Critically Speaking

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. James Alcock discuss what near death experiences are and the increase of them in recent years due to improvements in medical technology. While near death experiences (NDEs) have been known about for a long time, we, as a scientific community, are starting to understand more about what they mean for neurological processes. However, despite knowing the science of what is happening, NDEs and how they are experienced are subject to one’s own beliefs, context, and even religious framework. Dr. Alcock and Therese also discuss the the relationship between near death experiences, hallucinations, and even reactions to various drugs and how they create powerful subjective experiences. 

 Key Takeaways:

• In surveys taken in the United States, about 3% of people have reported having near death experiences. This number can be difficult to assess as they are based on memory and the surveys are taken, sometimes, years after the incident in question.
• It is difficult to prove the near death experiences in research studies due to the subjectiveness of what is being perceived. 
• Even with the science that we do know, those who have near death experiences (including neurologists who have studied the brain) report the reality of the feelings and perceptions that are felt in these experiences. 

"Context is important. Our interpretation is important. And it's very difficult, if not impossible, for any individual to distinguish between reality and subjective fantasies in those situations." —  Dr. James Alcock

Connect with Dr. James Alcock:

Wikipedia Page: James Alcock  

Book: Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions are so Compelling 

Magazine: Skeptical Inquirer

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Leigh Turner discuss direct-to-consumer marketing of unproven and unlicensed cell-based interventions. Dr. Turner’s research addresses ethical, legal, and regulator issues associated with clinics engaged in direct-to-consumer marketing and shares his knowledge with us in this first of a two-part interview. Also discussed in this episode are the questions to ask when thinking about these cell-based treatments and therapies, not only about the administration of the cells, but also regarding the individuals who are advertising and performing these interventions, as well as those processing and marketing the product for use. There are many inadequacies and a lack of safe-research in many of these facilities, even when they appear to be run by a qualified and trusted provider.

 Key Takeaways:

• Even if someone is a board-certified clinician, that doesn’t mean that what they are offering is evidence based and has been approved for the US marketplace in any way.
• Advertising claims are not always evidence based, trustworthy, credible, and reliable.
• Registered with the FDA doesn’t mean that the FDA has gone on site, done a careful inspection, and provided approval. It just means they’ve uploaded a form on the FDA site.

"It’s important to ask challenging questions about individuals who are advertising these interventions and performing these procedures." —  Dr. Leigh Turner

Connect with Dr. Leigh Turner: 

University of Minnesota – Center for Bioethics: Leigh Turner, PhD  

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Erica Sonnenburg discuss the diverse and active microbiome that is in the human body. This microbiome in our gut varies from person to person and is largely environmentally based – those foods we eat, and what we choose to consume plays a factor on how healthy our gut biome is. They discuss the changes of the microbiome as infants as well as in adults, and ways that we can change or reset the microbiome, as well as what we each can do every day to keep our microbiomes healthy. 

 Key Takeaways:  

• Typical western diets now are very low in complex carbohydrates and it is affecting the microbiome in the large intestine. 
• Your environment is a big player in your microbiome – what you eat, lifestyle, medications, etc. 
• The first year of a baby’s life, their microbiome could make an impact on their immune system.  

"Unlike our human genome, which we have almost no control over, our microbiome is something that we have a lot of control over based on our environment." —  Dr. Erica Sonnenburg 

Connect with Dr. Erica Sonnenburg:  

Website: SonnenburgLab.Stanford.edu 

Book: The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-Term Health 

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net 

Twitter: @CritiSpeak  

Email: [email protected] 

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. James Alcock to the show, this time, he is here to discuss the paranormal and parapsychology. Throughout their discussion, Therese Markow and Dr. Alcock explain what is meant by paranormal, different types of supernatural phenomena and paranormal abilities, and the types of experiments that attempt to prove these abilities exist. There is a long history of paranormal beliefs that has evolved throughout the years, culminating in what we now call parapsychology. 

 Key Takeaways:

• Despite the lack of scientific evidence that paranormal phenomena are real, it is difficult to convince those who want to believe because it is impossible to prove a negative.  For example, How can you prove that Santa Claus doesn’t exist?
• No universities in the USA or Canada  have a department in parapsychology.  In some schools courses in parapsychology are offered.. 
• Statistics cannot give causation, they can only say when there is a significant departure from what you would expect by chance.  In the case of parapsychology experiments, statistical evidence falls short. 

