Study finds new insight on maternal infections, neurodevelopmental disorders

Researchers have found that the immune responses of a female mouse before pregnancy can predict how likely her offspring are to have behavioural deficits if the immune system is activated during pregnancy. The study results could help resolve what role serious infections during pregnancy play in the later development of conditions such as autism and schizophrenia in offspring. Both genetics and a variety of environmental risk factors are thought to play a role in mental illness, said Professor Kim McAllister, director of the Center for Neuroscience and senior author on the paper. Most pregnancies are resilient, she said. Although the risk from maternal immune activation is low, it could provide a way into the underlying problems that lead to schizophrenia or autism.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Novel method for measuring quality of life for people on autism spectrum

Researchers show that a set of simple questionnaires can help clinicians and families better evaluate the quality of life of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This newly-developed tool is designed for children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum, and the findings show where clinicians can learn more about how to support the needs of autistic individuals by directly asking them these critical questions.

The findings of the study led by researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) was published the journal Autism Research. While clinical researchers often focus on measuring diagnostic criteria or behavioural impairments, autistic self-advocates, family members, and community organizations have long called for a greater emphasis on measuring specific and practical areas that, if properly addressed, could then help people on the autism spectrum achieve a better quality of life.

Several methods on how to accomplish this have been proposed, but they have not necessarily addressed topics covering a person’s entire lifespan or had sufficient data on women and girls.

“Individual studies have examined the specific quality of life measurements for people with autism, but we believed there was an opportunity to create an approach that could measure the quality of life across multiple areas, in a way that can grow throughout their lifetime as needs change,” said Laura Graham Holmes, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University who led the research while she was a postdoctoral fellow at the CHOP Center for Autism Research.

“We wanted to be sure this tool encompassed a variety of domains, including physical and mental health, relationships, and subjective well-being, so we could begin to understand on a more nuanced level the struggles and successes that autistic people experience throughout their lives.”

The study team developed and tested an autism-specific lifespan quality of life measurement tool, using the National Institutes of Health Parent-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) as its foundation. The new tool is named the PROMIS Autism Battery – Lifespan (PAB-L).

After reviewing each area and receiving feedback from autistic people and their families as well as autism experts, the tool was administered for autistic children ages 5-13 (reported through parent proxy), adolescents ages 14-17 (parent proxy and/or self-reported), and adults ages 18-65 (self-reported) and then results were compared with the general population. A total of 912 participants completed the tool’s surveys online. The study measured feasibility, and participants reported that the survey was easy to understand, covered important topics, and may even change the way an individual or parent manages their autism support programs or clinical care based on the results.

While some individuals reported strengths, on average, people of all ages on the autism spectrum reported greater challenges and lower quality of life compared with their peers without an autism diagnosis. In particular, they reported lower life satisfaction, less social support and more social isolation, were more likely to exhibit emotional distress through symptoms like anger and anxiety and were more likely to have sleep problems.

Women and teenaged girls on the autism spectrum reported higher levels of anxiety and sleep problems than their male counterparts. As this is the first study to use this tool, more work is needed. However, these measurements give researchers an important starting point.

“This study demonstrated that assessing the quality of life among patients of different ages and genders is possible and that it’s meaningful,” said Judith S. Miller, PhD, a psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a senior scientist and training director in the Center for Autism Research at CHOP and senior author of the study.

“We believe that these findings provide an important foundation to answer some very important questions about how to support the quality of life for people with autism, including those who have been historically underrepresented in clinical research.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Guide to Relaxation

Call it what you like - Stress, tension, anxiety or worry. It all comes down to you feeling bad both physically and mentally. Anxiety has become one of the most prevalent forces in modern life, with more and more people feeling overwhelmed and anxious when dealing with the many challenges and problems life puts on their path. When this happens, don't blame yourself, many are in the same boat. Read this guide and you'll find there are many ways to reduce your worries and anxiety.

Part A: Symptoms

If you're not sure you really are disproportionately anxious, know that anxiety can manifest in three types of symptoms:

Emotional Symptoms
•    A sudden feeling of apprehension, dread or unexplained guilt.
•    Feeling worried for large periods of time without the ability to stop the worrying thoughts.
•    Intrusive thoughts about things that make you anxious even when you're in the middle of doing something else.
•    You find uncertainty intolerable, if there is a problem, you must know about it right away.
Behavioral symptoms
•    Finding it extremely hard to relax or enjoy a quiet time.
•    Frequently putting things off because you feel overwhelmed.
•    Avoiding situations that make you anxious.
Physical symptoms
•    Feeling like your muscles are tense, that your body aches from being held rigid.
•    Having trouble either falling or staying asleep, as your mind will not stop working.
•    Feeling cranky, edgy or jumpy.
•    Stomach pain, nausea, and other stomach issues often occur. 

