MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'frontal'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:12:13 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174667&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F28%2Fthe-curious-case-of-phineas-gage-and-others-like-him%2F If you’ve ever taken an introductory psychology class, then you probably know the story of Phineas Gage, the 25-year-old railroad worker whose personality dramatically changed after a rod pierced his skull. Gage lost portions of his frontal lobe and went from being a kind and mild-mannered man to rude and unrestrained. On September 21, 1848, The Boston Post reported on the incident. The article was called “Horrible Accident” and said: As Phineas P. Gage, a foreman on the railroad in Cavendish, was yesterday engaged in tamping for a blast, the powder exploded, carrying an instrument through his head an inch in length, which he was using at the time. The iron entered on the side of his face, shattering the upper jaw, and passing back of the left eye, and out at the top of the head.... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174667 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:17:17 +0100 5174667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992688&cid=t_164711_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdid-you-know-natalie-portman-co-authored-a-paper-about-neuroimaging%2F2011.07.01 Did you know that Natalie Portman (under the name, Natalie Hershlag) published a paper in a scientific journal in 2002 while at Harvard? Frontal lobe activation during object permanence: data from near-infrared spectroscopy. The ability to create and hold a mental schema of an object is one of the milestones in cognitive development. Developmental scientists have named the behavioral manifestation of this competence object permanence. Convergent evidence indicates that frontal lobe maturation plays a critical role in the display of object permanence, but methodological and ethical constrains have made it difficult to collect neurophysiological evidence from awake, behaving infants. Near-infrared spectroscopy provides a noninvasive assessment of changes in oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin and tot... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992688 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:00:03 +0100 4992688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862637&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F25979389%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7ECloser-to-the-Buy-Button.htm A specific part of the brain responsible for making decisions about value has been identified by neuroeconomics researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Using fMRI, psychology professor Joseph Kable has shown that the ventromedial frontal cortex, or VMF, plays a key role in decisions involving value. The study used subjects with normal VMFs as well [...] CommentsOne should always be wary of lesion studies. You can't claim ... by JeniusRelated StoriesNeuromarketing Study at OxfordSimple Slogans Double SalesThe Neuromarketing Challenge (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862637 Wed, 25 May 2011 12:46:19 +0100 4862637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693291&cid=t_164711_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-plastic-surgery-solution-to-angry-face-syndrome%2F2011.04.07 I must say when I first read the title of this article (full reference below) I thought it was a joke. Apparently, I was just unaware this syndrome exist. The authors state, “The finding of frontal bossing, deep radix, straight nasal dorsum, and an over projection of the nasal tip constitutes the angry face syndrome.” (photo credit, from article) The authors note, “When the syndrome components of frontal bossing, a deep radix, and nasal tip projection are present but include a significant nasal dorsal hump (instead of a straight dorsum), the angry face syndrome does not apply. Somehow the dorsal hump negates the message of anger to the observer.” Their solution is a rhinoplasty (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living* (Source: Better... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693291 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4693291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389219&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F23%2F11-tips-to-help-manage-anxiety%2F If your mind were a diesel engine, anxiety would be the leaded gas that was accidentally poured in and responsible for all the burps and stutters. Even more so than depression, I think, anxiety is the big disabler in my life, with a capital D. That is why I try to nip my anxiety in its early symptoms. That doesn’t always happen, of course, but here are some techniques I try, and seem to work for me. Who knows, maybe they’ll work for you too! 1. Recognize the reptilian brain. My therapist friend Elvira Aletta gives a brilliant neuropsychology lesson in one of her posts where she explains the two parts of our brain: the primitive part containing the amygdala — which is responsible for generating and processing our fear and other primal emotions — and our frontal lobes... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389219 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:22:31 +0100 4389219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277884&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FwoCX9w2aUm0%2F Ado­les­cence can be a chal­lenging time for both the ado­les­cents and the sig­nif­i­cant adults (parents, teachers) in their lives. Teenagers themselves do not always understand why they behave the way they do. Why is it difficult being a teenager or interacting with one? Why do teenagers have these typical behaviors: Risk-taking, strange sleeping habits, addiction, impulsivity, etc.? As looking at what is happening in a teenage brain can provide answers to these questions, we selected the Top 10 Resources to help you better understand the teenage brain. The major thread to navigate these resources is the concept of a brain still maturing. Indeed, an adolescent brain is not yet an adult brain. Major changes are still happening, principally in the frontal lobes (more specifically... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277884 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:11:20 +0100 4277884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249144&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FxAEgL8C2KQY%2F The frontal lobes of the brain (in gray here) have been compared to an orchestra conductor, ­influencing, directing, and moderating many other brain functions. Indeed, the frontal lobes support the so-called executive functions: decision-making, problem-solving, planning, inhibiting, as well as other high-level functions (social behavior, emotional control, working memory, etc.). Ready for an executive workout? The functions of the frontal lobes are crucial for work and life in general. How can we preserve and enhance these functions? Research tells us that cognitive or brain reserve (i.e., the brain’s resilience to pathology) can be increased by mental exercise. Mental exercise has to be challenging (to trigger the formation of new synapses and neurons) and repeated (a single teaser wi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249144 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:48:25 +0100 4249144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241835&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FXtT5veL6888%2F My interest in the brain stems from wanting to better understand both how to make school more palatable for students, and professional development more meaningful for faculty. To that end, I began my Neurons Firing blog in April, 2007, have been doing a lot of reading, and been attending workshops and conferences, including Learning & the Brain. If you agree that our brains are designed for learning, then as educators it is incumbent upon us to be looking for ways to maximize the learning process for each of our students, as well as for ourselves. Some of what follows is simply common sense, but I’ve learned that all of it has a scientific basis in our brains. 1. Review and 2. Reflection are two means for thinking about what is being learned. Review can be done in the moments after ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241835 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:25:24 +0100 4241835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133995&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FgzrsphtRgQo%2F (Editor’s Note: What follows is an excerpt from Dr. Robert Sylwester’s new book, A Child’s Brain. The Need for Nurture (2010) Corwin. In this excerpt, Robert Sylwester synthesizes the first 20 years of development and shows how it can be viewed as a “rhythmic four-six-four-six-year developmental sequence”) . Chapter 4: Development and Growth. The First 20 years. To simplify a complex phenomenon, we can divide our 20-year developmental trajectory into two periods of approximately 10 years each. The developmental period from birth to about age 10 focuses on learning how to be a human being – learning to move, to communicate, and to master basic social skills. The developmental period from about 11 to 20 focuses on learning how to be a productive reproductive human being – plan... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133995 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:27:16 +0100 4133995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737140&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FuKpYLNAv230%2F This study supports another one we commented on a few years ago on how Bilingual brains stay sharp longer: “In short: learning and speaking a foreign language provides constant brain exercise to the frontal lobes, the area of the brain right behind your forehead that focuses our attention, helps us ignore distractions, and make decisions.” (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737140 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:01:20 +0100 3737140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595667&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2010%2F05%2F25%2Fgender-differences-in-frontal-lobes%2F Frontal lobes is the shorthand for the prefrontal cortex. It’s an important part of the human brain, the conductor of the large orchestra called the brain. It’s the seat of our executive functioning. Executive function relates to abilities to differentiate among conflicting thoughts, determine good and bad, better and best, same and different, future consequences of current activities, working toward a defined goal, prediction of outcomes, expectation based on actions, and social “control” (the ability to suppress urges that, if not suppressed, could lead to socially-unacceptable outcomes). Before, I wrote about gender difference in empathy and other neurobiological subjects. Mark the word difference, not superior or inferior, not better of worse, just different. Re... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595667 Tue, 25 May 2010 06:01:40 +0100 3595667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3588914&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F21%2Fthe-power-of-forgiveness%2F In the 1980s psychologist Everett L. Worthington, Jr. Ph.D., began studying forgiveness while working with troubled couples. On New Year’s Eve, 1995, his mother was murdered. Dr. Worthington then dedicated his life to encouraging and educating people about forgiveness. He turned grief into mission by writing books, speaking, and founding A Campaign for Forgiveness, which has raised millions of dollars to support the search of forgiveness. In her book, “The Law of Forgiveness,” author Connie Domino devotes a chapter to the scientific evidence for the power of forgiveness. Some of the studies she includes are fascinating, and will have you dump your righteousness and mend the strained relationships in your life before you’re ready. For example, Dr. Fred Luskin, direc... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3588914 Fri, 21 May 2010 18:00:33 +0100 3588914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545474&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F08%2Fmy-illness-is-not-my-identity%2F I was asked by Diana Keough of ShareWIK.com to write about the topic of living with bipolar without letting my mood disorder define me. You can get to her blog post by clicking here. “A label is a mask life wears,” writes Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., one of the first pioneers in the mind, body, health field. “Labeling sets up an expectation of life that is often so compelling we can no longer see things as they really are. . . . In my experience, a diagnosis is an opinion and not a prediction. What would it be like if more people allowed for the presence of the unknown, and accepted the words of their medical experts in the same way? The diagnosis is cancer. What that will mean remains to be seen.” I used to think that meant that I shouldn’t call myself