Neuroscience

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    Brains On Purpose

  • Applications being accepted for Penn's annual Neuroscience Boot Camp

    StephanieWestAllen
    6 Nov 2009 | 9:22 am
    Want to learn more about neuroscience? This event being held August 1 through 11, 2010, may be a good fit for you. What's Neuroscience Boot Camp? From the Web site: Neuroscience is increasingly relevant to a number of professions and academic disciplines beyond its traditional medical applications. Lawyers, educators, economists and businesspeople, as well as scholars of sociology, philosophy, applied...

  • Hear an interview of the author of BUDDHA'S BRAIN tomorrow

    StephanieWestAllen
    3 Nov 2009 | 7:54 am
    Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom is a book I have been reading, enjoying, and recommending to colleagues. This morning the book came to my attention twice (in addition to seeing it on my nightstand). A recommendation of the book came over a listserv for scholarly discussion of mindfulness, and I see that the author Rick...

  • Some short podcasts from the 2009 NeuroLeadership Summit at UCLA

    StephanieWestAllen
    1 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pm
    I got back late this week from the NeuroLeadership Summit with a strong need for a nap. The days were long and the presentations many. I hope to blog about some of the programs soon. Originally I had planned to blog in the evenings while there. Instead, soon after I returned to my room, I curled up in bed with...

  • Scent of fairness in the air? Mediation running hot or cold? The importance of subtle environmental cues

    StephanieWestAllen
    25 Oct 2009 | 2:17 pm
    Not only do the people in the room affect the outcome of a mediation, but the room itself may, too. How much attention do you pay to the little things in the conflict resolution setting? Let's look at some recent experiments that just might increase that attention. One factor in the environment that may have an influence is smell. Research...

  • Next week watch for posts from the NeuroLeadership Summit

    StephanieWestAllen
    23 Oct 2009 | 1:49 pm
    I will be attending the NeuroLeadership Summit next week at UCLA. The list of scheduled speakers is excellent and includes Marco Iacoboni, Daniel Siegel, Matthew Lieberman, Jonah Lehrer, Yi-Yuan Tang, and Jeffrey Schwartz, all of whom I have blogged about at least once either here or at idealawg. Take a look at the program [pdf] and you will see why...
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    Google News: Neuroscience

  • It's not brain surgery - Toronto Star

    7 Nov 2009 | 1:36 am
    It's not brain surgeryToronto StarCombining the fields of neuroscience and education holds out great hope to improve the way we teach our children. So here's my manifesto to get the ball and more »

  • Brainstorming for the kids - Toronto Star

    7 Nov 2009 | 1:33 am
    Brainstorming for the kidsToronto StarIt is critically important to heed Paul Howard-Jones's statement that "neuroscience on its own is completely without meaning." My own area of expertise is

  • First Neuroscience Firm Gets ARF Validation - Daily Research News Online

    6 Nov 2009 | 11:06 am
    Daily Research News OnlineFirst Neuroscience Firm Gets ARF ValidationDaily Research News OnlineIn the US, Innerscope Research has become the first neuroscience-based biometric company to be validated by the Advertising Research Foundation's (ARF)

  • Cuban system leads the way - Toronto Star

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:37 am
    Cuban system leads the wayToronto StarThe Society for Neuroscience hosts this go-to site for understanding the latest in brain science. Learning & the Brain Society is a fledgling, and more »

  • Neuroscience to IPL, ideas buzz at mind camp in Mysore - Indian Express

    5 Nov 2009 | 3:46 pm
    Neuroscience to IPL, ideas buzz at mind camp in MysoreIndian ExpressOver a thousand thinkers and doers — and even those in between — from across 46 countries have gathered in the clean never-never land of the Infosys campus and more »
 
 
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    MedicalNewsToday: Neuroscience

  • Lundbeck Starts Clinical Phase IIa With Lu AA24493 (cEPO) In Friedreich's Ataxia In A Study Also Assessing Efficacy Via Biomarkers

    7 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am
    H. Lundbeck A/S strengthens its pipeline of pharmaceuticals in clinical development by initiating phase IIa clinical studies with the innovative project Lu AA24493 in order to evaluate safety and tolerability and to explore theoretical efficacy parameters of the drug in humans. Lundbeck expects to enrol 35-40 people suffering from Friedreich's ataxia in this study.

  • Neural Stem Cells In Mice Affected By Gene Associated With Longevity

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    A gene associated with longevity in roundworms and humans has been shown to affect the function of stem cells that generate new neurons in the adult brain, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The study in mice suggests that the gene may play an important role in maintaining cognitive function during aging.

  • The STOP ALD Foundation Applauds Gene Therapy Success In Severe Brain Disorder

    7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    The Stop ALD Foundation has applauded the investigators who are reporting in the current issue of Science successful results from the pioneering use of gene therapy for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a potentially crippling and fatal brain disorder in young boys.

  • 2 Children Suffering From Adrenoleukodystrophy Saved Thanks To The ELA Association

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    The ELA association and Zinedine Zidane, its emblematic ambassador, are proud to announce a world premiere: the results regaring the gene therapy in adrenoleukodystrophy conducted in France have just been published in the prestigious journal Science. Two children have been treated and their diseases have been halted. The children are doing well, which is unexpected for a disease destroying the brain in a few months.

  • Real-Time Observation Sheds New Light On Multiple Sclerosis

    6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am
    In diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cells of the immune system infiltrate the brain tissue, where they cause immense damage. For many years, it was an enigma as to how these cells can escape from the bloodstream. This is no trivial feat, given that specialized blood vessels act as a barrier between the nervous system and the bloodstream. Until now, tissue sections provided the sole evidence that the immune cells really do manage to reach the nerve cells.
 
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    MIT: Neuroscience

  • Back to (brain) basics

    2 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pm
    In his own words, MIT neuroscientist Mark Bear admits he did not “wake up one day and say ‘Hey, I’m going to cure autism.’” But, after decades of painstaking basic research on how the brain rewires itself in response to external cues, Bear has discovered a way to reverse the symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome, a disorder that can cause autism, mental retardation and epilepsy.“It was a classic payoff of basic research,” says Bear, the Picower Professor of Neuroscience.And Bear is not the only MIT neuroscientist discovering this payoff. Several basic research projects have recently…

  • A head of time

    19 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    Keeping track of time is one of the brain's most important tasks. As the brain processes the flood of sights and sounds it encounters, it must also remember when each event occurred. But how does that happen? How does your brain recall that you brushed your teeth before you took a shower, and not the other way around?For decades, neuroscientists have theorized that the brain "time stamps" events as they happen, allowing us to keep track of where we are in time and when past events occurred. However, they couldn't find any evidence that such time stamps really existed — until now.An MIT team…

  • In Profile: Matt Wilson

    18 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pm
    It was just another day in the lab in 1991 when Matt Wilson first heard something that no one had ever heard before: brain waves from a dreaming rat.Wilson, now a professor at MIT and a researcher at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, had set up an experiment where he recorded neural signals from rats' brains as they ran a maze in the lab. One day, he left the rats hooked up to the recording equipment after they finished running the maze, while he sat at his bench working on some data analysis. Soon enough, he started to recognize some of the patterns he was hearing from…

  • Rats' mental 'instant replay' drives next moves

    31 Aug 2009 | 8:29 am
    Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have found that rats use a mental instant replay of their actions to help them decide what to do next, shedding new light on how animals and humans learn and remember.The work will appear in the Aug. 27 issue of the journal Neuron. "By understanding how thoughts and memories are structured, we can gain insight into how they might be disrupted in diseases and disorders of memory and thought such as Alzheimer's and schizophrenia," said study author Matthew A. Wilson, the Sherman Fairchild Professor of Neuroscience at the Picower…

  • MIT researchers: The mind's eye scans like a spotlight

    11 Aug 2009 | 10:00 pm
    You're meeting a friend in a crowded cafeteria. Do your eyes scan the room like a roving spotlight, moving from face to face, or do you take in the whole scene, hoping that your friend's face will pop out at you? And what, for that matter, determines how fast you can scan the room?Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory say you are more likely to scan the room, jumping from face to face as you search for your friend. In addition, the timing of these jumps appears to be determined by waves of activity in the brain that act as a clock. The study, which appears in the Aug.
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    MSN: Neuroscience

  • Ex-Army doctor: Don't rush to judgment - Burlington Free Press

    7 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am
    Newhouse did his residency at Walter Reed, as did the alleged shooter, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. Like Hasan, Newhouse went on to work as an Army psychiatrist. These days, Newhouse is a psychiatry professor and director of the Clinical Neuroscience ...

