"Recent studies have shown a strong link between dental hygiene and Alzheimer's Disease. The bacteria created by poor dental health can travel to the brain."



As far-fetched and unrelated as it may sound, is it actually true that Alzheimer’s disease might in fact be linked to poor dental health? According to studies in recent years, there may be a stronger link than we might have ever imagined. While there appears to be a strong chance that gum disease can cause Alzheimer’s, there are still steps that can be taken to help avoid such a fate.


Mouth-Brain Connection

Scientists from the University of Lancashire in England performed a study in which they found traces of a bacterium that is generally present in the mouth actually in the brains of some of their subjects. The correlation between the ten test subjects’ Alzheimer’s and the presence of the bacteria (known as Porphyromonas gingivalis) was that the bacteria is one generally present in the mouth of those who suffer from periodontal disease (also known simply as gum disease). Brain samples were taken from ten patients who suffered from Alzheimer’s and ten samples were taken from subjects without Alzheimer’s. Those with Alzheimer’s all had traces of the periodontal bacteria in their brain samples.


How Does the Bacteria Affect the Brain?

The hypothesis based on the findings from the study is that the bacteria travels into the brain, and then proceeds to set off a trigger in the immune system. What this trigger does is tell the body that there is something foreign in the area, and that it is bad, and it needs to be eradicated. The immune system then sends out its attack, releasing a chemical that ends up killing brain cells. This loss of brain cells is thought to eventually lead to loss of memory and therefore Alzheimer’s disease.


What Can Be Done to Stop it?

While the study did produce these results, more money is being sought in order to fund further research on the subject. Only time and additional testing and research will tell, but in the mean time, in can’t hurt to continue proper mouth health and improve your dental health. Brush at least twice a day, and remember to floss every day. If you are unable to brush your teeth in some situations or after every meal and snack, simply swish water in your mouth to remove stagnant food particles. By removing the bacteria from your mouth you will lessen the chance of the gum disease that has been linked to Alzheimer’s in the study. One of the primary causes of gum disease is lack of oral hygiene, with lack of flossing being the biggest culprit. As many as up to thirty percent of adults are said to suffer from gum disease at some point in their lives, so work to prevent yourself from becoming part of that statistic.


The bottom line:

While further studies have yet to be held, the current findings are startling. Although the amount of subjects tested was small, the University is seeking the funding to do more thorough research and testing. In the mean time, it can’t hurt to pay extra special attention to your teeth and mouth, and develop a healthy, thorough mouth-care routine if you haven’t already.

Becca is an avid health and nutrition blogger. She’s currently working with Dentists R Us in Coquitlam BC to help educate the public about dental care and health.

Jacques Lacan
 License: Image author owned 

An article on the evolution of Freudian theory by Jacques Lacan, the controversial reception of his mirror stage theory, in place of Freud's Oedipal Drive."


It was Sigmund Freud who originally established the field of psychoanalysis, and so the debt owed to him by the entire area of study is hard to overstate. However, it should always be remembered that many other figures have since built on Freud's work, expanding psychoanalysis into areas which he could not have imagined. The best-known individuals in psychoanalysis include the likes of Carl Jung and Wilhelm Reich, each with their own theories, their own disciples and their own students. This article will compare and contrast the theories of Freud with those of one of the most admired men to have followed up on his work: Jacques Lacan.

Lacan was heavily influenced by Freud, in fact, although he went on to found an entirely new school of psychoanalysis, he described himself as a Freudian Psychoanalyst. In the fifties Jacques Lacan ran seminars calling for psychoanalysts to return to Freud's body of work. He believed that many of Freud's followers had distorted his original writings, and so argued that it was time to reclaim the early work by the father of psychoanalysis.

Lacan also added to Freudian theory, however, and one of the key concepts which he introduced to the field was that of structural linguistics. He looked at Freud's case of a patient nicknamed the Rat Man. This individual was obsessed with the idea of people being tortured by rat-bites. Freud concluded that his obsession with rats masked concerns over money, and pointed to the similarities between the two words in German: "Ratten" (rats) echoes "Raten" (instalments, as in debt). Lacan used this case to articulate his theories regarding signifiers: chains of words which lead from one meaning to another, and which can provide insight into a patient's mental state.

