FRONTAL LOBE PATHOLOGY, PAROXYSMAL DISORDERS, and the EVILS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK SU, 09/08/2011

FRONTAL LOBE PATHOLOGY, PAROXYSMAL DISORDERS,

and the EVILS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK

SU, 09/08/2011

JEFFREY A. CARMEN, PH.D.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

MANLIUS, NY

• FRONTAL LOBE PATHOLOGY – recent evolutionary development – more software bugs

• PAROXYSMAL DISORDERS – (things that come on suddenly, have a strong presentation, and then leave) including migraine headaches, seizures, sudden onset violent behavior, other

• POSITIVE FEEDBACK – bad stuff – generally bad psychology – very bad for electronic and biological circuits – negative feedback is better

NEW YORK STATE LOTTERY

• The tv advertisement with the howling microphone is an example of positive feedback.

HUMAN FRONTAL LOBES

• THIS IS THE PART OF THE BRAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE REST OF THE BRAIN, INCLUDING EMOTIONS, SOCIAL RELATIONSIPS, AND GENERAL INHIBITION

HUMAN FRONTAL LOBES

• This is the most recent evolutionary development.

• It is easily injured.• It has the most

software bugs.• It is supposed to shut

down easily during emergencies.

FRONTAL LOBE FUNCTION

• LEFT FRONTAL, LEFT TEMPORAL– FUNCTIONS AND

PROBLEMS

• RIGHT FRONTAL, RIGHT TEMPORAL– FUNCTIONS AND

PROBLEMS

50,000 YEARS!!!

• THE HUMAN BRAIN WAS DESIGNED FOR AN ENVIRONMENT THAT EXISTED 50,000 YEARS AGO

• ADAPTATION TO MODERN LIFE IS ACCIDENTAL

FOUR PRIMARY DRIVES(by KARL PRIBRAM)

• FEEDING

FOUR PRIMARY DRIVES

• FIGHTING

FOUR PRIMARY DRIVES

• FLEEING

FOUR PRIMARY DRIVES

• MAKING BABIES

FOUR PRIMARY DRIVES

• THESE ARE SURVIVAL MECHANISMS

• THEY ARE GENERALLY INCOMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER

• THEY ARE GENERALLY INCOMPATIBLE WITH LESSER DRIVES AND EMOTIONS

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

• A mismatch between a primary drive or strong habitual behavior and the internal or external environment.

ANXIETY

• Anxiety is one of those emotions that tends to be incompatible with other emotions. It also tends to impair activity. It shuts down the prefrontal cortex.

• Sexual arousal can shut down anxiety (and anxiety can shut down sexual arousal).

• Assertive/aggressive behavior can shut down anxiety.

• Most purposeful actions can shut down anxiety.

• Activating the prefrontal cortex can shut down anxiety.

AGGRESSION

• Incompatible with anxiety

• Rage is self reinforcing (it feels a lot better than anxiety, and there is a tension release when it is over).

DEPRESSION

• As a brain mechanism it is a little bit unique.

• In terms of brain activity, depression localizes itself as low level of activity in the left prefrontal cortex in right handed left lateralized individual.

RECIPROCITY

• Planning and thinking inhibit emotions.

• Emotions inhibit planning and thinking.

• One goes up, the other goes down.

HUMAN FRONTAL LOBES

• Chopping off a chicken’s head.

• Human frontal lobe is to the rest of the human brain as the chicken’s brain is to the rest of the chicken’s body.

DSM-IV

• This is the “bible” for classification of mental conditions.

• About 50% of the conditions listed represent the following:

• EXCESSIVE RATE AND MAGNITUDE RESPONSES TO RELATIVELY MINOR STIMULI

• If you remember nothing else today, remember this

DISORDERS OF RATE AND MAGNITUDE OF RESPONSE

RELATED TO FRONTAL LOBE DYSFUNCTION

• ADHD

• MIGRAINE

• ANGER

• ANXIETY

• DEPRESSION

PAROXYSMAL DISORDERSSUDDEN ONSET, SHORT DURATION, QUICKLY LEAVING “EVENTS”

• MIGRAINE HEADACHES

• SEIZURES

• RAGE REACTIONS

• PANIC ATTACKS

MIGRAINES

• Can mimic any other mental disorder, especially if there is an aura.

• Aura: progresses in a wave at 2mm to 6mm per minute, usually from back of the brain to front, ending in a headache (tsunami effect).

• Called CSD (cortical spreading depression). Wherever this wave passes, the brain malfunctions.

TYPICAL AND LESS TYPICAL MIGRAINE AURA

• “GHOSTS”

• AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS

• PANIC

• PSYCHOTIC EPISODE

• SMELLS

• APHASIA (receptive / expressive)

BREAK

TIME FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE NEXT SET OF SLIDES