Behavior

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Amygdala: A review of a section of the book Behave by Robert Sapolsky
In the world of neuroscience, Robert Sapolsky stands as a luminary, a maestro of unraveling the intricate dance of our brain’s circuitry. Among the many deep dives that he delves into, his perspective on the amygdala resonates profoundly for me. The amygdala emerges not as a mere anatomical curiosity as he decides that rather than reducing the amygdala to a simplistic seat of fear and aggression, he highlights its diverse functions, emphasizing its involvement in the vast array of behaviors and experiences. It is a narrative view of the why the brain developed as it did to aid us in the fight against pathogens, predators and stress. Sapolsky’s take on the amygdala is nothing short of revelatory, akin to a seasoned detective peeling away layers of a perplexing case. There are diverse neuronal pathways in this almond-shaped structure nestled deep within our temporal lobes and they have profound purpose. The amygdala emerges not merely as a primal seat of fear and aggression, but as a nuanced orchestrator of our emotional lives. All mammals have emotional responses that are split second to threat, joy and relationship. This is mediated……Plus a section on DNA and memory. Finally, a recipe.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #20 Reboot – Sandy Newmark, M.D. – ADHD Part II

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

ADHD without Drugs – This is a reboot of this podcast from 2022 as it aligns with the podcasts of Dr. James Greenblatt and Dr. Kate Henry
Sandy Newmark, MD is the Director of Clinical Programs at the University of California at San Francisco’s Osher Center for Integrative Health. He is an Integrative Pediatrician and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSF with the title of Osher Foundation Endowed Chair in Clinical Programs in Integrative Medicine. To me, he is an amazing teacher and onion peeler in the world of attention deficit.
I met Sandy back in 2006 as he was the lead Pediatric teacher in the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship. He immediately made an impact in my career as a leader in this new way of seeing the world of medicine.
His bio lists: Dr. Sanford Newmark specializes in integrative neurodevelopmental pediatrics including autism, ADHD, and related conditions. Dr. Newmark lectures widely on both autism and ADHD and has authored three chapters in integrative medicine textbooks. He is the author of the book “ADHD Without Drugs, a Guide to the Natural Care of Children with ADHD.” His online video, “Do 2.5 Million Children Really Need Ritalin? An Integrative Approach to ADHD,” has been viewed over 4.5 million times.
Know this, this is an hour of your life that you will want to dedicate to Dr. Newmark’s thoughts. Especially, if you or your child has ADHD.
Enjoy my conversation with Dr. Newmark,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 8

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Literature Review
1) Cancer is now a unique risk factor for Cardiovascular disease according to recent research. This is being discussed as a point of emphasis for those that have been diagnosed with cancer as the knowledge is a wake up alarm to the biological underpinnings of these disparate immune based diseases. (Melchiori R. et. al. 2023) If you have a strong family history of cancer and heart disease as I do, this data needs to be understood for a prevention lens focus. In a few weeksx I will be discussing APOE genotypes for understanding these realities.
2) In a translational model, sulphurophane increases mitochondrial biogenesis…..Plus a continuous glucose monitor experiment and more from Alison Gopnik’s book.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #64 – Dan Shapiro, Ph.D. – Provider Burnout

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Dan Shapiro is a man on a mission to help physicians, other providers and the medical healthcare administrators understand the reality of healthcare provider burnout. He is currently the Director of the Chartis Center for Burnout Solutions, where he and his team assist leaders of multi-hospital systems with efforts to reduce burnout and the turnover of high-value physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, and other staff.

Dan’s education goes back to my alma mater, Vassar College. He graduated with a BA in Psychology before going to the University of Florida for his doctorate in clinical psychology. He completed a post doctoral degree in Medical Crisis Interventions at Harvard University. He held faculty positions at the University of Arizona as well as at Penn State rising to the Chair and Professor of Humanities at Penn State College of Medicine. In 2017, he developed a systematic method for assessing and addressing burnout leading to consulting services focused on multi-hospital systems. In 2023, he left his role as Vice Dean and Chair to pursue the reduction of burnout full time with colleagues at Chartis.

Dan is a frequent contributor to thought leadership in the physician burnout space. In 2003, Random House published his landmark memoir about one physician’s burnout, titled, “Delivering Doctor Amelia,” which was required reading at some colleges and medical schools. He’s written two other books, also for Random House. Dan’s additional writings have appeared or been featured in, among others, the New York Times, Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Academic Medicine, and NPR’s All Things Considered.

As a hobby, he worked for ten years as a weekly consultant to the hit television shows Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, How to Get Away with Murder and on-camera for the Discovery, National Geographic, and FYI channels.

Please enjoy my conversation with Dan Shapiro,

Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Christmas, Tradition and Holidays in General.
When I think about the holidays, I think about large family gatherings, fake birds chirping in the Christmas tree, my Babcia cooking pierogis in butter, bacon and onions and serving me a huge plate, my cousin tripping and falling into the tree trying to turn off the chirping bird. I think of Christmas eve singing Polish and English carols. I remember the long table with 30 people sitting around the room celebrating togetherness. Life was pure as a child. Being the youngest of the generation, I seemed to see everything from the lowest viewpoint. I heard everything that was said that may or may not have been appropriate…………………..plus a piece on genes and mental health. Recipe of the week is here as well.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #60 – Moshe Szyf, Ph.D. – Hope and Epigenetics Part 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

This week’s guest is Professor Moshe Szyf.
This is the second story of hope for us as a species. We have a level of control over our outcome that is baked into our DNA.
Dr. Moshe Szyf joins the show today to discuss the social programming of the epigenome. Dr. Szyf and his colleague Dr. Meaney proposed over two decades ago the first set of evidence that the “social environment” early in life can alter DNA methylation launching the emerging field of “social epigenetics”. He also has illustrated that DNA methylation is a prime therapeutic target in cancer and other diseases to be explored and potentially manipulated for health.
“Together, they discovered that our genetic code, the actual sequential structure of our DNA, can pretty much shrug off the influence of any external environmental factors, short of massive radiation. However, the expression of individual genes within that sequence can be permanently altered by such seemingly innocuous influences as diet or how others treat us. Once triggered, a group of molecules called a methyl group attaches itself to the control centre of a gene, permanently switching on or off the manufacture of proteins that are essential to the workings of every cell in our body. In most tumours, this DNA methylation pattern has been knocked awry, leading to a gene being completely deactivated or triggered to abnormally high activity.” (McGill Reporter)
Dr. Szyf received his Ph. D from the Hebrew University and did his postdoctoral fellowship in Genetics at Harvard Medical School before he joined the department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He currently holds the James McGill Professorship in Pharmacology. He is the founding co-director of the Sackler Institute for Epigenetics and Psychobiology at McGill and is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Experience-based Brain and Biological Development program. Szyf has been the founder of the first “Pharma” to develop epigenetic pharmacology “Methylgene Inc.” and the first journal in epigenetics “Epigenetics”.
Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Moshe Szyf,
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 13 Issue 46

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | RSS | More

Delaying Gratification and Dopamine
When we think of our current societal view on raising children, we have a conundrum. We want our children to experience the world as it is progressing through a technological viewpoint, a growth mentality. What does that mean? . When technology enters the learning process, we progress at log rates. We can process more information and incorporate it into our memory. For a simple example, let’s look back in time. When I was in school, I had to go to the library and search through the library’s archaic dewey decimal system to find a book to reference for information for a project or assignment. Time wasting to say the least compared to the internet age. It took forever to accumulate old data that was in a book. No real time action…Also a mini literature review and a recipe of the week.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

1 2