Brain-Computer Similarities, 2

Both the brain and computers use software programs, to use that metaphor. Some have said that “software” is a somewhat generic term that describes two major types of computer software: system software providing basic functions of the computer and application software designed to accomplish specific tasks. The brain has system software, if you will, for breathing, and heart beating, and lung expansion and contraction—all of which operate largely subconsciously. It also has application software for learning to read, write, play musical instruments, and a host of other specific functions (many of which are triggered and processed at some level of consciousness). When you do something once, your brain begins to create a software program just in case you want to do that something again. The more you do that something, the stronger the software becomes, until pretty soon that something becomes almost automatic. Choose carefully what you do once—because it’s always easier to do it a second time and a third time. That’s the good news and the bad news. If you choose to build software that consistently gives you positive outcomes, yay! If not, oops . . . you’ve still created software and you'll need to deal with the negative outcomes. More tomorrow.

Brain-Computer Similarities

Since the brain was here long before computers, some might ask if computers can replicate some of the functions of the brain or in any way is like a brain. Although brains are not computers, the two entities (brain and computers) do have some similarities. For example, both need an energy source—and it must be a compatible energy source. A computer typically runs on electricity or solar power. There are several different types of voltages: 110, 120, 130, 220, 230, 240, and so on. A computer must have a transformer to us a voltage that is not compatible with the way in which the computer was built. The brain runs on an energy source, too. It uses electricity (generated by water much as a hydroelectric plant generates electricity), oxygen, chemical interactions, and glucose as energy sources—to name a few. More tomorrow.

Brain as a Computer

When I present brain-function information to young people some of their questions make it quite obvious that they think the human brain is very like a computer. Typically, I quote a comment by Richard Restak MD. It goes like this: “The brain is NOT like a computer… But if the brain is not like a computer, then what is it like? What kind of model can we form in regard to its functioning? I believe there's only one answer to that question, and perhaps it will disturb you: there is no model of the brain, nor will there ever be. That's because the brain, as the constructor of all models, transcends all models. The brain's uniqueness stems from the fact that nowhere in the known universe is there anything even remotely resembling it.” Since the brain was here long before computers (and computers were created by human brains) some might ask if computers can replicate some of the functions of the brain or in any way is like a brain. It turns out that brains and computers do have some similarities. More tomorrow.

Clever Sayings

A friend of mine sent me these sayings:

• “I can’t believe I ate that whole pineapple!” Jack said dolefully.

• “Too bad I lost the toothpaste,” Jill said crestfallen.

• “We don’t have a home-run hitter,” Dan said ruthlessly.

• “That’s the last time I pet a lion,” Anne said offhandedly.

• “Just dig another ditch around the castle,” said Yan remotely.

• “My steering wheel won’t turn,” Sally said straightforwardly.

• “I shouldn’t sleep on railroad tracks,” Ned said beside himself.

Amber-Tinted Lenses and the Heart

Sleep is independently linked with longevity, something I pay attention to. The “blue light” linked with televisions, computers, and smart phones, to name just a few, may be contributing to insomnia and, indirectly, to cardiovascular problems. Lead researcher in a study to evaluation the impact of “blue light,” Dr. Ari Shechter has been quoted as saying: “Insomnia is often characterized by physiologic hyperarousal, which may account for the relationship between poor sleep and cardiovascular risk. Going forward, it will be interesting to examine whether this blue-light blocking approach [using amber-tinted lenses] can be useful for improving cardiovascular outcomes like hypertension in individuals with poor sleep.” Apparently, some smart phones can be adjusted toward warmer amber light at night instead of blue light. I’m checking out that option on my iPhone.

Amber-Tinted Lenses and Sleep

“So what’s the big deal about multitasking?” is a question often voiced when groups of people are discussing brain function. The big deal is that the frontal lobes of the brain are not wired to do two tasks at once. Some studies have suggested that male brains may be able to perform two cognitive tasks simultaneously as long as the tasks primarily utilize different hemispheres. With hemisphere of the female brain however, working wholistically and less independently, likely appear to be multitasking when in fact the brain is actually doing rapidly alternating shifts of attention. As such, accuracy tends to go down and mistakes go up. The effort required by the frontal lobes to attempt multitasking increases brain fatigue, decreases the performance of the brain, and slows efficiency. Even when this information is pointed out to individuals, typical reactions are to poo-poo the information or assert that their lifestyle demands multitasking. 

