tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13231584211342978092012-01-30T15:00:05.368-08:00Current brain function information that I trust you will find interesting from the perspective of a brain function specialist, researcher, speaker and author.Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.comBlogger1791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-18862319297525134712012-01-30T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-30T15:00:05.401-08:00

Did you know that your consciousness is only aware of some of the things your brain is doing? Using fMRI brain scans, researchers were able to predict people's decisions (e.g., using right or left hand to push a button) seven seconds before the test subjects were aware of making the decision. During those seven seconds, subconscious brain activity was evident in their frontopolar cortex and then

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-43639141728209868152012-01-29T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-29T15:00:06.391-08:00

Did you know the brain tires in a similar way to muscle tissue? When a muscle is fatigued from lack of oxygen, it gives you a signal (e.g., pain, cramps). In order to recover, you must rest. The brain gives you signals when it is fatigued, too, such as: • Inability to concentrate or put thoughts together • Being jumpy, nervous, or irritable • Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep And in

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-44397451213855734752012-01-28T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-28T15:00:04.287-08:00

Did you know that researchers are more optimistic than ever about the potential of the aging brain? Studies of older people who have maintained mental acuity revealed some common characteristics. These individuals tended to be: • Socially connected, with strong ties to relatives, friends and community • Both physically healthy and physically active • Engaged in stimulating or intellectually

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-14650779784591356422012-01-27T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-27T15:00:02.665-08:00

Did you know that a children who read in varying alphabets and characters and who are dyslexic in one language, say Chinese or English, may not be in another, such as Italian? Dyslexia is a condition in which the mind scrambles letters or stumbles over text. It is twice as prevalent in the United States--where it affects about 10 million children--as in Italy, for example, where the written word

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-11071972291632924952012-01-26T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-26T15:00:01.399-08:00

Did you know that your brain is something of an energy hog, using more energy than any other human organ? At any given time your brain is using up to 20% of your body’s total energy haul. About two thirds of the brain's energy budget is used to help the neurons or nerve cells send signals or "fire.” The remaining third of your brain’s energy budget is used for housekeeping or cell-health

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-47714823691522771622012-01-25T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-25T15:00:03.621-08:00

Did you know that eating nuts five or more times a week may reduce your risk of heart attack by 60%? The 1990's California Adventist Health Study found that in addition to reducing the risk of heart attack by up to 60%, eating nuts was one of the four top factors for extending longevity. The beneficial effects were found for males, females, vegetarians, meat-eaters, fatter people, thinner people,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-35990646320722502882012-01-24T15:00:00.002-08:002012-01-24T15:00:05.173-08:00

Do you stimulate your brain on a regular basis? In a new study, researchers at UC Berkeley found a significant association between higher levels of cognitive activity over a lifetime and lower levels of beta-amyloid, a destructive protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's. PET Scans showed that people with no symptoms of Alzheimer’s, who had engaged in cognitively stimulating activities

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-91525452036435670682012-01-23T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-23T15:00:04.790-08:00

Did you know that both intelligence and intuition are heightened as you learn to listen to your own heart? Negative thinking and emotions such as anger and fear (especially when they are maintained over time) can throw the heart out of balance. Positive emotions, on the other hand, tend to increase balance in both the nervous system and the heart. Joy and gratitude help produce harmonious heart

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-22231817851358247652012-01-22T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-22T15:00:03.677-08:00

Studies have thown that being the object of contempt by your partner can be so stressful that it can even interfere with the functioning of your immune system. According to John Gottman, author of "The Mathematics of Divorce", contempt (different from criticism and closely related to disgust) is often used by both males and females to exclude someone from the relationship or community. It can be

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-29806156706167298872012-01-21T15:00:00.001-08:002012-01-21T15:00:02.732-08:00

Some of you may have heard news of a suicide because the young man was reportedly gay. It was a tragedy that could have been avoided. Science indicates that one’s sexual orientation appears to be set before he or she is born, before the person even comes out the chute. Unfortunately, because of the way they were raised, some people find it difficult to accept differences. Worse case scenarios

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-78949968332256707642012-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:00:00.314-08:00

Would you like to be healthier, especially during the flu season? Studies have shown that levels of IgA (one of the body's immune globulins found in large numnbers in the saliva) are boosted when you experience a sense of compassion and caring. Higher IgA levels help you be more resistant to infections. Feeling cared for and loved, and exhibiting that toward others, may play a greater role in

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-4779070040677275422012-01-19T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:00:00.395-08:00

Did you know that two body systems are at work when you are trying to evaluate information and make an important decision, especially if youmust do it in a very short time? There's the conscious "think about it" strategy, and there's the subconscious "my body feels different" strategy in which messages go to your sweat glands or stomach. Many people pay attention to only one system, however. Use

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-15958364382781943452012-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:002012-01-18T03:00:05.858-08:00