Part B: Treating the Anxiety

Step 1: Understanding what worrying really is
We often feel like our worries are generated from the outside. From other people, problems or situations that trigger this worried anxiety within us. But the truth is that worrying comes from within. There are triggers all around us, but it is the anxiety machine within us that spins it over and over again, making a running dialog that produces worry.

Once you realize that your worries are not really helping you plan but are just wasting valuable energy, you can start dealing with the irrationality of these worrying thoughts. This may mean challenging these irrational thoughts, learning to accept uncertainty, and postponing the act of worrying.

Step 2: Physical Relaxation Techniques
A big part of anxiety is how we physically feel when it happens. Anxiety is our body's reaction to perceived danger. It used to help us escape predators. Our hearts pound in our chests, we breathe faster, more shallow breaths, our muscles tense up and we feel light-headed. All these things are great when you're escaping an angry tiger, but in everyday life, this reaction can also be triggered by much smaller threats, like being late to work or doing something embarrassing in front of other people.
That is why it is important to know a few techniques to physically relax your body. The most important thing is REPETITION AND REGULAR PRACTICE. Set aside 30 minutes once a day, or when you're anxious, to practice some of the following:

Progressive muscle relaxation
Start releasing all the muscles in your body. First clench your toes, as hard as you can. Then unclench them. The move to your calves and do the same. Repeat this for every part of your body that has muscle, working your way from the toes to the legs, the middle of your body, up to your arms and hands and finally neck and head. Do it patiently, give attention to each muscle as you clench it. This will help relax your body and with it your mind.

Deep breathing
When we're anxious, we start breathing faster, causing hyperventilation. This, in turn, leads to symptoms such as lightheadedness, feeling out of breath, dizziness, and tingly extremities. These scare us, creating a loop of anxiety that gets higher and higher. By forcing your breath to become slower, deliberate and coming from your diaphragm, you'll be signaling to your body that it is time to relax, and you'll be surprised how effective it can be.

Meditation
Countless studies have proven beyond doubt that there are many kinds of meditation that lead to reduced anxiety. Meditation can not only reduce your physical symptoms but, over time, help you control the flow of thoughts in your head. As you gain more control over your thoughts, you will be able to stop their persistent nagging.

Use your senses to calm yourself down quickly.
Sight: Look at something you find beautiful, walk around somewhere pretty or look at photos that make you feel good, such as family photos or treasured photos from your past. Animal photos have also been proven to have a calming effect on our psyche.

Sound: Listen to something relaxing. Slow music, the sounds of nature. Listen to crashing waves and the wind passing through the leaves.

Smell: Certain smells reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. A great example is lavender, which is great for relaxing both body and mind, as well as promoting healthy sleep.

Taste: Cook yourself something delicious. Slowly eat a favorite treat. Do NOT start treating anxiety with sugary sweets, because you will create a sugar spike that will only lead to more anxiety later on. Not to mention you can develop a nasty habit of calming yourself down with fattening foods. Eat something slowly, enjoy the taste and let it overwhelm everything else.

Touch: Take a hot, scented bath. Pet your dog or cat. Wrap yourself in something soft like a good blanket. Enjoy a good massage or sit outside and feel the wind caress your skin.

Step 3: Connecting with others
Being under stress, being worried and feeling anxious is worst when you are dealing with it alone. Without any objective feedback, everything just becomes bigger and worse in our minds. A quick and honest evaluation from someone else can drastically reduce the amount of time we spend obsessing and worrying over a problem.

However, being anxious can also negatively impact your relationships with others. You may seem cranky, or you may come across as needy and weak. That is why many don't disclose their anxiety, fearing to be judged.

Build a strong support system
Offer your trust and your help to others, and use them to lean on when your anxiety gets too bad. Have people you trust and who you find steady and calming to help you through this difficult time.

