Saturday, May 1, 2010
That was quick!
One of my Upcoming Attractions listed in the immediately previous post has already been covered, much more thoroughly and interestingly than I could have accomplished.
I'm an unashamed geek when it comes to information, so one of my favorite sites has always been Mona Johnson's The Tangled Neuron. Granted, I haven't been there in quite awhile. My only excuse is that I haven't been anywhere on the web in quite awhile. After publishing my Upcoming Attractions post I decided to wander over to Mona's site and see what she had to say about the newly "advertised" report mentioned in bullet 7 of my immediately previous post. I was sure she'd have something. Mona is nothing if not up-to-the-minute on cognitive research and typically has more information and more links to more information than anyone else. Turns out, she attended the webcast of the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference in which the report was discussed and has written several posts about the report and other matters covered in the conference. Below are links to all the posts she's written so far, all of which should be considered necessary reading by anyone interested in all manner of cognitive decline [Sometimes I think it would be better to refer to this area of interest and study as "cognitive aberration", since "decline" often allows people to presuppose behaviors that a subject may not be exhibiting...or that people who wouldn't be considered in "cognitive decline" do exhibit; this concern, by the way, is a topic that was also covered in the conference and about which Mona reports. Then, again, "aberration" has its own cross to bear...]. The first link below directs you to her post that covers what I was planning to write about; by the way, read the comments to her posts, as well. They often contain auxiliary information pertinent to the posts:
Later.
I'm an unashamed geek when it comes to information, so one of my favorite sites has always been Mona Johnson's The Tangled Neuron. Granted, I haven't been there in quite awhile. My only excuse is that I haven't been anywhere on the web in quite awhile. After publishing my Upcoming Attractions post I decided to wander over to Mona's site and see what she had to say about the newly "advertised" report mentioned in bullet 7 of my immediately previous post. I was sure she'd have something. Mona is nothing if not up-to-the-minute on cognitive research and typically has more information and more links to more information than anyone else. Turns out, she attended the webcast of the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference in which the report was discussed and has written several posts about the report and other matters covered in the conference. Below are links to all the posts she's written so far, all of which should be considered necessary reading by anyone interested in all manner of cognitive decline [Sometimes I think it would be better to refer to this area of interest and study as "cognitive aberration", since "decline" often allows people to presuppose behaviors that a subject may not be exhibiting...or that people who wouldn't be considered in "cognitive decline" do exhibit; this concern, by the way, is a topic that was also covered in the conference and about which Mona reports. Then, again, "aberration" has its own cross to bear...]. The first link below directs you to her post that covers what I was planning to write about; by the way, read the comments to her posts, as well. They often contain auxiliary information pertinent to the posts:
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference - Draft Consensus
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference - Day 1
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference - Day 2
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference - Public Discussion of Draft Statement
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference - Press Release and Briefing
Later.
Labels: cognition science
Comments:
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Yikes, Gail, I hardly know what to say about all your superlatives! Thanks so much for the links to my post and to my blog. I'm glad you liked the posts about the NIH prevention conference. The press release and draft statement don't really capture the full flavor of or the scope of the information from the presentations during the conference, so I'm glad I erred on the wordy side with those posts.
Aberration is an interesting word, but I don't really think late life cognitive decline is an aberration, do you? This was really the underlying problem with much of the research discussed. I'm not saying this decline is good - decline in vision is normal, too, but I'm glad we're able to correct that in most cases.
I'll be interested to see what you do with this phase of your life and your blogging career.
Aberration is an interesting word, but I don't really think late life cognitive decline is an aberration, do you? This was really the underlying problem with much of the research discussed. I'm not saying this decline is good - decline in vision is normal, too, but I'm glad we're able to correct that in most cases.
I'll be interested to see what you do with this phase of your life and your blogging career.
