Mizraim Esquilin - Spirituality and Cognitive Function

Rev. Dr. Mizraim Esquilín
Puerto Rico (USA)
Senior Pastor, AMEC: “Casa de Alabanza”
(“House of Praise”)
 To provoke the attention of the research and
caregiver’s communities to the subject of spirituality
and music as outstanding components for the AD
treatment for both, the patients as well as the care
providers.
 The need to increase the research and exploration
about serum cortisol levels in AD patients, to
determine how this can be affected by the integration
of the disciplines discussed in this presentation.
 To foster interdisciplinary approaches to AD as
paramount to this condition.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20533560
 An Interview with Dr. Julene Johnson, PhD, UCSF
 Posted on June 7, 2011
 http://longevity3.stanford.edu/henderson/author/shenderson/
 “How would you summarize this study?
 At the top level we were interested in thinking of how
patients processed familiar vs unfamiliar music.
Familiar music is interesting because its music
someone has learned in their life, and that music is
represented differently than music that is unfamiliar.”
 An Interview with Dr. Julene Johnson, PhD, UCSF
 “What is a typical musical memory of someone suffering
from Alzheimer’s Disease?
 This is an interesting question because there are relatively
few studies on this topic. I would predict that if someone
had committed a melody to memory and really knew it, that
they would still have memory of it, but the older tunes
seem to be more preserved.
 However, other memory systems are often affected.
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease often find it difficult to
learn new melodies, even though I personally think music
does have a special place in memory.”
2015 Feb 5. doi: 10.1111/ggi.12453.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25773641#
 S. Samson, S. Clément, P. Narme, L Schiaratura ,
N. Ehrlé
 The management of patients with Alzheimer’s
disease is a significant public health problem given
the limited effectiveness of pharmacological
therapies combined with iatrogenic effects of drug
treatments in dementia.
 Consequently, the development of nondrug care,
such as musical interventions, has become a
necessity.
 Cuddy LL, Sikka R, Vanstone A.
 2015 Mar;1337(1):223-31.
doi:10.1111/nyas.12617.
 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25773638
 In striking contrast to the difficulties with new
learning and episodic memories in aging and
especially in Alzheimer's disease (AD), musical
long-term memories appear to be largely
preserved. Evidence for spared musical memories
in aging and AD is reviewed here. New data
involve the development of a Musical
Engagement Questionnaire especially designed for
use with AD patients. The questionnaire assesses
behavioral responses to music and is answered by
the care partner.
 Newberg et al. (Nov. 22, 2006)
 University of Penn. Nuclear medicine and
Institute for the Mind.
 It is the first study that analyzes objectively the
neuroanatomy of brain functions during episodes of
“Glossolalia”1
Concept that defines the religious-charismatic activity called
“speaking in tongues”
1
 Images were acquired on a Picker-Prism 3000 XP
 (Picker Inc, Cleveland, OH) triple-headed scanner
using high resolution fan beam collimators.
 Brain Spect.
 99mTc-Bicisate
 (1,2-ethylenediyl)bis-L-cysteine diethyl ester (99mTc-
bicisate)
(Bristol Myers Squibb, N. Billerica, MA)
 Analysis and demonstration of brain functions
during “Glossolalia” episodes
 To study if there are specific neurological
patterns related to these episodes, or if there is
evidence that relates them to psychopathology
or emotional instability.
 Five women, 38-52 years.
 Christian in a Charismatic or Pentecostal tradition.
 Had practiced glossolalia for more than 5 years.
 All were active, stable members of their communities.
 Non current psychiatric conditions.
 None of the subjects reported visual or auditory
hallucinations, mood disorders, or exhibited any clear
evidence of current Axis I or II disorders.
 No history of substance abuse
 Did not have any active neurological or medical
conditions, or take medications that would affect
cerebral function
 First Part - Singing Scan (SS).
 Second Part – Glosolalia Scan (GS)
 Third Part- Computer data analysis and statistics
 Went into a room; earphones used to play music.
 They sang for 5 minutes
 Injected with an IV solution (long IV line)
 7 mCi of 99mTc-Bicisate
 Continued singing for 15 minutes
 Brought to the scanner for a 40 minutes scan.
 Returned to the room
 After 5 minutes (aprox.) entered into glossolalia state
 After 5 minutes of this state (without interruption)
they were injected with 25 mCi of 99mTc-ECD
 Continued to perform glossolalia for 15 minutes.
 Subjects were scanned using the same imaging
patterns already described.
 Right and left side of the following structures:
 Frontal, temporal, parietal lobes
 Amygdala
 Hippocampus
 Thalamus
 Striatum
 (Putamen, Caudate Nucleus, Globus pallidus )
 Activity Increased.
 Area “in-charge” of the sensorial acknowledgement
of “self.”
 Activity differences between singing stages and
meditation stages (activity decreased of LSPL)
 The subjects did not lose the self-conciousness.
Actually, it increases
 This is a higher-level cognitive center engaged in
assessment of the visual scene
 A significant decision-making area, notably in
relation to an approach or withdraw decision.
 How are visual association areas activated?
 The DLPFC is particularly active during visual tasks
involving form and color.
1FitzGerald,
M. J. T.; Gruener, Gregory; Mtui, Estomih (2011-0525). Clinical Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience E-Book (Kindle
Location 11386-11387, 11248-11279). Elsevier Health. Kindle
Edition.
7
You are my hiding place; you will protect
me from trouble and surround me with songs
of deliverance.
Selah
 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way
you should go; I will counsel you and watch
over you.
 Tsâr
 anxiety, depression, affliction, narrow; (as a noun)
a tight place (usually figuratively, that is, trouble);
also a pebble (as in H6864); (transitively) an
opponent (as crowding): —adversary, anguish,
close, distress, enemy, narrow, small, sorrow,
strait, tribulation, trouble.
 Root: Tsârar
cramp, afflict, distress, oppress, enemy, adversary,
(be in) affliction), others
After singing, this person is teachable
 To provoke the attention of the research and
caregiver’s communities to the subject of spirituality
and music as outstanding components for the AD
treatment for both, the patients as well as the care
providers.
 The need to increase the research and exploration
about serum cortisol levels in AD patients, to
determine how this can be affected by the integration
of the disciplines discussed in this presentation.
 To foster interdisciplinary approaches to AD as
paramount to this condition.