Blog Posts

TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE AS A JUSTICE ISSUE

8/23/2025

Val's Take/Conjecture

A number of people and entities are talking about Translational Medicine in terms of Health Equity and Justice.

We've had some significant Federal investment in Mental Health Research, and that seems to be paying off.

I've been known to say that if we just got out of the Punishment Business and went to Civil Certification --- things would be better.
- And I think they would be --- probably.
- I say "probably" because a small percentage of justice-involved people with psychiatric disorders would prefer a more definite prison term than an unpredictable civil commitment term.

BUT that doesn't solve our DESPERATE NEED for better understandings and treatments.

BHA Launches Colorado LIFTS, Increases Access to Behavioral Health Support (2025)

The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), today celebrated the launch of Colorado LIFTS (Linking Individuals and Families To Services).

Colorado LIFTS is Colorado’s streamlined network of safety net behavioral health services, including crisis, substance use and mental health support.

From today forward, anyone in Colorado, no matter their insurance status or where they live in the state, can connect directly with care navigation support to help them begin or continue their journey to whole-person health.

Colorado is probably not the only State that tries to address frightening shortages with administrative fixes.
BUT Colorado does it a lot.

On the other hand, will State Governments ever have enough funds for OUT-OF-DATE understandings and treatments in Mental Health.

MENTAL HEALTH has already EXHAUSTED the Public Health Care System.

Those new understandings and, to a certain extent, treatments are here ---
- But they are in a wide range of ACADEMIC JOURNALS and ACADEMIC TEXTS and maybe the occasional YouTube video.
- Dr. Chris Palmer did write a book designed for the Public --- BRAIN ENERGY -- and it is helping to popularize some of these new paradigms along with METABOLIC MIND.

Robert Plant and Kashmir

8/13/2025

Val's Take: Lyrics to Kashmir

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face, with stars to fill my dream.
I am a traveler of both time and space to be where I have been.
To sit with elders of a gentle race this world has seldom seen.
Who talk of days for which they sit and wait
When all will be revealed.

There are many associations with Kashmir and with the Robert Plant interview and mental health.

I'm going to focus on KNOWLEDGE and IGNORANCE. Enormous progress has been made in understanding Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric and Addiction Disorders. Has all been revealed --- NO.

But if we adopt a comprehensive Public Health Approach to Criminal Justice ---- we can still maintain our integrity without complete certainty.

Dan Rather interviews Robert Plant
Kashmir over Stairway to Heaven and Loss & Grief

Led Zeppelin
Kashmir

Confused understandings, Paradigm Shifts and Justice

8/6/2025

Val's Take: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is interesting because patients have worked so hard to have the disorder not considered a Psychiatric Disorder --- THIS IS A REAL ILLNESS.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is like Multiple Sclerosis in that those patients often have co-morbid Psychiatric Disorders.

It wasn't that long ago that Psychiatric Disorders were considered "Psycho-Somatic." That is not as true today, BUT our understanding has been CONFUSED.

When we make that paradigm shift to Neuro-Developmental & Psychiatric Disorders as NEURO-IMMUNE DISORDERS and appreciate the ramifications of Maternal Immune Activation and Atypical Virus Response --- we're in quite a different place than we've been for the last several decades.

This has all kinds of ripple effects in Criminal Justice, and is piling on to the need for a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

NYU School of Medicine
Schizophrenia and Covid 19: Lessons From Systemic Immune Challenge (2022)

Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine -- NSU Florida
Virus Reactivation: Testing and Treatment (2024)

Anti-social Personality Disorder, the Vietnam War & Support

7/27/2025

Val's Take: Is the inadequacy and harm of Forensic Evaluators and "ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER" in the Criminal Justice System ever going to end?

Yes, it will.

