I have a Ph.D. in psychology and currently work as a behavioral and cognitive neuroscientist. I am generally interested in normal and abnormal brain structure and function. My current research interests are aging, cognitive change after surgery, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and brain MRI.
Note: I include ads on my site to cover my hosting costs so I can keep this site up.
I just noticed that you have my blog listed in your blog roll. I’m going to add your blog to my RSS feed and also add it to my blog roll.
Thanks
Many thanks!
Good morning, I’d like to use some information obtained from your site in a paper. Could I possibly bother you for a name to use as the author? I cannot seem to find your name listed here other than as Neuropsychguy. Many thanks!
Heather Long
Hey, I enjoy your blog, and as I recently started one myself, I added your site to my roll. I’d love for you to check mine out if/when you get a chance! I’m also trying to figure out how to track back, so I can do that when I link to an entry of yours…
Jeremiah Dwyer
http://postcards-from-the-id.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Great blog! I just stumbled across you on LDS BLOGS. My husband and I just built a website (MormonsMadeSimple.com) which uses simple, explanatory videos to explain the Mormon faith. Feel free to embed one of our videos in your blog, if you think it would be a good missionary tool.
Thanks!
Laurel & Doug
hello ,have just read your article which you must have wrote back in 2008??? Do you still have an interest in the white matter of the brain and its involvment in cognition and behavior??
my hb is under neurological investigation, i would like to know your view on mild cerebral hypoperfusion in the deep periventricular white matter.
Yes, I do. It’s difficult to say what mild cerebral hypoperfusion in that deep white matter will do in any individual case. It depends on the reasons for the neurological investigation (the symptoms) as well as what the brain scan and neurological testing show. Was this hypoperfusion discovered with a PET scan, an fMRI, or something else?
Sorry for the delay in my reply, the hypoperfusion was discovered on a SPECT scan. It was reported as” out of keeping with the normal apperances on the prior MRI. this may represent small vessel ischaemic changes. Normal pattern of cortical activity.
Comment No specific scintigraphic features of fronto-temporal dementia.”
My husband is aged 45 has Had a dramatic personality change, went from superstar driver of the year for his company to been on a final written warning after 20 years of an excellent work record. He has no empathy no emotions and is selfish. he falls on occasion drops things but lacks insight into any of his deficts. has Mylonic jerks in bed and is hyperactive and hypersexual plus rude and inconsiderate to people. now smokes to excess and drinks on an evening to excess. Plus a hundred other symptoms.
We have a diagnosis from a neurologist, of probable dementia FTD and alcohol excess plus now COPD( his lungs were perfect 12 months ago) The cogntive problems started 2 1/2 years ago.
we have a diagnosis of organic brain disease from the psychiatrist and the psychologist cannot make her mind up as she thinks he is young for such a profound diagnosis. She thinks they might have missed vascular dementia, but all his problems were 18months before the lung problems which by the way is a stupid cough and recurrent chest infections, but he is never out of breath and does not have cardiac problems or hypertension these people are not FTD specialists.
we are due another MRI in sept and more neuropsychological testing to see if there are any changes.
There is at present no bio markers for this disease, but i wondered what you think about these white matter changes, as there is a lot of interest now due to a better understanding of the white matter’s role in the function of the brain.
Sorry, spect scan request was for , behavioral and personality change, sleep disorder. Fronto temporal dementia?
i am aware that there is often no atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes until the disease is in the middle to late stages, my husband would be in the early to middle stage. i know imaging abnormalities are not mandatory for a diagnosis but that FTD is a disruption of the neural network and not from brain cell death, but i do wonder on what your thoughts are with this SPECT result shows, as deep white matter can interupt critical neuropathways that facilitate complex neuropsychological functioning. I wonder how many FTD patients have shown similar patterns of hypoperfusion before the atrophy??? what do you think???
I think it’s a good idea. Hopefully it will promote some thoughtful comments.
Hey awesome post! Mind if I repost to my blog?
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You have really interesting blog, keep up posting such informative posts!
Greetings from Australia. You helped me with my university assignment. Thank so much.
Hi, do not know if this has any meaning for anyone, but we have had a confirmation of my husbands diagnosis, Fronto temporal dementia with possible MND.
Due to the alternative diagnosis’s given by the local psychologist, with whom i totally disagreed I requested my husband attended a cerebral function unit that specializes in neurodegenerative diseases. The reason for my post is we were previously told the hypoperfusion on the Spect scan was possibly normal ageing changes and not a cause for concern this was given by the local hospitals radiologist.
The specialist team looked at my husbands previous Spect scan and have said it shows frontal reduction and frontal parietal reduction. This now explains all the problems my husband was having as it takes a lot of cell death to show atrophy. The evidence was there all the time. The neuropsychological testing also confirmed my husbands problems.
Very sad outcome for all of us as a family, but we managed to keep our home, the diagnosis was along drawn out process, my husband luckily got ill health retirement, so we will try to enjoy everything we can.
Obviously awareness is needed for this rare neurodegenerative disease, not only for the public but for the medical professionals involved. The Spect scan result is only as good as the person reading it, the first interpretation was wrong, but he did state it was not in keeping with the previous MRI. Complicated, how many other patients are there out there who have been told their scan is nothing to worry about?
Thanks for the interesting information that you provide! I have your site as one of my favorites and check in from time to time. Like you, I have a passion for neuropsychology and am a fellow dotoral student myself, but in cognition and instruction. Keep up the good work and I look forward to perhaps reading one of your peer-reviewed journals in the future.
God Bless,
Sally
His name I believe is Jared Tanner@Heather Long