Brain and Multitasking, 2

“So what’s the big deal about multitasking?” is a question often voiced when groups of people are discussing brain function. The big deal is that the frontal lobes of the brain are not wired to do two tasks at once. Some studies have suggested that male brains may be able to perform two cognitive tasks simultaneously as long as the tasks primarily utilize different hemispheres. With hemisphere of the female brain however, working wholistically and less independently, likely appear to be multitasking when in fact the brain is actually doing rapidly alternating shifts of attention. As such, accuracy tends to go down and mistakes go up. The effort required by the frontal lobes to attempt multitasking increases brain fatigue, decreases the performance of the brain, and slows efficiency. Even when this information is pointed out to individuals, typical reactions are to poo-poo the information or assert that their lifestyle demands multitasking. 

Brain and Multitasking

According to Sandra Bond Chapman PhD, “Without brain health you do not have health.” That underscores the increasing interest in brain health and its overall impact on a person’s life, to say nothing of the proliferation of studies related to brain health. She maintains that cognitive brain health declines because individuals let it decline as they fail to keep their frontal lobes as fit as possible. So what can you do? Stop trying to multitask, for one thing. In her book Make Your Brain Smarter, Chapman wrote (page 27): “Multitasking, a common practice for the populace a large, is definitely robbing us of frontal lobe brainpower and reducing is fitness. It is one of the most toxic things you can do to your brain and its health. Multitasking may be a chief culprit in destroying brain cells. We have all become addicted to technology and multitasking. But it is not a healthy addiction.”

Brain and Happiness

Bottom line: the #1 predictor of happiness is an ability to develop a loving relationship with another human being, loving him or her and being loved in return. “Knowing oneself” is critical here. If you have an Anxious (A) attachment style or an Avoidant (B) attachment style, doing some family-of-origin work can help you identify past trauma(s), giving you an opportunity to grieve and recover—opening yourself up to the possibility of a secure and loving relationship and being willing to take the risk. Even if you have a Secure (C) attachment style, there are times when you may feel insecure. Doing the same kind of investigation and recovery work can enhance your adult attachment relationship. Accessing willpower to help you “imagine” yourself as secure, loving, and loved can help you risk developing a healthy relationship and doing what it takes to enhance and maintain that relationship. 

Brain Scans, 2

Brain Scans on individuals identified as having an Anxious (A) attachment style showed increased activation in brain areas associated with emotional arousal and decreased activation in areas that exercise control over emotional arousal. When asked to stop thinking about the situation, each group used a different strategy. Those with an Anxious (A) attachment style thought about a similar (although different) situation that continued the emotional arousal. Individuals identified as have an Avoidant (B) attachment style thought about something neutral that did not trigger emotional arousal. Individuals with a Secure (C) attachment style focused their thoughts on a happy experience or a time when they were in a “happy place” or environment. Compared with those were secure, the scans also revealed that people who were highly insecure had a smaller hippocampus, similar to that seen in the brains of individuals who experience PTSD from traumatic events. 

Brain Scans

One of the studies reported by Dr. Gillath involved fMRI studies on the brains of individuals as they were asked to “imagine” a variety of situations that increased from neutral to high anxiety. For example, they were asked to imagine five different situations in sequence, to think about one situation for two minutes and then stop thinking about it for two minutes before moving on to the next situation). The situations were:

1. A neutral driving experience
2. A relatively neutral experience with their partner or best friend such as grocery shopping
3. An experience where they argues or fought with their partner
4. An experience of seeing their partner packing preparatory to leaving the relationship
5. An experience where the police came with information that their partner had just been killed

Researchers noted what portions of the brain were activated in each situation.

“Nature” Contributors

Your genetic composition also plays a part in the Adult attachment style you may have developed. For example, in a study of saliva analysis, an Anxiety (A) attachment style was associated with dopamine receptors. You may recall that dopamine is a neurotransmitter that powers pathways in the extroverted brain (as opposed to acetylcholine that powers pathways in the introverted brain). Dopamine is often referred to as the “feel better” brain chemical, involved with addictive behaviors and the Brain Reward System, helping to manage emotions (50% is found in the GI System). An Avoidant (B) attachment style was associated with serotonin receptors. Serotonin is touted as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and nervous system impacting mood and sleep. In the GI system it can impact gastric secretions among other things (90% is found in the GI system).