Is your brain getting enough sleep? Sleep is vitally important to maintaining a healthy body—especially the immune system (and what affects the immune system affects the brain). Researchers at UCLA have found that loss of sleep, even for a few hours during the night, can prompt a person’s immune system to turn against healthy tissue and organs. The study was based on measurements of levels of

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-15572669636592962802012-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-17T15:00:03.274-08:00

Did you know there's a brain in your heart with its own independent nervous system and at least 40,000 neurons? The brain sends messages to the heart and sometimes the heart obeys them. Sometimes not. Andthe heart sends messages to the brain. The brain appears to understand these messages and sometimes obeys them. Both the heart and the brain appear to have their own distinctive logic and do not

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-84328361887291400052012-01-16T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-16T15:00:02.623-08:00

Someone asked me today if I had a reference for the statement that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to achieve world-class competence. In her book "Music and the Brain," Dr. Barbara Sternberg included estimates that 10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve world-class level of mastery, in music as well as any field of endeavor. So, you want to achieve world-class mastery in some

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-82690857925690152682012-01-15T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-15T15:00:02.404-08:00

Questions have been pouring in about gender differences, a topic I love to discuss! The male brain is often described as more systemizing while the female brain is considered more empathizing. Again, each has its benefits. For example, according to Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, low systemizing and higher empathizing abilities help the female brain with making friends, understanding relationships,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-30866646549389513112012-01-14T22:53:00.000-08:002012-01-14T22:53:00.385-08:00

Someone asked me the other day if it really took less energy to run the male brain. That is what studies have shown because the male brain tends to be more lateralized, meaning one part can be working while another part is idling, so to speak. The female brain, on the other hand, is less lateralized. The resting female brain is as active as the activated male brain. Some researchers think this

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-19564212146789014802012-01-13T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-13T18:08:25.879-08:00

You really think your level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has little to do with your success? Think again! According to studies by Bradberry and Greaves, of the people they studied at work, 90% of high performers are also high in EQ (while only 20% of low performers have high EQ). Workers with high EQs tend to make more money, too. Reportedly, the link between EQ and earnings is so direct that

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-86878316068141942522012-01-12T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-12T15:00:06.086-08:00

Are you sabotaging yourself and your success by the way you talk to yourself? Steven Campbell, author of the book "Making Your Mind Magnificient," believes many people are. Your brain believes what you tell it and your subconscious follows the pictures your words create. If you think something is going to be very difficult to accomplish and tell your brain that, you will make it even harder. He

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-42978328015027492382012-01-11T15:00:00.002-08:002012-01-11T15:00:00.520-08:00

Studies: Both males and females tended to activate portions of the brain that register aspects of empathy when they saw someone in pain whom they liked and regarded as fair. Interestingly enough, studies showed that males found it easier to switch off their empathy for someone with whom they had no vested interest in remaining in a relationship, or who might be competitors of theirs, or who they

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-51234656407985335272012-01-10T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-10T20:47:01.800-08:00

Stress is living. Some types of stressors can be more lethal to the brain than others, however, such as chronic, unmanaged negative stressors. Studies by multiple researchers have found that a good stress-management technique is to develop a good sense of humor. You likely know some people (often those you love to be round) with a dynamite sense of humor. You probably also know some individuals

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-27171842162848962012-01-09T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-09T15:00:03.434-08:00

Studies by The Institute of Heart Math have shown that the connection humans can have with each other is more profound that was originally thought. When you touch another person (e.g., a moment of connection when you shake the hand of a stranger, the hug from a friend or a pat on the back) something amazing happens. The electrical energy from your heart is transmitted to the other person's brain,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-19650167436925292222012-01-08T15:00:00.000-08:002012-01-08T15:00:03.147-08:00

Were you fortunate enough to learn to play a musical instrument at least by the age of nine? (Thank a parent or teacher!) And have you continued to play the instrument throughout the years?(Thank yourself!) If so, you may just have taken a giant step toward reducing the impact of age-related auditory decline. According to researchers at Northwestern University, it becomes increasingly difficult

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-19070565027143494952011-12-30T09:45:00.000-08:002011-12-30T09:45:44.317-08:00

Every neuron in your brain is believed to have at least nine special assistants around the clock. Named Glia cells (Greek for “glue”), they help hold the brain’s neurons together and protect them, making neurotrophic food and helping to discard waste products. However, it appears Glia cells do much more than that. Researchers at Tel Aviv University believe that these Glia cells are central to the

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-75521679111533599302011-12-23T08:57:00.001-08:002011-12-23T08:57:52.978-08:00

U of Virginia studies: psychologists tested 4-year-old children immediately after they had watched nine minutes of SpongeBob SquarePants and found that their executive function (pay attention, solve problems and moderate behavior) had been severely compromised when compared to 4-year-olds who had either watched nine minutes of Caillou, (a slower-paced, realistic public television show) or had

