Dr. Joseph P. HorriganClin Asst Prof

Dr. Horrigan spoke on "Medical Issues and Research". He began on the background of the neurosciences. He is unhappy with the perception of the psychairtics where the general public finds them excentric and anti-social. He claimed he could have a conversation at a cocktail party with no problem at all, however, his fellow predecesors may not. He then apologized for past misgivings of the doctors in general. He explained about the history of how he got into his position and his past neurosciences background. He had always had an interest in neurology and has a knack for being able to separate the analitical mentality from the 271, or so, things you can observe about patients and their families.
He likes to explain the problems he sees in laymens terms, has a list of excellent Child Psych's in this area and has written an article on risperdol. He cliams to go through phases where he may know a lot about research and studies of drugs and their affects, to struggling with how some research can be validated. He keeps abreast of what drugs are working and which ones work better. Sees the way the child relates to him. He talked about neuroleptic drugs (melaril, florasil and haldol), and closaril (D2 blockade) which doesn't cause cell death, but was toxic .01% of the time and can kill bone marrow. Risperdol, zyprexa and seroquel (5HD2 receptor) which doesn't cause the bone marrow problems, a "smart-drug" which helped schitophrenics, however, can cause stiffness, weight gain and are fatty infiltrators in the liver.
He talked about Dr. Bernard Rimland and the Defeat Autism Now on how their research with supernuthera and DMG (Dimethal Gludimate (sp)). He explained how the gludimate facilitates the metabolism of the NMDA receptors. DMG has variable tolerances and comes packaged differently. He seemed skeptical at how it can cause siezure prone patients to sieze even more. Next he explained how the B6 magnesium does the opposite to the NMDA receptors that the gludimate does which causes a them to be contradictory resoulutions.
You could hear a pin drop as he began to explain how non-theraputic drugs have different effects on the brain. All the brains nerve cells have different numbers of connectors, and there have been neuro anatomical findings to explain some of the autistic tendencies (e.g. head circumferences). The most prominent, in his belief, is the differential expression of neuro receptors and the developmental perception of the receptors as an autistic person grows/ages. How the body reacts to drugs and develops it own internal reactions to the drugs which can be reflected in the blood level changes. The body can reverse the action of the drugs initial use/intention. Some drugs have different half-lives in different patients where you don't have to administer the drug as often, however, it can take longer to wear off. He explained how clonodine causes 1 of 5 patients to become uneasy. At this point you could see the personal side of Dr. Horrigan and his compassion for the families who have lived through the trials.
Next he touched on stimulants, which have been used in children since 1934, and how there still may be something in them to be revealed. He appreciates the work that Cook and Leventhal at the University of Illinois because of their study has a more concrete basis for him to understand when comparing it to the B6 magnesium processes. He talked about gincolides and ginsing how it increases the vasculars into the hippocampus which increases blood flow. A mysterious combination for anyone to anaylize and soon to be endangered since many are studying the plants which require the plant and roots.
Finally he raised the issue of the seizure related outbursts (subclinical), the spikes that the EEG's can see can be in all human beings. His most used drugs are depicote and nirautin or tegretol and dylantin (which increases the activity of the receptors).
He suggested having teachers fill out the "Behavior Checklist Forms" in order to form a parent-doctor-teacher triangle of data collection to get the dosage and effect of drugs desirable.

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December 2nd, 1997