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POPSThe Neuroscience of Sin! Why do we do it? Reading this article made me think of the proverbial "chicken and the egg." The article suggests that we sin because our brains are evolutionarily designed to do so. This leaves us to conclude that you cannot manage sin as it is hardwired in. I don't agree with that. I think sin is the chicken! The article does a great job of illustrating how various emotions and motives play out in the brain not the other way around. The good news is the very last paragraph. Read it for yourself...enjoy!
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POPSHearing Voices – Underpinnings of Auditory Hallucinations
What exactly is going on in the brain during auditory hallucinations? And is the act of hearing voices inside one’s head always incontrovertible evidence of psychosis? In recent years, the use of MRIs, PET scans and other imaging technologies has given researchers some specific clues about these and other questions. This is very interesting, so far there was nothing that confirmed that there are any kinds of brain tissue abnomalities in schizophrenic people, this research, done by a group of researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway can help in the development of new therapy techniques on people with auditory hallucinations. They spotted an abnormal activity on a brain's area which is related to external speech (the right middle temporal gyrus), which can be the cause of language processing dysfunctions. Most notably, the group of British researchers hypothesized that if such language dysfunction “has its origins in early brain development, it might be possible to dete
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POPS連續穿顱磁刺激 人類大腦的前額'是調節行為的中樞，並控制衝動、反射性動作的發"。使"連續穿顱磁刺激或直流電刺波等非侵襲性刺波上側處前'大腦皮質方式可影響決策、增加健康人的意--力及反省能力，同時也可'制--人對'精、古柯鹹、尼古丁"至食物的渴求，這樣的--人已知有決策力障礙的問題，這治療有可"在許多精神疾--、情'疾--、焦慮、過動--、創傷後--候群、--物濫"、抽煙'肥胖的--人，增加他'認知調節的能力。
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POPSIs Wisdom in the Brain? Wisdom for centuries has been a religious or philosophical concept that varies somewhat by culture. But Jeste tells ScientificAmerican.com that there is reason to believe that it's rooted in neurobiology.
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POPSLong-distance brain waves focus attention Just as our world buzzes with distractions — from phone calls to e-mails to tweets — the neurons in our brain are bombarded with messages. Research has shown that when we pay attention, some of these neurons begin firing in unison
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POPSNicotinic B2 Receptor's Role In Hyperactivity (cont) It has been proposed that the alteration of behavioral adaptation in ß2−/− mice, coupled with unimpaired memory and anxiety, may model cognitive impairment observed in human disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , or even in autism . This proposition relies upon the idea that behavioral flexibility is controlled by an adequate hierarchization of motivations, a process known to mobilize prefrontal and cingulate cortex. ADHD symptoms such as inattention lack of inhibitory control, and hyperactivity and prefrontal involvement indeed resemble ß2−/− behavioral deficits, and fit well with nAChR localization and function. Yet, the possible contribution of prefrontal cortex and higher-level top-down processes in open-field behaviors is at this stage not clear.
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POPSMeditation Prevents Relapse In Depression... Studies have found that meditation can help prevent relapse in people who have had three or more episodes of depression. There is evidence that meditation has distinct effects on the brain. In one study, researchers measured brain electrical activity before, immediately after, and four months after a two-month course in mindfulness meditation. They found persistent increased activity on the left side of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with joyful and serene emotions.
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POPSHow brain chemicals can help soldiers keep their head
most potent protective factor, however, is a neurotransmitter called neuropeptide Y (NPY), which binds to receptors on neurons in the prefrontal cortex and alters their response to noradrenaline, acting as a brake to its accelerator pedal. The most intriguing implication of Morgan's research, however, is the suggestion that supplementing levels of DHEA or NPY could enhance soldiers' ability to think straight in the heat of battle - and perhaps also offer some protection against PTSD. The brain needs a large amount of energy to function, and in the food and sleep-deprived SERE trainees, the glucose proved effective at boosting their mental acuity. The following morning, those given the carbohydrate drinks performed significantly better on the Stroop test (Military Medicine, vol 174, p 132). Giving troops energy-rich drinks is one thing, but the idea of intervening with drugs to enhance military performance is more controversial, as reactions to another proposal have shown.