Three Styles of Adult Attachment, 2

An Avoidant (B) attachment style is characterized by avoiding others and closeness with others. Contributors to an Avoidant attachment style include being raised in a cold or rejecting environment, if not punitive and outright abusive. Due to the emotional pain loaded into the child’s brain, the adult struggles with issues of security, closeness, and trust. They search for safety by “avoiding” close relationships, settling for superficial connections and/or a “friends with benefits” sexual alliance that is basically devoid of deep sharing and commitment. The Secure (C) attachment style is characterized by a tendency to find it easier to develop and maintain close relationships. It is more likely to be achieved by those who grew up in a supportive environment with a responsive parent or parents. In some studies 55%, of respondents indicated that they came from this type of environment. That leaves 45% who reported they did not experience this type of supportive and responsive environment during their growing-up years. Presumably, therefore, they would fall into either the Anxious attachment style or the Avoidant attachment style in adulthood. 

Styles of Adult Attachment

For purposes of this discussion, three main attachment styles can be outlined as:

A - Anxious

B - Avoidant

C - Secure

The style you tend to develop is impacted by Nature: your genetic makeup. It is also impacted by Nurture, the type of parents you received from your parents (Nurture) At first blush this might sound like it is cast in stone but nothing could be further from the truth. Since at least a portion of your style is learned, identifying your primary style at this point in your life gives you the opportunity to take steps to relearn a style that is more beneficial. An Anxious attachment style is characterized about worry and anxiety about your attachment relationships. Contributors to an anxious attachment style (A) includes being parented in an environment of inconsistency, or where your parents exhibited anxiety, or where they tried to force their views on you and you felt pressure to conform (at least outwardly) to their perspectives. 

Adult Attachment and Health

In a TED talk, Dr. Gillath indicated that the way to happiness goes through love. The #1 predictor of happiness is loving someone and being loved in return. This also impacts one’s health and longevity. Without this level of attachment, one’s health can negatively be impacted even more adversely than can occur with smoking, heavy drinking, inactivity, or obesity. Adult attachment can be described as a strong emotional tie that bonds you to another individual. It doesn’t require marriage or living together; it does require reciprocal connection, communication, sense of security, and trust with a minimum of characteristics involving anxiety, worry, and avoidance. In other words, it is a two-way street. One person can love another and not even tell the individual about it. Achieving adult attachment that positively impacts your health and longevity, however, requires ongoing connection to enhance the attachment. More tomorrow.

Brain & Adult Attachment, 3

What happens when individuals develop a “disposable attitude” toward objects in a mobile society? Unfortunately, this seems in many cases to translate to a disposable attitude toward friendships. The brain tends to view them as replaceable, as well. And turning to close adult friendships, including romantic relationships, most individuals in a survey indicated they’d just move on if things got difficult rather than investing time and energy into trying to make this works. According to Dr. Gillath, these types of attitudes can be psychologically unhealthy. He says: “Only deeper high-quality ties provide us with the kind of support we need like love, understanding, and respect. You need these very close ties to feel safe and secure and function properly. If social ties are seen as disposable, you’re less likely to get what you need from your network, which can negatively affect your mental and physical health as well as your longevity.

Brain & Adult Attachment, 2

Researcher and social neuroscientist, Omri Gillath PhD, is associate professor in the Department of Psychology and the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center at the University of Kansas. His work focuses on human pair-bonding, the effects of personality on cognition and behavior, adult attachment, and the way to happiness. Some of his findings are outlined in his book Adult Attachment: A Concise Introduction to Theory and Research. Studies indicate that the more people have moved around the country, the more they tend to have a disposable view of both objects and close social ties. Dr. Gillath was quoted as saying: “We found a correlation between the way you look at objects and perceive your relationships. If you move around a lot, you develop attitudes of disposability toward objects, furniture, books, devices, basically whatever merchandise you have at home, even your car.” More tomorrow.

Brain & Adult Attachment

Many people say they want to be happy. Many also say they want to be in a close relationships, to love someone and to be loved in return. Achieving this, however, can be somewhat elusive, especially in today’s electronic and mobile styles of living. In fact, some say that achieving close adult friendships is becoming even more difficult. The reason? In this modern era, mobility is often required: relocating for school, relocating for work, relocating due to ill or dependent family members, relocating for a better job or just to start over again somewhere else. When people move around a great deal, they tend to develop somewhat of a “disposable” attitude toward objects. New research has found that this disposable attitude may also carry over into the area of friendship, making even close social ties also seem more disposable. More tomorrow.