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-33446892277848490462011-12-23T08:56:00.000-08:002011-12-23T08:56:22.365-08:00

Have you ever thought about the impact your brain's rate of aging can make to your country's economics? According to a study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (ILASA), cognitive function of older brains in a given country is a better indication of the impact of aging on that country's economy than age-distribution. Stands to reason. If the population of brains is "

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-17158572923331513162011-12-11T23:25:00.000-08:002011-12-11T23:25:32.856-08:00

Are you left handed? Know someone who is? You might enjoy some of the information in an article that was recently published in the Wall Street Journal. For example: • On average there is no significant difference in IQ between righties and lefties • There is some evidence that lefties are better at divergent thinking, or starting from existing knowledge to develop new concepts, • Lefties have

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-49934288940671628622011-12-05T23:17:00.000-08:002011-12-05T23:19:22.122-08:00

fMRI tudies at the University College of London: The brains of children raised in violent families resemble the brains of soldiers exposed to combat. As adults, children who were abused in childhood tend to exhibit high levels of aggression, anxiety, depression, and other behavioral problems. Exposure to family violence is estimated to impact a significant minority of children (physical abuse

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-49370198090231689172011-11-27T15:15:00.000-08:002011-11-27T15:15:49.164-08:00

Individuals who complain of chronic low back pain may also experience some changes to their brain's activity. A recent study at McGill University associated chronic pain with reduced brain gray matter and impaired cognitive ability. This just might lend some credence to comments by pain sufferers (e.g., when my back hurts I just can't think straight). It certainly might provide impetus for those

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-82411943058477007842011-11-21T19:25:00.000-08:002011-11-25T15:59:50.664-08:00

Several of you have asked where you could find information about the Life Index Map. The Satisfaction with Life Index was created by Adrian G. White, an Analytic Social Psychologist at the University of Leicester. It is an attempt to show life satisfaction in different nations. Wikipedia lists 100 countriesm rankedm along with a copy of the map. Happy Thanksgiving! And choose to be thankful for

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-89895262263457656572011-11-13T18:46:00.001-08:002011-11-13T18:46:22.925-08:00

Yes, it apparently has one. Studies by Ruhr University neuroscientists using mice have shown that the cerebellum contributes to a cognitive map of the environment that is created in the hippocampus. It does this through the integration of multisensory inputs combining external information (such as visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile cues) and inputs generated by self-motion (optic flow,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-78448279188620243432011-11-05T15:58:00.001-07:002011-11-25T16:03:53.562-08:00

Studies by Shelley E. Taylor, et al: Males are more likely to use physical aggression in struggles for power within a hierarchy or to defend territory against external enemies. Females reliably show less physical aggression than males but they display as much or more indirect aggression in the form of gossip, rumor-spreading, and enlisting the cooperation of a third party in undermining an

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-36984360560181458942011-10-30T22:08:00.000-07:002011-10-30T22:08:40.580-07:00

Iain McGilchrist has prepared and filmed a piece about the two cerebral hemispheres. Approximately eleven minutes long and released in October, it provides an informative and cleverly interesting presentation. Check it out. You just might enjoy it! http://www.ted.com/talks/iain_mcgilchrist_the_divided_brain.html

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-42330308278398061072011-10-23T19:53:00.001-07:002011-11-25T16:01:41.867-08:00

Studies at the University of Montreal Centre for Excellence in Pervasive Development Disorders: In the autistic brain, it appears that more brain resources are concentrated in areas associated with visual detection and identification. By comparison, fewer brain resources are concentrated (and regions show less activity) in areas used to plan and control thoughts and actions. Put another way, the

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-77754551431457101002011-10-18T00:18:00.000-07:002011-10-18T00:18:03.575-07:00

People often mention to me that they are afraid of death or are worried about dying. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times by Steve Lopez turned the spotlight on Hedda Bolgar. She recently received an Outstanding Oldest Worker Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. In her speech, she talked about how there’s dignity and purpose in work, and grace in aging. At age 102, this Brentwood

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-18604885168824337732011-10-09T19:32:00.003-07:002011-10-09T19:32:50.893-07:00

Studies by NIMH grantee Rita Valentino PhD: Women are twice as vulnerable as men to many stress-related disorders, such as depression and PTSD. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), which acts as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter, appears to be a key player. Researchers used antibodies and an electron microscope to see how the CRF receptor responds in the brains of male versus female rats —

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-78941966246939941072011-10-02T10:35:00.000-07:002011-10-02T10:35:38.826-07:00

It was painters, not scientists, who first figured out the rules of visual perspective and occlusion. Knowing these rules permitted painters to make pigments on a flat canvas appear like a beautiful landscape, rich in depth. Magicians are just a different type of artist. Instead of using color and form, they manipulate the brain’s attention and cognition. Try viewing a magic show from this

