January 31

Familial Linkage Between Neuropsychiatric Disorders And Intellectual Interests

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Familial Linkage between Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Intellectual Interests
Source:  PLoS ONE
From personality to neuropsychiatric disorders, individual differences in brain function are known to have a strong heritable component. Here we report that between close relatives, a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders covary strongly with intellectual interests. We surveyed an entire class of high-functioning young adults at an elite university for prospective major, familial incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders, and demographic and attitudinal questions. Students aspiring to technical majors (science/mathematics/engineering) were more likely than other students to report a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder (p = 0.037). Conversely, students interested in the humanities were more likely to report a family member with major depressive disorder (p = 8.8×10−4), bipolar disorder (p = 0.027), or substance abuse problems (p = 1.9×10−6). A combined PREdisposition for Subject MattEr (PRESUME) score based on these disorders was strongly predictive of subject matter interests (p = 9.6×10−8). Our results suggest that shared genetic (and perhaps environmental) factors may both predispose for heritable neuropsychiatric disorders and influence the development of intellectual interests.
 
July 15

Is The Internet Bad For Our Brains?

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Is the Internet Bad for Our Brains? The Answer Is Subtle and Complex, But Quite Reassuring

The Nominet Trust is a UK-based charity with the mission to “support initiatives that contribute to a safe and accessible Internet, used to improve lives and communities.” Recently, they published a report entitled, “The Impact of Digital Technologies on Human Wellbeing.” It’s published as a PDF, one that is so well-designed that it’s quite digestible on-screen.Posted on  Scholarly Kitchen by Kent Anderson

Click on the link to open the full-text of the report

August 25

Scitable

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Scitable is a free science library and personal learning tool brought to you by Nature Publishing Group, the world's leading publisher of science. Scitable currently concentrates on genetics, the study of evolution, variation, and the rich complexity of living organisms.

How Does the Eye Work?

In today's episode, Dr. Reza Dana of Harvard Medical School and the Schepens Eye Research Institute talks to Adam about the structures within the human eye that allow us to see. The eye is a fascinatingly complex organ — comprising the cornea, iris, and retina (to name but a few) — that takes in and converts light into electrical impulses and sends them on to the brain via the optic nerve. Much like the internal workings of a camera, proper eye function requires the coordination of many moving parts working in concert. But the eye, and thus our ability to see, is susceptible to a variety of maladies, such as insufficient blood flow, inflammation, and tumors. Dr. Dana and other ophthalmologists work hard to discover treatments for eye maladies that can restore vision to affected eyes. Join Adam as he learns about the principal parts of the eye, as well as what goes wrong when vision becomes impaired or is altogether lost. [05:40]

 

Judging Other People's Intentions

In today's episode, Dr. Liane Young of MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences talks to Adam about the neurological basis for judging another person's actions. Typically, when we observe the actions of an individual, we also discern something about her intentions — that is, her mental state when carrying out these actions. Modern imaging technologies reveal that a certain region of the human brain behind the right ear, the right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ), is highly active when considering the mental states (e.g., thoughts, beliefs, desires) of others and thus diagnosing their intentions. A team of researchers in the Saxe Lab at MIT have designed an experiment wherein the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), when applied to a subject’s RTPJ, can effectively “turn off” the moral judgments made while evaluating the merits of certain actions. When the RTPJ is “turned off” by TMS, actions, such as the failed poisoning of one person by another, are no longer gauged according to intentions; rather, they are based solely on consequences (i.e., if the act of poisoning failed, it isn't judged as immoral.) Join Adam as he learns how the use of TMS can reveal the neurological driving force behind judging motivations. [05:51]