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POPSBrain More Active While Daydreaming Than Thought Scientists have to date thought that the brain's "default network" - which is linked to easy, routine mental activity and includes the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), the posterior cingulate cortex and the temporoparietal junction - is the only part of the brain that is active while a person's mind wanders. However, the latest study has shown that the brain's "executive network" - associated with high-level, complex problem-solving and including the lateral PFC and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex - also gets activated while people daydream. "This is a surprising finding, that these two brain networks are activated in parallel. Until now, scientists have thought they operated on an either-or basis - when one was activated, the other was thought to be dormant," says Christoff.
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POPSThe Science of Concentration "direct therapy that could help people with schizophrenia and attention-deficit problems (and might have fewer side effects than drugs)." Of course again the direction of the improved concentration is to the disabled. Why? i , as far as i know, do not fill the criteria for both conditions mentioned above, and still i would want to use such a device; there are some things that demand more than is possible for this body to perform, so why not augment it?
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POPSSource of wisdom discovered in the human brain Wisdom is knowing what you know as well as what you don't know. Wisdom is not simply knowing what to do, but doing it. Many people, without invitation, offer their "words of wisdom." A wise person realizes when it is not their time or place to do so. Wisdom is not undermining a person for their weaknesses, but appreciating their strengths, different from yours.
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POPSMRI Lie Detection to Get First Day in Court Laboratory studies using fMRI, which measures blood-oxygen levels in the brain, have suggested that when someone lies, the brain sends more blood to the ventrolateral area of the prefrontal cortex. In a very small number of studies, researchers have identified lying in study subjects with accuracy ranging from 76 percent to over 90 percent (pdf). But some scientists and lawyers like Greely doubt that those results will prove replicable outside the lab setting, and others say it just isn't ready yet.
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POPSBrains of low-income kids function differently This UC Berkeley study found detectable differences in the function of the prefrontal cortex (critical for problem solving and creativity) between low-income and higher-income kids. Low frontal lobe response is more likely in kids from low-income families. The authors conclude that environmental factors are tremendously important - simple factors like talking and reading together. The conclusion is simple: Parents matter a lot. The nurture they provide significantly impacts the brain development of their children - and by consequence their later educational and social opportunities.
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POPS"Bullies may be sadists"
continues: The boys with the conduct disorder had exhibited disruptive behavior such as starting a fight, using a weapon and stealing after confronting a victim. They showed both groups video clips of someone inflicting pain on another person and tracked brain activity with a type of imaging called functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI. In the aggressive teens, areas of the brain linked with feeling rewarded -- the amygdala and ventral striatum -- became very active when they observed pain being inflicted on others. But they showed little activity in an area of the brain involved in self-regulation -- the medial prefrontal cortex and the temporoparietal junction -- as was seen in the control group. "It is entirely possible their brains are lighting in the way they are because they experience seeing pain in others as exciting and fun and pleasurable," Lahey said. "We need to test that hypothesis more, but that is what it looks like," he said. Lahey said the di
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POPSMarshmallow temptations, brain scans could yield vital lessons in self-control The marshmallow test -It is a simple test, but has surprising power to predict a child's future. A 4-year-old is left sitting at a table with a marshmallow or other treat on it and given a challenge: Wait to eat it until a grown-up comes back into the room, and you'll get two. If you can't wait that long, you'll get just one. Some children can wait less than a minute, others last the full 20 minutes. The longer the child can hold back, the better the outlook in later life for everything from SAT scores to social skills to academic achievement,
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POPSBrain Regions Responsible for Warding off Negative Emotion Identified Researchers found that subjects most successful in warding off negative emotions activated the nucleus accumbens and amygdala regions of the brain more than unsuccessful subjects. They hypothesize that the nucleus accumbens is used to suppress the negative emotional response generated by the amygdala.
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