Comments on: Rapamycin Reverses Learning and Memory Deficits in Mice http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:48:10 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rogerio Santana http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-585058 Rogerio Santana Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:58:06 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-585058 Angie, please send me you email.. rapamycin is fantastic! Angie,

please send me you email.. rapamycin is fantastic!

]]> By: R. Hardy http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-565613 R. Hardy Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:06:50 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-565613 Angie: This is great news that your son is responding. I would love to learn more about your son's progress. I have a non verbal autistic son. Would you contact me at rhardy@concordiapharma.com? REG Angie: This is great news that your son is responding. I would love to learn more about your son’s progress. I have a non verbal autistic son. Would you contact me at rhardy@concordiapharma.com? REG

]]> By: Angie Lane http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-565498 Angie Lane Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:03:41 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-565498 I wanted to tell you this: My son and I take rapamycin(outside of a clinical study). We both have tuberous sclerosis. And yes, from personal experience he is becoming "un" autistic. And no,it was not that he was only mildly autistic....He was non verbal and is now gaining words, rapidly. I never in my life anticipated *this*..... Angie Lane I wanted to tell you this:
My son and I take rapamycin(outside of a clinical study). We both have tuberous sclerosis. And yes, from personal experience he is becoming “un” autistic. And no,it was not that he was only mildly autistic….He was non verbal and is now gaining words, rapidly. I never in my life anticipated *this*…..

Angie Lane

]]> By: Rose http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-553087 Rose Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:01:05 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-553087 Kristina; One doctor wanted him to have fragile-x, and it was relatively cheap...but it wasn't appropriate and I knew it from the start. The results justified my cynicism...NOT fragile-x! Honest to God, they said just wait until he's a teen-ager, and if it's TSC it will show up in facial angiofibromas. It's often mistaken for acne, but it's different. Many parents are unaware of their own TSC until their child encounters it. Rose Kristina;

One doctor wanted him to have fragile-x, and it was relatively cheap…but it wasn’t appropriate and I knew it from the start. The results justified my cynicism…NOT fragile-x!

Honest to God, they said just wait until he’s a teen-ager, and if it’s TSC it will show up in facial angiofibromas. It’s often mistaken for acne, but it’s different. Many parents are unaware of their own TSC until their child encounters it.

Rose

]]> By: Matt http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-553054 Matt Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:11:12 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-553054 About Jim's back: I had a problem with a bad disk (in my cervical spine) a few years ago. I made things worse by not taking care of it as quickly as I should have. I got to the point where I was actually thinking about surgery, and managed to convince my doctor to give me a 3rd (third!) round of steroids. That third round of steroids saved me - I have the occasional twinge now, but nothing serious. So I'd recommend pushing hard on the medication before trying surgery. I hope things work out for him. Thanks for your blog! About Jim’s back: I had a problem with a bad disk (in my cervical spine) a few years ago. I made things worse by not taking care of it as quickly as I should have. I got to the point where I was actually thinking about surgery, and managed to convince my doctor to give me a 3rd (third!) round of steroids. That third round of steroids saved me – I have the occasional twinge now, but nothing serious. So I’d recommend pushing hard on the medication before trying surgery. I hope things work out for him. Thanks for your blog!

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-547592 Kristina Chew, PhD Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:08:04 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-547592 Am eager for Emily's comments too. 2 things from Regan's comment that I'm equally curious about: (1) the " possibility of discreteness of 'intelligences'; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing 'personhood' or personality." --- not sure if the notion of "splinter skills" (which my son does not exactly have, though his intelligence exceeds what he can show of it through language) applies here? (2) "mental retardation has been (too often I think) considered one of those 'that’s that kind of situations"----I think the story about 59-year-old Mary's <a href="http://www.autismvox.com/the-birthday-meal-with-a-twist/">birthday meal</a> suggests that intelligence, learning, and change are all possible, throughout the lifespan. Am eager for Emily’s comments too. 2 things from Regan’s comment that I’m equally curious about:

(1) the ” possibility of discreteness of ‘intelligences’; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing ‘personhood’ or personality.” — not sure if the notion of “splinter skills” (which my son does not exactly have, though his intelligence exceeds what he can show of it through language) applies here?

(2) “mental retardation has been (too often I think) considered one of those ‘that’s that kind of situations”—-I think the story about 59-year-old Mary’s birthday meal suggests that intelligence, learning, and change are all possible, throughout the lifespan.

]]> By: Cliff http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-551073 Cliff Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:42:31 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-551073 "To me that speaks of that possibility of discreteness of 'intelligences'; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing “personhood” or personality." If it was possible to keep that aspect of autism while eliminating some a different set of issues, it would be still complicated but far more palatable to think about, for me. Though, in thoughts of mental retardation, it does strike a nerve that mental retardation with autism is considered necessarily a static value. I suppose that's because, under that statement, I frankly don't exist. Oh, and I hope Jim gets better, for sure. That's certainly no fun to go through, at all, so I hope it's over ASAP. Cliff “To me that speaks of that possibility of discreteness of ‘intelligences’; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing “personhood” or personality.”

If it was possible to keep that aspect of autism while eliminating some a different set of issues, it would be still complicated but far more palatable to think about, for me.