Two Orchid Themes & Symbols: THE VIETNAM WAR & SUPPORT

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Greek Column -- Support

Monty Python & The Holy Grail
The Witch Scene

Neuroscientist & Author Antonio Damasio
Why the Mind Encompasses More Than Just the Brain (2016)

Australia's Professor Elizabeth Scott rings the alarm bell on out-dated mental health care

7/26/2025

Professor Elizabeth Scott is candid about the inadequate care given to Youth presenting with JUST "psychiatric symptoms" and how they are often written off as having a "personality disorder."

It is quite frightening that poor mental health care is largely the status quo, not just in the US but in other countries as well, as Professor Scott references in Australia.

As that might suggest, the need for additional basic research and improved treatments has significantly contributed to this low bar status quo.

BMC Youth Mental & Technology Research (Australia)

Immune system related psychotic and mood disorders

Not everyone has "autoimmune encephalitis" as Juliete above, but more and more we are recognizing Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric, and Addiction Disorders as Neuro-Immune Disorders requiring PRECISION MEDICINE.

We're gaining a more comprehensive understanding, but that is not being effectively communicated to the public or the majority of patients.

This is not a minor problem. Failure to address it is GROSS INCOMPETENCE

Australia's Brain Mind Centre at the University of Sydney
Youth Mental Health & Technology

"Leading generational change for disorders of the brain and mind."

One of the big generational changes is ----
IT'S NOT JUST THE BRAIN

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" and recalibrating morality

7/18/2025

Val's Take: It is tough to miss that "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is an old-fashioned, albeit creative, morality tale.

We need MORALITY --- but our understandings are modified by ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, INSIGHT, etc.

As a society, we are grappling with the concept of lifestyle choices versus biological factors.

As research gets incorporated into the general PUBLIC DOMAIN, more and more people utilize that information.

While there is considerable focus on TRANS folks these days, the obsession with "NARCISSISTS" is hard to miss.

We currently navigate our relationships with other people using:

ROUGH CATEGORIES,
RED FLAGS, and
"SECRET" INSIGHTS.

The acceleration of complex and individualized biological insights is necessitating a recalibration of Morality.

Thug Notes
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Immuno-psychiatry could be a "Convenient Truth"

7/15/2025

That provides the transfoRmation
we're looking for in mental health

In this case, "IMMUNO-PSYCHIATRY" is exposing:
- A grossly inadequate "SYSTEM" of TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, and
- The Need for a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH to CRIMINAL JUSTICE
  - That understands the importance of research and the need for better treatments.

Is "IMMUNO-PSYCHIATRY" going to be the LAST WORD in Psychiatry --- probably not.
- Even though I think it is considerably better and more accurate than the current level of clinical and forensic practice.

Terra Incognita

The "Mental Illness" Map has been pretty far off the mark even if professionals did the best they could.

"The Earth is not flat" -------------NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES / DISABILITIES, "MENTAL ILLNESS," WORK AROUNDS & CRITICAL THINKING

Immunopsychiatry and Criminal Law

Immunopsychiatry is an emerging field that explores the complex interplay between the immune system and mental health conditions.

While it is a relatively new area of study, the insights gained from this field have potentially significant implications for criminal law, particularly regarding the evaluation of criminal responsibility, the insanity defense, and sentencing considerations.

Understanding the link

Inflammation and mental illness:
- Research suggests a strong link between chronic inflammation and a heightened risk of developing psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Impact on behavior:
- Inflammatory processes can disrupt brain function, affecting neurotransmitter balance, stress response (HPA axis), and neuroplasticity.
- These disruptions may manifest in behavioral changes, including impaired judgment, impulsivity, and altered emotional regulation, which could be relevant to understanding criminal behavior.
Aggression and violence:
- Some studies point to an association between heightened inflammation and aggressive or violent behavior, although the causal link is complex and may be bidirectional.
Neuropsychiatric disorders:
- Specific neuropsychiatric disorders, potentially influenced by immune system dysregulation, can lead to symptoms like impulsive behavior, lack of empathy, and difficulty conforming to societal norms, which are also relevant in the context of criminal responsibility.

