Still thinking of you Skare and hoping things are working out okThat’s a very worrying time for you, wondering what it could be. Thank God they have found nothing seriously wrong with your son.
Thinking of you
Merkabah
- Thread starter Skarekrow
- Start date
That’s a very worrying time for you, wondering what it could be. Thank God they have found nothing seriously wrong with your son.
Thinking of you
Thank you most graciously everyone!
Lots of love to you all!
My Son is doing great I am happy to say.
It’s still a bit disconcerting that he had a seizure...as it wasn’t just adolescent positional syncope.
He truly did have a seizure....but not a single thing popped up on any test showing why.
He was slightly dehydrated....but he also just woke up.
He was having jerking motions with his hands the night before that continued after he got up and then that’s when it happened.
But nothing on the CT, MRI, EEG, EKG, Echocardiogram, blood work, etc.
It’s was such a relief when they said there was nothing in his brain - as a seizure is how we discovered years back that my Dad had a brain tumor and cancer - that was my first thought, though I knew was also unlikely given his age.
Still - working in my field that I did, I knew that couldn’t be ruled out until they scanned him.
It was a very draining weekend as I maintained my composure and strong Dad act for my Son’s benefit...but broke down more than once in the car.
All in all - it turned out fine....doctors say it’s most likely a fluke of some sort....but we shall see.
He’s bummed that his driving is restricted for 6 months (has his learner’s permit).
I’m just happy that he’s on his Mom’s insurance and I don’t have to deal with any of that billing nonsense - cause it’s gonna be a lot probably!
Not only the tests...but he had two ambulance rides...one to the ER...then one transferring him to Randall Children’s Hosp. in Portland.
Anyhow....you can’t put a price on such things.
Just relived and happy he is good and seems to be fine.
He just got his braces off his teeth - at least he didn’t knock any of those out when he fell!
lol
Thank you, thank you, thank you all for any prayers or well-wishes you sent this way!
That boy is my sunshine.
(Not exactly sure it’s as easy as “poof...PTSD gone.”?
It should read afterward...”...or at least greatly reduced for some people, after some time, and a lot of self-work.”)
.
Fascinating results reported...now if they can be replicated...
Don’t forget to sign up as a guinea pig!
Enjoy!
As reported in previous research update blogs, the TMI research team has constructed a facility at our Roberts Mountain Retreat (RMR) lab that is similar to the Copper Wall Room used by Elmer Green and his research team at the Menninger Institute.
The copper wall design facilitates the measurement of electric fields surrounding the body, and Green reported observations of anomalously high electric fields surrounding some exceptional participants when they engaged in healing or meditative activities.
We set out to replicate Green's findings, using the same instrumentation (an electrometer), in electrical contact with the body.
This was an exploratory effort, often referred to in the research world as a pilot study.
What we observed was rather phenomenal, certainly sufficient to launch a formal study.
Twenty volunteers visited the copper wall facility from June through August 2019, engaging in various healing or energy visualization activities while sitting in a chair or standing on the insulated glass floor of the booth and connected to the electrometer via an electrically conductive wrist (or ankle) strap or earlobe clip.
The body potential (voltage) relative to earth ground as measured by the electrometer was recorded.
Two aspects of this measurement were of interest—a static (or very slowly varying) direct current (DC) voltage, and a dynamic alternating current (AC) voltage.
The DC voltage was read visually from the meter display and recorded by hand while the AC voltage was digitally recorded after filtering for DC offset and 60Hz powerline noise.
Initially, the AC voltage was of greatest interest based on Green's reports of large voltage pulses, but the behavior of DC voltages measured on a couple of the volunteers was rather spectacular and led to new avenues for a study protocol and possible future applications.
We also discovered how sensitive the electrometer measurement is to leakage of charge from the body.
Initially the study volunteers were sitting in a non-metallic wicker chair, but it became evident that DC measurement amplitudes were significantly reduced in this configuration compared to quietly standing in the booth with the chair removed.
Because of this, about half of the study volunteers did not have fully accurate measurements, i.e., they were most likely too low.
If you were an early volunteer in the effort (in June 2019) please come back when we run the study (starting soon!) so we can obtain improved accuracy in your biofield readings.