bipolar, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545474 Sat, 08 May 2010 13:23:21 +0100 3545474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3502832&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F25%2Fflex-your-moral-muscle-god-can-change-your-brain%2F In his newest book, “After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters,” Anglican bishop and biblical scholar N. T. Wright advises his readers not to cheat on their tax returns. Because that deceitful act may very well carve a neural pathway inside the brain that makes it easier to cheat on other things or people. Scary thought. But the reverse is also true: that the decision to grin and bear a conversation with a boring neighbor on the train–to try ever so painfully to remain patient–also leaves a pathway in the brain that facilitates patience the next time you are confronted with an obnoxious, the-armrest-is-mine train mate. Says Wright: Neuroscience is still in comparative infancy. But already the clear indications are that significant events in your life, incl... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3502832 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 10:40:26 +0100 3502832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383091&cid=t_164711_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FyQpzRLqK4v4%2F Acquired brain injury refers to any brain damage that happens after birth. Alcohol is one of the many causes of acquired brain injury. The injury inflicted by alcohol abuse is referred to as alcohol related brain injury (ARBI). More than 2,500 Australians are treated for ARBI every year. Just how much damage is done depends on a number of factors. These include individual differences, as well as the person’s age, gender, nutrition and their overall pattern of alcohol consumption. A person with ARBI might experience problems with memory, thinking abilities and physical coordination. A younger person has a better chance of recovery because of their greater powers of recuperation. However, the effects of alcohol related brain injury can be permanent for many sufferers. Alcohol and br... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383091 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:53:20 +0100 3383091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290769&cid=t_164711_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fhuntingtons-chorea%2F Pathophysiology 1) progressive neurodegenerative disease with selective neuronal loss – caused by an excessive repeat of the CAG nucleic acid sequence in the gene on chromosome 4 that codes for the Huntington protein 2) unclear how altered Huntington protein contributes to the specific symptoms 3) the protein HAP-1, which binds to the Huntingtin protein, possibly contributes to the pathogenesis 4) usual duration from onset of symptoms to death is about 15 years 5) marked by involuntary movements, progressive dementia, striking emotional changes Signs and Symptoms 1) the greater the expansion, the earlier the onset of disease 2) onset is earlier by 3-4 years if condition is inherited from father 3) usual presenting signs – emotional and cognitive deficits (often by years) 4) mos... Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290769 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:19:44 +0100 3290769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768727&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FpsjwziqkGe0%2F The July/ August 2009 issue of The Journal on Active Aging includes my article Why We Need to Retool "Use It Or Lose It" An excerpt: "By now you have probably heard about brain plasticity, the lifelong capacity of the brain to change and rewire itself in response to the stimulation of learning and experience. The latest scientific research shows that specific lifestyles and actions can improve the health and level of functioning of our brains, no matter our age. Of particular importance to maintaining cognitive functioning through life are the hippocampus (deep inside the brain, part of what is called the limbic system), which plays a role in learning and memory; and the frontal lobes (behind your forehead), which are key to maintaining decision-making and autonomy. Is ther... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768727 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:06:41 +0100 2768727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757937&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fpopular-neuroscience-books-for-long.html Looking for reading material for a longish train trip I am about to take, I decided to hit to bookshelves of my Square's Barnes & Noble to see what popular neuroscience titles might be a good diversion (as well as potential supplementary 'lighter' references, should I re-teach an introductory course to neuroscience sometime over the next year).I chose three.The first is by Elkhonon Goldberg, a revision of an earlier work, which is titled "The New Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes in a Complex World" and is available in paperback by Oxford University Press. I first met the author when I was a graduate student, so I am looking forward to reading up on what he's been up to.The second is about glial cells and is entitled, "The Root of Thought: Unlocking Glia" by Andrew Koob. Five years ago, if so... BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757937 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:03:00 +0100 2757937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2517305&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fintelligencetesting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fneural-efficiency-executive-function.html I give up. I don't have the time, or maybe the neural efficiency, to read, digest, integrate, and summarize a wave of recent research articles dealing with the concept of neural efficiency (oscillations) and intelligence. That being said, I'm simply going to post the references and abstracts. Maybe an interested IQ's Corner blog reader would be interested in reading these articles and attempting to summarize (via a guest blog post)...something I had hoped to do. When less is more and when more is more: The mediating roles of capacity and speed in brain-behavior efficiency (Bart Rypma and Vivek Prabhakaran). Intelligence 37 (2009) 207–22.An enduring enterprise of experimental psychology has been to account for individual differences in human performance. Recent advances in neuroimaging ha... Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2517305 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:48:00 +0100 2517305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511970&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=37835&url=http%3A%2F%2Fintelligencetesting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwcst-does-it-really-measure-frontal.html ConclusionsThe present interest in prefrontal cortex function has renewed the use of the WCST in clinical and experimental settings. However, much criticism has questioned the utility of this test as a marker of prefrontal function. A critical review of clinical studies suggests that the original WCST does not distinguish between frontal and non-frontal lesions. Likewise, functional neuroimaging studies confirm that delivery of negative feedback during WCST rule transitions activates a widespread network of frontal and non-frontal regions within a split-second time scale. New methodological and conceptual advances from theory-guided experimental designs, precise spatial and temporal sampling of brain activity, and modern integrative models of prefrontal function (Miller, 2000) combined wit... Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511970 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:59:00 +0100 2511970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2469607&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F10%2Fwant-a-bigger-stronger-brain-start-meditating%2F Midweek Mental Greening “In meditation, effort must be applied in a direction opposite to what we are used to. Our ‘effort’ must be to relax ever more deeply. We must ultimately release the tension from both our muscles and our thoughts. When we relax so deeply that we are able to internalize the energy of the senses, the mind becomes focused and a tremendous flow of energy is awakened. Meditation is a continuous process, and can be said to have three stages: relaxation, interiorization, and expansion.” - John Novak, Lessons in Meditation. Even if you don’t practice meditation - or, like me, you try to but have no real understanding of the different kinds of meditation - chances are you probably have at least a working knowledge of meditation. Meditation is a ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2469607 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:53:05 +0100 2469607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160941&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F531109481%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. Brain games, brain teaser puzzles, France, frontal lobes, Greece, improve memory, logic puzzle, logical skills, memory, mind teasers, proverbs, South Africa, temporal lobes, usa (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160941 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:08:18 +0100 2160941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1701780&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F363005439%2F Dr. Pascale Michelon recently shared with our readers which brain areas and cognitive functions are engaged as we solve the type of brain teaser known as Spot the Difference, where we have to find the differences between two versions of one image: "1) You have to identify the objects that you see: this involves your occipital lobes (in red). 2) You have to analyzed the spatial relationships between the objects that you see: this involves your occipital and parietal lobes (in green). 3) You have to remember what you see in one picture and compare it to what you see in the other picture, that is you have to use your short-term memory: this involves your frontal (in blue) and parietal lobes. 4) You have to mark down the locations where you see a difference: this involves mostly yo... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1701780 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:08:57 +0100 1701780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1575896&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F326177263%2F What's the ultimate "brain training"? Learning. We at SharpBrains love to learn, and to see others learn. That's why we hope you enjoy this essay by educator Laurie Bartels as much as we do. --- 10 Brain Tips That Help Me Teach…and Learn -- By Laurie Bartels My natural rhythms are in cycle with the school calendar. January 1st takes a back seat to my new year, which gets ushered in with the month of September when there is crispness in the air that gradually shakes off the slower, more relaxed pace of summer. Conveniently, my career in teaching meshes with my natural cyclical year. And as this year draws to a close, I am reenergized by the pace of summer, knowing that anything may pop in to my mind as I engage in activities not directly related to school. But before that happen... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1575896 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:53:43 +0100 1575896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512546&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F310139058%2F This article was written by Pascale Michelon, Ph. D., for SharpBrains.com. Dr. Michelon, Copyright 2008. Dr. Michelon has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and has worked as a Research Scientist at Washington University in Saint Louis, in the Psychology Department. She conducted several research projects to understand how the brain makes use of visual information and memorizes facts. She is now an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and teaches Memory Workshops in numerous retirement communities in the St Louis area. Brain exercises, Brain games, Brain teasers, cognitive, cognitive processes, cognitive psychology, frontal lobes, mind teasers, occipital lobes, parietal lobes, Pascale Michelon, short term memory, Spot the Difference, the brain (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512546 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:05:18 +0100 1512546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1501538&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F307119481%2F I just read a very interesting article in Newsweek: Executive Functions: The School Skill That May Matter More Than IQ. A few quotes: - "But recent advances in psychology and brain science are now suggesting that a child's ability to inhibit distracting thoughts and stay focused may be a fundamental cognitive skill, one that plays a big part in academic success from preschool on. Indeed, this and closely related skills may be more important than traditional IQ in predicting a child's school performance." - "EF (executive functions) comprises not