Implications for criminal law

Insanity defense:
- Evidence from immunopsychiatry could potentially be used to strengthen the argument for an insanity defense in cases where a defendant's mental illness, possibly fueled by inflammation, rendered them unable to comprehend the nature and consequences of their actions or distinguish between right and wrong.
- However, successful insanity defenses are rare and require rigorous proof.
Diminished capacity:
- Immunopsychiatric findings might also support arguments for diminished capacity, where a mental illness might have impaired the defendant's ability to form specific intent necessary for a particular crime, potentially leading to conviction of a lesser offense.
Sentencing considerations:
- Even if not a basis for a full defense, evidence of a mental illness or neuropsychiatric disorder with an immunological component could be considered a mitigating factor during sentencing, potentially influencing the court's decision towards treatment-focused approaches rather than solely punitive measures.
Forensic psychiatry:
- Forensic psychiatrists may play a crucial role in evaluating criminal defendants with potential immunopsychiatric involvement, assessing the link between their condition and their actions at the time of the alleged crime.

Challenges and future directions

Causality and correlation:
- Establishing direct causality between specific immunological factors and criminal behavior remains challenging, as many factors contribute to such actions.
- It's also important to note that many individuals with mental illness are not violent and are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.
Specificity of findings:
- More research is needed to determine the specific immunological mechanisms involved in different forms of aggression and how they manifest in criminal behavior.
Legal adoption:
- The legal system is often slow to adopt new scientific findings.
- Immunopsychiatry's place in criminal law will depend on the strength and consistency of the evidence, as well as its relevance to legal definitions of criminal responsibility.
Ethical considerations:
- The use of immunopsychiatric data in criminal cases raises ethical concerns about predicting future dangerousness and potential implications for personal autonomy and liberty.

In conclusion, immunopsychiatry holds promise in enhancing our understanding of the complex relationship between the brain, behavior, and criminality.

While further research is needed to solidify the connections, the insights from this field may ultimately help refine the legal framework surrounding mental illness and criminal law, leading to:
* more nuanced evaluations,
*fairer outcomes, and
*potentially more effective interventions focused on treatment and rehabilitation.

The american mental health profession's flag is on fire

7/13/2025

Val's Take: Whose flag am I wanting to set on fire --- the flags of the American Psychiatric Association and the Mental Health Profession generally.

My concern is that it is going to be a SLOW EVOLUTION to treating Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders as Neuro-Immune Disorders ---

We have an inadequate system of Translational Medicine and support for Clinicians
We have an inadequate system of Translational Justice or Criminology, and support for the Criminal Justice System
We have an inadequate CONTINUUM OF CARE

Interestingly, the Council on State Governments Justice Center reports stubbornly high recidivism rates --- if many people are dealing with DEVELOPMENTAL NEURO-IMMUNE DISORDERS --- that could be one of the reasons for those high recidivism rates --- just saying . . .

The Belle Stars
IKO, IKO

The Grateful Dead
IKO, IKO
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire"

Researchers call for ---Policymakers, payors, Patients and academia to advance Immuno- and Precision Psychiatry

7/10/2025

Val's Take/Conjecture

One of the things that was interesting is that the Department of Symptom Research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is included in the affiliations for this paper.

When we talk about STAKEHOLDERS for IMMUNO- and PRECISION PSYCHIATRY, that STAKEHOLDER POOL is larger and broader than we might think.

Further, we not only appreciate the flaws in the current DSM Categorical System, there is a practical, research-based ALTERNATIVE to shoot for in IMMUNO- and PRECISION PSYCHIATRY.

The people involved in CRIMINAL JUSTICE and HOMELESSNESS often have idiosyncratic medical histories, including:
- Neuro-Developmental Disorders
- Psychiatric Disorders
- Brain Injuries, and
- Substance Issues

MOST PEOPLE DO WANT TO WORK
- But if we are MISINTERPRETING complex Neuro-Immune Disorders affecting multiple systems of the body --
  - We're probably not going to get the results we want and we may be setting some people up for failure.