When Edd Edwards and his healer associate Lihi Introp visited in early July, we observed some fascinating phenomena.
Edd has been involved in "energy" manipulation since he was a small child, and has participated in several laboratory studies throughout his life.
He was able to demonstrate raising his DC voltage to high levels on a routine basis, often above 20 volts upwards to a maximum of 70 volts.
Lihi was able to show this effect as well, reaching 50 volts.
These voltage levels were observed after "shorting" a finger to ground (briefly touching a ground wire) so they were starting from a zero potential.
Lihi raised her voltage at a steady rate of about 1 volt per minute.
Edd's rates varied from 1 to 4 volts per minute.
Both Edd and Lihi reported a tingling sensation when they reached high voltage levels.
There is no known physiological explanation for this effect (electrophysiology is normally limited to less than 1 volt).
Because of this, great care must be taken to control for mundane explanations such as environmental static charge accumulation.
We controlled for this in several ways:
When Edd and Lihi reached high voltages, a random event generator (REG, aka RNG, a device that generates a stream of random bits) was observed to become significantly less random, which is considered to be a psychokinetic (mind affecting matter) effect.
We also observed physical healing in two target "clients," one present in the RMR lab, and the second 20 miles away.
Both healers participated in the healing effort and were in voice contact with the remote client via speakerphone.
Impressive physical effects on the clients were reported and observed, including obvious reductions in skin sores and discoloration.
Other physical effects on the clients included small muscle spasms and the perception of a pushing or pulling force on the body.
It did not appear that high DC measurements were a necessary condition for RNG deviations or healing as significant reduction in randomness in the RNG was observed in seven of nine sessions with Edd and Lihi but not consistently large DC body voltages. (In contrast, the RNG remained within the two-standard deviation limit ((i.e., random behavior as expected)) during nine of eleven baseline periods when Edd and Lihi were not present).
However, the DC body field measurement technique was inconsistent as we explored best practices, so it's not clear if they were always generating high voltages when engaging in healing or energy practices.
There were two other sensors running during this effort, a magnetometer and a cosmic ray detector often used in psychokinetic studies.
The data from these devices is still being analyzed.
Elmer Green's copper wall research team reported both high DC levels and the sporadic appearance of high voltage surges or pulses (the AC part) in some exceptional participants, especially healers.
We observed voltage pulses as well, but only in the range of a few volts.
This may be due to the high pass filtering that was used to enable digital recording (our recording device could not handle DC voltages).
We are now upgrading the instrumentation to enable recording of DC and very low frequencies and hope to have that running by the time this report is posted.
Once the proper measurement technique was clarified thanks to Edd and Lihi (i.e., no chair in the copper wall booth), it became apparent that DC and slowly varying potentials can be active for other individuals engaged in energy or healing activities as well, even if not at sky-high values.
For example, a TMI staffer and a program participant have both demonstrated sudden doubling and tripling of voltage readings under controlled conditions when they were engaged in exercises using a resonant energy balloon (REBAL) or healing intentions.
The DC amplitudes were at single-digit volt levels, but still higher than classic electrophysiology allows.
Skin potential (electrodermograph) is the most relevant electrophysiological measure, but it is measured in millivolts (thousandths of a volt), not volts.
The measurement configuration (number of electrical contacts, location, references, ground, etc.) may offer some clue to what is being observed, and there will be more discussion on this aspect in future TMI research reports or publications.
The intention now is to run volunteers in a simple protocol of rest then task for twenty minutes (or until a steady potential is reached if baseline is still rising after twenty minutes) while standing quietly in the copper wall booth connected to the electrometer.
"Task" will be left to the participant, but energy or healing visualization/intention seems to work best.
We will accumulate statistics on voltage and RNG measures as well as task types.
Video recording will be used to help control for body movement and to obtain possible visual confirmation of electric field effects via biofield visualization (Biofield Viewer 4.0, https://biofieldviewer.com).
We're interested in learning about the distribution of body voltages with respect to population and energy/healing practices, and pursuing the possibility of a feedback application that could facilitate the learning of biofield manipulation.
