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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY. MARCH 12. 1980. PAGE 19 WPH staff study new dis coveries By DIANNE MILLAS Public Relations Officer Whitby Psychiatric Hospital Consistent with the goals and objectives of the Ministry of Health, the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital is committed toward con- tinuting educational ac- tivities to its staff and com- munity mental health prof essionals. "We consider this as an essential aspect of our ser- vice delîvery and a very Henry 0 wmIs LOSSA curling Whitby Henry St. High School - Boy's Curling Teamn won the L.O.S.S.A. championship and advance to C.O.S.S.A. competition that was held at Trenton Curling Club on March 5. Team for Henry Street was: skip, Dave Lawes, vice, Steve Ennis, seconds Chris Rusch and Lead Ian Ward. In gaine one Henry St. defeated Uxbridge High School 8-5. In game two Henry St. defeated Oshawa's O'Neil Collegiate s-4. In gaine three Henry St. defeated Ajax High 6-3. Consolation event winners were R. S. McLaughiin Collegiate - skipped by Scott Vesey beating Uxbridge High School. Winner B Event - winners were An- derson C.V.I. of Whitby skipped by Real Bergevin. Other schools competing from Cartwright, Port Perry and Eastdale. vital ink with our com- munity, to encourage educational and infor- mational exchange", says Dr. S. P. Usha, niedical director of the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital. Following the- initial presentation of the Sym- posium on Depression to a combined audience, and to mark the 6lst year of service to our community, the hospital featured (at the Holiday Inn, Oshawa, on February 27, 1980) a full day conference titled "Some New Perspectives in Mental Health" covering two in- teresting themes: sensory integration and Current theories in the biological causes of schizophrenia. The "New Perspectives" refered to the current and future methods of examining the different aspects of prevention, sym- ptoms, diagnosis, assessment and/or treat- ment tools and psychiatric rehabilitation. "The focus and special emphasis will be on sharing the cumulative knowledge and progress in clinical research, scientific techniques and evaluation," Usha says. The details and descrip- tion of the academic program is as follows: The morming presentation covered the subject sensory integration, i.e. the process by which the nervous system organizes sensory infor- mation for use in daily life situations. "Essentially" according to Dr. A. J. Ayers, "the theory holds that disordered sensory integration accoun- ta for some aspects of lear- ning disorders .. . .sensory in- tegration, or the ability to organize sensory infor- mation for use, can be im- proved through controlling it sinput to activate brain mechanisms.' Lorna Jean King, of the Arizona State Hospital first applied this theory to the mental heaith field. Some of the svmptoms observed in the chronically mentally ill are similar to those encoun- tered in the learning disabled, such as trouble with size and shape constan- cy and djfficuity inter- preting movement. "Clinical research has showxi that sensory in- tegrative treatment is help- fui to the psychiatric population who exhibit these symptoms," Guest speakers on this topic at the conference in- cluded Ms. Judith Kimbail, a certified school psychologist and oc- cupational therapy con- sultaunt in Syracuse, New York, and Ms. Karen Pettit, M.A. OTR, assistant direc- tor of the occupational therapy department at Warren State Hospital, Warren, Pennsylvania. There were also display rooms open providing an in- formai opportunity for questions and an oppor- tunity to view related tests and equipment. The afternoon session was devoted to an uptodate review of the dopamine and opioid systems ,('both chemicals produced by the brain) in the central nervous system and their possible contribution in the biological causes of schizophrenia. "'To bring a background perspective to this, it is fair to say that, the human brain, besides being viewed as a highly expert computer with electro-chemical impulses regulating lives, can also behave like complicated en- docrine glands manufac- turing their own hormones," Dr. Ian Bond, director of the dialysis research unit of the WPH says adding that, "our knowledge of ita awesome versatility, power and ef- ficency is still rudimentary. The surface has oniy been scratched and no doubt astounding revelations will continue to amaze us as research continues." the functions of enkephalins and endorphins (hormones produced by the brain,, both speakers bringing their renowned expertise in their areas of research. There are ongoing plans to cover advances in other areas in psychiatry and mental health during our subsequent presentations in the coming year. :xÉT MA I A I em Q yla&o m1t GREENBANK L<URNITURE & APPLIANCES NEW &USED .EE7 >-2-AImond Color 15 Cubic ft. Frost Free REFRIDGERATOR