March 28, 2007
Psychiatry: Past, Present and Future
Kenneth Gould, M.D.
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, UMDNJ
Minutes of the 25th Meeting of the 65th Year
The 107 members of the Old Guard of Princeton in attendance were called to order to begin the 25th meeting in our 65th year by president Giordmaine, at precisely 10:15 AM this 28th day of March 2007. The invocation was lead by John Marks.
Two guests were presented, one by James Ferry who introduced his wife Susan and one by David Mc Alpine who introduced his wife Sarah.
President Giordmaine reminded the officers of the club a meeting was scheduled to meet at the Nassau Club at 1:45 P.M. to discuss club business.
Dr. James Livingston presented the minutes of the Old Guard meeting held on March 21st 2007. The lecture given by Ms Caroline Moseley was entitled "The Popular song of Early America." Her presentation included songs of the 18th century to the19th century. Many of the songs were of British origin as, America was obviously British, prior the revolutionary war. The songs which Ms. Moseley presented and performed, were tracked in detail by Dr. Livingston’s presentation, highlighting how the changes from the British to more fully American songs took place. He also highlighted the historic perspective that Ms Moseley’s lecture, gave us. He made it clear the work Ms. Moseley presented was extremely accurate, reflecting the music and culture, of a changing nation by what was enjoyable music to sing and listen to, and above all was politically correct for its’ timing. Dr. Livingston’s minutes which gave much detail as well as many pertinent insights, gave us the feeling that the speakers performance was a very enjoyable and delightful experience. Most of us, I believe, would agree.
George Hansen M.D. introduced our guest speaker Kenneth Gould M.D.
Dr Gould comes with a Curriculum Vitae that could go on for pages, Dr. Hansen mentioned the following; 1944 Graduated from Bronx high school of Science 1944 New York University AB Phi Beta Kappa 1952 New York University College of Medicine M.D. Rotating internship, Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn -1953-1954 resident pediatrics among others.
Honors: Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association, Outstanding teaching award Child Psychiatry Medical Licensure and Certification New Jersey License number 13711371 DEA: ago 598 613. Board certified Pediatrics Dec 1957 no.6207 Board certified Psychiatry, April 1956 no 13807 Board Eligibility Child Psychiatry
As a semanticist, I was weaned on Alfred Korzybski’s Science and Sanity, published in 1950. On the fly sheet of this text is the following statement: “General Semantics is not a medical science, but like bacteriology, it is indispensable for medicine in general, and for psychiatry, mental hygiene, and education in particular.” What has this to do with our speaker’s presentation/ Just this: context. It is the keystone to what semantics is all about. Semantics is the study of how words take on their meaning, all, that is every word takes its meaning from the context in which is used. Each time a word is used the meaning of the word changes, No word is ever used in exactly the same context twice. We should ask what is the relationship of words and what words refer to. Words are symbols and as such project meaning to concrete objects but what about intangible concepts and ideas for example, while a table in a dining room versus a table in a doctors examination room are the same word, we extend the meaning to the second table. It is the context that each person is in when using words either consciously or from Freud’s superego from the suppressed thoughts submerged, but coming forth in dreams and or symptoms of behavior considered unusual. There are eleven references to semantics in the Dictionary of Psychology; among them is listed “Semantic Therapy, a technique used in a number of therapies In which the focus is on getting the client to reinterpret distorted connotations of emotionally tinged words.” So this infers context confusion or non recognition, giving an emotional charge to a common word.
Continually reused in this sense can fully change a person’s repressed abnormal concepts to grow and cause problematic situations being memories stored in the subconscious mind. So I appreciate Doctor Gould’s presentation which started in the past late 17th century and mid 18th century. As he stated there was little or no treatment to cure mental illnesses, not that long ago. These people were separated into facilities where they were stored away without proper care. The early treatments when they did occur were rather primitive electro shock therapy or ice bath therapy. There were also cases of drilling holes in one’s skull to relieve perhaps tumors or blood clots etc building up in the brain. In the 20th century something similar was done, Prefrontal Lobotomies (Drilling holes in one’s head) were performed with some differing results.
However the major development was made in 19th century with Freud’s development of the idea of the ego (the executive organ of the mind), the super ego (the manager of normal activities), and self imposed standards of behavior of everyday life. The id (the instinctual element), the pit of roiling libidinous energy demanding immediate satisfaction. The unconscious mind containing repressed memories, dreams and fantasies contains unconscious wishes and desires and dreams.
These concepts gave birth to the development of psychotherapy, which works through a long series of sessions with an analyst who take back the patient through the various conflicts contained in the subconscious mind to face them an remove them realizing the situation and ridding them of these conflicts totally via understanding why they had them.
Dr. Gould, after going through his own five years of analysis, became a psychotherapist and had a long successful career in therapy (all therapist must undergo deep psychotherapy themselves).