only effortful control and cognitive focus but also working memory and mental flexibility—the ability to adjust to change, to think outside the box." - "When the teacher holds up a circle they clap, with a triangle they ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1501538 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:38:20 +0100 1501538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1216679&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F231428084%2F We often hear (gladly!) how teachers use our blog articles and brain teasers in their classes. We also hear how many psychology and biology teachers are getting their students excited about brain research, and, to contribute to their efforts, we like to recognize some great initiatives. Last year, Jeffrey Gonce, a Psychology teacher at Red Land High School (West Shore School District, PA) asked his students to "complete a project describing a recent brain (or genetic) study that affects behavior." The students could opt to post their articles online, and Jeffrey was kind enough to send us a link to read the results. We enjoyed reading them all, and published in our blog this beautiful essay, titled "Tis better to give than receive", written by Alexandra, which was subse... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1216679 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:54:22 +0100 1216679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1152488&cid=t_164711_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F15%2Flobotomies-for-all%2F How could the entire modern medical profession get behind and approve of a procedure for over 30 years that involved sticking an ice pick through your upper eye sockets, into your brain, and rotating it? Amazingly, it did, from the 1930s until the 1960s. Marketed as a “cure all” for psychosis, depression, or any other troublesome behavior, it’s no wonder it worked: His operation severed the frontal lobe from the thalamus, the repository of emotions and the site where Freeman believed mental illness originated. Ouch. It’s the same story we’ve heard before — doctors wanting to do something, because they believe any kind of action is better than no action at all. We see that is not always the case. A few patients and their families claimed lobotomy ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1152488 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:05:58 +0100 1152488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1072585&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F195556995%2F This study shows that chimps can memorize at a glance the numerals presented on the screen, and that they can do so just as well - and even better - than humans can. Note that the superior performance came from a young chimp, and that the performance of older chimps on the same task was more similar to that of humans." - Watch video Impressive, isn't yet? Yet, a clear indication that memory is not all that matters. Please compare the "intelligence" (in any way you want to define it), the quality of thinking, displayed by those apes, with the one displayed in this recent interview with Bill Drayton at Good Magazine, founder of Ashoka and one of the parents of the social entrepreneurship movement. Quotes: - "Ashoka (and all of us in the GOOD community) are serving the mos... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1072585 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:53:38 +0100 1072585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1060299&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F192536184%2F (Dear reader: Here you have a little gift to continue the Thanksgiving spirit. Enjoy the interview, and thank you for visiting our site.) Prof. Robert Emmons studies gratitude for a living as Professor of Psychology at UC Davis and is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology. He has just published Thanks: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, an interdisciplinary book that provides a research-based synthesis of the topic as well as practical suggestions. Alvaro Fernandez: Welcome. Prof. Emmons, could you please provide us an overview of the Positive Psychology field so we understand the context for your research? Robert Emmons: Sure. Martin Seligman and colleagues launched what was called “positive psychology” in the late 90s as an antidote to the tradi... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1060299 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:42:34 +0100 1060299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1049143&cid=t_164711_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F190389643%2F Who has not heard "Use It or Lose It". Now, what is "It"? Last week I gave a talk at the Italian Consulate in San Francisco, and one of the areas attendants seemed to enjoy the most was learning what our brains are and how they work, peaking into the "black box" of our minds. Without understanding at least the basics, how can we make good decisions about our own brain health and fitness? Let's review at a glance: The brain is composed of 3 "brains" or main sub-systems, each named after the evolutionary moment in which the sub-system is believed to have appeared. A) Neocortex, or Human Brain, is the most recent area, where we perform high-level thinking and complex integrative tasks. Other mammals do have this part too, but in smaller proportion of... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1049143 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:30:12 +0100 1049143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=979229&cid=t_164711_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F175118560%2F A new theory from the first issue of the Frontiers in Neuroscience attempts to explain what autism is: Autism is an “intense world syndrome” in which a person has “hyper-perception, hyper-attention, and hyper-memory” and has “hyper-functionality” rather than “hypo-functionality”—-has an excessive amount of ability in some areas, rather than being simply lacking skills and abilities. The full abstract: While significant advances have been made in identifying the neuronal structures and cells affected, a unifying theory that could explain the manifold autistic symptoms has still not emerged. Based on recent synaptic, cellular, molecular, microcircuit, and behavioral results obtained with the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism, we pro... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=979229 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:51:30 +0100 979229