HEMINGWAY: Our Jumping Off Point to the Messy Biology of Cognitive Disability

Advancing precision psychiatry and targeted treatments: Insights from immunopsychiatry (2025)

*Researchers from the US, Australia, France, Belgium and the UK

Abstract

Despite tremendous advancements in neuroscience, there has been limited impact on patient care.

Current psychiatric treatments are largely non-specific, and drug development is hindered by outdated, overinclusive diagnostic categories and a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

Additionally, mechanisms underlying psychiatric illnesses and their treatments with conventional medications remain poorly understood.

Precision psychiatry is a strategy that holds great promise for novel therapies targeting specific pathophysiologic mechanisms in selected patients, ultimately contributing to more effective, personalized treatments.

Immunopsychiatry, which focuses on the immune system's role in psychiatric disorders, exemplifies the challenges and potential solutions for precision psychiatry.

Despite understanding how inflammation contributes to psychiatric illness, results of clinical trials with anti-inflammatory drugs have been inconsistent and underwhelming.

Shortcomings of these trials include a lack of focus on subgroups of patients with increased inflammation, the use of non-specific outcome variables (e.g., not specific to inflammation's impact on the brain and behavior), and failure to establish target engagement of the inflammatory response.

To advance anti-inflammatory treatments, clinical trials should:
1) enrich for patients using predictive biomarkers;
2) use clinical outcome assessments that align with inflammation's effects on the brain;
3) consider novel diagnostic constructs linked to inflammation; and
4) verify target engagement.

Moreover, greater attention should be paid to efforts to repurpose available anti-inflammatory drugs while awaiting development of novel treatments targeting more specific immune pathways.

Taken together, a collaborative approach involving academia, industry, funding agencies, patients, payors, and policymakers is required to advance Immunopsychiatry and ultimately provide a roadmap for successful implementation of precision psychiatry.

In the back of my head --- Mr. Universe

7/7/2025

Val's Take: "I know what I know. I say what I said. We come, and we go. That's the thing I keep in the back of my head. It's in the back of my head."

Paul Simon pairs a jaded view with a recognition of mortality.

There are a lot of ways you could go with this --- For me (among many, many other things) --- Mr. Universe is in a Colorado Prison --- That's the thing I keep in the back of my head. It's in the back of my head. In the back of my head.

We're well aware that we need to build out a Continuum of Care --- but some people get defined out of that, especially if they get that "ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER" diagnosis.

Colter Wall's "Sleeping on the Blacktop" -- When Our Society Fails Us or the People We Care About -- It is a Spiritual Crisis

Paul Simon & Ladysmith Black Mambazo

I Know What I Know

There is RACIAL BIAS in Psychiatry and Criminal Justice.

Generally, our response to this is to try to treat everyone HORRIBLY --- that's fair, isn't it?

One of the things that needs to be done is to apply IMMUNO- and PRECISION PSYCHIATRY to Anti-Social Personality Disorder.

Dr. Ruth S. Shim, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Shim at UCDavis takes on the APA for Structural Racism --- We All Should be so brave

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Transitional/ Translational Justice Monday

TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE AS A JUSTICE ISSUE

Robert Plant and Kashmir

Confused understandings, Paradigm Shifts and Justice

Anti-social Personality Disorder, the Vietnam War & Support

Australia's Professor Elizabeth Scott rings the alarm bell on out-dated mental health care

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" and recalibrating morality

Immuno-psychiatry could be a "Convenient Truth"

That provides the transfoRmation
we're looking for in mental health

The american mental health profession's flag is on fire

Researchers call for ---Policymakers, payors, Patients and academia to advance Immuno- and Precision Psychiatry

In the back of my head --- Mr. Universe

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Transitional/ Translational Justice Monday

That provides the transfoRmation ​we're looking for in mental health

Archives

Categories

That provides the transfoRmation
we're looking for in mental health