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WORLD-FIRST PILL MAY STOP PARKINSON’S

A new therapy that appears to stop Parkinson’s disease “in its tracks” will begin phase-one clinical trials in humans next year. The therapy, developed by researchers at the University of Queensland – and partly under-written by the Michael J Fox Foundation – is a world first because it stops the death of brain cells in Parkinson’s sufferers rather than managing symptoms. If human trials echo the stunning results in animal testing, the inflammation of the brain that causes so much of the progressive damage in Parkinson’s disease (PD) could be halted by taking a single pill each day. UQ Faculty of Medicine researcher Associate Professor Trent Woodruff said the key to the new therapy is a small molecule, MCC950 – a compound developed and abandoned 10 years ago by a big pharma company that didn’t understand how it actually worked. At that stage, though, inflammation in the Parkinson’s brain was less well understood. Parkinson’s disease, said Dr Woodruff, is charac
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IF SOMEONE’S TRULY A NARCISSIST, THEY’LL NEVER DO THESE 7 THINGS

Never expect a narcissist to apologize. Narcissism is more rampant now than it ever has been. In the world of social media and internet connections, we are granted the opportunity to broadcast all aspects of our lives to our social circles. We are given platforms for glorification, praise, and worship. We are giving other people the chance to get a good glimpse of what our lives are like. And the best part is that we get to choose what parts of our lives other people get to see. That is why there are so many narcissists these days. People are too caught up with getting Instagram or Facebook likes. They think that their self-worth depends on how many Twitter followers they have. They will do anything they can to project an image of importance and value to the people around them. These people will become overly self-obsessed to the point wherein they might actually believe the lies that they are trying to sell about themselves. Dating a narcissist can be very difficult. The re
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WHY ADHD KIDS SAY I DON’T KNOW SO OFTEN

WHY DO ADHD KIDS SAY “I DON’T KNOW” SO OFTEN? Recently, one of my clients (let’s call him Matt) cancelled calls with me 4 times. I knew why: It was because he knew we were going to do some homework together and he didn’t want to. He wanted to ride his bike (Who wouldn’t?). I asked Matt why he kept cancelling and he said,  “I don’t know.”  That got me thinking about how, in the past, I would have been slightly irritated at him wasting my time, not accepting my help, and being generally defiant. We often become distressed by our children’s seeming inability to do simple things, like ask for help, put away their clothes, or turn in homework. We become disappointed and ultimately angry, and we confront our child. “WHY CAN’T YOU DO THIS? IT’S SO SIMPLE. EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL. WHY CAN’T YOU?” And you know the response, right? I DON’T KNOW.” GAH! WHY DO THEY DO THAT? ADHD children are very sensitive and having an angry parent is overwhelming to t
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EARLY WARNING SIGNS YOU’VE MET A NARCISSIST — AND THE LATER STAGE SIGNS YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT IGNORE

After being in a relationship with a narcissist, at least one thing becomes crystal clear: we never want to give another one the chance to do that kind of damage again. Sometimes, however, our judgment may feel a little off and we end up at extremes. Some people who have been in relationships with narcissists end up right back in one, perhaps because they had been primed in their previous relationship(s) subconsciously, yet had not discerned the signs that distinguish a narcissist before it’s too late. Others begin to see narcissists everywhere. Yet the things we may think of as signs to look for may or may not be present, such as attention-seeking behavior, arrogance and, rudeness, depending on the type of narcissist and how long we have known him or her. In addition, show-offs can be annoying, but generally harmless. And selfish or rude people are not necessarily pathological and with accompanying traits that meet the definition of a personality disorder.  It’s importa
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Why "High Functioning" Autism Is So Challenging

At this point in history, there is disagreement about the number of people on the autism spectrum who are at the top or bottom of the spectrum (or whether most people with autism are "somewhere in the middle "). It is clear, however, that the lion's share of media attention goes to people at the high and low ends of the spectrum, that is, people with severe disabilities and very high functioning. The fact is that living with severe autism is extremely difficult. Logic would suggest that high-end people have ease, as do their families and teachers. After all, people with high functional autism are often very bright and can have impressive talents. But the reality is very different. Myth: People with high functional autism are unusually intelligent and successful According to the media, the high end of the autism spectrum is largely populated by eccentric geniuses - Bill Gates and Albert Einstein are often mentioned, as well as Dan Aykroyd and Daryl Hannah - who, over
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How I Fight the Apathy That Can Come With Parkinson's Disease

When you have Parkinson's disease, apathy can be a constant struggle. This seems to be due to the loss of dopamine, neurepinephrine and serotonin. The lack of these neurotransmitters is not only related to the development of Parkinson's but also to depression and anxiety. When we are depressed, we are apathetic about life. What is apathy? Simply put, you feel "meh" about life and you feel separated and unmotivated. This is probably the reason why apathy is one of the biggest complaints of people with Parkinson's. Trust me, I know because I have Parkinson's. I was diagnosed more than a year ago when I was 50 years old. I knew something was wrong for years, so this diagnosis was not a big surprise. In fact, it was almost a relief because it explained a lot, including the apathy of the albatross that surrounded my neck. Unfortunately, with Parkinson's, motor symptoms are often the ones that are treated, but many doctors neglect the "milder" sympt
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Wyoming boy with autism has been missing in the frigid wilderness for 10 days

Ten days ago, Joey Peterson wandered out of his parents’ rural Wyoming house wearing a sweatshirt and pajama pants. It wasn’t nearly enough to protect him from the brutal cold, which has dipped well below freezing. Now authorities are scouring the remote wilderness by both ground and sky in hopes of finding the 16-year-old boy with autism. “Joseph is autistic and functions at a higher level, but is not self-sufficient and does not problem solve at an age-appropriate level,” Natrona County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Ellis said. He said the teen does not comprehend how actions have consequences. “Joseph was not dressed for the weather, and it’s believed Joseph was last seen wearing a red-hooded sweatshirt and pajama pants,” Ellis said. On Saturday, a team found footprints believed to be Joey’s miles away from his home, the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office said. Searchers are also using drones to try to find the teenager. Authorities don’t suspect foul play in Joey’s disappea
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