In this week’s episode, we talk about the link between stress and biology, epigenetics, the limitations of scientific knowledge and science communication, and the indelicate habit so many doctors have of telling patients their mysterious symptoms are “all in their head.” A patient with both Bipolar Disorder and Lupus, Cyrena recently passed the dissertation defense for her PhD with research in inflammatory markers in adults who experienced early life stress.
You can hear part one of my conversation with Cyrena, about her experience pursuing higher education in the biomedical sciences, in episode "13 Why Stop at One?” Today’s bonus episode is the story of her experience with a rare spinal cord stroke two years ago, and not taking her own serious symptoms seriously.
Episode Page: http://www.insicknesspod.com/blog/2016/1/26/17-its-just-stress
Cyrena’s co-authored chapter on "Immune Consequences of Early Life Stress: Relationship to Chronic Pain Syndromes": https://books.google.com/books?id=b0KO2bOALawC&pg=PA237&lpg=PA237&dq=cyrena+gawuga&source=bl&ots=PU-EP-nQ-K&sig=OAAl_2-5kKHxG6uaulIRo6peirw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC4eDCpsbKAhWKRiYKHU1nDEs4ChDoAQgwMAQ#v=onepage&q=cyrena%20gawuga&f=false
"Clinical Genetics Has a Big Problem That's Affecting People's Lives" from The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/12/why-human-genetics-research-is-full-of-costly-mistakes/420693/
"How Trauma and Resilience Cross Generations” Rachel Yehuda on On Being: http://www.onbeing.org/program/rachel-yehuda-how-trauma-and-resilience-cross-generations/7786
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susanna Catalan: http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Fire-My-Month-Madness/dp/1451621388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453789141&sr=1-1&keywords=brain+on+fire
Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin: http://www.amazon.com/Toms-River-Story-Science-Salvation/dp/055380653X
Mann v. Ford: http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/mann-v-ford
Toxic Legacy: Ford and the Ramapoughs: http://www.northjersey.com/story-archives/toxic-legacy-ford-and-the-ramapoughs-1.723269