  • M Brian Ladner - Bleacherreport.com

    7 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am
    I caught "NASCAR fever" after seeing my first live race in Vegas back in 2003. I am a fan of the incomparable Brothers Busch. Kurt was the hometown boy when I first picked a favorite, but it was his quote about his little brother being the best ...

  • Leading Alzheimer's researcher: Animal experiments will not help ... - OpEdNews.com

    7 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am
    The Society for Neuroscience just held its annual conference in Chicago. I attended—not as a member, though neuroscience is my field, but to protest the organization's stated goal of broadening support for animal research. The society, like animal ...

  • It's not brain surgery - Toronto Star

    7 Nov 2009 | 1:59 am
    I have spent a year travelling the world on a quest to find out whether new understandings of how the brain works could ever be used in the classroom. At times, it's felt like the pilgrimage of the lost. Like the time a school principal told me about ...

  • Brainstorming for the kids - Toronto Star

    7 Nov 2009 | 1:38 am
    Alanna Mitchell's article on the application of neuroeducation research in a kindergarten classroom at the University of Toronto's Institute of Child Studies is certainly inspiring. However, it is not true that public schools in Canada are not using ...
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    The Frontal Cortex

  • Crying Babies

    6 Nov 2009 | 10:14 am
    This is absolutely fascinating, yet another reminder that the structure of language infects everything. Here's Nell Greenfieldboyce, at NPR: The distinctive sounds of a newborn's first cries may be influenced by the mother tongue of its parents. A new study of over a thousand recorded cries from 30 French newborns and 30 German newborns found differences in the cries' melody patterns. French cries tended to have a rising melody, while the German cries tended to have a falling melody. The finding suggests that newborns just a few days old may already be trying to imitate the prevailing…

  • Sleep

    4 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pm
    As a chronic insomniac, I'm always a little disturbed when I learn about the lingering cognitive effects of a bad night sleep: In a study at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 2003, for example, scientists examined the cognitive effects of a week of poor sleep, followed by three days of sleeping at least eight hours a night. The scientists found that the "recovery" sleep did not fully reverse declines in performance on a test of reaction times and other psychomotor tasks, especially for subjects who had been forced to sleep only three or five hours a night. In a similar study in…

  • The Gay Animal Kingdom, Part 2

    3 Nov 2009 | 6:32 am
    This is excellent news. Dan Delong will be back in the classroom today. I'm so relieved. Read the comments on this post...

  • Temptation

    3 Nov 2009 | 5:56 am
    Why are we so dishonest? Why do we bad things, even when we know we're doing something bad? Ever since Adam and Eve ate that apple, we've assumed that there is something inherently tempting about sin. If left to our own devices, we'd all turn into men at a Vegas bachelor party, indulging in sex, drugs and slot machines. We'd loot and pillage and lie. Immorality feels good, which is why it's so hard being moral. Some people, of course, are made of stronger stuff, which is why they stay on the righteous path. Because they're better than us, they don't eat too much cake or cheat on their taxes.

  • Arts Education

    2 Nov 2009 | 11:05 am
    Michael Posner and Brenda Patoine make a neuroscientific case for arts education. They argue that teaching kids to make art has lasting cognitive benefits: If there were a surefire way to improve your brain, would you try it? Judging by the abundance of products, programs and pills that claim to offer "cognitive enhancement," many people are lining up for just such quick brain fixes. Recent research offers a possibility with much better, science-based support: that focused training in any of the arts--such as music, dance or theater--strengthens the brain's attention system, which in turn can…
 
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    Deric Bownds' MindBlog

  • Like us, monkeys don't like computer faces that are 'too real'.

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am
    Synthetic agents such as androids or computer-animated characters can elicit responses from us (mainly of positive emotional valence) similar to those elicited by real humans as long as they have a low resemblance to humans. But, if these agents become too realistic, we find them unsettling. This feeling of eeriness is known as the “uncanny valley” and is associated with entities that elicit the concept of a human, but do meet all of the requirements for being one. Steckenfinger and Ghazanfar find that monkeys apparently have the same kind of response.Very realistic human-looking robots…

  • Our left and right hemispheres can selectively track expected value

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:30 am
    Palminteri et al. show that the expected values of two options, which were cued by visual symbols and chosen with either the left or right hand, enhanced activity, respectively, in the right or left (i.e. contralateral) ventral prefrontal cortex, thus respecting the topography of the brain systems elicited by the available options.A main focus in economics is on binary choice situations, in which human agents have to choose between two alternative options. The classical view is that decision making consists of valuating each option, comparing the two expected values, and selecting the higher…

  • We can generate a novel body image internally, without external feedback

    5 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am
    Our body image, as well as our body's location in space, can be manipulated by altering sensory feedback from the environment. Now Moseley and Brugger make the amazing observation that we can change our sense of ownership and agency to include impossible movements, independent of sensory feedback from the body or external feedback about task performance.The feeling we have of our own body, sometimes called “body image,” is fundamental to self-awareness. However, by altering sensory input, the body image can be modified into impossible configurations. Can impossible movements of the body…

  • Genetic enhancement of memory.

    5 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am
    Just as I was thinking about doing a post on the recent paper by Wang et al. showing improved memory performance in rats genetically engineered to over-express a subunit of a synaptic receptor gene, my son-in-law J.T. Smith pointed out a very nice summary of the work in h+ magazine.

  • Social functions of gossip

    5 Nov 2009 | 2:20 am
    John Tierney does a nice piece on one sort of contemporary ethnography, in this case dealing with gossip as reputational warfare....this time enthnographers have returned from the field with footage of a truly savage native ritual: teachers at an elementary school in the Midwest dishing about their principal behind her back.
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    Eide Neurolearning Blog

  • 7 More Days to Register - Sensory Processing Online Conference

    2 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am
    On November 12 & 13th, Lindsey Biel, OTR/L (Sensory Smart Child) and Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide (The Mislabeled Child) and will be presenting a 5-Hour Live Online Webinar on Sensory Processing Disorders that registrants may attend through their home computer connection . Don't miss it! The webinar will include Powerpoint presentations, Video, Live discussion and Questions and Answer period. Registrants can submit their questions during the webinar or before the webinar begins. A significant portion of the webinar proceedings will benefit Karina Eide's Health Fund.This conference is for…

  • Lazy Thinkers and Dysrationalia

    2 Nov 2009 | 12:01 am
    Pop Quiz:Jack is looking at Anne, but Anne is looking at George. Jack is married but George is not. Is a married person looking at an unmarried person?a. Yesb. Noc. Cannot be determined(No, the polar bears have nothing to do with Jack, Anne, or George).What's your answer? If you answered c. Cannot be determined, you're probably one of the 80% who is a lazy thinker, or a 'cognitive miser' as Keith Stanovich proposes in his book What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought. Excerpt from the Toronto article (Why smart people do stupid things) below:"... most people have the…

  • Video Games Improve Night Vision

    26 Oct 2009 | 12:01 am
    As we grow older, there are many factors that contribute to our difficulty seeing in the dark. A few of the reasons include a reduction in pupil size, loss of accommodative function, and a dramatic slowing in dark adaption due to delayed rhodopsin regeneration. Well, there now may be a reason for hope... and the encouraging answer comes from action-based video games.. The Bavelier lab found first that players of action-based video games were better than non-video game players at contrast sensitivity (58% better). Next, they found that a fairly short course of action-based video game training…

  • Visual and Dyslexic Thinking and Learning Styles and the Educational Controversies

    19 Oct 2009 | 12:03 am
    There's a lot of talk lately about 'Anti-Learning Styles' proponents like Daniel Willingham, a cognitive psychologist who says "cognitive psychologists know they (learning styles) don't exist." Huh? Here he is being interviewed in the Washington Post.But a good question raised by his discussion is whether too much burden is placed on teachers to teach toward different learning styles rather than students to identify how they learn best (or how they learn worst). The essential thing for teachers is to be aware of the need to present information in different forms (redundancy) - words and…

  • Sensory Processing and School Underachievement

    12 Oct 2009 | 12:06 am
    Over the weekend, I was reading an article about students with disabilities in college, and I was struck by the conclusions that students with hidden disabilities had much poorer outcomes than students with obvious physical impairments (blindness, physical disability). The conclusions had a ring of truth. Disabilities that occur often without obvious physical signs, like sensory processing disorders or dyslexia, are often harder to 'prove', harder to qualify for accommodations, and often faulted as being due to laziness, poor effort or motivation, or retardation. Sensory processing disorders…
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    Brain Blogger

  • A Small Sip from the Fountain of Youth

    Jennifer Gibson, PharmD
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    The search for eternal youth is as old as time itself. The theme of immortality winds its way through religion, mythology, poetry, fiction, and modern movies. Usually, stories of those who have achieved immortality expose the curse of eternal life, rather than the blessing of perpetual youth. While living forever may never be possible, life expectancy is steadily increasing, and healthier — that is, more youthful — aging may actually be possible. New research published in the medical journal The Lancet posits that most babies born since the year 2000 will live to be at least 100…

  • Why So Serious About The Self?

