Sound Medicine -- July 13, 2002
- Barbara Lewis and Dr. Steve Bogdewic talk to physicians and
experts about:
Language problems in the elderly
A
fight against Batten disease
- Treating
psychological effects of cancer
Listen to the show:
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Media | Windows
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Language problems in the elderly
The eyes might be the mirror to the soul, but how we communicate reflects
the workings of our brain.
We talk about communication disorders in the elderly with Laura Murray,
PhD, a scientist with the Indiana University Center for Aging Research
and specialist in communication and cognitive disorders. She explains
her research into the similarities between depression and early Alzheimer
disease, and how confusion between the two can stall a diagnosis.
With the patients in her study, Dr. Murray focused on the ability to
use and understand high-level language, the ability to make inferences,
for example. She describes the subtle similarity of symptoms, and urges
patients to seek diagnosis if they are having difficulties communicating
with and understanding others. She recommends we stay physically and
mentally active to maintain good language skills. Dr. Murray also discusses
aphasia, a communication impairment resulting from stroke. She reports
that stroke patients who suffer from aphasia can regain much of their
language skill.
Dr. Laura Murray is an associate professor of the Department of Speech
and Hearing Sciences at IU Bloomington, where she also leads an aphasia
support group.
- Resources
 The
American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association provides excellent information about speech and language
problems in adults and children. Includes a referral service.
- IU's
aphasia support
group
- Visit
National Stroke Association
Web site for information about stroke, the most common cause of
aphasia.
- The
Alzheimer's Association
web site offers support and a variety of information about the
disease.
- National
Mental Health Association Web site has good information on depression,
including a
factsheet on depression in older Americans.
A fight against Batten disease
An Indianapolis family is racing against the clock. Phil Milto and
his wife Tricia have three boys, two of whom have Batten disease, a
fatal neurological disorder that robs a child of sight, hearing, and
motion. Because Batten disease is rare, it's not a one that researchers
or pharmaceutical companies have actively tried to cure. Thanks to the
methodical and tireless push by the Milto family, however, researchers
are now making headway on a cure.
Phil Milto tells his family's story and describes using his skill as
a project manager to "sell" Batten disease to medical institutions
and biotech companies. He describes his unique business organization,
the nature of Batten disease, and the multiple therapeutic options under
development, including gene therapy.
- Resources
- Read
more about the Milto family and its work at the Nathan's
Battle Foundation Web site. Get updates on scientific breakthroughs,
and find out how you can help.
- Get
general
information about Batten disease from the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke from the National Institutes of
Health.
Treating psychological effects of cancer
Perhaps the hardest thing about having cancer is living with it. From
diagnosis through treatment, your thoughts are never far from illness.
One person at the Indiana University Cancer Center specializes in helping
people deal with the mental and emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis.
Psychologist Shelley Johns is the psychoeducational coordinator for
the IU Cancer Center's Complete Life program.
Dr. Johns explains the holistic approach of the Complete Life Program,
which encourages coping skills. Among these skills, she explains, is
using one's sense of humor. She talks about patients who learn to joke
as a way to bond with their families and medical caregivers. Johns also
discusses developing realistic and neutral thinking about the disease
and how depending on "positive thinking" can be counterproductive.
- Resources
- Dr.
Johns recommends two books by Norman Cousins: Anatomy of an Illness,
1979, New York, WW Norton; and Head First: The Biology of Hope,
1989, New York: EP Dutton.
- She
also recommends a book by Allen Klein called The Healing Power
of Humor, 1989, Los Angeles: Jeremy Tarcher/Putnam press.
- Finally,
Johns likes the Humor Project's Laughing Matters magazine.
Write to: 110 Spring St. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Or visit the
Humor Project Web site, a clearinghouse for theory, research and
practical ideas related to humor.
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We're pleased to thank our founding sponsors: IU
Medical Group,
Clarian Health
and Wishard Health Services.
Coming on the July 20 program: ovarian cancer & gene therapy
Two IU cancer doctors explain their research into altering genes that
kill cancer cells and rendering genes less resistant to the curative
effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
Sound interesting? We want to hear from you:
email: soundmed@iu.edu
phone: (317) 274-IU4U
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Policy
Health Quiz —
Sterilization regrets?
More than 10 million women in the United States have had a tubal
sterilization -- how often do they regret it later? To answer this question,
researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied
information from a national survey of women who had undergone sterilization,
or whose husbands had had a vasectomy. What percentage of the women regretted
the surgery five years later?
a. About 6 percent
b. About 20 percent
c. Nearly 50 percent
Find out!
Medical mystery — a new use for the Gamma Knife
The Gamma Knife is an advanced radiation treatment system that physicians
at Indiana University School of Medicine have been using for nearly
five years to treat a variety of conditions -- such as brain tumors
or vascular malformations. Recently, however, researchers have started
testing it to treat a well-known neurological disorder that strikes
150,000 people each year. What disease is being put under the Gamma
Knife?
Find out!
Weekly Notebook — Communicate with aphasic adults
Here are tips for conversing with people experiencing communication problems
as a result of a stroke or a neurological disorder.
• Talk to the person with aphasia as an adult. Use simple sentences.
Talk in normal volume and emphasize key words.
• During conversation, minimize or eliminate background noise (TV,
radio, other people) whenever possible.
• Make sure you have person's attention before speaking to them.
• Praise all attempts to speak and encourage all modes of communication:
speech, writing, drawing, gestures, eye contact, etc.
• Do not frequently correct speech. Downplay errors.
• Give the person time to respond.
Source: Information provided by the National
Aphasia Association
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