Articles Tagged ‘brain’

Neuroscience & Neurology | By June 03, 2009 | By Sajid Surve, DO | 9 Comments

Reflections on Plasticity

Neuroscience and Neurology Category Neuroplasticity is a relatively new concept for researchers. Up until the 1970s, scientists held firm to the belief that once we exit childhood, our neurons are fixed and we are unable to grow any new ones, except for very select areas of the brain such as the hippocampus where memory is processed. Since that time, new research and tools such as functional MRI have suggested that our brains are constantly being molded and shaped by our experiences, and maintain some degree of plasticity throughout life. Indeed, the works of such pivotal researchers as Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. and William Jenkins, Ph.D. have demonstrated that our brains wish to conserve real estate, and will remap unused portions of the brain lost due to injury so that they can process different information. As an example, if a patient lost their eye due to a traumatic accident, over time the area of the visual cortex responsible for processing that eye would convert and begin processing information for the remaining eye. Read more →

Medical Controversy – When Does Life Begin? | May 10, 2009 | 3 Comments

One of the most contested questions in history is a seemingly simple one: When does life begin? Different cultures and societies have battled to answer this question, and to date no consensus has been reached. Of course, the answer to this question has profound ethical, legal, moral, and philosophical... Read more →

Emotions and the Brain | April 08, 2009 | 10 Comments

I’ve recently started to think about emotions. I’m not a very emotional person. I guess I’m just like many other men. I admit that I’m stereotyping here so I hope you don’t mind. However, I often wonder why men and women tend to differ so much when it comes to our emotions. There are so many... Read more →

Cognitive Theories and Brain Damage | April 03, 2009 | 2 Comments

Cognitive theorists postulate how information is processed. For example, is it like a computer where all the information is broken down into bits, processed, and then reassembled for output? Or is processing handled in a completely different manner? One prevalent way to test theories of cognitive psychology... Read more →

Brain Blogging, Forty-Fourth Edition | March 21, 2009 | 4 Comments

Welcome to the forty-fourth edition of Brain Blogging. In this round, we discuss the innate ability to empathize, the connection between moral disgust and foul smells, whether antidepressants (and antipsychotics) really work by making you hungry, and many more topics. Remember, we review the latest... Read more →

Relying on a Peripheral Brain | March 09, 2009 | 0 Comments

In the old days, medical students used to walk around with pockets bursting at the seams. Why? Because they were carrying around hand-written notes, cards, and mini textbooks to help them remember all the information they were trying to learn. Many people have described the medical school experience... Read more →

Lithium as a Neuroprotectant? | March 05, 2009 | 7 Comments

Lithium is an elemental chemical found naturally as an alkali metal. The ionic form can be used to form salts which are readily available for medicinal purposes. Although the exact mechanism of action for lithium is unknown, it is believed to function by simultaneously raising serotonin levels and lowering... Read more →

The Memory of an Elephant | February 14, 2009 | 4 Comments

Are there days in your life that you would rather forget ever happened? Falling down the stairs in front or your entire class or an embarrassing fashion faux pas? By the same token, there are some occasions we wish could remain as fresh in our mind’s eye as the day they occurred — whether it... Read more →

Stressed By His Short Allele | January 12, 2009 | 2 Comments

The serotonin (neurochemical) system in the brain has long been a target for interventions aimed at reducing depression and stress. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are often used to balance mood and counteract high levels of anxiety. It is not surprising then that scientists are now finding... Read more →

Deep Brain Stimulation for Pleasure | January 08, 2009 | 4 Comments

Scientists out of Oxford University have developed a deep brain stimulation protocol for the orbitofrontal cortex of the brain, a small center behind the eyes which is believed to have a role in our perception of pleasure associated with food and sex. Dr. Tipu Aziz, a professor of neurosurgery at Oxford... Read more →

Sometimes It’s Good to Be Cold – Therapeutic Hypothermia | December 29, 2008 | 2 Comments

The upper Midwest has been besieged by a bitter cold front for the past several days. Chicago recently reported wind chills of 30 degrees below zero, and several locations in North and South Dakota posted high ambient air temperatures of several degrees below zero, without wind chill. Though not exactly... Read more →

Brain Blogging, Forty-Second Edition | December 26, 2008 | 6 Comments

Welcome to the forty-second edition of Brain Blogging. In this round, we discuss the profession of neurology, the transforming power of stroke, whether suicidal behaviors should make the DSM V, potential location of autism genes, and many more topics. Remember, we review the latest blogs related to the... Read more →