Many years ago, on another platform, someone said that humans are digestive tracts that eventually evolved nervous systems and brains, and not the other way around.
And that has forever changed how I think about being human.
Here's one of the few more modern articles I found about this Arc gene and how brains work. "Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9405677/
Op-ed: What we know about toxic chemicals and children’s mental health
"Evidence suggests chemical exposures are altering children’s brains. We need to tackle this interconnected crisis. "
".. a growing body of evidence connecting increased exposure to chemicals in the environment, such as lead, PFAS and BPA, to increased child mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression."
"Researchers led by Columbia University's Kristin Baldwin have created mice with hybrid brains -- part mouse, part rat -- that sense the odors of the world with their rat neurons.
It is the first time that an animal has been able to use the sensory apparatus of another to sense and respond accurately to the world and is one indication of how flexible the brain can be in integrating outside brain cells.
"This research is starting to show us how we can expand the flexibility of a brain so that it can accommodate other kinds of inputs, from human-machine interfaces or transplanted stem cells," says Baldwin, professor of genetics and development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons."
'It's no surprise that your dog can learn to sit when you say "sit" and come when called. But a study appearing March 22 in the journal Current Biology has made the unexpected discovery that dogs generally also know that certain words "stand for" certain objects. When dogs hear those words, brain activity recordings suggest they activate a matching mental representation in their minds.'
Fascinating look at the various sciences focused on what happens in the brain at death. A field seemingly near to important breakthroughs that reflect on the nature of consciousness. I fall on the side of seeing consciousness a a capacity of the brain rather than as something that “inhabits" as part of its independent journey.
This study shows that Individual neurons coordinate to produce rhythmic waves that propel fluid through dense brain tissue, aiding the removal of debris from the brain. Understanding the process can help in neurodegenerative diseases.
Since word-finding (and losing words) is front of mind for many people, I would like to draw your attention to the #memoir I wrote with #UCSF#neurologist, Dr. Bruce Miller. It's called Finding The Right Words: A Story of Literature, Grief, and the Brain, and it is about my father's #early-onset #Alzheimer's. #Dr.Miller explains the #neurology behind the manifestations of the #disease that I describe. Loss of words was one of my father's first symptoms.
"This is a fundamental breakdown in the ability [#Trump's] to use language. . . .There is no healthy older person who speaks that way."
Trump also engages in "tangential speech." . . that's a sign of real brain damage, not being old, not being slow, not losing a step, but of severe cognitive deterioration. What I don’t understand is why those clips aren’t replayed over & over in the mainstream media.
Beyond the record waiting lists for #NHS care, there would seem to be 'hidden' waiting lists to get onto waiting lists.... I have certainly experienced this with my wife's #neurology appointments (or lack thereof) and so it comes as little surprise that this problem is widespread.
This is a classic distortion produced by a focus on targets.
The #NHScrisis continues to worsen while NHS staff are pressured into hiding its true extent.
What Your Brain Is Doing When You’re Not Doing Anything
When your mind is wandering, your brain’s “default mode” network is active. Its discovery 20 years ago inspired a raft of research into networks of brain regions and how they interact with each other.
Last night #UCSF was the scene of a joyous celebration in honor of #Dr.BruceMiller's parents, Milton and Harriet Miller. #Music, #art, #poetry, and #science -- especially #neurology -- filled the halls. And lots and lots of love. So honored to be there and to have the #memoir I wrote with Bruce be one of the gifts given to the people who came.