Mental Retardation Awareness Month

Mental Retardation Awareness Month is an annual observance that concentrates on increasing public awareness and understanding of the unique issues affecting individuals with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. Mental retardation is a disability that occurs before age 18. It is characterized by significant restrictions in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior as expressed in communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community resource, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety. Mental retardation is diagnosed through the use of standardized intelligence tests and adaptive behavior that is appropriate to one’s age and culture. Causes of mental retardation can include any of the following:

· Genetic conditions

· Problems during pregnancy

· Problems at birth

· Problems after birth

· Poverty and cultural deprivation.

There are many steps a woman can take to reduce the chances of having a baby born with mental retardation. The health of a baby can depend on how healthy a mother is prior to pregnancy. Ideally, she should obtain a general health assessment six months before pregnancy. In addition, prenatal care should commence as soon as she suspects she is pregnant. During pregnancy, a woman can protect the developing fetus by getting plenty of rest and sleep, consuming nutritious meals and substances, evading alcohol, cigarettes and drugs, avoiding people who are ill, wearing seat belts in a car; and not lifting heavy objects.

March 16 - 22: Brain Awareness Week

The brain is a magnificent organ that affords humans extraordinary abilities and benefits. The brain functions as the captain of its ship. The brain carries the executive functioning of the body by commanding and leading the rest of the body to perform its various responsibilities. Every thought, feeling, sensation, perception, experience and behavior originates in the brain. Given the complexity and vitality of this mysterious organ, it is imperative that individuals adhere to engaging in best practices when caring for their brains. Caring for your brain offers many advantages. A healthy brain allows you to perform at your optimum level. In addition, a healthy brain assist in mental, emotional and physical wellness. In honor of Brain Awareness Week, this blog will cover basic care to maintain a healthy brain.

1. Attain a good nights sleep. A good nights sleep is physically and psychologically restorative depending upon the sleep stage you are in. Sleep is critical to consolidation of learning and memory. Sleep allows the body to process and organize the information encountered during the day. Quality sleep improves your cognitive functioning.
2. Healthy diet. Your brain chemicals called neurotransmitters which are responsible for thinking, feeling and behaving are manufactured by the foods you consume. Your brain depends on oxygen and nutrients to function at its best. The nutrients delivered to your brain are derived from the foods you consume. The aphorism, 'You are what you eat' is accurate. A healthy diet is essential to sustaining a healthy brain.
3. Exercise. Physical activity is critical to your overall health, including the health of your brain. Exercise assists in delivering the oxygen and nutrients derived from your diet to the brain. The oxygen and nutrients that are transported to your brain assists in increasing the cognitive performance of your brain.
4. Stress-Management. Stress can have adverse consequences to your overall health. A stress hormone called cortisol is released within the body which over time can deteriorate your health. Studies suggest that stress can be damaging to an area in your brain called the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and navigation. Stress can also impact the processing of the brain. Create constructive coping mechanisms to alleviate the stress you experience.
5. Brain-stimulation. The cliche, 'Use it or lose it' speaks volumes concerning healthy brain development and maintenance. The brain is a powerhouse organ that is wired to receive stimulation to encourage development of neural connections. These connections within the brain enhance the brain's efficiency. Continue to challenge yourself intellectually. Engage in new hobbies and continue to keep the mind guessing and adapting. Your brain welcomes and enjoys challenges.

Preserve and strengthen your mental capacities and critical faculties by utilizing these basic tips.

Cutting Edge Treatment for Depression

New cutting edge research is exploring the use of electrical brain stimulation to treat chronic, unremitting depression. This new treatment is known as deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS utilizes electrodes that emit small pulses of electricity in the brain. Neurologists are hoping that DBS can be used with individuals who are struggling with treatment-resistant major depression. In DBS therapy, doctors identify target areas that are contributing to the depression by examining the results of MRI scans. They create two incisions on both sides of the brain the size of a nickel and implant electrodes in the same location in each brain hemisphere. The electrodes are attached to a pacemaker that is surgically implanted underneath the collarbone. The electrodes emit 3 or 4 volts of electricity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Doctors can adjust the intensity of the electricity by using a remote control to find a therapeutic setting. Sixty percent of individuals worldwide that have utilized DBS have noticed a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression. This new treatment is questionning current theories that suggest that brain diseases are a result of chemical imbalances that include a deficiency or an excess of brain chemicals. Experts assert that DBS may work by interrupting circuit activity within the brain altering how brain regions communicate with one another. Side effects may include cognitive decline. Future research will help establish the indications of this treatment and our understanding of the brain and how it influences our thoughts, feelings and behaviors.