A Cursing Brain? The Histories of Tourette Syndrome

A Cursing Brain? The Histories of Tourette Syndrome
Author: Howard I. Kushner
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2009-06-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0674039866

A Cursing Brain? traces the problematic classification of Tourette syndrome through three distinct but overlapping stories: the claims of medical knowledge, patients' experiences, and cultural expectations and assumptions.

A Cursing Brain?

A Cursing Brain?
Author: Howard I. Kushner
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 338
Release: 1999
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780674180222

Over a century and a half ago, a French physician reported the bizarre behavior of a young aristocratic woman who would suddenly, without warning, erupt in a startling fit of obscene shouts and curses. The image of the afflicted Marquise de Dampierre echoes through the decades as the emblematic example of an illness that today represents one of the fastest-growing diagnoses in North America. Tourette syndrome is a set of behaviors, including recurrent ticcing and involuntary shouting (sometimes cursing) as well as obsessive-compulsive actions. The fascinating history of this syndrome reveals how cultural and medical assumptions have determined and radically altered its characterization and treatment from the early nineteenth century to the present. A Cursing Brain? traces the problematic classification of Tourette syndrome through three distinct but overlapping stories: that of the claims of medical knowledge, that of patients' experiences, and that of cultural expectations and assumptions. Earlier researchers asserted that the bizarre ticcing and impromptu vocalizations were psychological--resulting from sustained bad habits or lack of self-control. Today, patients exhibiting these behaviors are seen as suffering from a neurological disease and generally are treated with drug therapy. Although current clinical research indicates that Tourette's is an organic disorder, this pioneering history of the syndrome reminds us to be skeptical of medical orthodoxies so that we may stay open to fresh understandings and more effective interventions.

On the Other Hand

On the Other Hand
Author: Howard I. Kushner
Publisher: JHU Press
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2017-09-25
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1421423340

Does being left-handed make a person different in any way that matters? Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In On the Other Hand, Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health. A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words “left” and “left hand” have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled. In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, On the Other Hand tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.

Pharmacological Treatment of Tics

Pharmacological Treatment of Tics
Author: Andrea E. Cavanna
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2020-07-30
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 110888928X

Providing an overview of the assessment, diagnosis, and pharmacological treatment of tics, this is a practical handbook designed for use in busy clinics by trainees and practitioners in a range of disciplines. The most widely used pharmacological treatment options for tics are covered, including first- and second-generation antidopaminergic medications, alpha-2 adrenergic medications, and other tic-suppressing medications. Particular care has been taken in covering the key medications used for tic control, detailing information such as the main pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, tolerability profiles, clinically relevant interactions, and recommendations for use in special populations. International guidelines on the pharmacotherapy of tics are defined, with further reading lists of up-to-date literature supporting the reader in developing their knowledge. Delivering evidence-based applied guidance for the assessment and pharmacological treatment of tics, this is an essential manual for clinicians.

The Neurobiology of the Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tics: Part A

The Neurobiology of the Gilles De La Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tics: Part A
Author:
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 464
Release: 2022-07-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0323910351

The Neurobiology of the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tics, Volume Three reviews historical background and current nosology and guidelines. In addition, it includes an overview of pathophysiology, ranging from its genetic basis and changes in neurochemistry and electrophysiology to widespread neural circuits. Specific chapters cover Tourette syndrome from phenomenology and natural history to neurobiology, Update and Recent progress in the Neurobiology of Tourette Syndrome, Current guidelines and nosology of Tourette syndrome, Neuroimaging applications in Tourette's Syndrome, Clinical and neurodevelopmental brain imaging of Tourette syndrome, Altered Structural Connectivity in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, and much more. The last 20?years have seen an exponential growing body of research dedicated to Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome in the understanding of the syndrome's complex genetics and underlying neurobiology. This unprecedented surge in basic and clinical research has resulted in over 3,000 scientific publications. - Examines Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome at behavioral, cognitive, clinical, electrophysiological, molecular and genetic levels - Provides a comprehensive overview of the neurobiological aspects of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome - Edited and authored by top researchers and clinicians treating the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome

The Neurological Patient in History

The Neurological Patient in History
Author: L. S. Jacyna
Publisher: University Rochester Press
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2012
Genre: History
ISBN: 1580464122

Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Tourette's, multiple sclerosis, stroke: all are neurological illnesses that create dysfunction, distress, and disability. With their symptoms ranging from impaired movement and paralysis to hallucinations and dementia, neurological patients present myriad puzzling disorders and medical challenges. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries countless stories about neurological patients appeared in newspapers, books, medical papers, and films. Often the patients were romanticized; indeed, it was common for physicians to cast neurological patients in a grand performance, allegedly giving audiences access to deep philosophical insights about the meaning of life and being. Beyond these romanticized images, however, the neurological patient was difficult to diagnose. Experiments often approached unethical realms, and treatment created challenges for patients, courts, caregivers, and even for patient advocacy organizations. In this kaleidoscopic study, the contributors illustrate how the neurological patient was constructed in history and came to occupy its role in Western culture. Stephen T. Casper is Assistant Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences at Clarkson University. L. Stephen Jacyna is reader in the History of Medicine and Director of the Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London.