    Nisha Kumar
    3 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    You have seen movies in which characters have acted violently. Many times, these characters also have a mental illness. Violence is one common stereotype of psychological disorders, along with rebellion and child-like behavior. In The Dark Knightand Me, Myself, and Irene, a character has multiple personality disorder, which is said to cause demonic or mean behavior. Harvey Dent develops a second, evil personality called Two-Face, while Charley Baileygates is known to lash out at random due to his other, less friendly, personality. In each character, mental illness is shown to bring out…

  • Is Knowledge Power? Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing

    Jennifer Gibson, PharmD
    31 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am
    The completion of the sequencing of the human genome in 2003 was an outstanding scientific accomplishment. This achievement, together with advances in technology and the forces of capitalism and competition, has brought genetic testing directly to the consumer. However, this Pandora’s box is proving difficult to manage for many people. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests are marketed to consumers primarily through the Internet. Consumers are motivated by education, recreation, and preventive health care, but the answers obtained from the tests do not necessarily provide meaningful…

  • Bruxism and the Brain

    Joseph Kim, MD, MPH
    28 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am
    Do you grind your teeth at night? Bruxism is the technical term for teeth grinding or teeth clenching that usually occurs in sleep. Bruxism may lead to jaw pain, shoulder pain, ear ache, and all sorts of other physical ailments. Have you ever wondered why some people grind their teeth at night? Some people clench their jaw and grind their teeth during the day, but nocturnal or night-time bruxism is what I’m referring to right now. I know many people who grind their teeth in their sleep and they have to wear night guards to protect the enamel on their teeth. There are many theories behind…

  • Are Physicians Spending Too Much Time Diagnosing Patients?

    Jennifer Gibson, PharmD
    25 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am
    Dizziness is responsible for nearly 3 million emergency room visits every year in the United States. In most of the cases, the dizziness is caused by a benign inner ear problem, or is the result of short-lived discomfort or distress, including anxiety, depression, or certain phobias. However, approximately 4% of patients that present to the emergency room complaining of dizziness are experiencing a stroke or transient ischemic attack. Since more than half of patients with dizziness who are experiencing a stroke show no other symptoms, misdiagnosis is frequent and common. Now, a study…
 
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    Dana Press Blog

  • When senses combine

    Aalok Mehta
    3 Nov 2009 | 11:50 am
    Synesthesia is a phenomenon in which people’s senses seem to be crossed. Some people with the condition can feel tastes or see sounds; others taste voices (think of the opposite of anesthesia, literally “no senses”). Neurologist Richard Cytowic has studied such people for more than three decades, starting with a man in the rare latter category. “Some people are born with two or more senses hooked together,” Cytowic told an audience of around 120 people at the Library of Congress on Oct. 30. For example, for the first synesthete he studied, some flavors “were more than a…

  • Refunds on the way for Baby Einstein videos

    Dana
    30 Oct 2009 | 6:15 am
    On Saturday, Tamar Lewin of the New York Times reported that the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for its popular but controversial Baby Einstein videos. According to the article, Baby Einstein was founded in 1997; Disney acquired the company in 2001 and expanded it to offer a full line of DVDs, books, toys, flash cards and apparel aimed at infants and toddlers. It’s estimated that Baby Einstein now controls 90 percent of the baby media market, selling $200 million worth of products annually. The move comes after a heated battle over the marketing claims Disney has used to sell…

  • Have no fear—not after this research

    Dana
    29 Oct 2009 | 1:12 pm
        The crowd of scientists was thinner for Elizabeth Phelps’ special lecture, “Changing Fear,” on the final day of the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. But her work was among the most interesting I heard presented, in part because she studies humans as well as other animals.    Phelps’ main point was that the fear response can change, sometimes for the better. “Something that is fearful today may be rewarding tomorrow,” she said in her introduction.    Humans, like other animals, can be conditioned to associate a tone with a mild shock.

  • Grief: a musical case study

    Dana
    29 Oct 2009 | 7:32 am
       Grief and depression are distinctly different human experiences, but even experienced psychologists and brain scientists sometimes have trouble teasing the two apart.    Those slivers of contrast were the central theme of “Music and Grief,” a panel discussion held on Tuesday at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The event kicked off the second season of the “Music and the Brain”lecture series (an earlier program on the mystery of Beethoven’s deafness had to be rescheduled for next year).    In keeping with the series’ mission to delve into how brain science gives…

  • A memory for prions

    Dana
    22 Oct 2009 | 7:24 am
    A prion is among the simplest of the things that cause disease, and yet it's one of the most terrifying. Consisting of a single misfolded protein, this "mad cow" disease culprit is less invasion factory and more vampire; it has the unusual ability to corrupt other proteins it encounters, causing them to misfold as well, beginning a deadly cascade. In rare cases, such misfolded proteins can form spontaneously in people, but whatever the cause the resulting disease is untreatable and fatal.A debate has raged among scientists over whether prions play a role in normal cells or whether they are…
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    Mind Hacks

  • 2009-11-06 Spike activity

    6 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

  • Psychologist says

    5 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm
    I've discovered that if you search for "says psychologist" on Google, you get a giant avalanche of wtf. I encourage you to try it for yourself, but here are a few of the highlights, all taken from headlines of news stories. Twitter makes you dumb, says psychologist Boys have it worse, says psychologist Faith schools breed terrorism, says psychologist Change is possible for gays, says psychologist Music tugs at monkeys' hearts, says psychologist Pakistan no longer fear failure, says psychologist Killer of 4 feared loss of love, says psychologist Britney has lost control and needs help, says…

  • The mind and brain in 2010

    5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    The latest issue of Wired UK has a cover feature on breaking ideas for 2010. Mind and brain innovations feature strongly and several are freely available online. I might immodestly recommend the piece on 'neurosecurity' and how researchers are having harden neural implants against hackers, as it was written by me. Regular readers will know we broke the story back in June, although it was great to have it selected as one of the 'ideas of the future' by Wired UK. There's also a fascinating piece on 'hyperopia' - a cognitive bias where people falsely assume they'll be happier in the future by…

  • Señor Roboto

    5 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am
    Some impressive graffiti of a brain-powered robot from the future, found on a wall near the Hospital San Vicente de Paúl in Medellín.