Dr Gould mentioned and described some other therapies that had come into fashion now and then, but especially mentioned one which making progress now it is cognitive behavior analysis therapy. This starts with the behavior, then seeking the hidden cause. Then the very popular psycho therapy, which Dr. Gould practiced successfully for many years in Princeton, among other places. His teaching background includes a stint at Rutgers University Medical School as Associate professor Psychiatry and as Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson School.
This therapy had many spin offs such as the Gestalt approach. Each of these therapies was successful, albeit costly and long term in nature. These were made popular by the Hollywood film makers of that era, who used the therapy or the patient as their plot.
The most Promising therapy of today is the use of Psycho tropic drug therapy which looks at the functions of the brain and what brain section does as far as Brain micro chemistry is concerned. This approach seeks to determine which area of the brain affected which behavioral functions. To date the most dynamic and obviously important is the use this therapy on the diagnosed as Schizophrenia, a major step in the right direction. It is relatively inexpensive, rapid in effect and easy to use.
Dr. Gould presented a printed exhibit showing members the areas of the brain being studied in today’s approach in reaching a cure for mental disease.
I list this information below as it is quite unique and shows how far we have gone in micro chemistry of the brain.
1. The Cerebral cortex; involved in higher mental functions, movement, perception and behavior.
2. The Amygdala; responsible for emotional states, such as aggression and fear.
3. The Hippocampus plays its role in processing new information and events.
4. The all important Brain Stem; controls basic functions such as breathing and the heart rate.
5. The cerebellum; which regulates balance, body movements coordination and muscles used in speaking also fine-tunes motor, cognitive and emotional activity
6. Basal ganglia; deep brain structures involved in movement habit and learning.
7. The Corpus Callosum; hold the right and left side of the brain together allowing them to communicate.
Microbiology of the brain is a vital need. If we are to follow where the Brain is going, we must discover changes in these Brain parts to determine what drug can be developed to change behavior. “ Look where the brain is going, and follow to make the drugs needed.” This is what Kenneth Gould’s sage has said we should do Practically this approach would be less expense and certainly more rapid in result and a lot faster and less problematic, There are drugs now being used to address some the of these chemical changes that have been identified, for example schizophrenia, which I have already mentioned, anxiety, and anti depression drugs.
The conclusion of this discussion ended the lecture. A long question period took place after the conclusion of the lecture where Dr Gould answered many questions particularly those about repressed memories of child abuse.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry J. Hoffman
P.S. You may remember the three patients Dr Gould mentioned in his lecture. If you left early you missed the answer to them; if you stayed you already had them.
Two guests were presented, one by James Ferry who introduced his wife Susan and one by David Mc Alpine who introduced his wife Sarah.
President Giordmaine reminded the officers of the club a meeting was scheduled to meet at the Nassau Club at 1:45 P.M. to discuss club business.
Dr. James Livingston presented the minutes of the Old Guard meeting held on March 21st 2007. The lecture given by Ms Caroline Moseley was entitled "The Popular song of Early America." Her presentation included songs of the 18th century to the19th century. Many of the songs were of British origin as, America was obviously British, prior the revolutionary war. The songs which Ms. Moseley presented and performed, were tracked in detail by Dr. Livingston’s presentation, highlighting how the changes from the British to more fully American songs took place. He also highlighted the historic perspective that Ms Moseley’s lecture, gave us. He made it clear the work Ms. Moseley presented was extremely accurate, reflecting the music and culture, of a changing nation by what was enjoyable music to sing and listen to, and above all was politically correct for its’ timing. Dr. Livingston’s minutes which gave much detail as well as many pertinent insights, gave us the feeling that the speakers performance was a very enjoyable and delightful experience. Most of us, I believe, would agree.
George Hansen M.D. introduced our guest speaker Kenneth Gould M.D.
Dr Gould comes with a Curriculum Vitae that could go on for pages, Dr. Hansen mentioned the following; 1944 Graduated from Bronx high school of Science 1944 New York University AB Phi Beta Kappa 1952 New York University College of Medicine M.D. Rotating internship, Jewish Hospital of Brooklyn -1953-1954 resident pediatrics among others.
Honors: Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association, Outstanding teaching award Child Psychiatry Medical Licensure and Certification New Jersey License number 13711371 DEA: ago 598 613. Board certified Pediatrics Dec 1957 no.6207 Board certified Psychiatry, April 1956 no 13807 Board Eligibility Child Psychiatry
As a semanticist, I was weaned on Alfred Korzybski’s Science and Sanity, published in 1950. On the fly sheet of this text is the following statement: “General Semantics is not a medical science, but like bacteriology, it is indispensable for medicine in general, and for psychiatry, mental hygiene, and education in particular.” What has this to do with our speaker’s presentation/ Just this: context. It is the keystone to what semantics is all about. Semantics is the study of how words take on their meaning, all, that is every word takes its meaning from the context in which is used. Each time a word is used the meaning of the word changes, No word is ever used in exactly the same context twice. We should ask what is the relationship of words and what words refer to. Words are symbols and as such project meaning to concrete objects but what about intangible concepts and ideas for example, while a table in a dining room versus a table in a doctors examination room are the same word, we extend the meaning to the second table. It is the context that each person is in when using words either consciously or from Freud’s superego from the suppressed thoughts submerged, but coming forth in dreams and or symptoms of behavior considered unusual. There are eleven references to semantics in the Dictionary of Psychology; among them is listed “Semantic Therapy, a technique used in a number of therapies In which the focus is on getting the client to reinterpret distorted connotations of emotionally tinged words.” So this infers context confusion or non recognition, giving an emotional charge to a common word.
Continually reused in this sense can fully change a person’s repressed abnormal concepts to grow and cause problematic situations being memories stored in the subconscious mind. So I appreciate Doctor Gould’s presentation which started in the past late 17th century and mid 18th century. As he stated there was little or no treatment to cure mental illnesses, not that long ago. These people were separated into facilities where they were stored away without proper care. The early treatments when they did occur were rather primitive electro shock therapy or ice bath therapy. There were also cases of drilling holes in one’s skull to relieve perhaps tumors or blood clots etc building up in the brain. In the 20th century something similar was done, Prefrontal Lobotomies (Drilling holes in one’s head) were performed with some differing results.
However the major development was made in 19th century with Freud’s development of the idea of the ego (the executive organ of the mind), the super ego (the manager of normal activities), and self imposed standards of behavior of everyday life. The id (the instinctual element), the pit of roiling libidinous energy demanding immediate satisfaction. The unconscious mind containing repressed memories, dreams and fantasies contains unconscious wishes and desires and dreams.
These concepts gave birth to the development of psychotherapy, which works through a long series of sessions with an analyst who take back the patient through the various conflicts contained in the subconscious mind to face them an remove them realizing the situation and ridding them of these conflicts totally via understanding why they had them.
Dr. Gould, after going through his own five years of analysis, became a psychotherapist and had a long successful career in therapy (all therapist must undergo deep psychotherapy themselves).
Dr Gould mentioned and described some other therapies that had come into fashion now and then, but especially mentioned one which making progress now it is cognitive behavior analysis therapy. This starts with the behavior, then seeking the hidden cause. Then the very popular psycho therapy, which Dr. Gould practiced successfully for many years in Princeton, among other places. His teaching background includes a stint at Rutgers University Medical School as Associate professor Psychiatry and as Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson School.
This therapy had many spin offs such as the Gestalt approach. Each of these therapies was successful, albeit costly and long term in nature. These were made popular by the Hollywood film makers of that era, who used the therapy or the patient as their plot.
The most Promising therapy of today is the use of Psycho tropic drug therapy which looks at the functions of the brain and what brain section does as far as Brain micro chemistry is concerned. This approach seeks to determine which area of the brain affected which behavioral functions. To date the most dynamic and obviously important is the use this therapy on the diagnosed as Schizophrenia, a major step in the right direction. It is relatively inexpensive, rapid in effect and easy to use.
Dr. Gould presented a printed exhibit showing members the areas of the brain being studied in today’s approach in reaching a cure for mental disease.
I list this information below as it is quite unique and shows how far we have gone in micro chemistry of the brain.
1. The Cerebral cortex; involved in higher mental functions, movement, perception and behavior.
2. The Amygdala; responsible for emotional states, such as aggression and fear.
3. The Hippocampus plays its role in processing new information and events.
4. The all important Brain Stem; controls basic functions such as breathing and the heart rate.
5. The cerebellum; which regulates balance, body movements coordination and muscles used in speaking also fine-tunes motor, cognitive and emotional activity
6. Basal ganglia; deep brain structures involved in movement habit and learning.
7. The Corpus Callosum; hold the right and left side of the brain together allowing them to communicate.
Microbiology of the brain is a vital need. If we are to follow where the Brain is going, we must discover changes in these Brain parts to determine what drug can be developed to change behavior. “ Look where the brain is going, and follow to make the drugs needed.” This is what Kenneth Gould’s sage has said we should do Practically this approach would be less expense and certainly more rapid in result and a lot faster and less problematic, There are drugs now being used to address some the of these chemical changes that have been identified, for example schizophrenia, which I have already mentioned, anxiety, and anti depression drugs.
The conclusion of this discussion ended the lecture. A long question period took place after the conclusion of the lecture where Dr Gould answered many questions particularly those about repressed memories of child abuse.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry J. Hoffman
P.S. You may remember the three patients Dr Gould mentioned in his lecture. If you left early you missed the answer to them; if you stayed you already had them.