Brain Defrazzled, 4

What is your track record with celebration frazzlement? I figure ‘a rat race is for rats only,’ and although a family member called me a ‘rat’ for failing to meet expectations, I’m way past any angst. It was just that brain’s opinion and has little or nothing to do with mine. In ‘The world According to Mister Rogers,’ Fred Rogers handed everyone a gift when he calmly reminded children as well as adults: In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers. In fact, there is no answer until you’ve identified and asked the question . . . I asked the questions about what celebrations really mean to me and how I wanted to observe or participate in them. Then I answered those questions—and that has made a difference. In the final analysis, living defrazzled—in a state of defrazzlement—is fabulous. It’s De-Lovely, De-Lightful…

Brain Defrazzled, 3

“Defrazzled? Is that a word?” Of course! It describes a state of being neither weary nor exhausted nor anxious nor distressed. I’ve been using it for several years whether or not it’s listed in any dictionary. And then there’s the word defrazzle. After all, if you can frazzle you can take steps to defrazzle. That’s what I did when I finally got the picture of how to live a healthier Longevity Lifestyle. Defrazzle, Defrazzled, Defrazzlement . . . I could go on. Anyway, these words make me laugh. When I became serious about defrazzling (there’s another one), I bit the bullet with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote: The ancestor of every action is a thought. What were my thoughts? Basically, the critical importance of trying to meet—if not exceed—expectations, including trying to keep everyone happy (which can never happen) whether or not that allowed for my life to stay in balance. I had to de-link from those all-too-predictable expectations. And an ounce of “think-ahead prevention” turned out to be worth 100 pounds of cure after the fact.

Brain Frazzled, 2

There was a time when I, too, lived, breathed, and slept brain frazzled, and it didn’t always have to do with year-end celebrations, either. You can only get out of a trap when you figure out that you’re in one—and take steps to change that. As I learned more about brain function I decided enough was enough. (And avoid texting me to say it’s impossible to get out of the trap. If I could do it—the way I was raised—anyone can!) In a nutshell, the term brain frazzled has everything to do with expectations; yours as well as those of others. It often results from running on the treadmill of life and failing to take time to analyze not only what is really important to you personally but also how you can extract the meaning of a celebration without getting immersed in all the merchandizing, decorating, and partying melodrama. The paradox is that being brain frazzled can occur from following ‘traditions,’ giving little if any thought to whether or not they work for you—if ever they did.

Brain Frazzled

By request ...  The phone rang and the voice asked, “Aren’t you completely brain frazzled?” I chuckled. “If your definition of ‘frazzled’ is a state of being weary or exhausted or anxious or distressed, the answer is no. I definitely am not brain frazzled. “But it’s New Year’s eve!” the voice continued. “So it is, so it is,” I replied. “And your point would be?” A loud sigh by way of response, quickly followed by: “I’m always unmitigatedly frazzled as the year end approaches. It happens annually. I’ve just come to expect it. Nothing I can do about it.” Another large sigh. “Well,” I responded, “if you are expecting frazzled, your brain will bend over backwards to give you frazzled. It can only do what it thinks it can do and apparently you’ve taught it that it can be frazzled.” Now the voice blazed: “I called to get some sympathy and all I’m getting is ‘Brain Talk.’” I chuckled again—couldn’t help it. You have my empathy, but Brain Talk’ has saved my life. Try it. You just might like it. More tomorrow.

Brain Scans, 2

Brain Scans on individuals identified as having an Anxious (A) attachment style showed increased activation in brain areas associated with emotional arousal and decreased activation in areas that exercise control over emotional arousal. When asked to stop thinking about the situation, each group used a different strategy. Those with an Anxious (A) attachment style thought about a similar (although different) situation that continued the emotional arousal. Individuals identified as have an Avoidant (B) attachment style thought about something neutral that did not trigger emotional arousal. Individuals with a Secure (C) attachment style focused their thoughts on a happy experience or a time when they were in a “happy place” or environment. Compared with those were secure, the scans also revealed that people who were highly insecure had a smaller hippocampus, similar to that seen in the brains of individuals who experience PTSD from traumatic events. 

Happy New Year!

It’s actually New Year’s and all through the house,

Excitement is high—of course there’s no mouse!

Just the sound of my brain texting “Old year is past,

Imagine new opportunities vast!”

My stocking once hung from the mantle with care,

Is back on the foot that was formerly bare.

The sun shining brightly has dispelled the fog,

A very good thing as it looked like eggnog!

Another good meal is about to be served,

From left-overs that were carefully preserved.

The reheated dishes from holiday fare,

Account for the wonderful smells in the air.

It’s been a very productive year,

And I’m sure we’ll do even more, no fear.

As life is uncertain with no guarantee,

Please know how I value what you are to me.

Make time to remember, take time to renew,

It’s a brand new page for the you-who-is-you!

So here is my wish for this upcoming year—spend quality time with those you hold dear.