Mona,
Good point to the cross that the word "aberration" bears. Do I "think late life cognitive decline is an aberration"? Well, no, considering that it is pretty wide-spread and has a host of identities, some of which are barely to not noticeable. I just reread the two posts to which you linked in your post A Broader View of Alzheimer's?. I like "memory challenges". I also think I need to read Danny's and Peter's book. It is still unadulterated joy to know I will have the time to read a book without interruption! I just checked. Our library has it and it's checked in. Obtaining it is on my errand list for tomorrow.
I also didn't consider the way my mother's brain worked as "aberrant". In the beginning, she worried about her memory lapses, but the worry stopped as I became more and more adept at picking up her slack and factoring our lives, even our conversation, for her actual brain function. Then, too, I not only adjusted to her "memory challenges" I enjoyed quite a few of them: The timelessness in which we lived; her cross-referencing of dreams as memory, memory and dreams; distant memories as recent memories; made up memories as memories of past and recent realities; the occult wisdom behind her tendency to mistake what we tend to assume is a person's "real" identity for that of others. Sometimes it seemed a good idea to correct her. Often, I didn't think any correction was needed; not even a silent correction in my own mind. Occasionally, a correction I thought was necessary was rejected as wrong or argued to the point of yielding valuable information to me about her history, thoughts and outlook that I would have missed, otherwise.
I just clicked into your advertisement for your Living with Memory Loss Patient Guide & Resource Directory and I like "memory loss", too. I've been partial to calling my mother's dementia "creative", as well. Certainly, many of her ancient brain functions were extremely creative, and delightful, as well.
Maybe we don't find the right words until we are provoked to stumble into expansive, all-inclusive attitudes.
Thanks, Mona!
Good point to the cross that the word "aberration" bears. Do I "think late life cognitive decline is an aberration"? Well, no, considering that it is pretty wide-spread and has a host of identities, some of which are barely to not noticeable. I just reread the two posts to which you linked in your post A Broader View of Alzheimer's?. I like "memory challenges". I also think I need to read Danny's and Peter's book. It is still unadulterated joy to know I will have the time to read a book without interruption! I just checked. Our library has it and it's checked in. Obtaining it is on my errand list for tomorrow.
I also didn't consider the way my mother's brain worked as "aberrant". In the beginning, she worried about her memory lapses, but the worry stopped as I became more and more adept at picking up her slack and factoring our lives, even our conversation, for her actual brain function. Then, too, I not only adjusted to her "memory challenges" I enjoyed quite a few of them: The timelessness in which we lived; her cross-referencing of dreams as memory, memory and dreams; distant memories as recent memories; made up memories as memories of past and recent realities; the occult wisdom behind her tendency to mistake what we tend to assume is a person's "real" identity for that of others. Sometimes it seemed a good idea to correct her. Often, I didn't think any correction was needed; not even a silent correction in my own mind. Occasionally, a correction I thought was necessary was rejected as wrong or argued to the point of yielding valuable information to me about her history, thoughts and outlook that I would have missed, otherwise.
I just clicked into your advertisement for your Living with Memory Loss Patient Guide & Resource Directory and I like "memory loss", too. I've been partial to calling my mother's dementia "creative", as well. Certainly, many of her ancient brain functions were extremely creative, and delightful, as well.
Maybe we don't find the right words until we are provoked to stumble into expansive, all-inclusive attitudes.
Thanks, Mona!
Hi Gail,
Words are difficult, I think. Even "memory loss" is not a great term. It's kind of polite, and not very medical, but doesn't really capture the full spectrum of some people's cognitive decline (maybe your judgment has gone downhill, maybe your navigation skills have worsened, etc.).
I think you'll enjoy chewing over the message of The Myth of Alzheimer's.
Take care,
Mona
Words are difficult, I think. Even "memory loss" is not a great term. It's kind of polite, and not very medical, but doesn't really capture the full spectrum of some people's cognitive decline (maybe your judgment has gone downhill, maybe your navigation skills have worsened, etc.).
I think you'll enjoy chewing over the message of The Myth of Alzheimer's.
Take care,
Mona
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