Icy Sparks

Icy Sparks
Author: Gwyn Hyman Rubio
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2001-03-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1101200189

A New York Times Notable Book and the March 2001 selection of Oprah's Book Club® ! Icy Sparks is the sad, funny and transcendent tale of a young girl growing up in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky during the 1950’s. Gwyn Hyman Rubio’s beautifully written first novel revolves around Icy Sparks, an unforgettable heroine in the tradition of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird or Will Treed in Cold Sassy Tree. At the age of ten, Icy, a bright, curious child orphaned as a baby but raised by adoring grandparents, begins to have strange experiences. Try as she might, her "secrets"—verbal croaks, groans, and physical spasms—keep afflicting her. As an adult, she will find out she has Tourette’s Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, but for years her behavior is the source of mystery, confusion, and deep humiliation. Narrated by a grown up Icy, the book chronicles a difficult, but ultimately hilarious and heartwarming journey, from her first spasms to her self-acceptance as a young woman. Curious about life beyond the hills, talented, and energetic, Icy learns to cut through all barriers—physical, mental, and spiritual—in order to find community and acceptance. Along her journey, Icy faces the jeers of her classmates as well as the malevolence of her often-ignorant teachers—including Mrs. Stilton, one of the most evil fourth grade teachers ever created by a writer. Called willful by her teachers and "Frog Child" by her schoolmates, she is exiled from the schoolroom and sent to a children’s asylum where it is hoped that the roots of her mysterious behavior can be discovered. Here Icy learns about difference—her own and those who are even more scarred than she. Yet, it isn’t until Icy returns home that she really begins to flower, especially through her friendship with the eccentric and obese Miss Emily, who knows first-hand how it feels to be an outcast in this tightly knit Appalachian community. Under Miss Emily’s tutelage, Icy learns about life’s struggles and rewards, survives her first comical and heartbreaking misadventure with romance, discovers the healing power of her voice when she sings, and ultimately—takes her first steps back into the world. Gwyn Hyman Rubio’s Icy Sparks is a fresh, original, and completely redeeming novel about learning to overcome others’ ignorance and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique.

Addiction Medicine

Addiction Medicine
Author: Bankole A. Johnson
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 1611
Release: 2010-10-10
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1441903380

The spectrum of addiction disorders presents practitioners with numerous challenges—among them the widening gap between a growing evidence base and the translation of this knowledge into treatment outcomes. Addiction Medicine addresses this disconnect, clearly explaining the role of brain function in drug taking and other habit-forming behaviors, and applying this biobehavioral framework to the delivery of evidence-based treatment. Its state-of-the-art coverage provides clinically relevant details on not only traditional sources of addiction such as cocaine, opiates, and alcohol, but also more recently recognized substances of abuse (e.g., steroids, inhalants) as well as behavioral addictions (e.g., binge eating, compulsive gambling, hoarding). Current behavioral and medical therapies are discussed in depth, and the book’s close attention to social context gives readers an added lens for personalizing treatment. An international panel of expert contributors offers the most up-to-date information on: Diagnosis and classification Neurobiological and molecular theories of addiction Behavioral concepts of addiction Clinical aspects of addiction to a wide range of substances, including opiates, stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine Science-based treatment options: pharmacotherapy, pharmacogenetics, potential vaccines, brief and compliance-enhancing interventions, cognitive behavioral treatment, behavioral management, and other psychosocial interventions Behavioral addictions—including compulsive eating, Internet messaging, and hypersexuality—and their treatment Addiction in specific populations, including adolescents, the elderly, pregnant women, and health care professionals Legal, disability, and rehabilitation issues At once comprehensive and integrative, Addiction Medicine is an essential text and a practice-expanding tool for psychiatrists, health psychologists, pharmacologists, social workers, drug counselors, trainees, and general physicians/family practitioners.

The neurologists

The neurologists
Author: Stephen Casper
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2016-05-16
Genre: History
ISBN: 1526112582

The neurologists describes how Victorian physicians located in a medical culture that privileged general knowledge over narrow specialism came to be transformed into the specialised physicians we now call neurologists. Relying entirely upon hitherto unseen primary sources drawn from archives across Britain, Europe and North America, this book analyses the emergence of neurology in the context of the development of modern medicine in Britain. The neurologists thus surveys the patterns of change and modernisation that influenced British medical culture throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In so doing, it ultimately seeks an account of how neurological knowledge acquired such an expansive view of human nature as to become concerned in the last decades of the twentieth century with the human sciences, philosophy, art and literature.

Histories of Suicide

Histories of Suicide
Author: John C. Weaver
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2009-01-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0802093604

This interdisciplinary collection of essays assembles historians, health economists, anthropologists, and sociologists, who examine the history of suicide from a variety of approaches to provide crucial insight into how suicide differs across nations, cultures, and time periods.