The Evolutionary Roots of the Reading Brain

In today's episode, Dr. Maryanne Wolf of Tufts University's Center for Reading and Language Research talks with Adam about the human brain's ability to read. Although reading is an essential part of our daily lives, it is a relatively new ability that our species developed roughly five thousand years ago. Researchers like Dr. Wolf emphasize that the act of reading is vastly complex, and requires that we engage many different parts of the brain because no single area within the brain is responsible for reading. With the advent of new text display technologies that may distract us from the type of attentional focus required by reading, there are many open-ended questions about how deep-reading processes may be transformed by these technologies. Join Adam as he learns how long it took the human brain to learn how to read strings of letters, as well as the challenges the brain will face in the decades to come. [05:42]

Morals and Gray Matter

In today's episode, Dr. Joshua Greene of the Moral Cognition Lab at Harvard University talks with Adam about morally-based decision-making and the brain. Although matters of morality are often considered abstractly, there are ways to examine the brains of people while they make moral decisions, and to collect data about brain activity in parallel with these decisions. In this way, Dr. Greene asserts that we can better understand which brain circuits drive different types of decisions, especially those involving moral judgment. Join Adam as he learns what's involved in performing research about the science of morality. [05:43]

 

 

February 22

Neuroscience And The Law, Video

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Neuroscience and the law

In this video, hosted by the University of Akron Law School, neuroscientist Hank Greely talks to lawyers and law students about the prediction of behaviour, detecting lies, consciousness, and cognitive enhancement. The talk was delivered as part of a symposium. It is presented in Adobe Flash format and is one hour, five minutes in length. It should be useful for students and teachers.

http://www.uakron.edu/law/video/neuroscience/keynote.dot

February 21

Neurology

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Braintalk communities

These interlinked forums are provided by the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and aim to foster links between patients, caregivers, physicians and researchers. The forums range across many topics related to neurology, such as returning to work. The site should be useful for practitioners, researchers and students. http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/

From Intute.ac.uk

July 06

Neuroscientist On Her Own Stroke

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Jill Boyte's stroke of insight
This video is presented by Jill Boyte and hosted by the Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference website. In it, the neuroscientist considers the effect of a stroke on her own speech, motion, and self-awareness. It is 19 minutes in length and requires the Adobe Flash plug-in. It should be useful for researchers, students and teachers.
From Intute.ac.uk

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insigh

May 23

Mind Hacks, A Neuroscience Blog

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Neuroscience and psychology tricks to find out what's going on inside your brain.  An accompaniment to the book of the same name by Tom Stafford and Matt Webb.

Some of the recent posts:

  • Can't put the thought genie back into the bottle
  • 2009-05-22 Spike activity
  • Hits from the throng
  • On a wing and a prayer
  • Bolt from the blue triggers bizzare hallucinations
  • Tall people have slower nerves, sensory lag
  • I think I'm losing my walnuts
  • Send a signal to table three please
  • Numbers up for dopamine myth

    • http://www.mindhacks.com/

    List of Links which are found in the book

     

    March 05

    The Emerging Mind, 2003 Reith Lectures, By Vilanyanur S. Ramachandran

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    The subject of the 2003 Reith Lectures was The Emerging Mind. Vilanyanur S. Ramachandran, Director of the Centre for Brain and Cognition at the University of California delves into the mysteries of the mind, exploring questions of neuroscience and philosophy.

    http://www.open2.net/reith2003/index.html

    January 08

    Neurolaw And Criminal Justice, An Online Guide

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    Neurolaw and Criminal Justice
    Online guide looking at forensic neuroscience and criminal justice in the United States written by Ken Strutin who is Director of Legal Information Services at the New York State Defenders Association. The guide was published on LLRX.com in December 2008 and provides an introduction to the debate around the use of neuroscience in criminal cases including brain scanning to determine if a person is fit to stand trial. The author provides background to the science and gives links to news sources including blogs, recent publications, research centres, journals and professional bodies. There are extracts from scholarly articles and links to the full text. Topics covered include brain scanning and fingerprinting, neuroimaging and lie detection. LLRX.com (Law Library Resource Xchange) is a free online web journal for legal information professionals. Intute.ac.uk
    http://www.llrx.com/features/neurolaw.htm
    December 20

