Brain Neuron Microtubles

Microtubules are major components of the structural skeleton of cells. They exist inside neurons in the human brain and are at the forefront of new research. The recent discovery of quantum vibrations in microtubules inside brain neurons may be related to EEG waves, memory, and consciousness, to name just a few.

Autism

Research on Autism is, fortunately, moving forward by leaps and bounds. New research from University of Toronto and Case Western Reserve University  neuroscientists  has pointed out that the brains of autistic children generate more information when the brain is at rest; 42% increase on average. The study offers a scientific explanation for the most typical characteristic of autism, a tendency to withdraw into one’s own inner world. The excess production of information may explain a child’s detachment from their environment. Published in Frontiers in Neuroinformatics (open access), this study is a follow-up to the authors’ prior finding that brain connections are different in autistic children.

José L. Pérez Velázquez, Roberto F. Galán, Information gain in the brain's resting state: A new perspective on autism, Frontiers in Neuroinformatics, 2013, DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2013.00037 (open access)

 Zhan, Y. et al., Deficient neuron-microglia signaling results in impaired functional brain connectivity and social behavior, Nature Neuroscience, 2014, DOI: 10.1038/nn.3641

Teenage Brain

Many parents are complaining about how difficult it is to get the teenage brain up and going in the mornings. Really? Of course it's difficult. Teenage brains work two hours behind adult time. They get up later because they are biologically programmed to do so. Dr. Paul Kelly, author of Making Minds, says that continuous early starts create ‘teenage zombies’ and that allowing teenagers to begin lessons at 11am has a profound impact on learning. Rousing teenagers from their beds early results in abrupt mood swings, increased irritability, and may contribute to depression, weight gain, and reduced immunity to disease. Advances in brain-function information need to result in practical application--especially where teenagers are concerned.

Arguing and Hormonal Imbalances

Have you ever wondered the reason some people argue? Their tendence to argue can certainly be a stressor for those who interact with them. Hormonal specialist, Dr. Michael Borkin, points out that arguing impacts the stress hormone cortisol (arguing lowers the levels) as well as the lower range of blood sugar (arguing raises the lower levels – as opposed to insulin that impacts higher ranges of blood sugar levels). Some individuals trigger arguments because five minutes of negative interactions results in a six-hour decrease in cortisol levels. They are, in effect, self-medicating and tend to argue at 6am, 3pm, and 9pm. When hormonal imbalances are addressed, arguing tendencies may resolve. That's one reason to deal with hormonal imbalances--for yourself as well as for those around you..

Multilingual Benefits

More and more studies are showing the benefits  of being multilingual, which even seem to impact one's rate of aging. When children are born into multilingual households, they learn all the languages to which they are regularly exposed. Infants can learn three or four languages or more. In the process of learning to speak, there are strong relationships between speech, song and music. Areas of the brain that are primarily concerned with music and language overlap considerably. A person’s native tongue even influences the way in which he or she perceives music. The same succession of notes may sound very different depending on the language the listener learned growing up.   Some suggest that children learn multiple languages more effectively when each parent selects one language in which to communicate with the children (e.g., Dad always speaks English, Mother always speak Russian; Mother always speaks English, Grandmother always speaks Spanish, Father always speaks Italian). This appears to impact both speed of learning and retention.

Exercise - Longer May Not Be Better

How much physical exercise do you really need? You definitely need some every day. How much time do you need to devote to physical exercise every day? Opinions differ. According to Dr. Borkin, studies have shown that physical exercise beyond 42.5 minutes can have a negative response on cortisol levels (cortisol is one of the stress hormones--you need some of it lp you manage stressors effectively; too much cortisol can cause all manner of havoc in the brain and body). Knowing this, Borkin recommends exercise for only 40 minutes at a time. If you want to do more, wait at least 20 minutes before restarting exercise. (Borkin, Michael, PhD. Sabre Sciences, Inc^TM. Lecture, January 2014)

Brain and education

According to Ken Robinson Sir, PhD, in Out of Our Minds, the purpose of education is to:

Develop individual talents and sensibilities
Deepen the student’s understanding of the world
Provide the skills required to earn a living and be economically productive.

 

The challenge now is to transform education systems into something better suited to the real needs of the 21^st century. At the heart of this transformation there has to be a radically different view of human intelligence and of creativity.