  • Dr Smile

    4 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm
    The Philip K. Dick novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch features a portable device which allows patients to consult with the virtual psychiatrist Dr Smile. If I'm not mistaken, the system seems to have re-invented by this research team: Virtual patient: a photo-real virtual human for VR-based therapy Stud Health Technol Inform. 2004;98:154-6. Kiss B, Benedek B, Szijártó G, Csukly G, Simon L, Takács B. A high fidelity Virtual Human Interface (VHI) system was developed using low-cost and portable computers. The system features real-time photo-realistic digital replicas of multiple…
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    Neurophilosophy

  • The illusion of time: Perceiving the effect before the cause

    6 Nov 2009 | 9:50 am
    A novel temporal illusion, in which the cause of an event is perceived to occur after the event itself, provides some insight into the brain mechanisms underlying conscious perception. The illusion, described in the journal Current Biology by a team of researchers from France, suggests that the unconscious representation of a visual object is processed for around one tenth of a second before it enters conscious awareness. Chien-Te Wu and his colleagues at the Brain and Cognition Research Centre in Toulouse used a visual phenomenon called motion-induced blindness, in which a constantly…

  • Phantom limbs can contort into impossible configurations

    28 Oct 2009 | 11:37 am
    FOLLOWING the surgical removal of a body part, amputees often report sensations which seem to originate from the missing limb. This is thought to occur because the brain's model of the body (referred to as the body image) still contains a representation of the limb, and this leads to the experience that the missing limb is still attached to their body. Occasionally, amputees say that they cannot move their phantom limbs - they are perceived to be frozen in space, apparently because they cannot be seen. Yet, research shows that the body image is malleable and easily manipulated. And according…

  • A pictorial history of neurotechniques

    21 Oct 2009 | 2:20 pm
    THE latest issue of Technology Review contains a photo essay by yours truly, called Time Travel Through the Brain, in which I look at how techniques used to investigate the brain have evolved during the 100 year history of modern neuroscience. The essay begins with a drawing by the great Spanish neuroanatomist Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who used the staining method discovered by Camillo Golgi to establish that nervous tissue is composed of cells, then goes on to describe more recent methods such as fibre tracing, Brainbow and various types of microscopy.This image from the piece graced…

  • Lasers used to write false memories onto the fruit fly brain

    20 Oct 2009 | 9:55 am
    THE humble fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) has the ability to learn and remember, and to make predictions about the outcome of its behaviours on the basis of past experience. Compared to a human brain, that of the fruit fly  is relatively simple, containing approximately 250,000 cells. Even so, little is known about the anatomical basis of memory formation. The neural circuitry underlying memories in these insects has now been dissected. In an elegant new study published in the journal Cell,  researchers from the University of Oxford show that aversive memories are dependent on…

  • Mice navigate a virtual reality environment

    18 Oct 2009 | 5:30 pm
    USING an inventive new method in which mice run through a virtual reality environment based on the video game Quake, researchers from Princeton University have made the first direct measurements of the cellular activity associated with spatial navigation. The method will allow for investigations of the neural circuitry underlying navigation, and  to a better understanding of how spatial information is encoded at the cellular level. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...
 
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    Neuroanthropology

  • Complete this quote: “Our brain is…”

    Paul Mason
    7 Nov 2009 | 2:59 am
    How would you complete this quote? “Shaped like a little like a loaf of French country bread, our brain is…” This week’s quote is inspired by Diane Ackerman (2004) An Alchemy of Mind. The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain.

  • Four Stone 79

    dlende
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:30 am
    Four Stone Hearth, the anthropology carnival bringing together all things four-field, is now up in its 79th edition over at Anthropology.net. Thanks, Tim, for putting this one together on short notice! Some really intriguing data and ideas about female choice and sexual strategies among chimps, which are rightly highlighted right at the top. Good stuff on Ardipithecus, Bluestonehenge, and plenty more. Enjoy Four Stone Hearth #79.

  • Second annual Neuroscience Boot Camp wants you!

    gregdowney
    5 Nov 2009 | 3:05 pm
    Not your grandad's boot camp! Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 Neuroscience Boot Camp at the University of Pennsylvania. For more information, head on over to the Boot Camp website. Kezia Kamentz dropped me an email and shared that last year’s Boot Camp went really well: “great teachers, a small but very diverse group of students, and a varied set of teaching methods.” Kezia said that they would love to have some anthropologists on board, and I know that there’s a few of you out there. Kezia writes: Through a combination of lectures, break-out groups,…

  • Wednesday Round Up #88

    dlende
    5 Nov 2009 | 6:46 am
    A busy week – but now you can peruse some economics, war, NY Times mind, anthro, and blogging mind. Top of the List Sandra Kiume, Social Neuroscience Channel N gives us a great video with John Cacioppo speaking on “Connected Minds: Loneliness, Social Brains and the Need for Community.” Sometimes Channel N didn’t load right for me, so you can also go straight to the RSA page with the Cacioppo video. Ed Yong, Holy Fellatio, Batman! Fruit Bats Use Oral Sex to Prolong Actual Sex What a title! Just wait until you see the video. David Dobbs, “YouTube! That’s Why I Became A…

  • The Uncultured Project

    dlende
    3 Nov 2009 | 4:19 am
    The Uncultured Project is about fighting global poverty, about one man’s decision to try and make the world a better place. It’s a story told through a website and promoted on YouTube. Imagine leaving behind your friends, family, possessions, and a full scholarship to a good university – all to go halfway around the world to a third world country just to help the poor. This is exactly what I did. And I’m using YouTube to tell my story. The Uncultured Project basically works by bringing together Shawn’s work, small-time donors, and local communities. Shawn pushes…
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    Neuroethics & Law Blog

  • PEBS Neuroethics Roundup from Johns Hopkins

    Adam Kolber
    4 Nov 2009 | 12:07 am
    Last Edition's Most Popular Article Just what does make me 'me'? BBC News October 28 2009 In the Academic Literature: Using Neural Measures of Economic Value to Solve the Public Goods Free-Rider ProblemScience 2009:326(5952) :596-599 Induction of panic attack by stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamus Journal of Neurosurgery October 23 2009 Neural activity predicts attitude change in cognitive dissonanceNature Neuroscience 2009:12:1469-1474 Behavioral improvement after transplantation of neural precursors derived from embryonic stem cells into the globally ischemic…

  • Behavioral Genetics and Mitigated Sentence in Italy

    Adam Kolber
    3 Nov 2009 | 4:27 am
    From Nature News: An Italian court has cut the sentence given to a convicted murderer by a year because he has genes linked to violent behaviour — the first time that behavioural genetics has affected a sentence passed by a European court. But researchers contacted by Nature have questioned whether the decision was based on sound science. And some more: During the trial, Bayout's lawyer, Tania Cattarossi, asked the court to take into account that her client may have been mentally ill at the time of the murder. After considering three psychiatric reports, the judge, Paolo Alessio Vernì,…

  • Experts, Consent, and Antipsychotic Medications in Neuroimaging Cases

    Adam Kolber
    2 Nov 2009 | 1:53 am
    Recently posted to SSRN: "'And I Can See Through Your Brain': Access to Experts, Competency to Consent, and the Impact of Antipsychotic Medications in Neuroimaging Cases in the Criminal Trial Process" Stanford Technology Law Review, ForthcomingNYLS Legal Studies Research Paper No. 08/09 #20 MICHAEL L. PERLIN, New York Law SchoolThis paper considers the implications of neuroimaging in three under discussed aspects of criminal procedure - the implications of Ake v. Oklahoma (an indigent defendant's access to expert testimony) in cases where neuroimaging tests might…

  • "Some Realism About Punishment Naturalism"

    Adam Kolber
    29 Oct 2009 | 1:34 am
    An interesting and sure-to-be controversial paper that was recently posted to SSRN: "Some Realism About Punishment Naturalism" University of Chicago Law Review, Vol. 77, 2010 DONALD BRAMAN, Cultural Cognition Project, George Washington University - Law SchoolDAN M. KAHAN, Yale University - Law SchoolDAVID A. HOFFMAN, Temple University - James E. Beasley School of LawIn this paper we critique the increasingly prominent claims of punishment naturalism – the notion that highly nuanced intuitions about most forms of crime and punishment are broadly shared, and that this…

  • "The Disutility of Injustice"

    Adam Kolber
    28 Oct 2009 | 1:37 am
    Recently posted to SSRN: "The Disutility of Injustice" U of Penn Law School, Public Law Research Paper No. 09-24 PAUL H. ROBINSON, University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolGEOFFREY P. GOODWIN, Dept. of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaMICHAEL REISIG, Arizona State University - School of Criminology & Criminal JusticeThe retributivists and the crime-control instrumentalists have seen themselves as being in a irresolvable conflict for more than half a century. Social science increasingly suggests, however, that they need not be. Doing justice may be the most effective means…
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    Neuromarketing

  • Emsense Raises $9 Million

    Roger Dooley
    3 Nov 2009 | 9:09 am
    Neuromarketing firm Emsense has raised $9 million in additional capital. The new round was led by an investment from Technology Partners with existing investor the Foundry Group also participating. This funding will allow EmSense to continue its global expansion in support of its many market research partners. The funds will also enable the company [...]

  • Want Some Emotion with That Website?

    Roger Dooley
    3 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am
    As a web community guy, one of the most common problems I see is the failure to communicate emotion properly when people interact online. A remark intended as humorous can be perceived as a personal attack, or an expression of sympathy can be taken as cruel sarcasm. While I always suggest caution (particularly [...]