"There's no other area of science where the phenomena are based on negative definitions." —  Dr. James Alcock

Connect with Dr. James Alcock:

Wikipedia Page: James Alcock  

Book: Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions are so Compelling 

Magazine: Skeptical Inquirer

Link to relevant article:  https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://skepticalinquirer.org/__;!!Mih3wA!RHu5rIp1RgLXolzIlcKGsg5PlFaPu1afl6y6NJJWumPGtrUUz1HnNCeN6a9S9Jo$

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) real? Dr. Stephen V. Faraone, distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at SUNY Upstate Medical University and author of over 700 scientific articles and five books, speaks critically about this controversial condition, what it is, why it needs to be recognized early and the best treatment initiated as early as possible.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Stephen Faraone discuss:  

• Separating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) myth from fact.  
• Patient symptoms evaluated by medical professionals for a diagnosis of ADHD.
• Understanding the severe consequences for patients if the disorder remains untreated.  

Key Takeaways:  

• ADHD is not only a childhood disorder, but it also affects adults.  2/3 of patients with ADHD as an adolescent have ADHD as an adult.
• Medications prescribed to adolescents to effectively treat the disorder are also used with adults.
• 5% of the population has ADHD. While the disorder affects both sexes, it is more prevalent in boys.  The ratio of an ADHD diagnosis in boys to girls is 6 to 1.
• The three main features of ADHD are 1) hyperactivity, 2) inattention and 3) impulsivity to the degree that it causes severe problems with relationships, workforce challenges, and education.

"ADHD is a disorder that can have serious consequences.  It is also one of the disorders that are easiest to treat with available medications." —  Stephen Faraone  

Connect with Stephen Faraone:    

Twitter:  @stephenfaraone  

Book: Straight Talk about Your Child's Mental Health

LinkedIn: Stephen Faraone, Ph.D.

Connect with Therese:  

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

• Tsuang MT, Faraone SV. The Genetics of Mood Disorders, Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins; 1990
• Faraone SV, Tsuang, D, Tsuang MT.  Genetics of Mental Disorders: A Guide for Students, Clinicians, and Researchers, New York, NY: Guilford;1999.
• Faraone, S.V.  Straight Talk About Your Child’s Mental Health: What To Do When Something Seems Wrong, New York, NY: Guilford, 2003.
• Tsuang MT, Faraone SV & Glatt SG Schizophrenia: The Facts, Oxford University Press; 2011.

Faraone, S.V. & Antshel, K. ADHD: Non-Pharmacologic Interventions Elsevier, 2014

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In a continuing the last week’s discussion of elder abuse Therese Markow and Paul Greenwood expand their discussion on elder abuse to delve into the physical abuse and neglect that happens to our elderly friends and relatives. There are different types of physical abuses that happen to elderly people that occur in different circumstances. The ways in which families may deal with these abuses and the prosecution of such abuses are also discussed. In the media we often hear about physical abuses and neglect happening in assisted living and care facilities. Therese and Paul explore options for living situations, as well as what we, as families and loved ones, can do to make the best decision possible for our elderly relatives. We, as a society, need to find ways to take control of the situation, bring attention to the problem, and find ways to mitigate and slow the problem of elder abuse. We can all get involved now in our own communities.

 Key Takeaways:

• Take care and do your research when deciding on assisted living facilities - you can pay a lot of money for a swanky place, but that place may not guarantee happiness or good hygiene. 
• A facility that doesn’t let you in and let you see things on an open door basis, that’s not the kind of facility you want to place a loved one in.
• The worst thing you can do is to stay silent if you suspect someone is being abused.

"Get involved in your local community in elder abuse prevention task forces." —  Paul Greenwood

Connect with Paul Greenwood:

National Adult Protective Services Association: napsa-now.org

National Center on Elder Abuse: ncea.acl.gov

LinkedIn: Paul Greenwood

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In this episode, Therese Markow and Paul Greenwood discuss a key problem that is happening more often in our rapidly aging society - elder abuse. Elder abuse can be hard to define and to prosecute as it’s definition differs not only from country to country, but also from state to state. There are many different ways in which elder abuse can occur, one of the most common ways is through financial abuse, both by people who know and are close to the elder and those who wish to take advantage via information gathered and incorporated on the “sucker list” where many scammers acquire their information. While much remains to do to further increase the protections for those at risk, Therese and Paul discuss ways in which we, as relatives and as a community, can step in to help protect elders from financial abuse of all kinds. 

 Key Takeaways:

• Many of the elders who have a crime perpetrated against them are not reported due to embarrassment and fears of their freedoms being removed without their consent.
• Ask questions! If something is fishy, ask questions to show that you care. 
• Having power of attorney does not give anyone the right to steal.

