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Post Archive
February (1)January (3)
Hemispatial neglect: a one-sided world
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Fur-iends with benefits
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The neuroscience of optimism: why we resolve (and believe) we'll be better
Friday, January 6, 2012
2011 (7)Hemispatial neglect: a one-sided world
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Fur-iends with benefits
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The neuroscience of optimism: why we resolve (and believe) we'll be better
Friday, January 6, 2012
December (2)
Bad Christmas gifts: a neuroscientific gifting guide
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Why yawning is contagious
Monday, December 5, 2011
November (5)
The neuroscience of "Christmas Shoes"
Monday, November 28, 2011
Lunacy by the full moon-acy: is it real?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Mirror mirror on the wall, relieve me of pain once and for all
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Hippocampus (or should I say, elephant-campus)
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Welcome to neuroBLOGical!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Bad Christmas gifts: a neuroscientific gifting guide
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Why yawning is contagious
Monday, December 5, 2011
The neuroscience of "Christmas Shoes"
Monday, November 28, 2011
Lunacy by the full moon-acy: is it real?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Mirror mirror on the wall, relieve me of pain once and for all
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Hippocampus (or should I say, elephant-campus)
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Welcome to neuroBLOGical!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
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Jordan Gaines
Neuroscience
Pennsylvania State University USA
neuroBLOGical (n.): a blog on biology, psychology, cognition, learning, memory, aging, and everything in between. Explaining the brain to science lovers and non-lovers, the literate to the laymen!
My posts are presented as opinion and commentary and do not represent the views of LabSpaces Productions, LLC, my employer, or my educational institution.
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Views: 267 | Comments: 0
For our first Valentine's Day a few years back, my boy got me chocolate brains! Not only does he know me extremely well, but he also had it right—love originates in the brain, not the heart.
But what exactly is going on between the ears when those warm and fuzzy feeling wash over us? A new study out just in time for Chocolate Day reveals that love actually acts like an addictive drug. Hmmm, it seems that Ke$ha also got it right...
Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York examined the neural correlates of intense, long-term love using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 10 women and 7 men. fMRI measures brain activity as a function of changes in blood flow. The participants, married an average of 21 years, underwent imaging while viewing either an image of their partner's face, or a familiar acquaintance.
Compared to viewing the acquaintance, areas specifically activated when viewing their spouse included:
• Regions of the dopamine-rich reward system, including the ventral teg . . . More
But what exactly is going on between the ears when those warm and fuzzy feeling wash over us? A new study out just in time for Chocolate Day reveals that love actually acts like an addictive drug. Hmmm, it seems that Ke$ha also got it right...
Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York examined the neural correlates of intense, long-term love using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 10 women and 7 men. fMRI measures brain activity as a function of changes in blood flow. The participants, married an average of 21 years, underwent imaging while viewing either an image of their partner's face, or a familiar acquaintance.
Compared to viewing the acquaintance, areas specifically activated when viewing their spouse included:
• Regions of the dopamine-rich reward system, including the ventral teg . . . More
Views: 371 | Comments: 0
But that can't be the case. Close your left eye. You can still see much of your left visual field, and you'd certainly smell any food placed under your nose. And what dog is one to walk away without finishing their food?
In fact, Barley is displaying signs of hemispatial neglect, a strange condition in which brain damage, despite normal vision, results in complete neglect of the left side of one's world. Barley had, in fact, suffered a stroke.
Hemispatial neglect most commonly occurs after injury to the right parietal lobe like, in Barley's case, stroke.
It is not as common with left parietal lobe damage—it is thought that the right hemisphere of the brain is generally more specialized for spatial memory, while the left side is better tuned for language.
The left side of a person's world is ignored, then—damage to the right side of the brain reduces the amount of neural activity that crosses over the left via the large fiber tract connecting the two halves, called the corpus collosum (right).
A number of strange symptoms can arise in a person suffering from hemispatia . . . More
In fact, Barley is displaying signs of hemispatial neglect, a strange condition in which brain damage, despite normal vision, results in complete neglect of the left side of one's world. Barley had, in fact, suffered a stroke.
Hemispatial neglect most commonly occurs after injury to the right parietal lobe like, in Barley's case, stroke.
It is not as common with left parietal lobe damage—it is thought that the right hemisphere of the brain is generally more specialized for spatial memory, while the left side is better tuned for language.
The left side of a person's world is ignored, then—damage to the right side of the brain reduces the amount of neural activity that crosses over the left via the large fiber tract connecting the two halves, called the corpus collosum (right).
A number of strange symptoms can arise in a person suffering from hemispatia . . . More
Views: 429 | Comments: 0
Hallucinating said "pug," combined with me missing my 11-year old greyhound and best friend Patrick (above) back home and my upcoming orientation at the Harrisburg Humane Society (so excited!) prompted me to find out: what is it about pets that, simply put, makes us feel good?
. . . More
Views: 706 | Comments: 2
Last by Jordan Gaines on Jan 09, 2012, 4:47pm
Last by Jordan Gaines on Jan 09, 2012, 4:47pm
If you're within the 32% of Americans that made a resolution for 2012, chances are you're still going strong. Nearly a week in, you've been faced with the temptation, the test of willpower, and likely some teasing from loved ones. And you've only got 360 days left to call your resolution a success? Easy as pie...
Experimentally (and in real life), our species has consistently demonstrated unbridled optimism in the face of adversity. We've failed for the past 20 years'-worth of New Years resolutions—but no, 2012 will definitely be the year we lose weight. Plus, we're all going to quit the jobs we despise and find a better-paying, less stressful, more rewarding job. AND win the lottery (brilliant—we'll never have to go back to work in the first place!). A study by Tali Sharot and colleagues from New York University explored exactly why we can retain this buoyancy, thanks to insights in brain imaging.
Views: 802 | Comments: 4
Last by jimbot on Dec 28, 2011, 4:44pm
Last by jimbot on Dec 28, 2011, 4:44pm
At one point or another, we've all been on the receiving end of a poor or ill-fitting gift. How did you react to it? Or, more importantly, what did it mean to you in terms of your relationship with the giver? A study in recent years has explored exactly how men and women react upon receiving good and bad gifts.
. . . More
Views: 857 | Comments: 1
Last by Chas on Dec 09, 2011, 9:36pm
Last by Chas on Dec 09, 2011, 9:36pm
Check out the woman on the left and try not to yawn. Go on, give her a good ten seconds of your time. In the spirit of A Christmas Story, I triple-dog dare you. Really—try your absolute hardest not think about yawning as you read this post! C'mon, you know you can do it—you've been dared before, and you always fail miserably. NO YAWNING!We've all heard that "yawning is contagious"—but why? In this busy world, we don't sleep as much as we should. Gallup Polls in recent years have found that 56% of Americans report drowsiness as a daytime problem, and 34% of us are "dangerously sleepy." Does seeing someone yawn remind us that we, too, are exhausted are must follow suit?
That may be part of it, but the true reason may go much deeper. As it turns out, yawning may have ancient roots in social bonding.
. . . More
Views: 642 | Comments: 4
Last by sarah on Dec 14, 2011, 12:59pm
Last by sarah on Dec 14, 2011, 12:59pm
Sir, I wanna buy these shoes for my mama, please. It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there's not much time...
This little gem by New Song permeates the airwaves each year around this time, igniting tears and snickers alike in its listeners. We all know why the man agrees to buy the shoes for the boy—I mean, "his clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe." But how much would he be willing to part with for this anonymous child—$20? $30? $100? According to a study, the sadder the man, the more he would be willing to pay.
. . . More
Views: 587 | Comments: 2
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 18, 2011, 2:06pm
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 18, 2011, 2:06pm
When I was in elementary school, my teacher told my class that the full moon makes people crazy. She said it was caused by the gravitational tug of the moon on the Earth—the same forces that cause high and low tides—the argument being that our bodies are more than 60% water. I was impressionable and fascinated by weird science—who isn't at that age?—and have long since stored that "fact"oid in my ever-developing hippocampus. The full moon last week (which, not to mention, was GINORMOUS—did anyone else notice?) reminded me of this theory and made me want to do a little research of my own. Does the full moon really do something to our brains?
Firstly, we must be on the same page as to what a "full moon" really means. The moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth revolves around the sun. The phases of the moon simply represent the portions illuminated by the sun. All of this motion creates a very dynamic display for us earthlings. So when you see that little sliver in the sky, the rest of the moon is still there—the sun's rays just aren't reflected on the surface we're seeing.
That being said, why would an illuminated moon have some sort of effect (on tides, craziness, etc.), while a shadowed moon wouldn . . . More
Firstly, we must be on the same page as to what a "full moon" really means. The moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth revolves around the sun. The phases of the moon simply represent the portions illuminated by the sun. All of this motion creates a very dynamic display for us earthlings. So when you see that little sliver in the sky, the rest of the moon is still there—the sun's rays just aren't reflected on the surface we're seeing.
That being said, why would an illuminated moon have some sort of effect (on tides, craziness, etc.), while a shadowed moon wouldn . . . More
Views: 323 | Comments: 3
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 28, 2011, 10:04pm
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 28, 2011, 10:04pm
A very exciting event is happening as I type this: Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. This nerd-tastic event attracts a bevy (over 30,000, to be more precise) of the best and brightest in brain research under one roof once a year. This year's meeting is in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately for me, I am not in attendance; but fortunately for myself and, hopefully, my readers, new research radiating from this meeting gives me some great material to share.
On Saturday, the first day of the meeting, a new study was described that involves tricking arthritis sufferers with mirrors to alleviate their pain. Wait—what? Mirrors?
. . . More
Views: 1968 | Comments: 0
I am always in awe of "unlikely animal friends," and there are plenty of these videos on YouTube from which to enjoy. This CBS Evening News Assignment America particularly interested me.
Steve Hartman has reported two follow-ups since this 2009 feature about an unlikely friendship between Tarra the elephant and Bella the dog. The latest, which I caught when aired two nights ago, was heartbreaking, but extraordinarily fascinating. Sadly, Bella was killed by what appeared to be a coyote attack on October 26. When the location of the attack was pinpointed, the blood on Tarra's trunk made it evident that the elephant had carried her friend a mile back to the house. Tarra is now showing all the signs of depression—her fellow elephant friends at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN have been reaching out to her, spending more time with her and offering her their food. Nothing short of amazing, right?
Anybody with a pet wonders whether their animals can feel emotion. Scientific studies have reported signs of joy in rats, empathy in mice, and anger in baboons. We've all heard about pets who stand vigil over sick or dying owners, dogs who adopt extreme levels of responsibility for the blind or disabled, and my friend has a cat who is particularly affectionate when she isn't feeling well, physically or emotionally.
Steve Hartman has reported two follow-ups since this 2009 feature about an unlikely friendship between Tarra the elephant and Bella the dog. The latest, which I caught when aired two nights ago, was heartbreaking, but extraordinarily fascinating. Sadly, Bella was killed by what appeared to be a coyote attack on October 26. When the location of the attack was pinpointed, the blood on Tarra's trunk made it evident that the elephant had carried her friend a mile back to the house. Tarra is now showing all the signs of depression—her fellow elephant friends at the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN have been reaching out to her, spending more time with her and offering her their food. Nothing short of amazing, right?
Anybody with a pet wonders whether their animals can feel emotion. Scientific studies have reported signs of joy in rats, empathy in mice, and anger in baboons. We've all heard about pets who stand vigil over sick or dying owners, dogs who adopt extreme levels of responsibility for the blind or disabled, and my friend has a cat who is particularly affectionate when she isn't feeling well, physically or emotionally.
. . . More
Views: 221 | Comments: 4
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 16, 2011, 10:24am
Last by Jordan Gaines on Nov 16, 2011, 10:24am
Welcome to my new blog, neuroBLOGical! My name is Jordan, and I'm a 22-year old graduate student in the Neuroscience program at Penn State Hershey. I'm a native of the Baltimore area, and graduated from the beautiful St. Mary's College of Maryland in May with my Bachelor's in Biology and Neuroscience.
I have had an interest in neuroscience since 8th grade—that's possibly before I even knew what "neuroscience" meant. The brain fascinated me, and I wanted to learn everything that I could about the mysterious 3-lb. organ that simultaneously controlled my thoughts, speech, and movement.
I've worked in a number of labs, from cellular (a model of Huntington's disease) to organismal (salamander limb regeneration), from chemical (measuring vitamin D levels) to behavioral (RATS!). Conducting scientific research is fascinating, but can also be extraordinarily tedious. I can't tell you how many times I used to nod off in the dark microscopy room after being awake since 5 AM for my college rowing practices.
To protect myself from the occasional disappointment that sometimes accompanies failed experiments, I've always enjoyed reading about a wide variety of scientific topics, usually in popular science magaz . . . More
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Friends
Hard to say! I think people fail by a combination of following old habits, and the fact that our vices are usually more pleasurable anyway. I've heard that it takes 40 days to fully establish a new. . .Read More
But I hate chessecake :( Great post, though, how does this help explain why so many people fail for 20 years? Does the nucleus accumbens "win" after a month or so? . . .Read More
After 20 years of marriage, I've learned a couple of things. 1. Getting her a vacuum cleaner will earn you a month on the couch. Other appliances may be accepted if it's something she enjoy. . .Read More
I'm going to use this as an excuse soo much! Yes, honey, that is a terrible gift. But it's because I love you soooo much. Thanks for the article, fun and illustrative. . .Read More
You could always test it out with a gag gift and see how they react for an hour or two? I can't be responsible for any break-ups though!! :) . . .Read More