Ross Dunseath, PhD, TMI Research Coordinator
Ross is an electrical engineer who has been involved in consciousness and physiological monitoring research since his undergrad days at the Experiential Learning Lab at Duke University. He continued his education at Duke in both engineering and psi research, earning a PhD in electrical engineering in 1992. During that time, he was involved in the design and construction of instrumentation for neurofeedback, heart monitoring, and the detection of physiological correlates of psi phenomena.
He next worked with researchers at the University of North Carolina, designing and constructing high-density EEG data acquisition systems, with applications in simultaneous fMRI and EEG imaging. In 2010 he joined the staff at the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia where he is the co-director of the Westphal Neuroimaging Lab and is engaged in physiological studies of psi phenomena.
TMI presents a great opportunity for research in consciousness and human potentials, and Ross is busy upgrading the technical foundation in the labs for launching all kinds of studies.
Don’t forget to sign up as a guinea pig!
Enjoy!
The TMI Copper Wall • Exploratory Research
By Ross Dunseath, PhD, TMI Research Coordinator
By Ross Dunseath, PhD, TMI Research Coordinator
As reported in previous research update blogs, the TMI research team has constructed a facility at our Roberts Mountain Retreat (RMR) lab that is similar to the Copper Wall Room used by Elmer Green and his research team at the Menninger Institute.
The copper wall design facilitates the measurement of electric fields surrounding the body, and Green reported observations of anomalously high electric fields surrounding some exceptional participants when they engaged in healing or meditative activities.
We set out to replicate Green's findings, using the same instrumentation (an electrometer), in electrical contact with the body.
This was an exploratory effort, often referred to in the research world as a pilot study.
What we observed was rather phenomenal, certainly sufficient to launch a formal study.
Twenty volunteers visited the copper wall facility from June through August 2019, engaging in various healing or energy visualization activities while sitting in a chair or standing on the insulated glass floor of the booth and connected to the electrometer via an electrically conductive wrist (or ankle) strap or earlobe clip.
The body potential (voltage) relative to earth ground as measured by the electrometer was recorded.
Two aspects of this measurement were of interest—a static (or very slowly varying) direct current (DC) voltage, and a dynamic alternating current (AC) voltage.
The DC voltage was read visually from the meter display and recorded by hand while the AC voltage was digitally recorded after filtering for DC offset and 60Hz powerline noise.
Initially, the AC voltage was of greatest interest based on Green's reports of large voltage pulses, but the behavior of DC voltages measured on a couple of the volunteers was rather spectacular and led to new avenues for a study protocol and possible future applications.
We also discovered how sensitive the electrometer measurement is to leakage of charge from the body.
Initially the study volunteers were sitting in a non-metallic wicker chair, but it became evident that DC measurement amplitudes were significantly reduced in this configuration compared to quietly standing in the booth with the chair removed.
Because of this, about half of the study volunteers did not have fully accurate measurements, i.e., they were most likely too low.
If you were an early volunteer in the effort (in June 2019) please come back when we run the study (starting soon!) so we can obtain improved accuracy in your biofield readings.
When Edd Edwards and his healer associate Lihi Introp visited in early July, we observed some fascinating phenomena.
Edd has been involved in "energy" manipulation since he was a small child, and has participated in several laboratory studies throughout his life.
He was able to demonstrate raising his DC voltage to high levels on a routine basis, often above 20 volts upwards to a maximum of 70 volts.
Lihi was able to show this effect as well, reaching 50 volts.
These voltage levels were observed after "shorting" a finger to ground (briefly touching a ground wire) so they were starting from a zero potential.
Lihi raised her voltage at a steady rate of about 1 volt per minute.
Edd's rates varied from 1 to 4 volts per minute.
Both Edd and Lihi reported a tingling sensation when they reached high voltage levels.
There is no known physiological explanation for this effect (electrophysiology is normally limited to less than 1 volt).
Because of this, great care must be taken to control for mundane explanations such as environmental static charge accumulation.
We controlled for this in several ways:
- The participant was standing quietly on an insulated platform, so charge accumulation from shuffling shoes on a carpet or rubbing clothing fabrics was minimal.
- The measurement was taken after briefly grounding the participant, so any charge already present was dumped to ground.