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-27111993827559682832011-09-26T09:17:00.001-07:002011-09-26T09:17:51.700-07:00

Some brains do create them. Mine did. I had one for several years, although I learned quickly it was something I needed to keep private. Little John Deerfoot was the recipient of a great deal of my childhood chatter about life. I was home schooled (alone) for K - Grade Five. No surprise, my imaginary First Nation child was very helpful in that one-person school. One of these days I'll write a

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-37814240624905218512011-09-18T22:39:00.001-07:002011-09-18T22:39:07.227-07:00

I was pleased to read this article and notice that someone is at least talking about a different way of helping the brain to learn information. Schools traditionally emphasis top-down education at the expense of bottom-up strategies (or perceptual learning). Now some researchers are saying that if millions of children can develop a trained eye for video combat games and doctored Facebook photos,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-59516375456337041542011-09-13T23:07:00.001-07:002011-09-13T23:07:49.012-07:00

It's always interesting to come across new research that supports hemispheric lateralization or functional localization. Here's one of those pieces. Researchers at MIT used fMRI to analyze a variety of different types of language tasks. Out of the nine regions analyzed (four in the left frontal lobe, including the region known as Broca’s area, and five further back in the left hemisphere). Eight

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-65985245106026250412011-08-30T22:45:00.000-07:002011-08-30T22:45:48.637-07:00

Apparently, Stephen Coles(MD and PhD)is offering an extension course in gerontology through UCLA, beginning September 6th, 2011. If you live within driving distance, you might want to check it out. As some of you may already know, Dr. Coles is a lecturer, UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, and co-founder of the Los Angeles Gerontology Research Group. How I wish I could attend! http://

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-88665226423693510822011-08-23T22:33:00.001-07:002011-08-23T22:33:35.885-07:00

Healthline.com recently launched a free interactive “Human Brain in 3D” tool that you may be interested in. You can find it at: http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/brain

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-72133810081410652492011-08-18T09:42:00.000-07:002011-08-18T09:42:45.716-07:00

Studies by neuroscientists at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory: Adult humans can retain only about four items “in mind” at a time. Using monkeys as subjects, researchers recorded simultaneously from neurons in two brain areas related to encoding visual perceptions (the parietal cortex) and holding them in mind (the prefrontal cortex. Results showed that the monkeys (and supposedly

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-70691652562748736032011-08-11T18:26:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:49:19.857-07:00

Several have written asking about the "gorilla" research by Simons and Chabris, especially the now famous video. Here is the address so you can experience "the experience" yourself. Copy and paste into your browser. Yes, humans are not nearly as attentive as many think they are . . . Can you trust your memory?

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-16351413741194508942011-08-07T23:33:00.000-07:002011-08-07T23:33:49.488-07:00

You may find this clip interesting: about apes from Emery University http://youtu.be/F_f6-_zM1QI?hd=1 Copy, paste, and enjoy.

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-45003610000146793242011-07-30T10:15:00.001-07:002011-07-30T10:15:25.089-07:00

Studies by researchers at the Technical University of Berlin (as reported in the Journal of Neural Engineering): Research using a driving simulator indicating that the driver's intention to perform emergency braking can be detected based on muscle activation and cerebral activity prior to any actual behavioral response. Electrical signals from the brain were detected 130 milliseconds before

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-14722417736476893392011-07-22T18:06:00.000-07:002011-07-22T18:06:41.944-07:00

EEG studies (11 subjects) at University of Wisconsin: The subjects who practiced meditation over a five-week period were found to have increased activity in the left frontal region of the brain. (Fascinating, since meditation is usually associated--or at least has been--with activity in the right frontal activity.) Earlier research has found that this pattern of brain activity is associated with

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-17837427918712913442011-07-17T09:35:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:44:22.154-07:00

UCLA studies: using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a relatively new imaging mode that provides insights into the structural connectivity of the brain, researchers found differences between the brain of people who meditate and controls. The subjects reported a variety of styles of meditation. Meditation appears to be a powerful mental exercise with the potential to change the physical structure

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-1676101304061554312011-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:44:22.162-07:00

Studies by Adrian Raine, University of Pennsylvania, suggest a connection between reduced amygdala function at age three and possible later criminal activity. As an aside:Adult psychopaths appear to have an 18% reduction of the volume of the amygdala compared with non-psychopaths. The orbital frontal cortex tends to be associated with being antisocial when its volume is smaller; as a group, men

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-67948568834110686212011-07-03T08:18:00.001-07:002011-07-03T08:18:51.346-07:00

fMRI studies at Yale University have pointed to a connection between breast feeding and bonding between mother and child. This, in turn, may have implications for increased maternal sensitivity as infants enter their social world. Brain imaging of breastfeeding mothers showed there was greater activations in the superior frontal gyrus, insula, precuneus, striatum, and amygdala while the women

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-26740059239001803522011-06-26T18:16:00.000-07:002011-06-26T18:17:47.555-07:00