Talk about your worries
This may sound easy, but many find it hard to talk about their deepest, darkest anxieties because they are afraid to make them more real. The truth is usually the opposite, and when things come out and you tell someone about what's bothering you, it usually makes your problem seem much smaller and a lot less scary. what you like - Stress, tension, anxiety or worry. It all comes down to you feeling bad both physically and mentally. Anxiety has become one of the most prevalent forces in modern life, with more and more people feeling overwhelmed and anxious when dealing with the many challenges and problems life puts on their path. When this happens, don't blame yourself, many are in the same boat. Read this guide and you'll find there are many ways to reduce your worries and anxiety.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

Behavioral disorders in children tied to gut bacteria

Behavioral disorders in children could be tied to the bacteria in their gut. That's according to some brand new research out of the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.

The study looked at 40 kids in the Pacific Northwest between the ages of 5 and 7.

The researchers' goal was to see if there was any relationship between the kinds of bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tracts of the children and their behaviors. Specifically, they wanted to see if there was any link between what was in the children's gut and behavioral disorders.

They discovered there was.

They found children with behavioral problems did, in fact, have different micro-organisms in their guts than those who did not.

"Over the long run, if we're able to show that the microbiome does indeed drive the emergence of behavior then it suggests we may be able to modify, manipulate or manage the microbiome to help manage or control the development of behavior in children," said OSU microbiologist Dr. Thomas Sharpton.

The researchers' next step is to expand the study to more children and then follow those children over several years to see if changes in their gut bacteria is linked to changes in behavior over a period of time.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement 

Guide to Relaxation

Call it what you like - Stress, tension, anxiety or worry. It all comes down to you feeling bad both physically and mentally. Anxiety has become one of the most prevalent forces in modern life, with more and more people feeling overwhelmed and anxious when dealing with the many challenges and problems life puts on their path. When this happens, don't blame yourself, many are in the same boat. Read this guide and you'll find there are many ways to reduce your worries and anxiety.

Part A: Symptoms

If you're not sure you really are disproportionately anxious, know that anxiety can manifest in three types of symptoms:

Emotional Symptoms

•    A sudden feeling of apprehension, dread or unexplained guilt.

•    Feeling worried for large periods of time without the ability to stop the worrying thoughts.

•    Intrusive thoughts about things that make you anxious even when you're in the middle of doing something else.

•    You find uncertainty intolerable, if there is a problem, you must know about it right away. 

Behavioral symptoms

•    Finding it extremely hard to relax or enjoy a quiet time.

•    Frequently putting things off because you feel overwhelmed.

•    Avoiding situations that make you anxious.

Physical symptoms

•    Feeling like your muscles are tense, that your body aches from being held rigid.

•    Having trouble either falling or staying asleep, as your mind will not stop working.

•    Feeling cranky, edgy or jumpy. 

•    Stomach pain, nausea, and other stomach issues often occur. 

Part B: Treating the Anxiety

We often feel like our worries are generated from the outside. From other people, problems or situations that trigger this worried anxiety within us. But the truth is that worrying comes from within. There are triggers all around us, but it is the anxiety machine within us that spins it over and over again, making a running dialog that produces worry.

Once you realize that your worries are not really helping you plan but are just wasting valuable energy, you can start dealing with the irrationality of these worrying thoughts. This may mean challenging these irrational thoughts, learning to accept uncertainty, and postponing the act of worrying.

Step 2: Physical Relaxation Techniques

A big part of anxiety is how we physically feel when it happens. Anxiety is our body's reaction to perceived danger. It used to help us escape predators. Our hearts pound in our chests, we breathe faster, more shallow breaths, our muscles tense up and we feel light-headed. All these things are great when you're escaping an angry tiger, but in everyday life, this reaction can also be triggered by much smaller threats, like being late to work or doing something embarrassing in front of other people.

That is why it is important to know a few techniques to physically relax your body. The most important thing is REPETITION AND REGULAR PRACTICE. Set aside 30 minutes once a day, or when you're anxious, to practice some of the following:

Progressive muscle relaxation

Start releasing all the muscles in your body. First clench your toes, as hard as you can. Then unclench them. The move to your calves and do the same. Repeat this for every part of your body that has muscle, working your way from the toes to the legs, the middle of your body, up to your arms and hands and finally neck and head. Do it patiently, give attention to each muscle as you clench it. This will help relax your body and with it your mind.

Deep breathing

When we're anxious, we start breathing faster, causing hyperventilation. This, in turn, leads to symptoms such as lightheadedness, feeling out of breath, dizziness, and tingly extremities. These scare us, creating a loop of anxiety that gets higher and higher. By forcing your breath to become slower, deliberate and coming from your diaphragm, you'll be signaling to your body that it is time to relax, and you'll be surprised how effective it can be.

