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 'hippocampus'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:59:47 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953132&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2011%2F06%2F17%2Fhippocampal-ca1-prosthesis-affects-memory%2F Berger, Hampson, Song, Goonawardena, Marmarelis, and Deadwyler created a system for recording from and stimulating up to 32 neurons at once. The system learned a model to predict firing of some hippocampal CA1 neurons given some inputs from CA3, and could be “played back” later. In a delayed-nonmatch-to-sample task, a rat was shown one of two levers, then there was a delay during which the rat was distracted, then the rat was shown both levers and was supposed to press the one it hadn’t been shown at first. The model of CA1 was trained on the most difficult, successful trials, then replayed later to stimulate CA1. Stimulation occurred in two conditions: normal, and when glutamate transmission was blocked. In both conditions, the prosthesis augmented performance by about ... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953132 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:32:50 +0100 4953132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704714&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F12%2F6-things-every-kid-should-know-about-a-parents-depression%2F Depression never happens in a vacuum. Like a ripple in the water, a parent’s illness can’t help but affect her offspring. Different studies have documented how depression in a new mother clearly affects her interactions with her baby or toddler. Depressed mothers are more withdrawn, less responsive to their infant’s signals. “Their facial expressions and displays of emotion [are] more muted or flat, and their voices [are] monotone,” explains Ruta Nonacs in “A Deeper Shade of Blue.” “They [remain] disengaged and [do] little to support their child’s activities or exploration of the environment.” A mother’s depression also affects grade-schoolers and adolescents. When parents fail to meet the needs of the people under their care, some kids begin to act out, have ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704714 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:05:43 +0100 4704714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560440&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FQXbljhNuPqU%2F Editor’s Note: We are pleased to bring you this arti­cle by Jason Marsh, thanks to our col­lab­o­ra­tion with the Greater Good Mag­a­zine. ——————- I consider myself something of a prospective meditator—meaning that a serious meditation practice is always something I’m about to start… next week. So for years, I’ve been making a mental note of new studies showing that meditation can literally change our brain structure in ways that might boost concentration, memory, and positive emotions. The results seem enticing enough to make anyone drop into the full lotus position—until you read the fine print: Much of this research involves people who have meditated for thousands of hours over many years; some of it zeroes in on Olympic-level meditators who have clocked 1... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560440 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:27:50 +0100 4560440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419138&cid=t_102002_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmeditation-how-it-may-change-the-brain%2F2011.01.31 Meditation sounds like a great idea from the perspective of a psychiatrist: Anything that calms and focuses the mind is a good thing (and without pharmaceuticals, even better). Personally, I tried transcendental meditation as a kid (more to do with my mother than with me) and found it to be boring. I have trouble keeping my thoughts still. They wander to what I want for dinner, and should I write about this on Shrink Rap, and will Clink and Victor ever eat crabcakes with me again, and did I remember to give my last patient informed consent, and a zillion other things. Holding my thoughts still is work. The New York Times Well blog has an article on meditation and brain changes. In “How Meditation May Change the Brain,” Sindya N. Bhanoo writes: The researchers report that those ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419138 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4419138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556056&cid=t_102002_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwill-your-baby-make-your-husband-grow-new-brain-cells%2F New research from the Hotchkiss Brain Institute says yes–though maybe not in the way that you’d think.  Recent mouse studies show that paternal mice develop new cells in their olfactory bulbs and hippocampus, allowing them to their recognize their offspring, in part by smell. Humans do something similar, also identifying their children partly by smell (also not in the way you’d think.) Paternal Mice Bond With Offspring Through Touch [ScienceDaily] Post from: BlissTree Will Your Baby Make Your Husband Grow New Brain Cells? (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556056 Tue, 11 May 2010 17:59:00 +0100 3556056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556168&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F11091129%2F1dluoh%2Fneuromarketing%7EFight-Impulse-Imagine-the-Future.htm Many of the decisions we make are guided by some kind of reward. Do I go through the McDonalds drive-thru window and get a burger and fries that will light my brain up like a Christmas tree, or do I delay eating until my planned meal-time and consume something healthy? Do I put [...] Commentsgreat point about competition, roger — understanding what ... by denise lee yohnBeing able to vividly imagine the future is one the few things ... by Yuki ChowRoger, As a marketer, this is a great technique used to ... by Fox (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556168 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:20:28 +0100 3556168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3480851&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2010%2F04%2F17%2Ffrequency-of-gamma-oscillations-routes-flow-of-information-in-the-hippocampus%2F Supplementary Figure 1: A schematic illustrating the main finding. Slow gamma is maximal on the descending portion of the theta wave, and fast gamma peaks near the trough. Slow gamma serves to synchronize CA1 with inputs arriving from CA3, and fast gamma synchronizes CA1 with MEC input. Laura Lee Colgin, Tobias Denninger, Marianne Fyhn, Torkel Hafting, Tora Bonnevie, Ole Jensen, May-Britt Moser & Edvard I. Moser. Frequency of gamma oscillations routes flow of information in the hippocampus. Nature 462, 353-357 (19 November 2009) Gamma oscillations are thought to transiently link distributed cell assemblies that are processing related information1, 2… This ‘binding’ mechanism requires that spatially distributed cells fire together with millisecond range precision7, ... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3480851 Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:51:21 +0100 3480851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3457905&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2010%2F04%2F09%2Fhippocampal-replay-is-not-a-simple-function-of-experience%2F Replay of behavioral sequences in the hippocampus during sharp wave ripple complexes (SWRs) provides a potential mechanism for memory consolidation and the learning of knowledge structures. Current hypotheses imply that replay should straightforwardly reflect recent experience. However, we find these hypotheses to be incompatible with the content of replay on a task with two distinct behavioral sequences (A and B). We observed forward and backward replay of B even when rats had been performing A for >10 min. Furthermore, replay of nonlocal sequence B occurred more often when B was infrequently experienced. Neither forward nor backward sequences preferentially represented highly experienced trajectories within a session. Additionally, we observed the construction of never-experienced novel-... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3457905 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:33:38 +0100 3457905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3052270&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fpatient-hm-update.html From the Brain Observatory website at the end of last night's work: "We have reached the corpus callosum. The team is resting for the night. The brain will be safe surrounded by our chillers until tomorrow morning. The cutting will resume again at 8AM PST. "Tomorrow will be a big day - We will try to cover the medial temporal lobes and the area surrounding the hippocampus." The Brain ObservatoryToday at 0800 PST, 1100 EST, 1600 GMT. (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3052270 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:31:00 +0100 3052270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023195&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Facute_stress_leaves_its_marks_on_hippocampal_dna.htm Brett Norman - Rockefeller University In trying to explain psychiatric disorders, genes simply cannot tell the whole story. The real answers are in the interaction of genes and the environment. Post-traumatic stress disorder requires some trauma, for instance, and people, for the most part, aren't born depressed. Now research has revealed one mechanism by which a stressful experience changes the way that genes are expressed in the rat brain. The discovery of 'epigenetic' regulation of genes in the brain is helping change the way scientists think about psychiatric disorders and could open new avenues to treatment. Richard Hunter, a postdoc in Rockefeller University's Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, found that a single 30-minute episode of acute stress ca... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023195 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:25:00 +0100 3023195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2894641&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F14%2Fplaying-quake-with-a-real-mouse%2F Most people play Quake with a computer mouse, but researchers in David Tank’s lab at Princeton have done it with a living mouse, AND they are recording the intracellular activity of individual neurons of the mouse during the gaming session. As reported in Intracellular dynamics of hippocampal place cells during virtual navigation, the virtual reality environment of the video game was sufficiently realistic to generate place cell activity in the mouse’s hippocampus.  Now where did I see that cheese power-up? Place cells modulate their activity dependent on the location the mouse is at. They have mostly been identified with extracellular recordings in freely moving mice. Extracellular recording only permits the detection of the rates of action potential firing, rather then the... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2894641 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:21:32 +0100 2894641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886513&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fbirds_in_captivity_lose_hippocampal_mass.htm PhysOrg.com — Being in captivity for just a few weeks can reduce the volume of the hippocampus by as much as 23 percent, according to a new Cornell study. Caged birds may still sing, but being in captivity for just a few weeks can reduce the volume of the hippocampus by as much as 23 percent, according to a new Cornell study. The hippocampus is the part of the brain involved in spatial learning and memory tasks. More... © PhysOrg.com 2003-2009 (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886513 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:41:00 +0100 2886513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768727&cid=t_102002_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=2469607&cid=t_102002_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=2320462&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F-swwFitJTAE%2F This is one of the slides I created recently for my talks, and it seems to be getting the point across. Your answer? The follow-up question: is your job and life more similar to the constant problem-solving and mental challenge of the cab driver, or to the routine or the bus driver? Pascale wrote an excellent article on this, check it out: Brain Plasticity - How learning changes your brain. Have a good Good Friday/ Passover/ holiday/ weekend! brain, Brain Plasticity, bus driver, cab driver, hippocampus, Learning, mental challenge, problem solving (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2320462 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:51:06 +0100 2320462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2293096&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FsPTvxOgEPpA%2F Physical Fitness Improves Spatial Memory, Increases Size Of Brain Structure (Science Daily) - "Now researchers have found that elderly adults who are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampi and better spatial memory than those who are less fit." - "Certain activities are believed to modify hippocampus size in humans. For example, a study of London taxi drivers found that the posterior portion of the hippocampus was larger in experienced taxi drivers than in other subjects. And a study of German medical students found that the same region of the hippocampus increased in size as they studied for their final exams." - "Studies also have found that the hippocampus shrinks with age, a process that coincides with small but significant cognitive declines. The ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2293096 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:07:04 +0100 2293096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2272017&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstress_and_the_disconnected_brain.htm Does stress damage the brain? A paper by Tibor Hajszan and colleagues at the Yale University School of Medicine provides an important new insight to this question. This issue emerged in the 1990's as an important clinical question with the observation by J. Douglas Bremner and colleagues, then at the U.S. Veteran Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), that hippocampal volume was reduced in combat veterans with PTSD. This finding was replicated by several, but not all, groups. In particular, it did not appear that this change was associated with acute PTSD. The importance of this finding was further called into question as a group associated with the Harvard Medical School found that reduced hippocampal volume predicted risk for PTSD among twins, rather than emerg... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2272017 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:06:00 +0100 2272017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260658&cid=t_102002_140_f&fid=35457&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fbattlingforhealthcom%2F%7E3%2FPDzsBLo-45c%2F This study by psychologists at the University of Illinois at Pittsburg is not directly related to Alzheimers and dementia but it does tell us about how to keep our spatial memory functioning even at an advanced age. The hippocampus is a curved structure deep inside the medial temporal lobe of the brain, is essential to memory formation. And for this part of the brain, size does matter. The bigger your hippocampus is, the better is your ability to store new experiences and the better is your spatial memory skills. A damage hippocampus however, prevents an individual to form new memories, as in the well-known case of Henry Gustav Molaison (also known as HM or Henry Right Now) who suffered from retrograde amnesia. Certain activities make the size of the hippocampus bigger in some people and s... Battling-Schizophrenia blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260658 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:13:37 +0100 2260658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2028455&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F478160740%2F Spectacular article by Dr. Denise Park in this month's Cerebrum: Working Later in Life May Facilitate Neural Health - "Carmi Schooler at the National Institutes of Health, using a technique that allowed him to assess causal relationships, found that adults who performed intellectually challenging jobs across their life span showed more cognitive flexibility in late adulthood than those who performed less demanding jobs." - "Perhaps the most compelling evidence regarding the impact of novel experiences on brain volume and function comes from a study at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Adults with a mean age of 59 spent three months learning to juggle three balls. Although only about half the participants were able to achieve competence in this complex skill, those who suc... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2028455 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:10:12 +0100 2028455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1927898&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fultra_fast_scanner_captures_brain_fear_response.htm Scientists have captured the split-second workings of the brain's fear circuitry in people viewing frightful faces. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) researchers visualized this fleeting activity in the brain's fear hub, called the amygdala, using a lightning-fast brain imaging technique called magnetoencephalography (MEG). They showed that such rapid, fear-related neural processes can now be studied non-invasively in living humans, with time resolution that other types of scanners can't even come close to matching. Until now, scientists studying mental illnesses have been limited in their ability to see emotion circuits at work deep in the human brain. Brain circuits operate on a millisecond time-scale. Yet the predominant functional brain imaging tool, functional magnetic re... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1927898 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:24:00 +0100 1927898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1863006&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Flearned_safety_cheers_anxious__depressed_mice.htm Teaching mice not to be afraid reveals potential targets for anxiety and depression drugs Why do some people have the ability to remain calm and relaxed even in the most stressful situations? New experiments in mice by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers are providing insight into how the brain changes when the animals learn to feel safe and secure in situations that would normally make them anxious. Organisms ranging from simple invertebrates to mammals have evolved mechanisms for instinctive and learned fear that are critical for survival. However, in humans, pathological forms of learned fear can contribute to anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress, and depression. "The fact that learned fear can be associated with psychopathologies in humans suggests that this form of l... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1863006 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:21:00 +0100 1863006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802598&cid=t_102002_115_f&fid=34670&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsumerdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fhippocampus-mr-spectroscopy.html "According to King et al in Radiology 2008;249:242-250 there is significant metabolic heterogeneity along anteroposterior axis of healthy hippocampus. Mean NAA, creatine, and choline concentrations are higher in posterior hippocampus than anterior hippocampus. Thereby implying that consistent voxel placement are important for correct comparisons of both absolute metabolic levels and metabolite ratios."From Sumer's Radiology Site http://www.sumerdoc.blogspot.com -The Top Radiology Magazine. Mail us at teleradproviders@gmail.com (Source: Sumer's Radiology Site) Sumer's Radiology Site blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802598 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:15:00 +0100 1802598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750378&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fneurogenesis__the_association_with_stress_and_depression.htm Professor Dr Eberhard Fuchs, Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, and Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Germany Presented at the 21st Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2008, Barcelona, Spain The brain is the key organ in the response to stress. It reacts in a complex, orchestrated manner that is related to the activation and inhibition of neural structures involved in sensory, motor, autonomic, cognitive and emotional processes. It is the brain which finally determines what in the world is threatening and might be stressful for us, and which regulates the stress responses that can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Chronic stress can affect the brain and lead into depression: Env... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750378 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:36:00 +0100 1750378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750379&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstudy_finds_neurogenesis_may_be_vital_for_depression_relief.htm Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in mice that the brain must create new nerve cells for either exercise or antidepressants to reduce depression-like behavior. In addition, the researchers found that antidepressants and exercise use the same biochemical pathway to exert their effects. These results might help explain some unknown mechanisms of antidepressants and provide a new direction for developing drugs to treat depression, said Dr Luis Parada, chairman of developmental biology and senior author of a study in the Aug. 14 issue of the journal Neuron. In animals, it was already known that long-term treatment with antidepressants causes new nerve cells to be generated in the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus. Exercise, which can also relieve the symptoms... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750379 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:13:00 +0100 1750379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1750380&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_posterior_hippocampal_volumes_are_associated_with_.htm Conclusions: These findings extend a small number of previous reports, suggesting that regional brain volumes might be associated with rate and extent of clinical response to antidepressant medication. Source... Copyright © 2008 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Elsevier Inc. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1750380 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:08:00 +0100 1750380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1742899&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_life_events_and_hippocampal_volume_in_firstepisod.htm Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of major depression in the early phase of the disorder particularly for male patients. Source... Copyright © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1742899 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:53:00 +0100 1742899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734224&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fchildhood_abuse__hippocampal_atrophy_and_ptsd.htm While debate continues over the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, a new study indicates traumatic events and PTSD symptoms may be followed in some cases by a size reduction in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that regulates emotions and short term memory. Though most attention surrounding PTSD focuses on war veterans, the advance by Brigham Young University researchers examined a larger population at risk: abused children. "The size reduction in the hippocampus seems to occur sometime after the initial exposure to stress or trauma in childhood, strengthening the argument that it has something to do with PTSD itself or the stress exposure," said Dawson Hedges, a BYU neuroscientist and an author on the study. The study, which appears in the August issue of the neuroscience journ... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734224 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:08:00 +0100 1734224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730855&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F372866231%2F I apologize for the long delay in getting back to this column but I have a good excuse. We just recently had a baby, and boy, that takes care right there of the physical exercise need. Between carrying the baby upstairs and downstairs, running to get the baby, getting out of the bed and picking the baby up and putting the baby down a couple of times a night no you need not worry about getting your daily exercise dose in…Now, the majority of the answers to my post on the brain virtues of physical exercise suggests that most people think that the brain benefits of physical exercise are mostly to be understood as complementary effects of a healthy life style. Is this correct? In my post today I will attempt to answer this question. First, while generally healthier people seem to have health... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730855 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:09:27 +0100 1730855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1723968&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F370395137%2F In this study (Gazzaley, A.  et al.  2005) the investigators went beyond behavioral assessment of the responses, because that kind of thing had been done before.  What they wanted to know was what was happening in the brain during this suppression of irrelevant task. They used functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging over a region of brain that was responsive to the visual images.  