Which came first, the sleepiness or the culture? Is there more narcolepsy in Japan?

A capsule hotel I stayed in, in Tokyo.

I’ve been reacquainting myself with sleep-related issues of late, as half of my current placement is in a sleep disorders team. When looking into narcolepsy, I was intrigued to note that rates of narcolepsy are about four times higher in Japan according to self report than they tend to be elsewhere. This got me thinking… Continue reading Which came first, the sleepiness or the culture? Is there more narcolepsy in Japan?

Internal conflicts – on treating distress with electrodes

Operation - the brain surgery edition.

Part of my current placement involves working with children experiencing dystonia who are candidates for or who have had deep brain stimulation (DBS). Since I was relatively naive to the concepts, I have read up. DBS seems to be helpful to clients experiencing a range of motor-related physical problems, and is most commonly used with people experiencing Parkinson’s… Continue reading Internal conflicts – on treating distress with electrodes

On being uncertain in certain places

The summit of Mount Hakkoda, Aomori, Japan. Photo by Charlie Tyack

I recently started my specialist placement: children’s neurosciences incorporating paediatric sleep and a complex motor disorders service. It has been fascinating so far, working with new client groups and in a hospital setting, which is novel to me. It has also been a culture shock, hence the title of this post.