- The humidity in the RMR lab is kept at 50% (sometimes higher, never lower) which minimizes environmental static charge buildup.
- Any observers nearby were not moving around or touching the participant.
When Edd and Lihi reached high voltages, a random event generator (REG, aka RNG, a device that generates a stream of random bits) was observed to become significantly less random, which is considered to be a psychokinetic (mind affecting matter) effect.
We also observed physical healing in two target "clients," one present in the RMR lab, and the second 20 miles away.
Both healers participated in the healing effort and were in voice contact with the remote client via speakerphone.
Impressive physical effects on the clients were reported and observed, including obvious reductions in skin sores and discoloration.
Other physical effects on the clients included small muscle spasms and the perception of a pushing or pulling force on the body.
It did not appear that high DC measurements were a necessary condition for RNG deviations or healing as significant reduction in randomness in the RNG was observed in seven of nine sessions with Edd and Lihi but not consistently large DC body voltages. (In contrast, the RNG remained within the two-standard deviation limit ((i.e., random behavior as expected)) during nine of eleven baseline periods when Edd and Lihi were not present).
However, the DC body field measurement technique was inconsistent as we explored best practices, so it's not clear if they were always generating high voltages when engaging in healing or energy practices.
There were two other sensors running during this effort, a magnetometer and a cosmic ray detector often used in psychokinetic studies.
The data from these devices is still being analyzed.
Elmer Green's copper wall research team reported both high DC levels and the sporadic appearance of high voltage surges or pulses (the AC part) in some exceptional participants, especially healers.
We observed voltage pulses as well, but only in the range of a few volts.
This may be due to the high pass filtering that was used to enable digital recording (our recording device could not handle DC voltages).
We are now upgrading the instrumentation to enable recording of DC and very low frequencies and hope to have that running by the time this report is posted.
Once the proper measurement technique was clarified thanks to Edd and Lihi (i.e., no chair in the copper wall booth), it became apparent that DC and slowly varying potentials can be active for other individuals engaged in energy or healing activities as well, even if not at sky-high values.
For example, a TMI staffer and a program participant have both demonstrated sudden doubling and tripling of voltage readings under controlled conditions when they were engaged in exercises using a resonant energy balloon (REBAL) or healing intentions.
The DC amplitudes were at single-digit volt levels, but still higher than classic electrophysiology allows.
Skin potential (electrodermograph) is the most relevant electrophysiological measure, but it is measured in millivolts (thousandths of a volt), not volts.
The measurement configuration (number of electrical contacts, location, references, ground, etc.) may offer some clue to what is being observed, and there will be more discussion on this aspect in future TMI research reports or publications.
The intention now is to run volunteers in a simple protocol of rest then task for twenty minutes (or until a steady potential is reached if baseline is still rising after twenty minutes) while standing quietly in the copper wall booth connected to the electrometer.
"Task" will be left to the participant, but energy or healing visualization/intention seems to work best.
We will accumulate statistics on voltage and RNG measures as well as task types.
Video recording will be used to help control for body movement and to obtain possible visual confirmation of electric field effects via biofield visualization (Biofield Viewer 4.0, https://biofieldviewer.com).
We're interested in learning about the distribution of body voltages with respect to population and energy/healing practices, and pursuing the possibility of a feedback application that could facilitate the learning of biofield manipulation.
If you would like to participate in this effort, please volunteer for the TMI Copper Wall Biofield study soon to be launched.
Scheduling will begin in September.
Contact info@monroeinstitute.org for details.
Thanks for your interest!
Scheduling will begin in September.
Contact info@monroeinstitute.org for details.
Thanks for your interest!
Ross Dunseath, PhD, TMI Research Coordinator
Ross is an electrical engineer who has been involved in consciousness and physiological monitoring research since his undergrad days at the Experiential Learning Lab at Duke University. He continued his education at Duke in both engineering and psi research, earning a PhD in electrical engineering in 1992. During that time, he was involved in the design and construction of instrumentation for neurofeedback, heart monitoring, and the detection of physiological correlates of psi phenomena.