  • College Branding: What if Harvard Moved Next Door?

    Roger Dooley
    2 Nov 2009 | 5:06 am
    Why do most college branding efforts end up as meaningless pablum? I think it’s because most colleges have been relatively insulated from the effects of devastating competition. In fact, historically there have been major barriers to competition in the cozy world of higher education. The biggest have been geography, cost, and reputation. [...]

  • Scent Marketing vs. Social Media

    Roger Dooley
    30 Oct 2009 | 5:23 am
    The other day, Ad Age’s CMO Strategy Section ran a column by Harald Vogt on scent marketing. Vogt may not be entirely impartial on the topic – he is the founder and chief marketer of the Scent Marketing Institute – but he makes some good points when he questions why so few marketers employ [...]

  • Sugar as Brain Food

    Roger Dooley
    29 Oct 2009 | 5:22 am
    This isn’t great news for dieters, but sometimes sugar can be a good thing. Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, had subjects perform a mentally taxing task – watching a video while being careful to ignore random words scrolling across the bottom of the screen. (Apparently, it takes quite a bit [...]
 
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    SharpBrains

  • Digital Games for Physical, Cognitive and Behavioral Health

    Alvaro Fernandez
    5 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pm
    The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) just announced more than $1.85 million in grants for research teams to study how digital games can improve players’ health behaviors and outcomes (both brain-based and behavioral). The press release: Nine Leading Research Teams Selected to Study How Digital Games Improve Players’ Health “Digital games are interactive and experiential, and so they can engage people in powerful ways to enhance learning and health behavior change, especially when they are designed on the basis of well-researched strategies,” said (UC Santa…

  • Smart industry-research collaboration for working memory training

    Alvaro Fernandez
    4 Nov 2009 | 8:26 am
    Very interesting announcement yesterday, by Lumos Labs and researchers Susanne Jaeggi and Martin Buschkuehl: “The Lumosity.com version of Dual N-Back replicates the training previously used in the lab while making it available online. The program will be used to facilitate further research in memory and intelligence training, with the Lumosity Research Platform supporting data collection and study administration.” “The online availability of the dual n-back task is a great step forward for our ongoing research and we are happy having found Lumos Labs as a competent…

  • Brain Fitness Book: talks, interviews, reviews

    Alvaro Fernandez
    30 Oct 2009 | 6:37 am
    Next Tuesday, November 3rd: I’ll be presenting the SharpBrains Guide to a business/ entrepreneurial audience at the San Francisco Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (you can register online). Description: While most of us have heard the phrase “use it or lose it,” very few understand what “it” means, or how to properly “use it” in order to improve brain function and fitness. This talk will provide an overview of the most recent research, guidelines and resources to “Use It and Improve It”, summarizing the main findings and…

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Forum on the Future Impact of Neuroscience and Behavior Change

    Alvaro Fernandez
    28 Oct 2009 | 11:59 am
    The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation just announced a new initiative of their Pioneer portfolio: “On November 11-12, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), working with the Monitor Institute, will welcome a small group of researchers, academics, physicians and industry leaders in the fields of neurotechnology, neurodevelopment and behavior change for a “Forum on the Future Impact of Neuroscience and Behavior Change.” The question: what could neuroscience innovation mean for the future of health and health care? This blog post contains the list of  participants (honored to be one)…

  • Does Coffee Boost Brain/ Cognitive Functions Over Time?

    Dr. Pascale Michelon
    24 Oct 2009 | 2:22 pm
    A few eternal questions: - Is caffeine good for the brain? - Does it boost cognitive functions? - Does it protect against dementia? There is little doubt that drinking that morning cup of coffee will likely increase alertness, but the main questions that research is trying to answer go beyond that. Basically: is there a sustained, lifetime, benefit or harm from drinking coffee regularly? The answer, so far, contains good news and bad news. The good news for coffee drinkers is that most of the long-term results are directionally more positive than negative, so no clear harm seems to occur. The…
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    NeuroLogica Blog

  • Well That Didn’t Take Long – Another Dystonia Case Follow Up

    Steven Novella
    6 Nov 2009 | 6:24 am
    I have been blogging this week about the Desiree Jennings case – the 25 year old woman who is telling the media that she developed a neurological disorder known as dystonia two weeks following a seasonal flu vaccine. However, the video of her movement disorder that was made public was not, in fact, consistent with the diagnosis of dystonia or any organic movement disorder, and therefore it is highly unlikely that her symptoms were a vaccine reaction. Every movement disorder specialist or neurologist who viewed the videos and voiced their opinion agreed that the signs she was displaying…

  • Paying for Prayer in Health Care

    Steven Novella
    5 Nov 2009 | 5:08 am
    As the health care debate rages in Washington, one of the fears is that the behemoth bills that are being passed around might contain hidden provisions that can cause great mischief. While there is a sense of urgency about passing a bill (any bill) there is something to be said for taking the time to pick over the details of such important policy. Case in point – Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has slipped in a provision to the bill that would require reimbursement for prayer services. Although not mentioned by name, it is thought that the provision is aimed at Christian Science prayer.

  • It’s All In Your Head

    Steven Novella
    4 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am
    The recent discussion of the Desiree Jennings case has prompted speculation and misinformation about the nature of psychogenic illness. I therefore thought it would be useful to discuss the concept of psychogenic illness in general. The following is cross-posted also at Science-Based Medicine. ____________________ I have never used those words to a patient or about a patient.  I have also never heard a colleague use any similar term to a patient. And yet on many occasions I have had patients ask me, “So you’re telling me it’s all in my head?” The concept of what are…

  • Anti-Science at the Daily Mail

    Steven Novella
    3 Nov 2009 | 5:16 am
    Yes, I know – it’s the Daily Mail. My UK friends tell me this is little more than a rag, not to be taken seriously. But it’s popular enough, and may in fact represent the attitudes of a portion of the public, that sometimes we have to address the claims that are made there. In that way it is like the Huffington Post – a hopeless rag (at least when it comes to science) that sometimes needs a response. This time the Daily Mail has published an incredible anti-science and anti-intellectual rant by reporter Andrew N Wilson. The article is a discussion of the firing of…

  • Dystonia Case Follow Up

    Steven Novella
    2 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am
    In an interview for the SGU Christopher Hitchens told me that typically, after publishing a story, only then do people contact him that he should have spoken to in the first place. My humble blog has nothing of the reach of Hitchens’ writing, but it is still occasionally the case that after posting a blog I am contacted by people I really wish I had spoken to before I finished writing it. For example, on Friday I discussed the case of Desiree Jennings, the 25 year old woman who claims to have developed dystonia 10 days after receiving the seasonal flu vaccine. I reported that all of the…
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    WordPress Tag: Neuroscience

  • CCK09 Neuroscience Research

    suifaijohnmak
    7 Nov 2009 | 12:30 am
    This Neuroscience research goes deeper into the brain Conduct basic research on such questions as how the brain builds and loses memory, and how the visual system develops. The Plastic Brain: UAB Neuroscientists Stretch the Boundaries of the Mind UAB scientists on the cutting edge of neuroscience discuss their mind-bending research. NextWorld - Neuro Genesis Would you like to be able to learn a new language like you could when you were a child?  It will be possible in the future, but you might forget who your spouse is.

