UC Davis Breaking New Ground In Treating Schizophrenia

[Kadie]

Aug 4, 2009 10:43 pm US/Pacific
UCD Breaking New Ground In Treating Schizophrenia

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ― New treatments by UC Davis medical researchers are providing hope for people suffering from schizophrenia, and one local man has already seen the benefits.

snip...
A psychiatrist diagnosed Jarad with schizophrenia. Jarad was lucky: The work his doctor is doing at the UC Davis Imaging Center is cutting edge.

Dr. Cameron Carter explains that a modified MRI machine performs a procedure called a functional MRI study, which looks at the brain while it works. A patient responds to images on a screen and performs tasks, and the scientists can actually see where the problems are.

"We can look at changes in the circuitry of a person with schizophrenia," Dr. Carter said.

This kid of diagnosis helps tailor the patient's treatment, and they're trying something new at UC Davis.

"The computer based training that we use here actually exercises the brain and encourages networks to work together in an organized way," Dr. Carter said.

more...
http://cbs13.com/local/schizophrenia.treatment.uc.2.1115145.html

[drm604]

1. We had a family friend who suffered from this.

She's elderly now, but this is potentially great news for young people who develop this.

Eighty percent of patients treated at the extraordinary UC Davis clinic are able to lead normal lives.

[Hekate]

2. This is incredible news. I've known at least two families terribly affected by this disorder.

I wonder if/when scientists will be able to use this same technique for autism et al.? What a breakthrough.

Hekate

[Celebration]

3. great!

A solution that makes sense, sans big pharma.

[yowzayowzayowza]

4. Sparse coverage of the treatment itself, but encouraging nonetheless!!

K&R

[Occulus]

8. Well, they do explain *what* it does.

What I'm wondering is how that information translates into actual treatment. I think I get what they're doing, though. It's a new way of gathering information about the brain as it works. i suppose this leads to treatments tailored to each specific individual, but that part isn't really explained.

Viva science, in any case. The brain is really very poorly understood, given what we know it is capable of.

[scheming daemons]

5. I'm of two minds on this subject....

ba-dum-bum.

(sorry)

[ColbertWatcher]

7. FYI: schizophrenia is not DID. n/t

[scheming daemons]

9. FYI: it was a joke

[ColbertWatcher]

10. FYI: old joke is old. n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

6. k+r for science! n/t

[EFerrari]

11. This is so important.for so many people.

:kick:

[Ocracoker16]

12. Interesting but I would like more information

I hope that these techniques will start being used at other places around the country. Schizophrenia is a very disabling condition. The medications used to treat it can cause serious health problems over time. I am glad that there may be ways of treating schizophrenia without a lot of drugs.