Ever wonder how the Oracle in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi communicated? Ventriloquism. Ever wonder how faith healers, psychics, mediums, or charlatans appear to defy the laws of nature? Illusion. At least that's the perspective of neuroscientists at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. According to Drs. Macknik and Martinez-Conde, "Magic tricks work because humans have a

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-22047462901768535782011-06-20T10:13:00.001-07:002011-06-20T10:13:22.477-07:00

Researchers recently looked at the association between psychological well-being—specifically, emotional vitality and optimism—on Coronary Heart Disease in middle-aged men and women. The participants were 7,942 British civil servants in the Whitehall II study measured at baseline and five years later. Emotional vitality was defined as active engagement with the world, effective emotional

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-70272727640603505282011-06-15T22:04:00.000-07:002011-06-15T22:05:46.458-07:00

How much fat is in your typical daily food intake? Studies at the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence, University of Washington have reported that obesity among people who eat a high-fat diet may involve injury to neurons. Within the first three days of consuming a typical American diet in terms of fat content, rats consumed nearly double their usual daily amount of calories. Both mice and

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-35404844511725984332011-06-05T19:59:00.001-07:002011-06-05T19:59:53.401-07:00

Do you have a teenager in your home? Do you have a close relative who is a teenager? Listen up! You may have heard on a recent NBC report that the average teenager generally gets less than 7.5 hours of sleep per night. It seems like some of us parents got it backwards, giving later bed times to children as they got older. Stanford University researchers have reported a study: teenagers need 1-2

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-91144761197454408562011-06-01T18:23:00.001-07:002011-06-01T18:23:57.059-07:00

As most of you already know, I am extremely careful about what I recommend and rarely endorse anything. Sam, an e-pal of mine just alerted me to free trials reportedly being offered by Lumosity. I first heard about this web-based program from a friend of mine at Florida Hospital Waterman. Marilyn was using it and thought I might be interested in it, too. I checked it out and signed up for

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-71932007889830227682011-05-23T19:44:00.000-07:002011-05-23T19:53:57.215-07:00

According to a BBC documentary, the brains of Apple fans react similarly to the brain's of religious people. Now if that isn't something of an oxymoron! Neuroscientists say Apple's gadgets can trigger areas of the brain associated with religion. When a team of neuroscientists with an MRI scanner took a look inside the brain of an Apple fanatic, the results suggested that Apple was actually

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-90960681250948713982011-05-15T18:21:00.000-07:002011-05-15T18:22:46.203-07:00

Is there really a relationship between a fat tummy and a shriveled brain? Studies at New York University School of Medicine suggest just that! Antonio Convit used MRI technology to compare the brains of 44 obese individuals with those of 19 lean people of similar age and background. He found significant brain changes in the obese individuals. And Eric Stice at Oregon Research Institute found that

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-62018317246661098602011-05-08T12:08:00.001-07:002011-05-08T12:08:32.978-07:00

Some people on this planet will spend at least part of today with their own mother. For others, this will be impossible for any number of reasons and they may think about her by pulling up a picture in the mind's eye or actually looking at a photograph. Recent studies have shown how the human "eye" can outperform a "camera" in some aspects (although the mechanism of research is so complex it is a

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-67560733033333554402011-05-08T11:40:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:44:22.173-07:00

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-1236158219525543312011-05-01T13:50:00.000-07:002011-05-01T13:56:23.934-07:00

University of California, San Diego, Studies: Researchers report they have discovered precisely timed electrical oscillations in neuronal “grid cells.” Located in the brain near the hippocampus, these grid cells allow you to navigate through your physical environment by maintaining an internal hexagonal representation. Much like a CPS, the brain’s navigation system for the external world requires

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-21200410830233410542011-04-24T22:18:00.000-07:002011-04-24T22:22:51.025-07:00

Studies at the University of Kansas Medical Center of amateur musicians and cognition: studying a musical instrument, which requires years of practice and learning, may create alternate connections in the brain that could compensate for cognitive decline as people age. According to the researchers, results suggest a “strong predictive effect of high musical activity throughout the lifespan on

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-11312831658238483182011-04-18T18:37:00.000-07:002011-04-18T18:39:47.679-07:00

Brain map? It appears so! The Allen Institute for Brain Science has released the world’s first anatomically and genomically comprehensive human brain map, a previously unthinkable feat made possible through leading-edge technology and more than four years of rigorous studies and documentation(according to their press release).The Allen Human Brain Atlas is free and available to scientists,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-14492254764517700812011-04-15T08:57:00.000-07:002011-04-15T09:23:37.515-07:00

I'm laughing aloud as I write this. Last night I received an e-mail that read, "From a brain function perspective, what do you think of Sugar Ray getting voted off Dancing with the Stars? He didn't win!" Immediately I thought "that would depend upon the person's perspective of what it meana to win." Think about it. For decades Sugar Ray's neuronal circuits were honed to keep his head down, hunch

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-21294528046791792212011-04-11T15:55:00.000-07:002011-04-11T15:56:10.526-07:00

Have you ever wondered how the brains of conservative politicians differ from the brains of those who are more liberal? The recent feuding between a Democratic President and a Republican-controlled House might trigger such a though. Turns out that a recent study has uncovered the proverbial tip of an iceberg. Studies at the University College London have linked personality traits with specific

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-35868363644512855092011-04-08T09:09:00.001-07:002011-04-08T20:16:28.734-07:00

This is a question I was asked recently. Thinking about that question was the impetus for a new article. Here's the link:ARTICLE

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-49700755501265394742011-04-08T07:38:00.001-07:002011-08-14T21:44:22.309-07:00

Many of you have written to ask for the link to my latest article entitled "Do You LIKE Growing Older?" Here it is and feel free to share: http://www.arlenetaylor.org/taylors-articles/1870-like-growing-older

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-2153095525152954372011-04-03T22:11:00.000-07:002011-04-03T22:18:41.215-07:00

Authors Friedman and Martin have recently released a book entitled "The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study." The contents of this book upends some of the advice that, up until now, has comprised the accepted recipe for how to live to a healthy old age. The authors expose what really impacts a person's lifespan (e.g., friends,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-1570914263825839702011-03-28T07:56:00.000-07:002011-03-28T08:03:56.929-07:00

MRI studies have shown that distinct regions of the brain are used to process different types of sentences in different languages. For examples, sentences in which word order determined the relationships between the sentence elements (e.g., English language with sentences such as "Sally greets Bob") utilized parts of the frontal cortex that give humans the ability to put information into

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-12304081767767350832011-03-19T11:11:00.000-07:002011-03-19T11:16:34.296-07:00

We all "train our own brain" at some level every time we develop a habit. Now Psychologist Anna Rose Childress, Jeremy Magland, and their colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania have used a combination of brain-scanning and feedback techniques to train subjects to move a cursor up and down with their thoughts. The subjects could perform this task after just five minutes of training. Earlier

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-41478133188795435732011-03-04T07:56:00.000-08:002011-03-04T08:11:55.670-08:00

Dr.Malerba is board certified in Homeotherapeutics, a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York Medical College, a visiting lecturer at Albany Medical College, and past president of the New York State Homeopathic Medical Society. The title of a recent article: "Is modern medicine more science or religion?" If you enjoy viewing more than one side of a coin, you may find his perceptions

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-60253914737940774302011-02-21T22:59:00.001-08:002011-02-21T22:59:48.997-08:00

Have you been following "Watson" on Jeopardy? It appears this computer is performing at the level of some of the best Jeopardy players. Ray Kurzweil, you may recall, predicted that a computer would defeat the world chess champion by 1998. Indeed, Deep Blue defeated Gary Kasparov in 1997. You may find Kurzweil's blog on Watson interesting reading. (http://www.kurzweilai.net/

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-63472025389837304162011-02-19T09:20:00.001-08:002011-02-19T09:20:47.227-08:00

Studies have shown that the gender assigned to a noun, in that language that assigns gender to nouns, can influence the way in which individuals perceive and describe the object. For example: “Key” is masculine in German but feminine in Spanish. When describing a key, German speakers typically used words such as hard, heavy, metal, serrated, and useful; Spanish speakers were more likely to use

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-25757395092589327042011-02-08T08:36:00.000-08:002011-02-08T08:43:48.027-08:00

Do you know anyone whose brain is challenged with PD? Parkinson’s cases now known to have genetic origins are shedding light on the cellular mechanisms of all the rest, bringing researchers closer to a cause—and perhaps a cure. This is not only interesting but also exciting! Study results have shown some compelling evidence suggesting that loss-of-function mutations rendering three genes (parkin,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-19502672318641539512011-02-04T20:21:00.000-08:002011-02-04T20:30:05.653-08:00

Now that e-readers such as amazon.com's "Kindle" are proliferating, studies about their benefits are beginning to surface. For example, Kindle was shown to be motivational for "less-enthusiastic" readers. That's one reason we have elected to upload the Aimi books to Kindle. Not only are the Aimi books designed to help children absorb helpful information about brain function, but also to motivate

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-13395111467576949892011-01-29T11:38:00.000-08:002011-01-29T12:01:59.384-08:00

Doing well, I hope. Connected highways of nerve cells carry information to and from different areas of the brain and the rest of the nervous system. Scientists at Scripps Researchy Institute are trying to draw a complete atlas of these connections (connectome) to gain a better understanding of how the brain functions in health and disease. Multiple studies have shown that brain activity helps new

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-47685318962260560662011-01-20T16:25:00.000-08:002011-01-20T16:29:34.482-08:00