"Keep in touch with your elderly relatives. Don’t let them be a stranger to you because bad things can happen to them if you are not fully involved." —  Paul Greenwood

Connect with Paul Greenwood:

National Adult Protective Services Association: napsa-now.org

LinkedIn: Paul Greenwood

Email: [email protected]

Documentary Reference: The Guardians

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

In a world full of media, which may contain misinformation or fake news, there are conspiracy theories abounding. However, conspiracy theories, and the spreading of those theories, is not a new practice, it has been around and transmitting in any way that people communicate. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joseph Uscinski talk about the origin of conspiracy theories and how these formal theories differ (and are similar) to the fake news and misinformation that fills our media screens today. They discuss some of the earliest US conspiracy theories, as well as some of the more modern ones, and how they are different now, with our current political climate, from what they may have done in the past. They also discuss why people believe these conspiracy theories, as well as why people believe in them, even in the face of refuting evidence. 

 Key Takeaways:

• The internet did not introduce the spread of conspiracy theories. They will always be spread in any way that people communicate.
• Our worldviews impact the media that we access, which then can filter which conspiracy theories we are likely to believe.
• The two most consistent predictors of those who believe in conspiracy theories are education and level of income.

"Most of the arguments about evidence, really aren’t about evidence - they’re just about subjective judgments about evidence, which gets us away from evidence and gets us back into how people interpret information and what the world views are they bring into interpreting that information." —  Dr. Joseph Uscinski

Connect with Dr. Joseph Uscinski:

Twitter: @JoeUscinski 

Website: JoeUscinski.com 

Books: American Conspiracy Theories & Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

We all believe in something, from Santa Claus, to the global shape of the earth, to babies needing to be taken care of for survival. While some of our beliefs are intuitive or have evidence, many are not. Sometimes the evidence that we believe to be true is faulty. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. James Alcock discuss how these beliefs are built, how we interpret situations to create beliefs, and why we, as a society, have so many common beliefs. As humans, we like to believe we are rational beings, but so many of our beliefs are happening automatically, without our conscious thought or from common teachings that we are all exposed to from those in authority. Therese and Dr. Alcock also discuss further complications regarding belief, such as conspiracy mentalities, imagination inflation, and memory contamination and the role that these elements of complication can play in trying to suss out what to believe in this world full of many shades of gray. 

 Key Takeaways:

• We cannot learn everything in one lifetime so, as a society, we come to rely on authorities and shared, inherited beliefs. 
• There is no evidence that people can bury trauma. The problem with trauma is people can’t forget. 
• Due to mental desire to belief and idiosyncratic movements, humans often see things that are “magic” or “unexplainable” due to our own actions.

"The problem is, if we don’t have the capacity and we don’t have the motivation to critically examine the evidence, then we won’t distinguish between evidence that really is factual and evidence which is wrong." —  Dr. James Alcock

Connect with Dr. James Alcock:

Wikipedia Page: James Alcock  

Book: Belief: What it Means to Believe and Why Our Convictions are so Compelling 

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Dr. Therese Markow talks with psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Daniel Blumberger about depression that does not respond to medications and behavioral cognitive therapy.  Approximately one third of patients suffering from major depression are “Treatment Resistant”.

Fortunately, there are a range of brain stimulation techniques that help the majority of these patients. Electroconvulsive therapy or ETC, has evolved into a much more benign procedure than depicted earlier in movies and has the best outcomes in patients with major depression.  New techniques, involving stimulation of the brain magnetically, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) also can be effective and are being refined for broader use.  Depression is a serious and sometimes fatal disease, and there is hope for those resistant to pharmaceutical approaches.

 Key Takeaways:

• Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD, is a debilitating disorder that can be fatal
• About a third of those suffering from MDD, do not respond to. pharmaceutical treatments.
• The majority of these patients benefit from ECT, which now has been greatly improved.
• A newer group of brain treatments, using magnetic stimulation, also are useful for Treatment Resistant Depression.
• Sufferers should ask their physicians about access to these non-pharmaceutical treatments.

"It is very important to intervene early when someone isn’t responding to medication. The more treatments that someone doesn’t respond to, the less likely that they will respond to each subsequent course of treatment. The longer things linger, the harder it is to get someone better." —  Dr. Daniel Blumberger

Connect with Dr. Daniel Blumberger:

CAMH Profile: Dr. Daniel Blumberger  

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.