Meditation

Countless studies have proven beyond doubt that there are many kinds of meditation that lead to reduced anxiety. Meditation can not only reduce your physical symptoms but, over time, help you control the flow of thoughts in your head. As you gain more control over your thoughts, you will be able to stop their persistent nagging.

Use your senses to calm yourself down quickly.

Sight: Look at something you find beautiful, walk around somewhere pretty or look at photos that make you feel good, such as family photos or treasured photos from your past. Animal photos have also been proven to have a calming effect on our psyche.

Sound: Listen to something relaxing. Slow music, the sounds of nature. Listen to crashing waves and the wind passing through the leaves.

Smell: Certain smells reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. A great example is lavender, which is great for relaxing both body and mind, as well as promoting healthy sleep.

Taste: Cook yourself something delicious. Slowly eat a favorite treat. Do NOT start treating anxiety with sugary sweets, because you will create a sugar spike that will only lead to more anxiety later on. Not to mention you can develop a nasty habit of calming yourself down with fattening foods. Eat something slowly, enjoy the taste and let it overwhelm everything else.

Touch: Take a hot, scented bath. Pet your dog or cat. Wrap yourself in something soft like a good blanket. Enjoy a good massage or sit outside and feel the wind caress your skin.

Step 3: Connecting with others

Being under stress, being worried and feeling anxious is worst when you are dealing with it alone. Without any objective feedback, everything just becomes bigger and worse in our minds. A quick and honest evaluation from someone else can drastically reduce the amount of time we spend obsessing and worrying over a problem.

However, being anxious can also negatively impact your relationships with others. You may seem cranky, or you may come across as needy and weak. That is why many don't disclose their anxiety, fearing to be judged.

Build a strong support system

Offer your trust and your help to others, and use them to lean on when your anxiety gets too bad. Have people you trust and who you find steady and calming to help you through this difficult time.

Talk about your worries

This may sound easy, but many find it hard to talk about their deepest, darkest anxieties because they are afraid to make them more real. The truth is usually the opposite, and when things come out and you tell someone about what's bothering you, it usually makes your problem seem much smaller and a lot less scary.

Avoid those who make you feel anxious

Certain people may make us more worried and increase our anxiety. Remember, you probably picked up your anxiety from someone in your life, and so that person may make you more anxious if you're around them. Similarly, some people may make you feel guilt, shame or fear, and they too should have limited appearance time in your life. So considering who to turn to for that talk, remember those people that make you feel safe.

Step 4: Change your lifestyle

A huge part of our anxiety stems from improper lifestyle choices. These can be easily fixed by:

Adopting healthy eating habits

Don't skip breakfast, and continue having small meals throughout the day. Going too long without eating may lead to low blood sugar levels, which will make you feel anxious and cranky. Eat lots of complex carbs such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. 

Limiting your caffeine and sugar intake

Carbonated drinks, coffee, and tea can increase your anxiety and disrupt your sleep. Sugary snacks and treats will spike your blood sugar levels and then crash, leaving you feeling drained.

Similarly, avoiding alcohol and nicotine

Alcohol may be used by many to 'drown their sorrows', but it actually increases anxiety as it leaves you. Drinking away your worries may also take you on the path to alcoholism. Cigarettes may seem like they have a calming effect, but, in fact, are stimulants, even powerful ones, and will eventually lead you to more anxiety, not less.

Getting enough sleep

We can't stress this enough. A lack of sleep or disrupted sleep will have a terrible effect on your anxiety and will always make it worse. Also, your ability to deal with anxiety and with problems, in general, will decrease once you are sleep deprived, which will, in turn, make you feel helpless, increasing the anxiety.

Part C: When should you seek professional help?

Knowing the difference between being worried and having a condition is hard. What started as normal worrying can become what's known as 'General Anxiety Disorder' or GAD. People who suffer from GAD cannot stop worrying, and this worry becomes a normal state for them. GAD is a well-known condition and is very common these days, especially in Western society. It can be handled with either medication or therapy.

The first and most important sign that you need to seek some help is the length of time you've been feeling anxious. If you have been having this feeling for over six months, that's a clear sign that something is wrong and that you need some actual help.

Another sign is that your worries are significantly disrupting your everyday life, job, relationship or other social activities.

So if you find that you can't stop worrying, and nothing you do will stop these obsessive thoughts and tense muscles. Please don't try to fight it alone. Never be ashamed to ask for help. It is not your fault, it's a fault in your brain chemistry that you have no control over. Do the brave thing and go seek some medical assistance.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement