Bøger af National Institute of Mental Health

Booklet talks about depression, signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed and treated and how to get help.

This book discusses bipolar disorder in adults. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives. Bipolar disorder often develops in a person's late teens or early adult years. At least half of all cases start before age 25.1 Some people have their fi rst symptoms during childhood, while others may develop symptoms late in life. Bipolar disorder is not easy to spot when it starts. The symptoms may seem like separate problems, not recognized as parts of a larger problem. Some people suffer for years before they are properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life.

Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, or disability, that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, but others are severely disabled. ASD is diagnosed according to guidelines listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition - Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR).1 The manual currently defines five disorders, sometimes called pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), as ASD: Autistic disorder (classic autism), Asperger's disorder (Asperger syndrome), Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), Rett's disorder (Rett syndrome), Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). This information packet will focus on autism, Asperger syndrome, and PDD-NOS, with brief descriptions of Rett syndrome and CDD in the section, "Related disorders."

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood brain disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). These symptoms can make it difficult for a child with ADHD to succeed in school, get along with other children or adults, or finish tasks at home. Brain imaging studies have revealed that, in youth with ADHD, the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed, on average, by about 3 years. The delay is most pronounced in brain regions involved in thinking, paying attention, and planning. More recent studies have found that the outermost layer of the brain, the cortex, shows delayed maturation overall, and a brain structure important for proper communications between the two halves of the brain shows an abnormal growth pattern. These delays and abnormalities may underlie the hallmark symptoms of ADHD and help to explain how the disorder may develop. Treatments can relieve many symptoms of ADHD, but there is currently no cure for the disorder. With treatment, most people with ADHD can be successful in school and lead productive lives. Researchers are developing more effective treatments and interventions, and using new tools such as brain imaging, to better understand ADHD and to find more effective ways to treat and prevent it.

All parents can relate to the many changes their kids go through as they grow up. But sometimes it's hard to tell if a child is just going through a "phase," or perhaps showing signs of something more serious. Recently, doctors have been diagnosing more children with bipolar disorder,1 sometimes called manic-depressive illness. But what does this illness really mean for a child? This booklet is a guide for parents who think their child may have symptoms of bipolar disorder, or parents whose child has been diagnosed with the illness.

From the moment of conception until death rhythm is as much part of our structure as our bones and flesh. Most of us are dimly aware that we fluctuate in energy, mood, well-being, and performance each day, and that there are longer, more subtle behavioral alterations each week, each month, season, and year. Through studies of biological rhythms, many aspects of human variability - in symptoms of illness, in response to medical treatment, in learning, and job performance - are being illuminated. Already some of our changes of mood and of vulnerabilities to stress and illness, our peaks of strength and productivity, can be anticipated. Moreover, by the end of this decade, much that is still considered unpredictable in health and human performance may become foreseeable through research into the nature of biological time cycles. As a result, timing promises to become an important factor in preventive health programs and medicine. For example, since the effects of drugs depend in part upon the time of administration, timing may be used as a critical aspect of treatment. Evidence now suggests, too, that X-ray treatments, surgery, and even psychotherapy are influenced in their outcome by timing. Research on biological rhythms also promises to have an impact on problems of work performance - including accidents and absenteeism; a new concept of scheduling as part of health may one day influence the determination of work-shifts among transportation and communication personnel, and members of various professions. No corner of medicine - from the laboratory testing of new drugs and procedures to clinical and public health programs - is likely to remain untouched by the new explorations into biological rhythms. These studies are being made by scientists working with support from the National Institute of Mental Health, who have now joined forces with members of various disciplines ranging from biology to entomology and mathematics. The results of their work are provided in this comprehensive report. Contained here is compelling evidence that man is constructed not only of matter, but that he is temporally organized - and that this organization carries with it significant implications for man's mental and physical health. The National Institute of Mental Health has been fortunate to support some of the very few researchers who could lead the way in this new field, thus taking an initiative in an area that is still not widely acknowledged. It is hoped that this report - part of a continuing effort to analyze and evaluate the Institute's programs - will draw the attention of both scientists and laymen to an exciting and promising area of scientific activity. Bertram S. Brown, M.D. Director National Institute of Mental Health