration could be achieved by using targeted multimodality therapy to target multiple factors.

DRAFT: Innate & Adaptive Immunity in Cognitive Disorders

The 4th of July

7/7/2021

America's Justice System is in 2021 more a Cautionary Tale than a Beacon to the Rest of the World.

A Public Health Approach to Criminal Justice could put us ON TOP AGAIN.

Public Health Education is most DRAMATICALLY needed at the professional level.
We've got RESEARCHERS running far ahead of PROFESSIONALS.
One of the PROBLEMS is that most of the RESEARCH is at the level of NEW CONCEPTUALIZATIONS BASED ON EMPIRICAL RESEARCH--- not yet for the most part at NEW TREATMENTS.
So I "think" the IDEA is --- AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE NEW TREATMENTS --- we'll let you know.

If we were dealing with just any other ailments outside of COGNITIVE DISABILITY and its PREDOMINANCE in CRIMINAL JUSTICE ---- maybe that STRATEGY would be acceptable.

BUT CONCEPTUALIZATIONS MATTER and they MATTER A HELLUVA LOT IN THE LAW.

We need those TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH, MEDICINE & LEGAL EFFORTS --- Stepped Up In a BIG WAY.

Our concerns are not limited to "Mental Illness," but also include Brain Injury, Substance Issues and Developmental Disabilities.

The RESEARCH we're relying on does show an IMMUNE SYSTEM CONNECTION with all of those COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.

EXPANDING OUR VIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE IMMUNE SYSTEM & PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

7/6/2021

Below is a view of "STRESS" and its relationship to psychiatric disorders through a lens of psychoneuroendocrineimmunology ---- so this is involving more bodily systems than the brain and the Central Nervous System (CNS)
We do associate "TRAUMA" with psychiatric disorders, and I don't think that ASSOCIATION is WRONG.
BUT IN ADDITION to that we've got this whole slew of categories such as PSORIASIS, EXCEMA, CELIAC DISEASE, CEREBRAL PALSY and other IMMUNE DISORDERS also involve greater incidence of PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.
Further, we've got research findings that the IMMUNE SYSTEM IS CONTROLLING SOCIAL BEHAVIOR in MICE.
- Say What?
- Yeah, Star Researcher Jonathan Kipnis while at the University of Virginia Medical School and his team found the IMMUNE SYSTEM controlled SOCIAL BEHAVIOR in mice.

-Stress and the psyche-brain-immune network in psychiatric diseases based on psychoneuroendocrineimmunology: a concise review (2018)

Affiliations
1Dipartimento di Scienze e Biotecnologie Medico-Chirurgiche, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Internal Medicine Unit, ICOT Hospital, Latina, Italy.
2Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Sanita Pubblica Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, L'Aquila, Italy.
3Dipartimento di Scienze Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.

Abstract

In the last decades, psychoneuroendocrineimmunology research has made relevant contributions to the fields of neuroscience, psychobiology, epigenetics, molecular biology, and clinical research by studying the effect of stress on human health and highlighting the close interrelations between psyche, brain, and bodily systems.

It is now well recognized that chronic stress can alter the physiological cross-talk between brain and biological systems, leading to long-lasting maladaptive effects (allostatic overload) on the nervous, immune, endocrine, and metabolic systems, which compromises stress resiliency and health.

Stressful conditions in early life have been associated with profound alterations in cortical and subcortical brain regions involved in emotion regulation and the salience network, showing relevant overlap with different psychiatric conditions.

This paper provides a summary of the available literature concerning the notable effects of stress on the brain and immune system.

We highlight the role of epigenetics as a mechanistic pathway mediating the influences of the social and physical environment on brain structure and connectivity, the immune system, and psycho-physical health in psychiatric diseases.

We also summarize the evidence regarding the effects of stress management techniques (mainly psychotherapy and meditation practice) on clinical outcomes, brain neurocircuitry, and immune-inflammatory network in major psychiatric diseases.