Though, in thoughts of mental retardation, it does strike a nerve that mental retardation with autism is considered necessarily a static value. I suppose that’s because, under that statement, I frankly don’t exist.

Oh, and I hope Jim gets better, for sure. That’s certainly no fun to go through, at all, so I hope it’s over ASAP.

Cliff

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-554720 Regan Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:55:42 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-554720 In re: Jim's back (I think you get to a certain age and everyone has a back story)--hope it's not too serious, gets better soon, or at least gets into therapy soon. But it's a bummer. In re: Jim’s back (I think you get to a certain age and everyone has a back story)–hope it’s not too serious, gets better soon, or at least gets into therapy soon. But it’s a bummer.

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-554719 Regan Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:51:34 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-554719 I was kind of hoping that Emily might help decipher the study and whether she sees any experimental design problems. I think I follow the drift of what they were look at, but I don't want to misrepresent the study, which definitely falls under the umbrella of basic rather than applied research, and I think was more of an effort to identify specific regulatory pathways in TSC than search for treatment. A couple points that I think I get, that for me make this interesting--that the particular cognitive areas studied (in mice which had specific learning deficits related to hippocampal dysfunction but wild-type (WT) motor, anxiety, social approach, and exploratory behavior) were independent of neuroanatomical changes from tuber formation and seizure status, and that these were discrete functions tested--spatial memory (decoupled from vision, motivation, and perceptual memory), working memory, and discrimination in context (in this case learned fear responses, which the Tsc2+/- demonstrated indiscriminately compared to WT). This was distinct from Tsc1+/- mice, who displayed a different phenotype for social behaviors. To me that speaks of that possibility of discreteness of "intelligences"; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing "personhood" or personality. They were also able to mediate the morphologic trajectory of another mouse line, which ordinarily leads to gross neuroanatomical abnormalities and premature lethality. I realize that this is not the most practical of interests, but these kinds of studies are fascinating to me because mental retardation has been (too often I think) considered one of those "that's that" kind of situations. Reversing some aspects, even if in mice, is something revolutionary. (Emily or other biochemists out there, please correct and educate, if I got any details wrong). I was kind of hoping that Emily might help decipher the study and whether she sees any experimental design problems. I think I follow the drift of what they were look at, but I don’t want to misrepresent the study, which definitely falls under the umbrella of basic rather than applied research, and I think was more of an effort to identify specific regulatory pathways in TSC than search for treatment.
A couple points that I think I get, that for me make this interesting–that the particular cognitive areas studied (in mice which had specific learning deficits related to hippocampal dysfunction but wild-type (WT) motor, anxiety, social approach, and exploratory behavior) were independent of neuroanatomical changes from tuber formation and seizure status, and that these were discrete functions tested–spatial memory (decoupled from vision, motivation, and perceptual memory), working memory, and discrimination in context (in this case learned fear responses, which the Tsc2+/- demonstrated indiscriminately compared to WT).
This was distinct from Tsc1+/- mice, who displayed a different phenotype for social behaviors.
To me that speaks of that possibility of discreteness of “intelligences”; to mediate specific learning deficits without necessarily removing “personhood” or personality.
They were also able to mediate the morphologic trajectory of another mouse line, which ordinarily leads to gross neuroanatomical abnormalities and premature lethality.
I realize that this is not the most practical of interests, but these kinds of studies are fascinating to me because mental retardation has been (too often I think) considered one of those “that’s that” kind of situations. Reversing some aspects, even if in mice, is something revolutionary.
(Emily or other biochemists out there, please correct and educate, if I got any details wrong).

]]> By: alyric http://www.blisstree.com/articles/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/comment-page-1/#comment-547723 alyric Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:59:58 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/rapamycin-reverses-learning-and-memory-deficits-in-mice/#comment-547723 No surgery - yet and I would like to remain optimistic about that:) Only 10% ever need it. Mine is just a garden variety of sciatica - a nasty case - couldn't walk at all. Doc said that for prolapsed disc - need lots of exercise. I gather (guessing wildly) that Jim has reached the surgical option (?spinal fusion) because he has very serious damage, which mine is not. Still, broadcasting lots of empathy here, hugs, therapeutic massage, whatever. If I said acupuncture half the Hub would descend amid a froth and roiling. Strange to say I got offered an amazing range of CAM options as advice. I declined, sometimes gracefully but one woman took me by surprise and may never say another word to me again. Good luck with the red tape. They seem to buy it by the truckload up here. No surgery – yet and I would like to remain optimistic about that:) Only 10% ever need it. Mine is just a garden variety of sciatica – a nasty case – couldn’t walk at all. Doc said that for prolapsed disc – need lots of exercise. I gather (guessing wildly) that Jim has reached the surgical option (?spinal fusion) because he has very serious damage, which mine is not.

Still, broadcasting lots of empathy here, hugs, therapeutic massage, whatever. If I said acupuncture half the Hub would descend amid a froth and roiling. Strange to say I got offered an amazing range of CAM options as advice. I declined, sometimes gracefully but one woman took me by surprise and may never say another word to me again. Good luck with the red tape. They seem to buy it by the truckload up here.

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