Organic Disturbance Disorders

What is an Organic Disturbance Disorder?

• Also known as neurodegenerative diseases
• incurable, caused by progressive degeneration and/or death of nerve cells
• Ataxia
• Dementia

Visual Representation of Alzheimer's Popularity

Alzheimer's Disease

• Type of dementia
• Impairs memory, thinking, and behavior
• NOT a normal behavior
• Progressive disease

Possible Causes

• Plaques
• Tangles
• Scientists just aren't sure
• Genetic components (Early Onset)
• APOE gene and its several forms

Cure for Alzheimer's

• There is not one
• Treatment for symptoms

Multiple Sclerosis

• an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS)
• Immune system attacks myelin sheath as well as nerve fibers, creating scar tissue (sclerosis)

Types of MS

• Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)
• Secondary-progressive MS (SPMS)
• Primary-progressive MS (PPMS)
• Progressive-relapsing MS (PRMS)

Treatment for MS

• NO CURE
• Treatments only for relapsing forms of MS
• No treatment for progressive MS (MS with no relapses)
• Treatments focus on reducing nerve inflammation
• Physical therapy, muscle relaxers, and other medications to make life easier

Who Gets MS?

• Most are diagnosed between 20-40 years old
• more than 400,000 cases in the US (about 200 new cases diagnosed each week)
• around 2.5 million cases worldwide
• More cases of MS above the equator

Parkinson's Disease

• Progressive loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra
• Some of the dying cells produce dopamine, which is sent to the part of the brain that involves movement
• Dopamine decreases, so does movement control

Research

• Loss of cells in other parts of the brain
• Researchers have discovered that the hallmark sign of Parkinson’s disease — clumps of a protein alpha-synuclein, which are also called Lewy Bodies — are found not only in the mid-brain but also in the brain stem and the olfactory bulb.
• Could explain the nonmotor symptoms (sense of smell and sleep regulation) of PD that some experience before the motor symptoms

Symptoms

• Tremors: uncontrollable shaking in the hands, jaw, face, arms, and legs
• Bradykinesia: slowing of movement
• Rigidity: stiffness in the limbs or back
• Posture Instability: impaired coordination and balance

Treatment

• No cure or way to reverse the damage done to the brain
• Many medications to treat the symptoms of PD
• Over the counter and prescribed medication
• Surgical treatment

Surgical Treatment

• 30,000 patients worldwide
• Electrodes are inserted into the targeted brain region
• Impulse generator (IPG) sends electrical signals to the part of the brain involved in motor function
• Patients can turn the device off and on, check the battery life, etc

Huntington's Disease

• Genetic disease
• Progressive degeneration of nerve cells
• Impacts a person's functional abilities and usually results in movement, cognitive and psychiatric disorders
• Caused by a defect in a SINGLE gene
• Affects the whole brain, not just one part
• 30,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at risk of HD

Symptoms

• Many describe HD symptoms as having ALS, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's at the same time
• Personality changes, mood swings, and depression
• Forgetfulness and impaired judgment
• Unsteady gait & involuntary movements
• Slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing and significant weight loss

Treatment

• No cure
• Medication for Movement disorders
• Medication for Psychiatric disorders
• Psychotherapy
• Speech therapy
• Physical therapy

Symptoms con't

• Usually appear at 30-50 years old
• Worsen over 10-25 year period
• Patient usually succumbs to pneumonia, heart failure, or other complications

OCD Related Disorders

Dermatillomania

• also called Skin Picking Disorder, Excoriation Disorder
• repetitive picking at the skin to the extent of causing damage
• Patients may use fingernails, teeth, tweezers, or any other device
• Bruising, scars, and other skin deformities may develop as a result

Episodes

• Skin picking episode is preceded by high levels of anxiety (itch, urge), but is rewarded with a feeling of relief
• May be a response to a conscious effort to reduce anxiety or depression
• Usually an unconscious habit
• After an episode, many try to hide the evidence

Treatment

• Cognitive-Behavorial Therapy (CBT)
• Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT)
• Mindfulness-based CBT
• 23% of OCD patients and 27% of BDD patients have had Excoriation Disorder

Hoarding

• persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value
• items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing

Symptoms

• Inability to throw away possessions
• Severe anxiety when attempting to discard items
• Suspicion of other people touching items
• Functional impairments, including loss of living space, social isolation, family or marital discord, financial difficulties, health hazards

Causes

• Future use
• sentimental value, unique and irreplaceable, or too big a bargain to throw away
• consider an item a reminder that will jog their memory, thinking that without it they won’t remember an important person or event
• can’t decide where something belongs, it’s better just to keep it

Treatment

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Decluttering
• Challenging the hoarder’s thoughts and beliefs about the need to keep items and about collecting new things
• Developing a plan to prevent future clutter

Trichotillomania

• recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows or other areas of your body, despite trying to stop
• Can be done consciously to relieve tension or distress
• Can be done without even realizing it

Symptoms

• Repeatedly pulling out hair, typically from the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes
• An increasing sense of tension before pulling
• A sense of pleasure or relief after the hair is pulled
• Biting, chewing or eating pulled-out hair
• Biting, chewing or eating pulled-out hair
• Playing with pulled-out hair

Treatment

• CBT
• Group Therapy
• Education on the disorder
• Treatment for excoriation and trich are similar