  • Smells like childhood: Early scents make big impression

    Catherine Guthrie
    6 Nov 2009 | 12:15 pm
    If it seems that you recall particular scents from childhood more vividly than other (more recent) s

  • Executive Functions in ASD

    Maria P.
    6 Nov 2009 | 5:04 am
    There are three key theories that attempt to explain the links between brain and behaviour in Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD): the Theory of Mind Deficit Hypothesis (for a review see Baron-Cohen, 2001), the Weak Central Coherence (Happé & Frith, 2006) and that of Executive Dysfunction (Hill, 2004). Executive functions is an umbrella term for a number of cognitive and behavioural capacities such as planning, working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility, multitasking, initiation and monitoring of action (Gilbert & Burgess, 2008). Executive functions are usually impaired in patients…

  • Neury Thursday/Friday: Coloring in V4

    beastlyvaulter
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:56 am
    I apologize for the delay of Neury Thursday, but last night, I went to a Kent State Freethinkers meeting on the secrets/tricks/talent of mind reading. You can watch the six part series featuring Derren Brown, an English illusionist, and Richard Dawkins. The “artistic” camera shots are quite irritating, but it’s worth the content. Back to neuroscience, in this week’s Journal of Neuroscience, scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging to decode and reconstruct the perception of color within the visual cortex, specifically area V4. I’m not sure of the…

  • I've Had Some Crazy Experiences Dude

    armchairantichrist
    5 Nov 2009 | 11:37 pm
    This is not a good reason to believe in God at all. But, I’ve heard many theists use this like it’s their trump card. “I’ve had some experiences that have convinced me of God’s existence.” That’s great. But, what does your testimonial have to do with reality? How can you possibly jump from “crazy experiences” and go straight to God? We have made some large leaps in the field of neuroscience and we now know many ways in which the brain can trick us. When our brains become deprived of oxygen (e.g., in a centrifuge) it will enter an emergency…
 
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    Journal of Neurology

  • Vasomotor properties of the M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery

    4 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am
    Abstract  Vasomotor response can be tested by means of transcranial Doppler sonography. It is assumed that flow changes during hyperventilation or breath-holding are due to altered resistance caused by changes in the diameter of vessels distal to the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. Evaluating velocities of the M2 and M1 segments together may help elucidate the vasomotor properties of distal segments. We simultaneously evaluated the vasomotor properties of the M1 and M2 segments of the middle cerebral artery in ten healthy volunteers (mean age…

  • Airhead with auras

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pm
    Airhead with auras Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to editorsDOI 10.1007/s00415-009-5368-zAuthors Nico J. Weerkamp, Atrium Medical Center Department of Neurology Henri Dunantstraat 5 6401 CX Heerlen The NetherlandsPeter J. Koehler, Atrium Medical Center Department of Neurology Henri Dunantstraat 5 6401 CX Heerlen The NetherlandsEwa V. Bergshoeff, Atrium Medical Center Department of Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Henri Dunantstraat 5 6401 CX Heerlen The Netherlands Journal Journal of NeurologyOnline ISSN 1432-1459Print ISSN 0340-5354

  • Early onset probable linezolid-induced encephalopathy

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pm
    Abstract  Linezolid is increasingly being utilized for the treatment of Gram-positive pathogens. While neurological complications with linezolid are rare, long-term exposure can be associated with neurotoxic effects. Patients with pre-existing neurologic sequelae or risk factors, such as alcohol abuse, diabetes, or concomitant administration of chemotherapeutic agents and/or antiretroviral therapy, may be more susceptible to the development of linezolid-induced neurotoxicity. We describe a 41-year-old male who developed early onset encephalopathy after a day and a half of linezolid…

  • Enhanced muscle shortening and impaired Ca2+ channel function in an acute septic myopathy model

    3 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pm
    Abstract  Myopathies in critically ill patients are increasingly documented. Various animal models of chronic sepsis have been employed to investigate reduced membrane excitability or altered isometric contractility of skeletal muscle. In contrast, immediate changes occurring during acute sepsis are significantly under-characterised; L-type Ca2+ channel function or isotonic shortening are examples. We recorded slowly activating L-type Ca2+ currents (I Ca) in voltage-clamped single intact mouse skeletal muscle fibres and tested the effects of acute challenge with serum fractions from…

  • Glucocerebrosidase mutations p.L444P and p.N370S are not associated with multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration in Polish patients

    31 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am
    Glucocerebrosidase mutations p.L444P and p.N370S are not associated with multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration in Polish patients Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the editorsDOI 10.1007/s00415-009-5363-4Authors Zygmunt Jamrozik, Medical University of Warsaw Department of Neurology Warsaw PolandAgnieszka Lugowska, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology Department of Genetics Warsaw PolandJaroslaw Slawek, Medical University Department of Neurological-Psychiatric Nursing Gdansk PolandHubert Kwiecinski, Medical University of Warsaw…
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    Journal of Neuroscience

  • This Week in The Journal

    4 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am

  • Deciphering the Interaction of the Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and Serotonin Brain Systems in Anxiety-Related Disorders

    Homberg, J. R., Contet, C.
    4 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am

  • Phosphorylation of Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin Proteins by LRRK2 Promotes the Rearrangement of Actin Cytoskeleton in Neuronal Morphogenesis

    Parisiadou, L., Xie, C., Cho, H. J., Lin, X., Gu, X.-L., Long, C.-X., Lobbestael, E., Baekelandt, V., Taymans, J.-M., Sun, L., Cai, H.
    4 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am
    Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) functions as a putative protein kinase of ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM) family proteins. A Parkinson's disease-related G2019S substitution in the kinase domain of LRRK2 further enhances the phosphorylation of ERM proteins. The phosphorylated ERM (pERM) proteins are restricted to the filopodia of growing neurites in which they tether filamentous actin (F-actin) to the cytoplasmic membrane and regulate the dynamics of filopodia protrusion. Here, we show that, in cultured neurons derived from LRRK2 G2019S transgenic mice, the number of pERM-positive and…

  • Brain Gray Matter Decrease in Chronic Pain Is the Consequence and Not the Cause of Pain

    Rodriguez-Raecke, R., Niemeier, A., Ihle, K., Ruether, W., May, A.
    4 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am
    Recently, local morphologic alterations of the brain in areas ascribable to the transmission of pain were reported in patients suffering from chronic pain. Although some authors discussed these findings as damage or loss of brain gray matter, one of the key questions is whether these structural alterations in the cerebral pain-transmitting network precede or succeed the chronicity of pain. We investigated 32 patients with chronic pain due to primary hip osteoarthritis and found a characteristic gray matter decrease in patients compared with controls in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC),…

  • Transgenic Expression of Glud1 (Glutamate Dehydrogenase 1) in Neurons: In Vivo Model of Enhanced Glutamate Release, Altered Synaptic Plasticity, and Selective Neuronal Vulnerability

    Bao, X., Pal, R., Hascup, K. N., Wang, Y., Wang, W.-T., Xu, W., Hui, D., Agbas, A., Wang, X., Michaelis, M. L., Choi, I.-Y., Belousov, A. B., Gerhardt, G. A., Michaelis, E. K.
    4 Nov 2009 | 10:02 am
    The effects of lifelong, moderate excess release of glutamate (Glu) in the CNS have not been previously characterized. We created a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of lifelong excess synaptic Glu release in the CNS by introducing the gene for glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1) under the control of the neuron-specific enolase promoter. Glud1 is, potentially, an important enzyme in the pathway of Glu synthesis in nerve terminals. Increased levels of GLUD protein and activity in CNS neurons of hemizygous Tg mice were associated with increases in the in vivo release of Glu after neuronal…
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    Neurology Product Guide

  • Claron Technology announces the release of Withinsight Framework platform

    Jim Marino
    4 Nov 2009 | 6:35 am
    Claron Technology Inc. has announced the general availability of its Withinsight Framework platform. Withinsight Framework (or “WIF”) is a collection of software components that enables efficient and rapid development of medical vision and visualization solutions, especially ones that process large image volumes. The solutions are very diverse, spanning the range from on-scanner real-time processing, through analysis visualization, to therapy guidance. The data being processed includes CT, MRI and ultrasound images.

  • Covidien Launches of Mallinckrodt TaperGuard Line of Endotracheal Tubes

    Jim Marino
    28 Oct 2009 | 6:12 am
    Covidien has launched Mallinckrodt TaperGuard and TaperGuard Evac endotracheal tubes. The TaperGuard line of endotracheal tubes incorporates a taper-shaped cuff made from polyvinylchloride. The TaperGuard Evac endotracheal tube additionally provides for secretion drainage through an integrated suction lumen. As a result, the TaperGuard Evac endotracheal tube is associated with a reduction in ventilator-associated pneumonia. Microaspiration refers to the entry of foreign material into the respiratory tract.

  • FDA panel votes in favor of Acorda MS drug

    Jim Marino
    21 Oct 2009 | 8:18 am
    An FDA panel voted 12 to 1 that Acoherapeutics Inc’s Phase III trials provided substantial evidence that fampridine sustained-release was effective in improving the walking ability in patients with multiple sclerosis. The FDA’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee also voted 10 to 2, that there are conditions under which fampridine SR could be safely used as a therapy to improve walking in patients with MS.