Shocking New Role Found for the Immune System: Controlling Social Interactions ----University of Virginia School of Medicine (2016)

Hang on to your seats --- because the RATIONALE for this that Kipnis and other researchers came up with had to do with ---- AN ANCIENT BATTLE OF PATHOGENS & the IMMUNE SYSTEM.

"In a startling discovery that raises fundamental questions about human behavior, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the immune system directly affects – and even controls – creatures’ social behavior, such as their desire to interact with others.

"So could immune system problems contribute to an inability to have normal social interactions? The answer appears to be yes, and that finding could have great implications for neurological diseases such as autism-spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

“The brain and the adaptive immune system were thought to be isolated from each other, and any immune activity in the brain was perceived as sign of a pathology.

"And now, not only are we showing that they are closely interacting, but some of our behavior traits might have evolved because of our immune response to pathogens,” explained Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, chairman of UVA’s Department of Neuroscience.

“It’s crazy, but maybe we are just multicellular battlefields for two ancient forces: pathogens and the immune system. Part of our personality may actually be dictated by the immune system.”

Quotation from University of Virginia's YouTube Summary

***Physical Health Issues, the Immune System & Mental Health

SciShow Psych & Medscape: the Immune System Connection to Psychiatric Disorders AnD the Mainstream

7/6/2021

To the Right: SciShow Psych's "Autoimmunity & Mental Health" and Medscape's "Immunodeficiency Strongly Linked to Mental Illness, Suicidal Behavior."

What's the Point?: The Immune System Connection to Psychiatric Disorders is slowly making its way to the mainstream.

One of the challenges has been that the IMMUNE SYSTEM seems to be involved in SOCIAL BEHAVIOR in ways we had not previously conceived prior to the last decade.

Beyond that other NOVEL ROLES for the IMMUNE SYSTEM are being found.

What We'd Like To See?: Additional Federal Funding of the National Institutes of Health and the Nation's Research and Teaching Hospitals to provide more CURRENT TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE AND UNDERSTANDINGS to CLINICIANS.

Those UNDERSTANDINGS themselves are important to address STIGMA and the complicated role of DEVELOPMENTAL IMMUNE/MENTAL DISORDERS in the Criminal Justice System.

May 2021

Immunodeficiency Strongly Linked to Mental Illness, Suicidal Behavior (2020)

"Patients with a primary humoral immunodeficiency (PID) are 91% more likely to have a psychiatric disorder and 84% more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior, compared against those without the condition, new research shows.

"Results showed that this association, which was stronger in women, could not be fully explained by comorbid autoimmune diseases or by familial confounding."

9 News and Phenomenal Reporting on Prone Restraint by Law Enforcement

7/6/2021

We think there are complicated reasons why "TRAINING" hasn't solved this problem yet.
Conservatives are sometimes wary of "SYSTEMIC" explanations BUT they prevent SCAPEGOATING --- including SCAPEGOATING of Law Enforcement.

Criminal Justice is the Provider of Last Resort (sometimes First Resort) for people (especially males) with Serious Cognitive Disability --- that's "MENTAL ILLNESS,," ADHD, AUTISM, SUBSTANCE ISSUES, and BRAIN INJURY. Trauma is also common.

BUT in a fit of sexual equity --- we have been incarcerating more and more women --- JUST TO BE FAIR. Many of those women were victims of SEXUAL ABUSE.

With the advent of Medicaid Managed Care, more people with mental illness started winding up in the nation's jails.

Poor DIAGNOSTICS and CONCEPTUALIZATIONS along with STAGNATING TREATMENT OPTIONS and a growing pool of patients means we can't seem to get a handle on our "MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS."

We need a "PLAN" --- like an "OLMSTEAD PLAN" to bring Intensive Services, Supported Employment, and Supportive Housing to SCALE.