Studies have shown that the more you read, the more you know, and the smarter you grow. Not only that, the more diplomas you earn the more likely you are to earn more money in a lifetime, and even your children’s grades tend to be higher in school. Did you know that you get more out of what you read when you read aloud? Reading aloud also reinforces speaking abilities stored in your brain. Do you

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-39928423346968190752011-01-11T21:28:00.000-08:002011-01-11T21:37:02.871-08:00

This may be promising! Chemist Thomas Kodadek of The Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida, along with colleagues, may have figured out a way to use peptide molecules in human blood (that stimulate the Immune System to create antibodies)to identify, and perhaps even predict, the presence of Alzheimer's disease. In six people with Alzheimer's disease, the researchers (using 15,000

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-74288601648144089422011-01-03T12:20:00.000-08:002011-01-11T21:20:02.638-08:00

A new MRI study has shown that the volume of the amygdalae (two tiny organs located in the Brain's limbic area) correlated positively with the size and complexity of social networks in adult humans. The findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, are similar to previous findings in other primate species. This link between amygdala size and social network size and complexity was observed for both

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-63981965417141815302010-12-29T22:02:00.000-08:002010-12-29T22:03:40.867-08:00

According to new research done at Duke University, neurons in the brain predict and edit what you see before you see it. And the brain's visual circuits perform "error correction" on the fly. The fMRI study results have led to a new picture of human vision (labeled predictive coding) and challenge the currently held model of sight. The study could change the way in which neuroscientists study the

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-71999589447562026192010-12-24T21:53:00.000-08:002010-12-24T21:54:11.839-08:00

Prosopagnosia (sometimes known as face blindness) is a condition that involves an impairment in the ability to recognize faces (e.g., severe difficulty recognizing faces). The ability to recognize other objects may be relatively intact. The term originally referred to a condition following acute damage to the brain. Recently, however, a congenital form of the disorder has been proposed, which may

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-25506459859520929452010-12-24T21:52:00.000-08:002010-12-24T21:53:21.545-08:00

Researchers at the University College London) have identified and reported a rare condition known as phonagnosia. Most people were born with the ability to learn to recognize people by the sound of their voices. But apparently not all! Dr Brad Duchaine, co-author of a case study reported in the online issue of the journal Neuropsychologia, says: "Occasionally, people have experienced problems

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-8204657787431825962010-12-14T21:23:00.000-08:002010-12-14T21:28:18.142-08:00

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that babies under age 2 watch no TV. A recent study, reported in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, has suppported that conclusion: TV watching not only isn't educational, but it seems to stunt babies' development. Nancy Shute reported on this in her article entitled "TV Watching Is Bad for Babies' Brains." The study reported that

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-23337664937085706482010-11-27T22:29:00.001-08:002010-11-27T22:29:20.472-08:00

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers at the University of York and Harvard Medical School: Rest is vitally important for memory and cognitive functions. Your brain is working for you when you're resting during sleep as well as resting while awake. New memories are only really useful if you can connect them to information you already know. This study identified brain

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-38185279233961503852010-11-18T14:57:00.000-08:002010-11-18T15:08:11.163-08:00

A recent article published in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" reports on a study by Dean Mobbs of the Medical Research Council-Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, United Kingdom. A study participant in a brain scanner (fMRI) watched a Brazilian salmon pink tarantula that appeared to be getting close to the participant's foot (the participant was only viewing

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-9001383491775422122010-11-06T14:15:00.000-07:002010-11-06T14:17:09.651-07:00

Landmark research from Medical Research Council Lab of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge UK: Viruses are the number one killer of human beings, responsible for twice as many deaths each year as cancer. Viruses are, however, among the hardest of all diseases to treat. Until now it was thought that antibodies could only reduce infection by attacking viruses outside living b ody cells or by

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-15659951280486242282010-11-01T16:41:00.000-07:002010-11-01T16:46:16.996-07:00

When Dr. William Beecher Scoville cut into Henry Molaison's skull to treat him for epilepsy, he inadvertently created the most important brain-research subject of our time — a man who could no longer remember, who taught us everything we know about memory. Six decades later, another daring researcher (Dr. Jacopo Annese - a neuroanatomist)is cutting into Henry's brain. Another revolution in brain

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-21556985892877689692010-10-24T21:12:00.000-07:002010-10-24T21:16:58.795-07:00

Anecdotal reports for the past several years have strongly suggested that brain aerobic exercises could help to retard the onset of some mental symptoms of aging. Researched confirmation of this has been slow in coming, but bit by bit evidence is mounting. A recent study by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is one of the first to measure both mental performance and

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-827395015599812922010-10-21T12:25:00.000-07:002010-10-21T12:28:15.968-07:00

Study results presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities included mention that people with a history of cancer have a 40 percent greater likelihood of experiencing memory problems that interfere with daily functioning, compared with those who have not had cancer. After all the back-and-forth discussion, it appears that cancer-related memory issues can be