    101 Fascinating Brain Blogs By Alisa Miller

    Blogs and blogging Neurosychology including neurological disorders Psychiatry Brain Psychology Trackbacks (0)

    Whether you are a specialist in the field of neuropsychology or just love reading about how the human brain works, there are plenty of interesting blogs on the Internet to help you find out more. In order to make it easier to for you to discover great blogs, the following list is categorized for easy browsing. With blogs by psychiatrists, scientists, psychologist, and even those dealing with mental disorders, you will find many thoughtful and thought-provoking blogs to keep your brain stimulated.
    http://oedb.org/library/features/101_fascinating_brain_blogs

    October 04

    Narcolepsy: Fact Sheet. US National Heart,Lung And Blood Institute

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    Facts about narcolepsy
    A fact sheet on narcolepsy, a sleep disorder where sufferers have extreme difficulty staying awake, provided by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It covers causes, diagnosis and treatments, and provides links to other resources. Intute.ac.uk
    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/nar/nar_what.html
    October 04

    Guillain-Barre Syndrome Fact Sheet.NINDS

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    National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke : Guillain-Barre Syndrome fact sheet
    This fact sheet is produced by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and prepared by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison. It explains in detail what Guillain-Barre Syndrome is, the causes of the syndrome, how it is diagnosed, treated and the prognosis for those with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. A postal address and telephone number is provided in order to obtain further information about neurological disorders or research programmes, or the viewer may follow the URL links at the end of the fact sheet. Intute.ac.uk 
    http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm
    April 13

    Neuroethics And Law Blog

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    Neuroethics and Law Blog
    The Neuroethics and Law Blog is described as being an “interdisciplinary forum for legal and ethical issues related to the mind and brain”. The blog is edited by Adam J. Kolber who is a professor of law at the University of San Diego and the site is aimed at bioethicists, legal academics, practitioners, neuroscientists, neurologists, criminologists and others. Posts highlight newly published research, news items and details of conferences and events. Links are given to journal articles, research papers and related websites. Recent posts have looked at research on neurowarfare and the limits of international humanitarian law, the effect of stress on the brain and the results of a survey on cognitive enhancement. There is an archive of post back to July 2007. Intute.ac.uk
    http://kolber.typepad.com/ethics_law_blog/

    April 05

    Neurons: Animated Cellular And Molecular Concepts [Macromedia Flash Player]

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    Neurons: Animated Cellular and Molecular Concepts [Macromedia Flash Player]

    http://icarus.med.utoronto.ca/neurons/index.swf

    Most people might know that neurons are electrically excitable cells in the nervous system that process and transit information. But after that, many more might ask: "How do they work?" or "What kind of actions can they perform?" This website, created by researchers at the University of Toronto, steps in to help answer such difficult questions through interactive presentations and animations. Visitors will find twelve different topical sections here, including "Anatomy of a Neuron", "Axonal Transport", and "Neurotransmitter Release". Each of these sections includes dynamic visualizations, coupled with textual explanations that help users understand what's going on. And for visitors who find themselves having difficulty navigating the site, there is also a "How to Use the Program" primer that's quite nice. Additionally, teachers and others can download selected animations from the site for use in non-commercial purposes. [KMG] Scout Report

    March 08

    Mind Matters - Scientific American Community

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    Mind Matters - Scientific American Community
    http://science-community.sciam.com/blog/Mind-Matters/300000977
    An intriguing blog where "top researchers in neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry explain and discuss their fields." Among the topics: "Your Brain's Spam Filter," "How Stereotypes Affect Performance," "How Babies Know What You're Up To (or Not)," "Attention! How your brain manages its need to heed," "The Neurobiology of Dread," etc.

    From: Neat New Stuff I Found This Week http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html
    Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2008.

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