  • Study shows vorinostat reduces occurrence of metastatic tumors

    Jim Marino
    13 Oct 2009 | 11:54 pm
    The new lab testing of the drug vorinostat indicated that the medication is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and reduce the occurrence of metastatic tumors in mice. The study, published in the September 29 online issue of Clinical Cancer Research, demonstrated that vorinostat reduced the development of large metastatic tumors in mice by 62% as compared a group of mice that did not receive the drug. Although vorinostat has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, it has only been used experimentally as a treatment for other cancers.

  • Test can help in gauging response to antidepressants

    Jim Marino
    6 Oct 2009 | 7:48 pm
    An experimental test, which involves placing of six electrodes around the forehead and on the earlobes, can accurately predict within a week whether a particular antidepressant will be effective by using brain-wave patterns on an EEG. The lead author of the study and professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, Dr. Andrew Leuchter, said that until now there had been no reliable method for predicting whether a medication would lead to a good response or remission. The test can be performed in 10 to 15 minutes in any office setting.
 
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    The Neurocritic

  • A New Outlook

    6 Nov 2009 | 2:39 am
    "A New Outlook" is a multimedia installation by Bree Yenalavitch at......Project Room G3, an artist run project space found by Sojung Kwon started April 2009, that focuses on work which has a performative, temporal, and non-classical aesthetic. It is located at Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro [in Southern California].Bree Yenalavitch is a Los Angeles area artist working in multimedia. She received her BA from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2002 and MFA from Otis College of Art and Design in 2006. Her recent online project can be viewed at www.thebree.tv, where she…

  • Everything in its Right Place

    6 Nov 2009 | 1:50 am
    Sarah SzeThings Fall Apart2001"010101: Art in Technological Times"Sarah Sze is a contemporary visual artist (and winner of a MacArthur Fellowship in 2003) who creates unique, site-specific sculptures and installations which make use of ordinary technological and scientific objects.Sarah SzeEverything in its Right PlaceEven the details in Sarah Sze’s sculptures have details. All her installations are extraordinarily ambitious and are constructed with fastidious precision, consequently, her output is relatively small compared with many other artists. Everything in its Right Place, 2002–03,…

  • Werewolves of London, Ontario

    31 Oct 2009 | 7:43 pm
    An American Werewolf in LondonIn the last post, we learned about the Psychopharmacology of Lycanthropy (and "endogenous lycanthropogens") from the April 1, 1992 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (Davis et al., 1992). In a more serious review on clinical lycanthropy in the British Journal of Psychiatry Coll, O'Sullivan, and Browne (1985; PDF) began by stating:Lycanthropy is the delusion in which an individual believes he has been transformed into an animal, traditionally a wolf. Descriptions of this syndrome are found in the earliest medical writings such as those of the Greek…

  • Psychopharmacology of Lycanthropy

    31 Oct 2009 | 3:07 am
    Fig. 5 (Davis et al., 1992): Drawing from an original photograph by Kirschbaum of one of his subjects undergoing transmogrification after experimental exposure to amplified illumination at lunar wavelengths.VERY ORIGINAL RESEARCH * RECHERCHES EXTRAORDINAIRESFrom the Orphan Drug Research Institute (an affiliate of Yoknapatawpha University), 666 Rowanoak Circle, Jefferson, Miss. This is the first report from the institute's Orphan Drug Development Program.Objective: To develop pharmacotherapies for the orphan disease lycanthropy through the pursuit of the etiologic hypothesis of a genetically…

  • The Electroencephalographer's Couch

    30 Oct 2009 | 2:29 am
    BRAIN WAVE SOFA, by lucas maassen The Brain Wave Sofa is a representation of a 3 second wave of Alpha brain activity captured with a 3d EEG.It shows the 3 seconds when the eyes closed.From the 3d-EEG the file got directly milled in faom by a 3d milling machine and then upholstred in felt by hand.in cooperation with Dries Verbruggen (Unfold)Close your eyes and relax...However, information aesthetics was a bit wrong when they said the purpose of alpha waves (in the EEG frequency band of 8-12 Hz) is only "to prepare the brain for the large input of signals when one opens the eyes. According to…
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    Sports Are 80 Percent Mental

  • Sports Science Weekly Gym Bag - 10-28-09

    28 Oct 2009 | 9:25 pm
    Welcome to a World Series edition of the Weekly Sports Science Gym Bag, a collection of some of the best stuff I've found in the last week.  A few more baseball stories are included, while you watch the Yankees lose in 6 games! The Overmanager: Why the New York Yankees' Joe Girardi is too smart for his own good To play in the NFL, you have to make a show of going to college. To play in the NBA, you have to get through high school. To sign a contract with a major league baseball team, all you have to do is convince someone you're 16, provided you weren't born in a country with…

  • Running To The Right Beat

    21 Oct 2009 | 8:29 pm
    With the Fall marathon season in full swing, thousands of runners are gearing up for the big day.  Just as important as their broken-in shoes and heart rate monitor is their source of motivation, inspiration and distraction: their tunes. Running with music has become so common that the two biggest names in both industries, Nike and Apple, have been joined at the hip with the Nike + iPod combination. So, what is it about music and running, or any exercise, that feels so right? Several recent studies try to chase down the connection between our ears and our feet. For the last 20 years,…

  • Sports Science Weekly Gym Bag - 10-7-09

    7 Oct 2009 | 7:56 am
    Time for another edition of the Sports Science Weekly Gym Bag. (Yes, a Wisconsin Badger football gym bag this week...they're 5-0!) If you ever run across something that you would like to share, just add it to the comments below! Marathon Runners Mull the ‘D Word’ This is the time of year, after marathoners have logged their longest miles, that any kind of pain, nagging or excruciating, can send runners into a panic about whether they will make it to the starting line. Or if they should even try... Faster tunes make you bike faster, even if it hurts a bit more Researchers have been…

  • I Run, Therefore I Drink?

    2 Oct 2009 | 1:44 pm
    Here’s a question for your buddies at the next golf outing or bowling league night: Are we more active because we drink more or do we drink more because we’re more active? Recent research showed that there is a correlation between the two, but could not offer a solid reason. Either way, another study claims the combination of moderate alcohol use and exercise will help our hearts more than just choosing one over the other. Michael French, a health economics professor at the University of Miami, and his colleagues dug into data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a…

  • Sports Science Weekly Gym Bag - 9-28-09

    28 Sep 2009 | 8:39 pm
    Here's a new feature of Sports Are 80 Percent Mental: A weekly round-up of some of the best blog posts, articles and other interesting stuff that I've found on sports science and fitness research. If you find anything else, please just add it as a comment to this post!  Aging Muscles: 'Hard To Build, Easy To Lose' Have you ever noticed that people have thinner arms and legs as they get older? As we age it becomes harder to keep our muscles healthy. They get smaller, which decreases strength and increases the likelihood of falls and fractures. New research is showing how this happens —…
 
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    The Brain Understanding Itself

  • What is The Listening Program?

    Alex Doman
    26 Oct 2009 | 5:21 pm
    I just wanted to share a new video released today called What is The Listening Program®? It includes interviews with professionals and others that have used this music listening therapy to improve their lives.  If you have 15 minutes please take a look and let me know what you think! Video Link Posted in auditory processing disorder, auditory system, autism, music, The Listening Program Tagged: music listening therapy, music video, The Listening Program, the listening program reviews

  • Music and the Brain: A Symposium with Integrated Live Performances

    Alex Doman
    24 Sep 2009 | 11:35 am
    On October 30th the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute is presenting Music and the Brain: A Symposium with Integrated Live Performances in collaboration with Lincoln Center in New York, NY. Neuroscience and music is an area that is finally beginning to get the attention it deserves. This symposium focuses on the relationship between music and the nervous system. It is aimed at educating physicians about this novel and unique field of “neuromusic” which studies the effect of music on the normal and abnormal physiology of the nervous system, treats certain neurological…

  • Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of The Listening Program® with Bone Conduction on Children with SPD

    Alex Doman
    17 Sep 2009 | 10:09 am
    6 children who present with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and auditory processing concerns with ages ranging from 3 yrs 11 mo. to 8 yrs. 7 mo. 4 of whom were receiving therapy services participated in the study.  Results from standardized testing demonstrated a significant improvement in all children who completed the program, compared to just therapy alone. This demonstrated that The Listening Program® with bone conduction is effective in helping increase functional skills and outcomes in children who present with sensory integration and auditory processing concerns along with skilled…

  • Musical Training Helps You Hear Speech In Noise

    Alex Doman
    31 Aug 2009 | 3:13 pm
    Researchers at Northwestern University have revealed that music training may in fact help you listen in noisy environments. Thirty-one study participants, with normal hearing and a mean age of 23, were divided into one group with music experience and another without it. They had to listen to sentences presented in increasingly noisy conditions and repeat back what they heard. The study shows that musicians — trained to hear sounds embedded in a rich network of melodies and harmonies — are primed to understand speech in a noisy background, say in a restaurant, classroom or plane.

