Welcome to the thirty-eight edition of Brain Blogging. In this round, we cover a series on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), how the brain continuously repairs itself, and a recently approved anti-psychotic drug Invega.

Remember, we review the latest blogs related to the brain and mind that go beyond the basic sciences into a more human and multidimensional perspective. If you were left out, just leave a comment with your blog entry. You can check our archive for every edition.

For future editions, please remember to submit your blog entries using the online submission form. We will do our best to review and include your entry! Enjoy your readings…

It’s All in the Mind…

Providentia writes A Shocking Discovery (Part One, Two, and Three):

The use of ECT replaced all other forms of somatic treatment (except for the continuing use of lobotomies but that’s another story). Patients suffering from any form of psychosis, depression, dementia, personality disorder, psychopathy, or even homosexuality (it was still considered a mental illness at the time) were considered for the new treatment. New organizations sprang up including the Electroshock Research Association in 1944 and the Society for Biological Psychiatry in 1945.

SharpBrains writes Neurogenesis and Brain Plasticity in Adult Brains:

Adults may have a tendency to get set in their ways – I’ve been doing it this way for a long time and it works, so why change? Turns out, though, that change can be a way to keep aging brains healthy. At the April Learning & the Brain conference, the theme of which was neuroplasticity, I attended several sessions on adult learning. Here’s what the experts are saying.

Anand Dhillon writes 3 Easy Ways to Change Your Emotional State Instantly:

Clearly, when the way you feel changes, your physiology changes. However, most people don’t realize that when your physiology changes, the way you feel changes. This is something I first learned about from Tony Robbins and studied in-depth when learning NLP. Take a depressed person, put a smile on their face, get them to breathe deeply, stand up straight and speak with authority.

Liz Rosenbaum Fitness writes Self Acceptance Is Like A Muscle:

It’s those types of thoughts that can literally ruin our day and ruin our self perception. As you hear your inner voice say those negative things over and over again, your subconscious mind will actually start thinking them all of the time. It becomes a habit. So eventually, even on those days where you have every reason in the world to feel good about yourself, your mind will tell you reasons why you shouldn’t.

ElitePsych writes Invega: Better than Risperdal or Money Maker?:

Just like the other atypical anti-psychotics on the market like geodon, abilify, zyprexa… it’s just too early in the game to tell whom Invega will most benefit. But, just as with the above mentioned drugs that came blaring into the market, with further studies, evidence, etc. I am sure more advantages, side effects, etc will surface and help guide which specific sub-population in the spectrum of schizophrenia this will be appropriate for. For, now the advantage of extended release formulation for once daily dosing, and its metabolism in the kidneys rather than liver will be key features in terms of helping decide which patients to prescribe this for.

Brain Injury Lawyer writes Brain Implant for Deaf Girl:

The Yonsei University College of Medicine and Italian experts have transplanted a computer chip and an artificial neural network into the girl’s brain. The electronic nerve transforms sound into digital signals, which are transmitted to the brain stem and processed by the aural centrum. Following the transplant doctors say they’ve begun detecting in the child, the signature brainwaves of sound perception.

axel g writes Understanding Meditation:

Meditation has many overall health benefits and health professionals speak very highly of it. Meditation helps lowering the blood pressure and it effectively dissolves physical and mental stress just to mention a few of its health benefits. So, for anyone who’s living a busy lifestyle, meditation calls forth mental stillness and a break away from the hustle and bustle.