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Archive for the ‘neuroscience’ category: Page 596

Feb 23, 2020

Is the polyglot brain different? MIT researchers are trying to find out

Posted by in categories: internet, neuroscience

There are more theories than facts about polyglots. Because internet lists of polyglots identify mainly men, there’s the belief that the male brain is more predisposed to multilingualism. Others believe that polyglots are disproportionately gay and/or left-handed.

These unfounded theories infuriate Ev Fedorenko, a cognitive neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her lab is conducting a study seeking to dispel them and establish a basic understanding of how the polyglot brain works.

Recently, a polyglot named Susanna Zaraysky submitted to a two-hour session of tests inside an fMRI machine. Zaraysky speaks nine languages, most of them the usual suspects — French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian — but also Ladino, the version of Spanish spoken by Jews who were expelled from Spain in the 15th century.

Feb 22, 2020

The Concussion Cure: 3 Proven Methods to Heal Your Brain

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

In his book, Paul Henry Wand, MD, describes a protocol for treating concussions.

By Paul Henry Wand, MD.

Feb 21, 2020

Researchers wake monkeys

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

A small amount of electricity delivered at a specific frequency to a particular point in the brain will snap a monkey out of even deep anesthesia, pointing to a circuit of brain activity key to consciousness and suggesting potential treatments for debilitating brain disorders.

Macaques put under with general anesthetic drugs commonly administered to human surgical patients, propofol and isoflurane, could be revived and alert within two or three seconds of applying low current, according to a study published today in the journal Neuron by a team led by University of Wisconsin–Madison brain researchers.

“For as long as you’re stimulating their brain, their behavior — full eye opening, reaching for objects in their vicinity, vital sign changes, bodily movements and facial movements — and their brain activity is that of a waking state,” says Yuri Saalmann, UW–Madison psychology and neuroscience professor. “Then, within a few seconds of switching off the stimulation, their eyes closed again. The animal is right back into an unconscious state.”

Feb 21, 2020

Your brain waves could predict if an antidepressant will work for you

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

A new study suggests a better way to match patients with depression to a medication.

Feb 21, 2020

Want to Look Inside a Brain? With Transparent Organs, You Can

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience

Using clever chemical wizardry, researchers have made human organs see-through. The dazzling 3D maps could one day lead to organs made in the lab.

Feb 20, 2020

God and your cosmic consciousness in the quantum cloud

Posted by in categories: cryonics, life extension, neuroscience, quantum physics

In my previous post “Cryonics for uploaders: WTF is consciousness?” I didn’t elaborate on the spiritual implications of emerging theories of consciousness and reality. Here’s a unified theory of consciousness, physics, Deity, reincarnation, afterlife, eschatology, and theo/technological resurrection wink

Feb 20, 2020

Scientists Scanned Brains of Bullies and Found Something Grim

Posted by in category: neuroscience

A key exception: The brains of people who exhibited anti-social behavior as teenagers but not as adults showed no such abnormalities. That’s good news for reformed bullies, but bad news for the lifers.

“Most people who exhibit antisocial behaviour primarily do so only in adolescence, likely as a result of navigating socially difficult years, and these individuals do not display structural brain differences,” Carlisi said. “It is also these individuals who are generally capable of reform and go on to become valuable members of society.”

What remains hazy is the question of causation — are the brains of bullies small because they’re bullies, or do they become bullies because of their small brains?

Feb 20, 2020

Musician Plays Her Violin During Brain Surgery

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, media & arts, neuroscience

Doctors wanted to ensure they didn’t compromise parts of the brain necessary for playing the violin, so they asked their musician patient to play for them mid-operation.

Feb 19, 2020

Long-term offenders have different brain structure, study says

Posted by in category: neuroscience

Study found differences compared with those who did not offend or who only transgressed as adolescents.

Feb 18, 2020

Psychedelic drugs may transform mental health care. And big business is ready to profit from the revolution

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, business, neuroscience

Silicon Valley legends. Billionaire financiers. Patent attorneys. They’re all awakening to the massive potential of an industry preparing to emerge from darkness.