While we're doing that, we need to provide SUBSTANTIAL INCREASED INVESTMENT in Translational Research and Medicine to Clinicians.
- We've already got new Findings, Discoveries, Understandings that are HIGHLY RELEVANT to Psychiatric Disorders, the Elimination of Stigma, and Understanding People within the Criminal Justice System.
  - At our current rate, those will become MAINSTREAM in another 10 or 15 years --- THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

It's worth paying for MESSENGERS that Clinicians TRUST to improve Clinician Understandings and ultimately Patient Outcomes. That means Increasing Funding for the National Institutes of Health and their Translational Research Efforts as well as those at the Nation's Research and Teaching Hospitals.

ADDRESSING BRAIN INJURY in Justice-Involved People through OLMSTEAD

7/6/2021

We'd like to see the Justice Center, US Department of Justice (DOJ), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)--- provide Technical Assistance to States in Using Olmstead Plans to address cognitive disability in jails and prisons and others "JUSTICE-INVOLVED" who have significant needs for intensive services, supportive employment and/or supportive housing.

A big part of this is COLLECTING DATA and addressing PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS with MEASURABLE GOALS and REASONABLE TIMEFRAMES.

Justice Center for the Council of State Governments (2014)

Traumatic Brain Injury in the Criminal Justice Population

PART II: More on PBS' "Mysteries of Mental Illness" Funded by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation

6/29/2021

One of the challenges we're dealing with as a Society ---- Psychiatric Disorders EXHAUSTED THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM years ago ----- we wouldn't put up with this for Covid --- we shouldn't put up with it for psychiatric disorders.
ACCURATE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS MATTER --- just as they did with Covid.
"Mysteries of Mental Illness" Program did make some progress on accurately CONCEPTUALIZING THE MATTER:
- It recognized that the largest institutions for people with mental illness are jails and prisons, and
- Psychiatric Disorders are not as DISTINCT as we once thought.
In addition to research involving the IMMUNE SYSTEM CONNECTION to PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, there is a fair amount of research regarding the DEVELOPMENTAL NATURE of such disorders and the common accompaniment of EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES or DEFICITS.
- A lot of bright, smart people are running into ENORMOUS DIFFICULTY in our AT WILL EMPLOYMENT SOCIETY that is often not prepared to make ACCOMMODATIONS or WORK AROUNDS for EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES.
  - Even if those ACCOMMODATIONS are legally required.
- Further, most employers would look to the MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL to make those RECOMMENDATIONS --- but most professionals aren't competent to do that.

So this goes to many things --- including RECOVERY and ECONOMICS OF PSYCHIATRIC CARE.
- Psychiatrists may not always be happy with their role as MEDICATION MANAGER --- but by and large it is what they do best.
- We need other professionals to address the issues of EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING at HOME and WORK and to propose ACCOMODATIONS and WORK-AROUNDS.
- THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE SYSTEM.

A big part of the "Mysteries of Mental Illness" Program was the CONFLICTED NATURE of Public Sentiment regarding PAYING FOR care for people with mental illness.

The PUBLIC often feel that people should WORK. That is not possible in every case, but it is possible in many cases if we provide support and incentives to employers and build on people's STRENGTHS and work around or learn to CAPITALIZE on their Executive Functioning Differences.

PART I: PBS' Program on "mysteries of mental illness"

6/29/2021

PBS "Mysteries of Mental Illness" with funding from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation was an important contribution to understanding the CONTEXT of our current CRISIS OF CARE.
There was a recognition that better treatments were needed.
- We'd like to see a recognition that Investments in Translational Research and Medicine are desperately needed.
It was interesting that the program focused on innovative uses of Deep Brain Stimulation and Psychedelics BUT didn't touch on the large emerging role of the Immune System in Psychiatric Disorders .
- The Immune System Connection to Psychiatric Disorders would likely not have been missed in the UK --- in fact the BBC has been all over it.
More generally, we need to understand Psychiatric Disorders as involving multiple systems of the body. Brains are important, but so are Immune Systems, Endocrine Systems and Microbiomes.
In fairness, the program did claim there were many MYSTERIES regarding "Mental Illness" --- THAT NEEDS TO MEAN SOMETHING IN THE CRIMINAL LAW ---
- IT SHOULD MEAN A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE

2017: BBC health reporter James Gallagher explores the increasing body of evidence that a dysfunctional immune system is responsible for the depression or psychotic illness experienced by hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people in the UK.