He next worked with researchers at the University of North Carolina, designing and constructing high-density EEG data acquisition systems, with applications in simultaneous fMRI and EEG imaging. In 2010 he joined the staff at the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia where he is the co-director of the Westphal Neuroimaging Lab and is engaged in physiological studies of psi phenomena.
TMI presents a great opportunity for research in consciousness and human potentials, and Ross is busy upgrading the technical foundation in the labs for launching all kinds of studies.
I hope everyone is well and you all have a wonderful week!
Much love to you all...may your heart find peace today.
Much love to you all...may your heart find peace today.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A few selected quotes by Kahlil Gibran....enjoy!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
"You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts."
"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself."
"We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them."
"The appearance of things changes according to the emotions;
and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves."
"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life;
not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
"When you reach the end of what you should know,
you will be at the beginning of what you should sense."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A few selected quotes by Kahlil Gibran....enjoy!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
"You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts."
"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself."
"We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them."
"The appearance of things changes according to the emotions;
and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves."
"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life;
not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
"When you reach the end of what you should know,
you will be at the beginning of what you should sense."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last edited:
I enjoyed the no spoon art. Made me chuckle. I'm choosing not to make a Crocodile Dundee joke.
This is spot on! When there are no spoons left and the day is half over it sure feels like knives.
https://www.healthline.com/health/spoon-theory-chronic-illness-explained-like-never-before#1
https://www.healthline.com/health/spoon-theory-chronic-illness-explained-like-never-before#1
It’s a good one!
lol
And yes, it does feel like knives...except I first interpreted it as - if you ask me for a “spoon”, you’re gonna get a “knife” past a certain point, lmao.
Hope you are both well and you have plenty of extra spoons!
Just popping in to say hello!
All is well...just in hiatus mode still apparently (my mind has it’s own ideas of what we are going to do).
My Son is still in good health.
If anyone wishes to supplement this thread with interesting things feel free!
Lots and lots of love to you all!
All is well...just in hiatus mode still apparently (my mind has it’s own ideas of what we are going to do).
My Son is still in good health.
If anyone wishes to supplement this thread with interesting things feel free!
Lots and lots of love to you all!
Last edited:
I freaking knew it!
(this explains a lot)
"The infants of mothers who were depressed during pregnancy but received no medication, on the other hand, appeared to have brain connectivity findings that might reflect an increased ability to integrate information in brain regions that regulate emotions.”
"...neurobehavioral problems during infancy and childhood."
Then throw in a dash of INFJness...aaand - doomed.
lol
Enjoy!
New brain imaging findings suggest that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication by pregnant women and a mother’s depressed mood are linked to changes in neonatal brain development.
Our new research, which appears in the journal Depression & Anxiety, indicates that untreated prenatal depression and prenatal SSRI treatment are associated with differences in specific connectivity hubs in the newborn brain.
Depression and antidepressant drugs taken during pregnancy are very common, and have been associated with risks for both the mother and her baby, often leaving women and their clinicians with difficult choices to make about treatment options.
We wanted to better understand how untreated depression, compared to depression treated with antidepressant drugs during pregnancy, affects the baby’s brain, with the end goal of helping clinicians and mothers struggling with the decision for best treatment for them and for their baby.
Using a technique called resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we scanned 53 newborns’ brains while they were naturally sleeping to measure the connectivity between parts of the brain.
The connectivity between different brain regions reflects the brain’s functional organization.
The infants were born to mothers who were not depressed while pregnant, mothers who were depressed while pregnant but received no medication, and mothers treated with SSRIs for a minimum of 75 days during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Our study found changes in functional connectivity in newborns of mothers who had been depressed during pregnancy and not treated with an antidepressant, as well as in those treated with an antidepressant.
Infants who were exposed to SSRI medication during pregnancy showed increased connectivity in an area of the brain believed to be associated with early auditory processing and language development.
The infants of mothers who were depressed during pregnancy but received no medication, on the other hand, appeared to have brain connectivity findings that might reflect an increased ability to integrate information in brain regions that regulate emotions.
Surprisingly, infants of mothers treated with antidepressant drugs did not show these changes.
Moreover, we showed that levels of brain connectivity in newborns were predictive of infant temperament at six months of age.