However, Lacan also made a large and very controversial departure from Freudian theory with his concept of the Mirror Phase, the idea that observing ones self in a mirror triggered apperception, and hense the notion of an inner and outer self, an event that Lacan considered to be a significant milestone in the mental development of a child. Although Lacan himself saw his theory as compatible with Freud's theories regarding primal urges from early childhood, many disagree. The Fellow Frenchman psychoanalyst Raymond Tallis argued that the mirror stage had no factual foundation, and that congenially blind people would be incapable of learning to speak were Lacan's theories factually unflawed.

Freud placed great emphasis on the Oedipal drive: the subconscious desire in male children to kill the father and marry the mother (the female equivalent of the Oedipus complex is the Electra complex). Lacan, instead, held that the most important stage in the early development of a child was when it first sees itself in a mirror - or comes across a reasonable substitute, such as the image of a different child.

Lacan saw this as filling a gap in Freud's theories by explaining how the ego is constituted. More traditional Freudians, meanwhile, remain unconvinced. 

This guest post was written by Nick Davison, Nick writes for a number of websites including Lacanian Psychoanalysis London.

    
The face of New Depression
Photo license: AttributionNoncommercialShare Alike Some rights reserved
Image source
Post-traumatic stress disorder can impact not only the sufferer but also the people around him. It can cause a great deal of anxiety and stress to people coping with the disorder. Surely, dealing with this disorder is not a walk in the park. The burden can be too much for those who are tasked in caring people suffering from the diseases. In fact there are reports about symptoms of anxiety showing up on the caregivers. To cope with the challenges of taking care of a person with PTSD, here are some steps that you take to make things easier.

Understand
We have to understand that the PTSD is not about you. It is about the fear. It is about the anxiety. It is about the pain the sufferer feels. Your friend is worried about the situation and it never involved you. That is why when you are staring down at the obnoxious behavior exhibited by the sufferer always think that it is part of the game that you choose to play. PTSD is a disease, a disorder that you need to treat like any other disease. Once you accepted this situation you will be able to take care of your suffering friend better. Just don’t take things personally because it is not personal.

Limits
Under no circumstances condone any misbehavior. Never tolerate any abuse of any kind. There is no standard definition where the limit starts and where it ends—you have to trust your gut feel on this. If he or she gets violent and leave, the friend suffers. If you stay and roll with the punches, you will suffer.

Stress
People caring with people with PTSD can suffer from a lot of stress and could be one of the causes of anxiety. Some of the causes of anxiety include financial stress, crisis management and even loss of interest in doing simple things. The last thing a sufferer would need at this point is the caregiver falling by the wayside due to stress. The tremendous strain can be a telling blow to give up on the person suffering from PTSD. That is why caregivers need to find ways to lower their stress levels so they can be effective in providing care for the sufferers.

Knowledge
Learn more about PTSD and pay attention on what the doctors have to say about your ward’s condition. If you must, take down notes on how to effectively deal with the situation. During your free time, be more productive by researching on the new treatments and new programs that can help sufferers of PTSD on the Internet or reading it up in newspapers or magazines. This will enable you to deal better with the ward and handle the situation.

Listen
They may talk about it and it may sound boring but they need someone to listen about their fears and anxiety. Remember that they are living in constant fear and anxiety that is not there. The last thing that they don’t need is for a person that is not available to listen to what they have to say. Listen do not patronize and always allay their fears. The fears sting but if it is the only way to get rid of the poison then it may worth the while.

Fun
Well, this is easier said than done—but it is worth the shot. Let’s face it. A person that is impacted with PTSD is stuck within his or her fears. Humor may be the key that would unlock things and make living better. Try to watch a funny movie or play fun board games. Remind him or her that the PTSD does not mean the end of the world and there are lots of things to look forward to. Try to entice him or her to take a new hobby and try to make it fun, light and interesting. Maybe it will make them forget about their fears.

A person with PTSD may feel imprisoned and it is your task to unleash him or her from self-bondage. Feelings can be tangled and it could complicate things between caregiver and sufferer. Knowing how to deal with the disorder will spell success in the end.

About the Author:
Ryan Rivera considers writing as his passion and specializes on anxiety and stress related articles such as symptoms of anxiety, treatment for depression and treatment for panic attacks. He can be contacted through his Calm Clinic Google+ account.