James talks to the psychiatrists investigating this new understanding of mental illness and to people who may benefit from treatments aimed at the immune systems rather than their brain cells.

"I believe this is one of the strongest discoveries in psychiatry in the last twenty years", says Professor Carmine Pariante of his and other research on the immune system and depression.

"It allows us to understand depression no longer as just a disorder of the mind and not even a disorder of the brain, but a disorder of the whole body.

It shifts conceptually what we understand about depression."

Saying goodbye to the "non-biological" mental illness

6/29/2021

On the one hand the problem with with biological-based mental illness vs. non-biologically based mental illness seems to be a FALSE DICHOTOMY --- and it is.

BUT the real problem is not in the FORM of the construction, but the SUBSTANCE --- and the supposition of an alternative ---the "non-biological mental illness" -----which doesn't seem to exist.

On the other hand, we do recognize that TRAUMA and other things in the ENVIRONMENT - can effect us BIOLOGICALLY.

Trauma, the Immune System and Mental Health

The DSM 5, the Biological Basis of Behavior & the Need for Mitigation

NEW JERSEY
INDIVIDUAL HEALTH COVERAGE PROGRAM (1999)

BIOLOGICALLY-BASED MENTAL ILLNESS. A mental or nervous condition that is caused by a biological disorder of the brain and results in a clinically significant or psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits the functioning of the person with the illness, including but not limited to: schizophrenia; schizoaffective disorder; major depressive disorder; bipolar disorder; paranoia and other psychotic disorders; obsessive-compulsive disorder; panic disorder and pervasive developmental disorder or autism.

NON-BIOLOGICALLY-BASED MENTAL ILLNESS. An Illness which manifests symptoms which are primarily mental or nervous for which the primary treatment is psychotherapy or psychotropic medication where the Illness is not biologically-based.

In Determining whether or not a particular condition is a Non-Biologically-based Mental Illness, We may refer to the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Conditions of the American Psychiatric Association.

Intermission -- Warning Explicit Material

6/28/2021

What's the POINT?

Maria Bamford is a Comedian that is well known for having Bipolar Disorder, but she also had OCD beginning when she was a child.

There are many people with "psychiatric diagnoses" that have more than one.

The course of this is IDIOSYNCRATIC and INDIVIDUAL even as much is recognized as shared genetic risk in Psychiatric Disorders, and not as much in Neurological Disorders.

This gets to what the National Institute of Mental Health is trying to do --- get to COMMON MECHANISMS in Psychiatric Disorders --- such as Calcium Channels which are related to the IMMUNE SYSTEM.

<<Previous

Forward>>

Worried man blues

The 4th of July

EXPANDING OUR VIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE IMMUNE SYSTEM & PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

SciShow Psych & Medscape: the Immune System Connection to Psychiatric Disorders AnD the Mainstream

9 News and Phenomenal Reporting on Prone Restraint by Law Enforcement

ADDRESSING BRAIN INJURY in Justice-Involved People through OLMSTEAD

PART II: More on PBS' "Mysteries of Mental Illness" Funded by the American Psychiatric Association Foundation

PART I: PBS' Program on "mysteries of mental illness"

Saying goodbye to the "non-biological" mental illness

Intermission -- Warning Explicit Material

VAL'S BLOG 2

Val Corzine

Archives

Categories

VAL'S BLOG 2​Val Corzine

Archives

Categories

VAL'S BLOG 2

Val Corzine