What was being measured was the amount of brain activity under conditions when the instructions were to remember a type of image or ignore it.  What they found was that brain activity in all of the young subjects increased when they were viewing scenes they were asked to remember and decreased when presented with an image that they were supposed to have ignored. That is, the brain suppressed its respons... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723968 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:35:42 +0100 1723968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1689177&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fthe_effects_of_stress_hormones_on_neurotransmission.htm Laboratoire Physiologie Cellulaire de la Synapse and Neurocentre Inserm researchers, working at the NeuroCampus of the Université de Bordeaux, France, have discovered how the stress hormone cortisol regulates brain neurotransmission on the short and long term and enables neuronal connections to adapt. The research, directed by Laurent Groc and Francis Chaouloff, may lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for psychiatric illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. When we are subjected to a stress, our adrenal glands secrete hormones that affect our entire body. One of these hormones, cortisol, enables us to adapt physically and mentally to the stimulus. With a major or repeated stress that an individual has no control over, however, cortisol is se... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1689177 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:58:00 +0100 1689177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1575896&cid=t_102002_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=1371910&cid=t_102002_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F4%2F15%2Fwe-are-the-only-animals-that-cry.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D We are the Only Animals that Cry. By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D I recently came across a news item about a tearless onion developed by scientists in New Zealand . I, for one, shed many tears over the chopping board, and all because of a substance called the lachrymatory factor. Now, using molecular engineering techniques, the Kiwi scientists silenced the gene that codes for this factor, and voilá – a tearless onion. This got me thinking: this kind of crying is really all reflex, a direct reaction to irritation. It is the same type of reflex that causes our eyes to well up when we are poked in the eye. Another type of tears is the so-called basal tearing, which bathes our eyes every time we blink. Now, these two types of tearing are common to many animals, and the... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1371910 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:52:02 +0100 1371910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1312475&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fstress_damages_the_brain.htm Individuals who experience military combat obviously endure extreme stress, and this exposure leaves many diagnosed with the psychiatric condition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is associated with several abnormalities in brain structure and function. However, as Roger Pitman of Harvard Medical School's Department of Psychiatry explains, "Although it is tempting to conclude that these abnormalities were caused by the traumatic event, it is also possible that they were pre-existing risk factors that increased the risk of developing PTSD upon the traumatic event's occurrence." Drs. Kiyoto Kasai and Hidenori Yamasue of the University of Tokyo and colleagues sought to examine this association in a new study published in the March 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry. The researc... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1312475 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:23:00 +0100 1312475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1289870&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__selective_loss_of_bdnf_in_the_dentate_gyrus_atten.htm Conclusions: These data suggest that the loss of hippocampal BDNF per se is not sufficient to mediate depression-like behavior. However, these results support the view that BDNF in the DG might be essential in mediating the therapeutic effect of antidepressants. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1289870 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:23:00 +0100 1289870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268379&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F29%2Fcan-a-person-change-their-brain-structure-yes%2F Excuse us while we do some spring cleaning around here and publish a few entries that have been sitting in our “draft” pile longer than I care to admit… In a bit of research done in 2000, Eleanor Maguire and her colleagues researched taxi drivers’ brains using structural magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRIs). They discovered that the longer a taxi driver had been driving, the larger a specific part of the brain (the part that we believe stores spatial representations of our environment): These data are in accordance with the idea that the posterior hippocampus stores a spatial representation of the environment and can expand regionally to accommodate elaboration of this representation in people with a high dependence on navigational skills. It seems that there ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268379 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:57:31 +0100 1268379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1248887&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fmemory.html A press release rom the NIH:Genetic Tags Reveal Secrets of Memories’ Staying Power in MiceA better understanding of how memory works is emerging from a newfound ability to link a learning experience in a mouse to consequent changes in the inner workings of its neurons. Researchers, supported in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), have developed a way to pinpoint the specific cellular components that sustain a specific memory in genetically-engineered mice."Remarkably, this research demonstrates a way to untangle precisely which cells and connections are activated by a particular memory," said NIMH Director Thomas Insel, M.D. "We are actually learning the molecular basis of learning and memory."For