Blog Archives

NARCISSISM, immaturity or A Kind of pre-mature aging in Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric &/or ADDICTION Disorders

3/10/2026

Developmental Mitochondrial Dysfunction &

ImmunoSENESCENCE [Aging of the Immune System]

Val's Take/Conjecture

I'm defining "Pre-Mature Aging" as jump-starting "Mitochondrial Dysfunction," often through MATERNAL IMMUNE ACTIVATION.

"Mitochondrial Dysfunction" is ubiquitous in:

Sensory Processing Abnormalities,
Disease,
Chronic Pain,
Aging,
Cell Death,
etc.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction is not unique to Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric or Addiction Disorders.

Further, there is more and more focus on the Developmental Origins of Health & Disease (DOHaD).

MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION & IMMUNOSENESCENCE

Influence of Immune System Abnormalities Caused by Maternal Immune Activation in the Postnatal Period (2024)

*Japanese Researchers

Evaluating the link between immune characteristics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study (2024)

*Chinese Researchers

Correlations between personality traits, personality disorders, and immunometabolic markers (2024)

*Swedish Researchers

De Staat
Witch Doctor

For the person who is PRE-MATURELY AGING --- that can look like ASYNCHRONY.

Additionally, the DYNAMICS of this PRE-MATURE AGING and ASYNCHRONY are not necessarily playing out the way we might think.

Asynchrony & the Challenge of Flow

LEVELS of ANALYSIS & DEFINITIONS

DEFINING PEOPLE IN and OUT of Diagnostic Categories, Age, and "Morality"
- Much of recent research is considering Anti-Social Personality Disorder as a Neuro-Developmental Disorder.
- In some quarters, this is controversial-- the diagnostic criteria themselves reference age.

See Antisocial Personality Disorder (2024) on StatPearls.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" and Re-Calibrating Morality

Personality Disorders --- Unscientific & Vague --- Must Be Reformed

What is "Disability" under the ADA? Clinicians aren't lawyers & it shows

3/7/2026

Val's Take

Clinicians struggle with Definitions in the Civil Commitment Statutes --- but I think they are more aware of the issues.
When it comes to "DISABILITY" --- there is more than one Statute or Regulation out there -- is this Social Security Disability, Medicaid, Education or Employment.
For purposes of Employment, most people are going to be concerned about the definition of "Disability" under the AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

For RULE FOLLOWERS

Mental Health Professionals and Bureaucrats are generally rule followers --- but there are a lot of complicated rules out there.

Most Mental Health Patients are going to be referred to their Mental Health Professional to weigh in on whether they have a "DISABILITY."
- Does that make sense? I think it should make sense, but it doesn't.
  - Mental Health Professionals are often trying to apply the wrong law with regard to "DISABILITY" and are not sufficiently sensitive to CONTEXT.
  - Further, they may not even necessarily be that up on TRANS DIAGNOSTIC PHENOTYPES and ISSUES (UGH!!!)
    - And one still has to individually assess this.

I think INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS are going to be in a much better position to make appropriate referrals regarding whether the person has a DISABILITY for purposes of EMPLOYMENT.
- And they are probably going to be more up on what law applies.
- What definition of "DISABILITY" applies?
- These are very complicated systems and it gets confusing fast.

NONE OF US CAN DO EVERYTHING

Mental Health Providers need to be able to make referrals to Independent Living Centers around the State.
- Who are generally very savvy with regard to these many complicated systems.
- Further, the Colorado Department of Labor needs to be able to provide a list of Independent Living Centers to applicants ---
  - not a vague hint.

One of my biggest issues is ENERGY so I am pretty sympathetic to professional protests that they can't do everything -- or they try to do everything and it doesn't work out.

Independent Living Centers are such a fantastic resource in this State and even those of us who are familiar with them may think going through the medical professional is going to save time and energy.

This is often NOT THE CASE!

Further, the Medical Professional may take being educated by the Independent Living Center better than being educated by the Patient.

Paul MiCallef
The Silent Meltdown

Americans with Disabilities Act
42 U.S. Code § 12102 - Definition of disability

As used in this chapter:
(1)DisabilityThe term “disability” means, with respect to an individual--
(A)
a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;
(B)
a record of such an impairment; or
(C)
being regarded as having such an impairment (as described in paragraph (3)).
(2)Major life activities
(A)In general
For purposes of paragraph (1), major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

(B)Major bodily functions
For purposes of paragraph (1), a major life activity also includes the operation of a major bodily function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.

(3)Regarded as having such an impairmentFor purposes of paragraph (1)(C):
(A)
An individual meets the requirement of “being regarded as having such an impairment” if the individual establishes that he or she has been subjected to an action prohibited under this chapter because of an actual or perceived physical or mental impairment whether or not the impairment limits or is perceived to limit a major life activity.
(B)
Paragraph (1)(C) shall not apply to impairments that are transitory and minor. A transitory impairment is an impairment with an actual or expected duration of 6 months or less.
(4)Rules of construction regarding the definition of disabilityThe definition of “disability” in paragraph (1) shall be construed in accordance with the following:
(A)
The definition of disability in this chapter shall be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals under this chapter, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of this chapter.
(B)
The term “substantially limits” shall be interpreted consistently with the findings and purposes of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
(C)
An impairment that substantially limits one major life activity need not limit other major life activities in order to be considered a disability.
(D)
An impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active.
(E)
(i)The determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures such as--
(I)
medication, medical supplies, equipment, or appliances, low-vision devices (which do not include ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses), prosthetics including limbs and devices, hearing aids and cochlear implants or other implantable hearing devices, mobility devices, or oxygen therapy equipment and supplies;
(II)
use of assistive technology;
(III)
reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids or services; or
(IV)
learned behavioral or adaptive neurological modifications.
(ii)
The ameliorative effects of the mitigating measures of ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses shall be considered in determining whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity.
(iii)As used in this subparagraph--
(I)
the term “ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses” means lenses that are intended to fully correct visual acuity or eliminate refractive error; and
(II)
the term “low-vision devices” means devices that magnify, enhance, or otherwise augment a visual image.

Translational Medicine Friday

We're riffing off NPR's Science Friday to create Translational Medicine Friday.

We'll be collecting Research Article recommendations for Clinicians with regard to Cognitive Disability.

There is much in the RESEARCH JOURNALS and we'll just be SKIMMING THE SURFACE.

The POINT is to INCREASE FUNDING for TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH at the Federal Level for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, the Nation's Research & Teaching Hospitals and possible collaborations with Medicare and Medicaid providers.

Translational Medicine Friday

NARCISSISM, immaturity or A Kind of pre-mature aging in Neuro-Developmental, Psychiatric &/or ADDICTION Disorders

What is "Disability" under the ADA?​ Clinicians aren't lawyers & it shows

Translational Medicine Friday

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What is "Disability" under the ADA? Clinicians aren't lawyers & it shows