Conceptual Model of the Field

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The Role of OT in Cancer-Related Cognitive Dysfunction

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Cancer-- a disease that discriminates against no age group, a leading cause of death in our country, a diagnosis that far too many people receive, a word that family members hate-- is very prevalent in our society. If you overcome this debilitating disease, you are considered a hero. After such an amazing accomplishment, very few people expect to encounter dysfunction months, years, and even decades post-cancer and cancer treatment. In a recent podcast episode, "Cancer-Related Cognitive Dysfunction," I learned about ongoing research in cancer survivors that suggests that cancer-related issues are not completely over after the last treatment session. Some of these issues include executive cognitive dysfunction in areas like word-finding, information-processing, management of appointments, and care of self and others. Socially, difficulty coming up with names and words, processing the words of others, and remembering important dates can negatively impact conversation and rela...
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Unilateral Neglect: A More Complete View

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For my second Neuro Note assignment, I chose to listen to a podcast titled, Unilateral Neglect , by occupational therapists, Jessica Kersey and Natalie Barnes. The podcast gave insight into what unilateral neglect is, how it affects occupations, and how occupational therapists can help clients overcome the difficulties associated with unilateral neglect after stroke. I decided to dive deeper into this topic for a few reasons: (1) I recently participated in my first simulation experience via Telehealth with a patient who suffered from unilateral neglect post-stroke, (2) a family friend (of a friend) in his early 50's was impacted by a massive stroke 2 weeks ago, so I am currently following along with his journey on social media, and (3) stroke and unilateral neglect are topics covered on my upcoming Neuro-Aspects exam. Below is my take-away from the podcast, as well as the reference for others to listen and learn along with me, if interested.  Jess and Natalie defined unilateral n...
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Advertisement and the Brain

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One advertisement that always affects me is the ASPCA commercial that advocates for animals living (and left to die) in shelters. Before even looking at the television screen, I hear the music that plays during the advertisement and am compelled to look away. The faces of the innocent animals who have been abused, abandoned, starved, and neglected makes me depressed! Even more so, it makes me want to adopt all of them, or give all my money to helping them—both of which are not possible for me. I must use my frontal lobe, especially the executive functions of my prefrontal cortex, to refrain from dialing the ASPCA number each time the commercial airs. The emotional response that I feel can be attributed to my limbic system. Specifically, my amygdala causes me to empathize with the suffering animals. The attachment I feel to animals in general can be traced back to my hippocampus, storing my long-term memories of growing up with dogs, cats, ponies, ducks, squirrels—you name it! Both...
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