a memory to last long-term, the neural ... BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1248887 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:10:00 +0100 1248887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1229285&cid=t_102002_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fwhat-does-that-pharmaceutical-drug.html Though there were a lot of interesting stories in the news this week, the most interesting one seems to have been published without anyone in the media noticing it.As reported in Science News, as study reported in the Journal of Neuroscience, seems to have finally discovered how Prozac really works.For years the drug companies have been explaining that Prozac and other SSRI antidepressants work by raising serotonin levels in the brain, though this hypothesis was never well-supported by research, even though it was used very heavily in the marketing of these drugs.Now, decades after this drug was prescribed to millions of people, researchers have learned that what Prozac really does is to stimulate the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, the portion of the brain that, among other thin... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1229285 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:37:00 +0100 1229285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1208968&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F229688710%2F Below you have a very insightful article on stress by one of our new Expert Contributors, Gregory Kellet, a researcher at UCSF. Enjoy! (Credit for Pic of Victoria Crater in Mars: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, via Wikipedia).  ---------------------------------------------- “My brain is…fried, toast, frazzled, burnt out.” How many times have you said or heard one version or another of these statements. Most of us think we are being figurative when we utter such phrases, but research shows that the biological consequences of sustained high levels of stress may have us being more accurate than we would like to think. Crash Course on Stress Our bodies are a complex balancing act between systems working full time to keep us alive and well. This balancing act is constantly adapting to th... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1208968 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:39:22 +0100 1208968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1198833&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F228755260%2F A roundup of several excellent articles this week: Keeping Your Brain Fit (US News and World Report) - "In a study of more than 2,800 people ages 65 or older, Harvard researchers found that those with at least five social ties—church groups, social groups, regular visits, or phone calls with family and friends—were less likely to suffer cognitive decline than those with no social ties." - "The working hypothesis is that it has something to do with stress management," says Marilyn Albert, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins and codirector of the Alzheimer's research center there. In animal studies, a prolonged elevation in stress hormones damages the hippocampus. Social engagement appears to boost people's sense of control, which affects their stress level. Creative ar... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1198833 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:35:05 +0100 1198833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1170199&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fimmune_system_molecule_key_to_stress_triggered_brain_atrophy.htm Acute and chronic stress can have devastating effects on the brain, and Yale School of Medicine researchers have pinpointed one receptor that plays a key role in that harmful cycle, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This could provide new targets for the development of antidepressant medications," said Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology and senior author of the study. Duman said uncontrollable stress is a major contributing factor for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depression and post-traumatic stress disorders, which have been linked to cellular changes in the hippocampus. The hippocampus regulates emotion and memory storage and is particularly susceptible to stress. But little is known about the underlying mechani... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1170199 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:08:00 +0100 1170199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146253&cid=t_102002_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fhippocampus-mind-hacks-catches-taxi.html The excellent neuroblog, Mind Hacks, has a post today that includes discussion about a program of research examining the hippocampal structures of professional navigators (e.g., taxi drivers) - research with fascinating neuropsychological results.The Mind Hacks post can be read at: post.A link to a .pdf of one of these publications can be found at: London Taxi Drivers and Bus Drivers: A Structural MRI and Neuropsychological Analysis. I am off to read this paper right now, which was published in 2006 in the journal Hippocampus. (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146253 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:55:00 +0100 1146253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106307&cid=t_102002_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F202786820%2Fwhat-is-drug-craving.html Exploring the engine of drug relapse“In terms of treatment, you can’t just attack the rewarding features of the drug. In the case of alcohol, we already have a perfect drug to make alcohol aversive--and that’s Antabuse. But people don’t take it. Why don’t they take it? Because they still crave. And so they stop taking it. You have to attack the other side, and hit the craving.”--Dr. Ting-Kai Li, 1990 interviewIt causes relapses and treatment failure. It leads good people to break good promises and do harm to themselves and others. What is this thing called craving? Isn’t it just another word for lack of will power?Scientists have gained a much deeper understanding of how and why addicts crave. For years, craving was represented by the tortured tremors and sweaty nightmares of... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106307 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:29:00 +0100 1106307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1020069&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract_fluoxetine_protects_hippocampal_plasticity_during_.htm Conclusions: These findings indicate that fluoxetine treatment, which is ineffective on conditioned fear stress-induced freezing, may have beneficial effects on conditioned fear stress-induced disturbance of hippocampal plasticity. These data also suggest that restoration of hippocampal functioning may contribute to protection against exaggerated reactions to mild stressors reported in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. (Text has been reformatted for clarity; ed.) Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1020069 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:49:00 +0100 1020069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=928955&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fremember_the_hippocampus_you_can_protect_the_brainrsquos.htm Stress management, physical and mental exercise, and some medications can keep the hippocampus active, allow neurogenesis.Henry A. Nasrallah, MD What part of the brain incorporates our moment-to-moment experiences, weaves them into coherent and interconnected verbal, spatial, and emotional memories, and enables us to be aware of our entire 'life story'? It's the hippocampus, of course. Damage to this portion of the brain-as in seriously mentally ill individuals-severely impairs the ability to form new memories, with subsequent social and vocational impairment. Interestingly, the hippocampus also is the "regeneration center" of the brain, continuously producing progenitor cells that can differentiate into neurons and glia that migrate to brain regions that need replenishment. What does that... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=928955 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:28:00 +0100 928955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=891464&cid=t_102002_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F9%2F21%2Fwhats-all-the-fuss-about-lead.html Poor Mattel; three huge recalls of lead-tainted toys, despite conscientious testing efforts. Those babe-in-the-woods quality control experts were no match to the wily new capitalists from China, determined to maximize profit. Isn’t that the name of the game?What’s next? A toxic Barbie? That may actually be a blessing in disguise.But, it’s not only toys. Here is an item from today’s San Jose Mercury:Lunchbox warning: Health officials say toss themUNSAFE LEVEL OF LEAD FOUND IN GIVEAWAYSBy Steven HarmonMediaNews Sacramento BureauArticle Launched: 09/21/2007 01:33:38 AM PDTSACRAMENTO - "The state's public health department asked parents Thursday to toss certain Chinese-made lunchboxes potentially containing dangerous levels of lead - the same ones it distribut... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=891464 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:33:33 +0100 891464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=873925&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F156844691%2Fanother_look_inside_your_brain.html Check inside the main parts of your mind and see mental resources that can make or break your career – at  MSNBC’s Interactive Mind Map. 1. Notice how the corpus callosum links your two brain hemispheres. There are huge differences in men’s and women’s corpus callosum – which is why we think and lead differently. 2. See the ofactory bulb where smell originates in your brain, and it’s location will likely explain how aromas at times affect memory and moods. 3. Check out the anterior cingulated gyrus … your attention manager to see where your brain helps you focus and stay on track until a work is completed.4. Locate the thalamus, deep in the central area of the brain, where your sensory switchboard operates. 5. Notice the hypothalamus, where y... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=873925 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:10:30 +0100 873925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=761698&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fabstract__amygdala_and_hippocampal_volumes_in_familial_earl.htm Conclusions: Reduced hippocampal volume may be suggestive of a risk factor for developing MDD. Source... (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=761698 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:39:00 +0100 761698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=736391&cid=t_102002_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fone_of_fears_governing_mechanisms_discovered.htm Research could lead to the first specific drug for post-traumatic stress and panic disorders Prof. Li-Huei TsaiImage: Broad InstituteAn international team of researchers have uncovered a molecular mechanism that governs the formation of fears stemming from traumatic events. The work could lead to the first drug to treat the millions of adults who suffer each year from persistent, debilitating fears - including thousands of soldiers returning from conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor of Neuroscience in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and colleagues show that inhibiting a kinase (enzymes that change proteins) named Cdk5 facilitates the extinction of fear learned in a specific context. Conversely, the learned... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=736391 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 07:23:00 +0100 736391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=486322&cid=t_102002_107_f&fid=35009&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsciencesque.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F12%2Fcaveat-lector%2F Judging from these headlines, I can see why some people don’t know what to believe and are left with a mistrust of scientific research. Nov 5, 2004 - New brain cells develop during alcohol abstinence. April 27, 2005 - A little booze leads to new brain cells. Argh, I’m so confused!! Maybe the truth is simply that we get new brain cells! The apparent conflict between the two headlines can be easily dispelled by looking into how the experiments were actually performed. In the first article, the researchers turned the rats into chronic alcoholics, which leads to a loss of brain mass, cognitive impairment, and a decrease in hippocampal neurogenesis. Following their alcohol bringe, the rats got on the wagon, and it was determined that abstinence lead to increased cell division in the... Sciencesque blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=486322 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 23:05:52 +0100 486322