It is important to emphasize that this study shows an association between SSRI exposure and changes in brain activity, but it does not show that SSRI exposure causes those changes.
In addition to a mother’s mood and treatment with an antidepressant during pregnancy, there are many genetic and environmental factors that also shape early brain development.
Depression during pregnancy may have risks for both the mother and her infant.
It is important that all mothers suffering from depression or other mental illnesses during pregnancy seek professional health care.
While the results from this study are important and advance our knowledge of early brain development, at this point we do not believe that these findings should influence the decision to start or stop antidepressant treatment during pregnancy.
It is important not to assume causality from this or the previous studies examining prenatal SSRI exposure and developmental risk.
Because both antidepressant exposure and maternal depression are closely intertwined, it is often difficult to distinguish the developmental risk associated with each exposure or whether the risk associated with SSRI use is due to a shared relationship with maternal depression.
Regardless, at its core prenatal SSRI exposure is an issue of how best to manage a mother’s mental health during pregnancy and given the impact across two generations, poor maternal mental health during pregnancy should be seen as a major public health issue.
Untreated depression during pregnancy carries its own risks, such as preterm birth and neurobehavioral problems during infancy and childhood.
The potential risks to the infant and child should be balanced against the risks associated with poorly or untreated depression.
Non-treatment is never an option.
While some infants might be at risk from a prenatal SSRI exposure – and we don’t know who that might be and how that works – there are many mothers and their children as well who might very well benefit from such treatment.
Our task is to figure out who benefits, who is at risk, and why.
The study, “Hub distribution of the brain functional networks of newborns prenatally exposed to maternal depression and SSRI antidepressants“, was authored by Naama Rotem‐Kohavi, Lynne J. Williams, Angela M. Muller, Hervé Abdi, Naznin Virji‐Babul, Bruce H. Bjornson, Ursula Brain, Janet F. Werker, Ruth E. Grunau, Steven P. Miller, and Tim F. Oberlander.
(this explains a lot)
"The infants of mothers who were depressed during pregnancy but received no medication, on the other hand, appeared to have brain connectivity findings that might reflect an increased ability to integrate information in brain regions that regulate emotions.”
"...neurobehavioral problems during infancy and childhood."
Then throw in a dash of INFJness...aaand - doomed.
lol
Enjoy!
Altered brain networks observed in newborns
prenatally exposed to maternal depression and SSRI antidepressants
prenatally exposed to maternal depression and SSRI antidepressants
New brain imaging findings suggest that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication by pregnant women and a mother’s depressed mood are linked to changes in neonatal brain development.
Our new research, which appears in the journal Depression & Anxiety, indicates that untreated prenatal depression and prenatal SSRI treatment are associated with differences in specific connectivity hubs in the newborn brain.
Depression and antidepressant drugs taken during pregnancy are very common, and have been associated with risks for both the mother and her baby, often leaving women and their clinicians with difficult choices to make about treatment options.
We wanted to better understand how untreated depression, compared to depression treated with antidepressant drugs during pregnancy, affects the baby’s brain, with the end goal of helping clinicians and mothers struggling with the decision for best treatment for them and for their baby.
Using a technique called resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we scanned 53 newborns’ brains while they were naturally sleeping to measure the connectivity between parts of the brain.
The connectivity between different brain regions reflects the brain’s functional organization.
The infants were born to mothers who were not depressed while pregnant, mothers who were depressed while pregnant but received no medication, and mothers treated with SSRIs for a minimum of 75 days during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Our study found changes in functional connectivity in newborns of mothers who had been depressed during pregnancy and not treated with an antidepressant, as well as in those treated with an antidepressant.
Infants who were exposed to SSRI medication during pregnancy showed increased connectivity in an area of the brain believed to be associated with early auditory processing and language development.
The infants of mothers who were depressed during pregnancy but received no medication, on the other hand, appeared to have brain connectivity findings that might reflect an increased ability to integrate information in brain regions that regulate emotions.
Surprisingly, infants of mothers treated with antidepressant drugs did not show these changes.
Moreover, we showed that levels of brain connectivity in newborns were predictive of infant temperament at six months of age.