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-73517677734358450822010-10-02T18:20:00.000-07:002010-10-02T18:25:32.923-07:00

Researchers believe they have found direct evidence that AHDH or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a genetic condition. The child of a parent with ADHD is more likely to have the condition than a child of a parent without ADHD. And if one child of a set of identical twins has ADHD, the other twin has a 75% chance of having ADHD. Children with ADHD were more likely to have small DNA

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-58305909737538332452010-09-28T20:46:00.000-07:002010-09-28T20:51:33.287-07:00

Ouch. New studies about football and head injuries are positively frightening. According to a study of three Division I college teams sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (published in the Journal of Athletic Training), college players sustain more total hits to the head in practices than in games. More research: Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, found that a college

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-28620554394752875772010-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:002010-09-12T10:44:49.632-07:00

University of Illinois fMRI study: It appears that walking for 40 minutes three times a week may actually help you to be smarter. Walking at one’s own pace for 40 minutes three times a week was shown to enhance the connectivity of important brain circuits, combat declines in brain function associated with aging, and increase performance on cognitive tasks. The study published in Frontiers in

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-69070687827960932222010-09-05T13:30:00.000-07:002010-09-05T13:35:26.812-07:00

First we hear that your brain is as unique as your fingerprints. Now we hear that much like snowflakes, no two neurons are exactly alike. "But it's not the size or shape that sets one neuron apart from another, it's the way it responds to incoming stimuli." According to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, this diversity is critical to overall brain function and essential in how neurons

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-74999481083242557722010-08-31T07:42:00.000-07:002010-08-31T07:52:03.023-07:00

R. Douglas Fields, PhD, is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neuron Glia Biology and author of "The Other Brain," about glial cells in the brain that do not communicate using electricity but that support neurons. In the Scientific American (May 27, 2010) an

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-40450761986906126172010-08-15T10:24:00.001-07:002010-08-15T10:24:32.691-07:00

Findings just released from the National Institute of Mental Health related to rat studies may help to explain the reason females seem to have increased vulnerability to some conditions. (The rat brain is reportedly quite like the human brain in some respects--don't know that I'm excited about that!--so tends to work well with research studies, the results of which may apply to human brains.)

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-68478650977899678892010-08-09T07:50:00.000-07:002010-08-09T07:55:07.477-07:00

Research University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) of commercial brain fitness program from Posit Science Corporation: practising simple visual tasks can improve the accuracy of short-term, or “working” visual memory. Folowing 10 hours of training, participants improved their perceptual abilities significantly (e.g., increased the accuracy of visual working memory by about 10 %) bringing

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-8604141789123466862010-08-01T12:51:00.000-07:002010-08-01T12:56:55.022-07:00

Neuromarketing is a new field of marketing that uses neuroscience, psychology, and other cognitive science techniques to study consumer responses to marketing stimuli. Some of the responses measured include eye tracking, heart rate, electroencephalography (e.g., EEG, functional magnetic resonance imaging – fMRI, galvonic skin responses). Will you purchase more Campbell's Soup because of this? The

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-45821654589543998452010-07-27T08:56:00.001-07:002010-07-27T08:56:47.882-07:00

Journal of Neuroscience report of rat studies: In the initial stages of sleep, energy levels increase dramatically in brain regions found to be active during waking hours. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of cells, was found to surge during non-REM sleep. This surge of cellular energy may replenish brain processes needed to function normally while awake. Sleep appears to be

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-91179900798742362022010-07-15T22:18:00.000-07:002010-07-15T22:29:56.876-07:00

Several years ago, Aniruddh D. Patel, a 44-year-old senior fellow at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, wrote “Music, Language, and the Brain.” Oliver Sacks described this book as “a major synthesis that will be indispensable to neuroscientists.” Recently, Patel was in New York City and was interviewed. A condensed and edited version of that interview was published in the NY Times: "A

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-23240665302944562022010-07-05T21:26:00.001-07:002010-07-05T21:30:30.745-07:00

On July 4th I took my Canadian Cousins to the Chabot Science Center up in the Berkeley hills. We were able to view the sun through one of the telescopes and actually saw one of the sun spots and some of the bursts of gasses and whatever else shoots out from the surface. We also "heard" the sun singing and my brain found that intriguing. "The Sun is playing a secret melody, hidden inside itself,

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323158421134297809.post-54284701696813475672010-06-27T19:54:00.000-07:002010-06-27T20:03:43.431-07:00

Colin DeYoung and colleagues at the University of Minnesota completed brain-imaging studies on 116 volunteers. They found that the medial orbitofrontal cortex – a part of the brain involved with considering rewards that is just above and behind the eyes – was significantly larger in study subjects who exhibited a lot of extraversion. The study also was able to correlate larger brain regions for a

Arlene R. Taylor PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18278303528975879059noreply@blogger.com4