  • The Neuro Revolution

    Alex Doman
    29 Jul 2009 | 11:43 am
    My fascination with the human brain began at an early age mainly because of the seeds planted by my grandfather, the late Robert J. Doman M.D., whom I have written about before. The stories he told and the patients I was fortunate to meet over the years of my youth were gratifying evidence of the brain’s ability to rewire itself, long before the concept of neuroplasticity became something the medical community began to acknowledge. Now ideas that were discarded by critics in the past are beginning to enter the mainstream. Perhaps because of these early influences I continue to be intrigued…
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    Brain Posts

  • Using Brain Imaging to Target Psychotherapy

    5 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am
    A TED talk presented by Christopher deCharms examines the potential for using functional MRI to change brain activity.One exciting potential for fMRI includes guided psychotherapy. The potential exists for using fMRI to identify abnormalities in brain circuits in an individual patient. Specific therapy can then be targeted to address a specific brain circuit. For example, a patient with an anxiety disorder may demonstrate hyperactivity in a brain circuit controlling the fear response. Specific cognitive tasks may be identified that reduce activity in this fear circuit. This then would allow…

  • Treating Depression Improves Obesity Surgery Outcome

    2 Nov 2009 | 8:51 am
    The goal of bariatric surgery is not only to reduce weight but to produce an improvement in the quality of life. A recent study examined some of the factors influencing the quality of life post obesity surgery.The study key design elements included:Sample design: Population-based cohort studyOperation: Roux-en Y gastric bypassN=148 operation, 88 non-operationOutcome measures: LASA, SF-12Followup duration: 4 yearsStatistics: Linear regressionKey findings: Operative subjects had higher followup quality of life Predictors of improvement: percent body weight lost, baseline treatment of…

  • Fitness: Battling the Cruel Effects of Aging

    28 Oct 2009 | 11:51 am
    A recent study from the Cooper Clinic examined the effects of age on cardiovascular fitness. Data was collected from treadmill performance on a group of patients undergoing physical assessment. The authors then modeled the effects of age on cardiovascular fitness. Effects of age on decline in fitness were compared between different weight groups and activity levels.The study found that cardiovascular fitness declines rapidly after age 45 with the slope of decline somewhat greater in men than in women. Graphs modeling the effects of age were plotted by gender, weight and activity level.An…

  • Prenatal Influenza as a Risk Factor for Psychosis

    25 Oct 2009 | 12:28 pm
    One topic that has received limited attention during the H1N1 influenza outbreak is role of prenatal infection on brain development. There has been focus on the risk of maternal death in maternal H1N1 but limited discussion of fetal development issues. Major psychiatric disorders appear to have significant genetic as well as environmental contributions. Viral infections appear to be a potential contributor to risk for psychiatric disorders.The H1N1 virus is a neurotropic virus and appears to cause significant brain inflammation in some cases. Some children with H1N1 have developed…

  • Alternate Day Fasting for Obesity

    22 Oct 2009 | 10:02 am
    The most recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition contains results of a study of a trial of alternate day fasting for weight loss. The authors note the problems with sustained daily calorie restriction. This has led some to propose a alternate day significant calorie reduction approach. On non-fasting days, a typical diet is eaten.The clinical trial in this study was a 10 week trial. It began with a two week lead in with no change in usual diet. Then a four week controlled fasting diet was started. Subjects were given a single 450 calorie meal on fasting days and instructed…
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    Brain Training 101

  • Which ADHD Software Will Work For You?

    Erin
    2 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am
    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a condition affecting 4-7% of school aged children here in the United States. Some common symptoms include: Trouble Paying Attention Impulsive Behavior Easily Distracted Forgetting Things I received a comment from Kathy W. asking my opinion on brain training software and tools aimed at individuals with ADHD. This is a topic I haven’t covered here before, so I decided to outline a few initial programs with descriptions of how they work and in which areas they focus. This post will serve as the beginning of a discussion here at Brain…

  • CogniFit Launches A New Personal Brain Training Coach

    Erin
    22 Oct 2009 | 11:11 pm
    If you haven’t heard of CogniFit yet, get ready. The company was founded by cognitive psychologist, Dr. Shlomo Breznitz and has been producing award winning brain fitness software for ten years. The company is gaining popularity, and several of you have emailed me asking what I thought of its programs. The central brain fitness program, Personal Coach, has just been re-released with technical enhancements designed to provide a more effective training regimen. The company focused on its patented Individualized Training System which uses complex algorithms which allow the program to adapt…

  • Word Wanderer Takes You to Your Threshold

    Erin
    5 Oct 2009 | 12:56 pm
    Do you enjoy word games? There are many to pick from – crossword puzzles, letter jumbles, word searches, etc. Word games are a fun way to pass the time, and many of us play word games regularly as a way to keep the brain sharp. Does doing the daily crossword puzzle really improve your memory? The answer is: not was much as you might think. Word games tend to be stimulating for the brain when you first start doing them. Crossword puzzles, for example, help to improve your vocabulary and challenge your brain to think about language in terms of letter count, abstractions and comparisons. The…

  • Can Brain Training Make You A Better Driver?

    Erin
    29 Sep 2009 | 10:44 am
    If you’ve noticed your driving skills slipping, have been in a recent car accident, or if you’re like me and have trouble seeing well at night, you may benefit from specialized brain training. Whether you’re a novice starting out or a senior at risk of losing the independence that comes with driving, there are certain programs designed to improve your focus, attention and reaction time. One such program is DriveSharp™ by Posit Science®, a leading brain health company which builds scientifically validated, non-invasive programs for improving cognitive performance.

  • Get Inspired By Clicking Your Mouse

    Erin
    18 Sep 2009 | 10:56 am
    Writer’s block? Stuck on a problem you can’t seem to solve? Sometimes all you need to do is remove yourself from the situation for a while. Try shifting your focus to the green field below and move your mouse around. Let your mind relax and drift over the design that appears.   Check out more puzzles and games at Archimedes’ Laboratory. Similar Posts: Ten Places To Train Your Brain For Free How To Boost Your Creativity Stretch Your Mind With Online Games Play The Simon Says Memory Game
 
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    Psychology Headlines Around the World

  • The Role of Parental Control in East Asian and Western Countries

    ScienceDaily
    6 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am
    Source: ScienceDailyRecent studies investigating the question of parental control in the west and in east Asian countries suggest that extreme meddling by parents can have negative effects on their children's psychological development in both of those regions, although the effects may not be uniform.

  • Chronically Depressed? What to Do When Antidepressants Don't Work

    U.S. News and World Report
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am
    Source: U.S. News and World ReportThe range of options includes cognitive behavioral therapy and brain stimulation techniques like ECT.

  • Climate Change: Civil Disobedience "Has a Role to Play," Says Gore

    The Guardian
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am
    Source: The GuardianAl Gore was born to be the most powerful man on Earth, but fell just short of his political destiny. Can the former law-maker now win his place in history as the man who helped save the planet? Perhaps the best way to understand the extraordinary transformation of Al Gore is to study the changing rhetoric of his enemies. A mere nine years ago, back when George Bush was just a cheeky rogue with an adorable line in malapropisms, presidential...

  • Muslim Image Campaigns Suffer After Fort Hood Shootings

    USA Today - U.S. News
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am
    Source: USA Today - U.S. NewsThe tragic shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, allegedly by an Arab-American Army psychiatrist, may deal a severe blow to image campaigns ...

  • In Anxious Times, Getting Help for the Mind as Well as the Body

    International Herald Tribune - Health and Science
    6 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am
    Source: International Herald Tribune - Health and ScienceA new law requires that next year big group plans provide the same level of care for mental health as for medical ones.
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