It is important to emphasize that this study shows an association between SSRI exposure and changes in brain activity, but it does not show that SSRI exposure causes those changes.
In addition to a mother’s mood and treatment with an antidepressant during pregnancy, there are many genetic and environmental factors that also shape early brain development.
Depression during pregnancy may have risks for both the mother and her infant.
It is important that all mothers suffering from depression or other mental illnesses during pregnancy seek professional health care.
While the results from this study are important and advance our knowledge of early brain development, at this point we do not believe that these findings should influence the decision to start or stop antidepressant treatment during pregnancy.
It is important not to assume causality from this or the previous studies examining prenatal SSRI exposure and developmental risk.
Because both antidepressant exposure and maternal depression are closely intertwined, it is often difficult to distinguish the developmental risk associated with each exposure or whether the risk associated with SSRI use is due to a shared relationship with maternal depression.
Regardless, at its core prenatal SSRI exposure is an issue of how best to manage a mother’s mental health during pregnancy and given the impact across two generations, poor maternal mental health during pregnancy should be seen as a major public health issue.
Untreated depression during pregnancy carries its own risks, such as preterm birth and neurobehavioral problems during infancy and childhood.
The potential risks to the infant and child should be balanced against the risks associated with poorly or untreated depression.
Non-treatment is never an option.
While some infants might be at risk from a prenatal SSRI exposure – and we don’t know who that might be and how that works – there are many mothers and their children as well who might very well benefit from such treatment.
Our task is to figure out who benefits, who is at risk, and why.
The study, “Hub distribution of the brain functional networks of newborns prenatally exposed to maternal depression and SSRI antidepressants“, was authored by Naama Rotem‐Kohavi, Lynne J. Williams, Angela M. Muller, Hervé Abdi, Naznin Virji‐Babul, Bruce H. Bjornson, Ursula Brain, Janet F. Werker, Ruth E. Grunau, Steven P. Miller, and Tim F. Oberlander.
Very glad to see you stopping by and saying hi
Yes, the above is interesting and actually agrees with some astrological rules although maybe by accident - still neat to see this finding appear in a scientific study.
Very glad to see you stopping by and saying hi
Yes, the above is interesting and actually agrees with some astrological rules although maybe by accident - still neat to see this finding appear in a scientific study.
Good to see you too!!
Hope all is well with you also my friend!
I still wonder about breastfeeding and any stress hormones or similar passed on from a depressed Mother to infant.
Besides mirror-neurons...what if a child is born empathic and the Mother is depressed those first years...what does that do?
Still searching the literature...
Not trying to blame my Mom haha...just curious more than anything!
Take care!!!
Doing as well as can be, thank you for asking.. hoping you are too, as much as possible, and getting to have some good times with family at home.
Among other things, this.
Among other things, this.
Wow!
That’s a pretty spot-on description of a lot of my own tendencies...though I believe I have worked through most of the negative traits or aspects listed, at least...for the most part, lol.
But that article gives an unambiguous snapshot of my feelings and difficulties during most of my childhood and younger adult years.
Thanks for posting that up!
Been slowing breaking out of the slight slump I’m in due to issues connected to the ankylosing spondylitis.
When it flares up, it’s not just a regional area that is painful...it’s fairly systemic...it even gets painful to breathe as my sternum and intercostal ribs get actually palpably painful where I can’t even touch the spots where it’s pissed off.
Not to mention fevers in the middle of the night and the daytime lethargy.
But enough complaining.
All is just fine otherwise.
Thanks again and much love!
Yes, and yes
Hoping you all are well too.
Thank you Sandie!
Sending lots of love your way as well!!
Hanging in there!
It sounds like it hasn't been much fun but you've been taking it well with the attitude - hoping it calms down and you get some "leisure" days coming that are just easier on you.
I'm really glad the 12th house moon deal resonated with you - it's a funky position that is different to deal with than all the other placements and it does have both the gifts and curses of that house, which are difficult to explain to most people.
Much love to you too my friend
I'm really glad the 12th house moon deal resonated with you - it's a funky position that is different to deal with than all the other placements and it does have both the gifts and curses of that house, which are difficult to explain to most people.
Much love to you too my friend