http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/brain/ en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:29:31 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2416403/posts Scientists have discovered how to “read” minds by scanning brain activity and reproducing images of what people are seeing — or even remembering. Researchers have been able to convert into crude video footage the brain activity stimulated by what a person is watching or recalling. The breakthrough raises the prospect of significant benefits, such as allowing people who are unable to move or speak to communicate via visualisation of their thoughts; recording people’s dreams; or allowing police to identify criminals by recalling the memories of a witness. However, it could also herald a new Big Brother era, similar to that... timesonline http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2416403/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:29:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2411752/posts The NFL is partnering with Boston University brain researchers who have been critical of the league's stance on concussions, The Associated Press learned Sunday. The league now plans to encourage current and former NFL players to agree to donate their brains to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which has said it found links between repeated head trauma and brain damage in boxers, football players and, most recently, a former NHL player. "It's huge that the NFL actively gets behind this research," said Robert Cantu, a doctor who is a co-director of the BU center and... Breitbart (AP) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2411752/posts#comment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:23:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405307/posts A WOMAN has called on police to investigate after a needle was found in her 11-year-old daughter's brain and she believes it may have been inserted by someone 10 years ago. The girl had the needle successfully removed in an operation at Chengdu Military General Hospital in Sichuan Province, Chengdu Evening News reported yesterday. The needle had impaired the girl's physical and mental development. She has the intelligence of a child of three years old, according to doctors cited in the report. The mother Yang Xiaohui told the newspaper her daughter often cried and ran a fever, which she had... Shanghai Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405307/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:18:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2396183/posts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2396183/posts#comment Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:06:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2387794/posts NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Children who don't show normal fear responses to loud, unpleasant sounds at the age of 3 may be more likely to commit crimes as adults, according to a new study. Yu Gao and colleagues in the United States and the United Kingdom compared results from a study of almost 1,800 children born in 1969 and 1970 on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius to criminal records of group members 20 years later. At age 3, the children were tested to gauge their level of "fear conditioning," or fear of consequences. The idea is that children... Reuters on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2387794/posts#comment Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:51:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386041/posts "As to why is [the human brain] shrinking, perhaps in big societies, as opposed to hunter-gatherer lifestyles, we can rely on other people for more things, can specialize our behavior to a greater extent, and maybe not need our brains as much(...)" FoxNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386041/posts#comment Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:31:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382598/posts ST. LOUIS -- While too much amyloid beta protein in the brain is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease, not enough of the protein in healthy brains can cause learning problems and forgetfulness, Saint Louis University scientists have found. The finding could lead to better medications to treat Alzheimer's disease, said John Morley, M.D., director of the division of geriatrics at Saint Louis University and the lead researcher on the study. "This research is very exciting because it causes us to look at amyloid beta protein in a different way," Morley said. "After 20 years of research, what we... Eurekalert http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2382598/posts#comment Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:59:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369781/posts As reported by United Kingdom New Sources such as the London Telegraph and UK Daily Express, Extended use of cellular phones could lead to elevated risks of developing cancer according to a 10 year long study. A report overseen by the World Health Organization which surveyed 12,800 people in 13 countries and will be published later this year, has allegedly found that heavy use of cellular phones can contribute to the development of brain cancer. According to the study, those who regularly used mobiles for longer than 10 years were almost 40 percent more likely to develop nervous system tumors... The Woodward Report http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369781/posts#comment Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:12:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367503/posts Using the internet for just a few days alters our brains – and may help improve cognitive function in the elderly, according to new research. Scans of the brains of adults who had been immersed in the internet for the first time found that activity in parts of the brain used in memory and decision-making had increased. Telegraph.co.uk http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367503/posts#comment Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:52:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2366186/posts MONDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Surfing the Internet just might be a way to preserve your mental skills as you age. Researchers found that older adults who started browsing the Web experienced improved brain function after only a few days. "You can teach an old brain new technology tricks," said Dr. Gary Small, a psychiatry professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of iBrain. With people who had little Internet experience, "we found that after just a week of practice, there was a much greater extent... Yahoo News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2366186/posts#comment Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:25:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356066/posts Playing the classic puzzle game Tetris can boost your brain power, according to a new study. The three-month study, by the Mind Research Network, found adolescent girls who played Tetris not only displayed greater brain efficiency, but developed a thicker brain cortex, a sign of increased grey matter. Clinical neuropsychologist Dr Rex Jung said one of the most surprising findings of brain research in the past five years was that juggling game play increased grey matter in the motor areas of the brain. Study co-author Dr Richard Haier said Tetris had proved useful for brain researchers. "Tetris for the brain... FoxNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356066/posts#comment Tue, 6 Oct 2009 18:05:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348599/posts By carefully analyzing brain activity, scientists can tell what number a person has just seen, research now reveals. They can similarly tell how many dots a person was presented with. Past investigations had uncovered brain cells in monkeys that were linked with numbers. Although scientists had found brain regions linked with numerical tasks in humans - the frontal and parietal lobes, to be exact - until now patterns of brain activity linked with specific numbers had proven elusive. Scientists had 10 volunteers watch either numerals or dots on a screen while a part of their brain known as the intraparietal... LiveScience Via Yahoo News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348599/posts#comment Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:41:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348309/posts Scientists at Georgia State University have uncovered the mechanisms of how pain in infancy alters how the brain processes pain in adulthood. Research is now indicating that infants who spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) show altered pain sensitivity in adolescence. These results have profound implications and highlight the need for pre-emptive and post-operative pain medicine for newborn infants. The study, published online in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, sheds light on how the mechanisms of pain are altered after infant injury in a region of the brain called the periaqueductal gray, which is involved in... PhysOrg.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2348309/posts#comment Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:15:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345883/posts The standard explanation for what causes Alzheimer's is known as the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's for more than 100 years. Billions of dollars are spent yearly targeting this toxic peptide — but what if this is the wrong target? What if the disease begins much earlier, fueled by a natural process? Reporting in the current edition of the journal Neurobiology of Aging, UCLA professor of psychiatry George Bartzokis argues... University of California - Los Angeles http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2345883/posts#comment Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:30:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344541/posts WASHINGTON (AP) - More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, says the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness—and it's an ominous forecast as the population grays. The new count is about 10 percent higher than what scientists had predicted just a few years ago, because earlier research underestimated Alzheimer's growing impact in developing countries. Barring a medical breakthrough, the World Alzheimer Report projects dementia will nearly double every 20 years. By 2050, it will affect a staggering 115.4 million people, the report concludes. Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2344541/posts#comment Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:16:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2340681/posts Miami, FL (AHN) - Babies fed formula supplemented with an essential fatty acid found in breast milk have higher cognitive skills than babies fed formula alone, according to a new study. Previous research already showed the cognitive benefits of breastfeeding, but University of Texas researchers and scientists with the Retina Foundation of the Southwest said they have discovered that the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, could be the reason. The scientists studied 229 infants receiving either formula or a combination of formula and DHA. The babies were given the different formulas either shortly after they were born, after six... All Headline News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2340681/posts#comment Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:04:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2333968/posts Unlike any man-made computer, the brain is made of living cells that must constantly change as we acquire new skills and information. It appears that the physical architecture of the brain itself changes in response to our experiences. Such a marvelous design makes it possible for us to grow and adapt to our changing environment... Answers Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2333968/posts#comment Mon, 7 Sep 2009 16:05:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2328236/posts Finding could offer insight into autism and other disorders Related Links: Dr. Ralph Adolphs Pasadena, Calif.—In a finding that sheds new light on the neural mechanisms involved in social behavior, neuroscientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have pinpointed the brain structure responsible for our sense of personal space.The discovery, described in the August 30 issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience, could offer insight into autism and other disorders where social distance is an issue.The structure, the amygdala—a pair of almond-shaped regions located in the medial temporal lobes—was previously known to process strong negative emotions, such as anger and... Caltech Media Relations http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2328236/posts#comment Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:54:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2324183/posts A new study finds obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. Their brains look 16 years older than the brains of lean individuals, researchers said today. Those classified as overweight have 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appear to have aged prematurely by 8 years. The results, based on brain scans of 94 people in their 70s, represent "severe brain degeneration," said Paul Thompson, senior author of the study and a UCLA professor of neurology. "That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of... Live Science-Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2324183/posts#comment Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:45:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2323568/posts > "The huge finding is, the more media people use the worse they are at using any media. We were totally shocked," Clifford Nass, a professor at Stanford's communications department, said in a telephone interview. > Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2323568/posts#comment Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:13:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2316601/posts Seeking. You can't stop doing it. Sometimes it feels as if the basic drives for food, sex, and sleep have been overridden by a new need for endless nuggets of electronic information. We are so insatiably curious that we gather data even if it gets us in trouble. Google searches are becoming a cause of mistrials as jurors, after hearing testimony, ignore judges' instructions and go look up facts for themselves. We search for information we don't even care about. Nina Shen Rastogi confessed in Double X, "My boyfriend has threatened to break up with me if I keep whipping... Slate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2316601/posts#comment Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:17:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2311459/posts Michael Jackson's brain has been returned to his family in a move that could finally see him buried. The organ was removed from the 50-year-old singer's body following his death on June 25. Pathologists then carried out tests in an attempt to discover what killed him. Sky News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2311459/posts#comment Sat, 8 Aug 2009 18:04:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2308247/posts Scientists have long searched for a biological basis for psychopathy, a behavioral disorder attributed to chronic immorality. While previous studies have found no clear evidence, Professor Declan Murphy of the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London believes he has found an area of the brain that is decidedly different in a psychopath as compared to a normal person. It is unsurprising that much of the research to date has focused on the amygdale (the part of the brain involved with emotions and aggression) and the orbitofrontal cortex (which deals in decision making). However, an unstudied area is the uncinate... The Examiner . COM http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2308247/posts#comment Tue, 4 Aug 2009 22:15:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303949/posts July 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Scientists are stunned to discover that a ten-year-old German girl's brain has rewired itself to allow her to see out of one eye as though she has two, even though half of her brain tissue was entirely missing from birth. In a report published this week in the online version of the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Lars Muckli, a neuroscientist at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, said, "Despite lacking one hemisphere, she's capable of living a normal life."The girl, called AH in the study, was born with only one... life Site News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303949/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:29:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303357/posts When we daydream about the future, we tend to focus on the fabulous belongings we're going to have. Jet packs, flying cars, weapons to kill aliens, cell phones that make today's sleek models look clunky -- you name it, we're going to have it. We don't tend to focus, however, on who we'll be in the future. Most of us probably picture ourselves exactly the same, though maybe thinner, as surely we'll all have robot personal trainers by then. While we see the world's technology evolving to meet our needs, we may not think about how we ourselves might be... How Stuff Works http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303357/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:14:56 GMT