Practice Makes a Perfect Liar

http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/27/15488245-practice-makes-the-perfect-liar?lite

Are you one of those people who suck at lying? Can everyone tell when you're lying because you can't keep a straight face? According to this article, with enough practice anyone can become a perfect liar. While I don't think I exactly agree with the methods presented in this article, I still found it to be very interesting. Researcher Hu and his team claimed that after 20 minutes of training their subjects were very efficient at lying and it was no longer possible to distinguish between the lie and the truth. Participants were given a new false identity and instructed to remember three fact: their new name, new hometown, and new date of birth. The liars were tested and instructed to press yes for every fact appearing about their false identity and no for facts about their true identity.

While I don't think this method of testing was extremely strong, I definitely think it's a start, and something that could become incredibly useful, especially for improving EEG and polygraph tests. However, I think there is a huge field of lying to be covered. In this test participants were simply asked to lie about themselves, and were given no motivation other than lying is wrong. In terms of criminals they have a HUGE motivation to become skilled liars, as it may keep them from getting in trouble. I think motivation should definitely become a factor in new studies, and perhaps asking about other items such as events rather than personal items. I also think the idea of "practice" can be expanded. Certainly rehearsing a lie over and over for a specific instance will make you a skilled liar about that subject, but it does not make you a skilled liar overall. You could easily still give yourself away on many other topics.

This article also raises a question of morality to me. Is this something we really want to be investigating and improving? Giving people the tools to learn how to lie better? Or is it something essential, a topic that we should be proactive about to prevent catastrophes later on?

Mouse Brain Cells Activated, Reactivated in Learning and Memory

"Mouse Brain Cells Activated, Reactivated in Learning and Memory"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121213121345.htm

Humans store episodic memories about events in our lives in the hippocampus, which drives the reactivation of neurons in the cortex. When remembering an event from your life the hippocampus is able to recreate the pattern of cortical activity that was there at the time. Damage to the hippocampus caused patients to lose their memories because they can't recreate the activity in the cortex from when the memory was made. Learning activates a group of neurons that undergo changes, making new connections to store the memory. Retrieving the memory reactivates the exact network used when creating the memory.


To examine what neurons were involved an experiment with mice was set up. The mice were put into a new cage with an unfamiliar odor and given a few minutes to explore. Then they were given a mild electrical shock through the cage floor. When returned to the cage a couple of days later, the mice would remember the shock and stay frozen in one place. When the brains were examined, the researchers could see which cells had been activated initially to form the memory and which were reactivated later to recall it.


Researchers use imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, to see which areas of the brain are switched on and off in learning and retrieval but cannot pick out an object as small as a single cell. Wiltgen and University of Virginia graduate student Kaycie Tayler used a genetically modified mouse that carries a gene for a modified green fluorescent protein which causes fluorescence in neurons. This would allow researchers to determine individual cells which were involved in learning and retrieving memories.

About 40 percent of the cells in the hippocampus that were tagged during initial memory formation were reactivated when the memory was recalled. There was also reactivation of cells in parts of the brain cortex associated with place learning and in the amygdala, which is important for emotional memory. There was no evidence of reactivation when the mice were tested in a new environment that they did not remember according to Wiltgen.

In future work, Wiltgen's team plans to examine the role of the hippocampus and other brain regions in forming memories and explore new ways to activate or block memories.

Fragile X Protein Linked to Autism

"Fragile X Protein Linked to Nearly 100 Genes Involved in Autism" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121212134052.htm 

I remember that a few days in class we were talking about both autism and fragile X syndrome and someone made a statement that they knew someone with fragile x syndrome that had a lot of the same symptoms as autism, but they hadn't been diagnosed with autism at this point and that made me wonder how much these two actually correlated.

Fragile X syndrome causes a person to produce too little or none of the FMRP protein, fragile X mental retardation protein. FMRP plays an important role controlling production of other proteins in the brain and other organs. Additional proteins FMRP would normally regulate are made in the wrong place and at the wrong time when a person suffers from fragile X syndrome. Two to six percent of children with autism are also diagnosed with fragile X and about one-third of fragile X patients also meet the criteria for autism.

Thomas Tuschl and Uwe Ohler discovered that FMRP directly controls at least 93 genes that have been independently linked to autism, as well as Angelman, Prader-Willi, Rett and other neurologic syndromes that have overlapping features with autism.

The next step for researchers is to examine the common molecular pathways leading to all forms of autism. By knowing these pathways scientists can better target treatments for both fragile X and autism.

The Riddle of Too Much Sleep

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324478304578171221462816296.html?KEYWORDS=unraveling

It is a common known fact that not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your health. However, newer studies are revealing that too much sleep may also begin to cause some problems.

Different health issues such as diabetes, depression, low thyroid, or obstructive sleep apnea, can all induce the urge to sleep.  Now, when all these problems are ruled out, the next diagnosis is usually primary hypersomnia. It is found that patients with this problem have a substance in their cerebrospinal fluid that causes the brain to sedate itself. Symptoms of this condition hit people who are usually in their early 20’s.

Researches at Emory University believe that the substance in the cerebrospinal fluid that acts as a sleep agent (somnogen), supercharges a sleep-inducing brain chemical called GABA. A patient with this condition was treated with flumazenil, a drug that is administered to counteract an overdose of sedatives, and began to feel more “alive” several days later.

Although the actual chemical that causes this brain sedation has not yet been discovered, it is believed that it can be the cause of many other conditions that involve excessive drowsiness. Doctors have been able to find that same sleep-inducing spinal fluid in patients that have narcolepsy and a rare form of hypersomnia called Kleine-Levin syndrome.

Ever since this new research has come about, many patients have been contacting their doctors and several sleep clinics to discuss the possibility of having the condition. Because many factors can cause excessive drowsiness, such as simply not getting enough sleep at night, many patients have gone undiagnosed and are now looking for answers. The drug that helps counter the excessive drowsiness, flumazenil, is in low supply, and the search to find alternatives that would provide the same effect is now in effect.

Of course if, take for an example, a patient regularly sleeps for more than a day a problem is apparent, in comparison to a patient who may sleep more than a day due to lack of sleep the night before. Taking this into consideration, how do you draw the line between a health condition and a simple routine issue? Do you think people who are just not getting enough sleep and feeling drowsy all the time are going to take advantage of this condition to get personal pardons?

Take drugs get pneumonia

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/popular-sedatives-may-raise-risk-for-pneumonia-a-study-says/2012/12/10/57c01042-6a25-11e1-acc6-32fefc7ccd67_story.html

Xanax and Valium are common prescriptions in our society for people who struggle with anxiety. While these drugs can calm you down and make you relax they also increase your risk of contracting pneumonia. They also increase your risk of death once you contract pneumonia. This study analyzed data from 34,000 people, about 5,000 had pneumonia and about 5,000 took benzodiazepines. Those who took benzodiazepines were 54% more likely to develop pneumonia than those who didn't. The chance of dying was 22% higher for those who took the drugs than those who didn't.

This study did not set out to prove cause and effect. However, 54% is a very significant percentage. I think they should look closer to the demographics of the people who were contracting pneumonia. I also would want to know more about what happened to the immune system to weaken it and allow pneumonia to happen more easily.

Texas Board Approves Rules on Use of Stem Cells

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/us/new-rules-on-adult-stem-cells-approved-in-texas.html?_r=0



While this article focuses on the use of stem cells, the rules that were approved in Texas are not applicable to the use of embryonic stem cells which has been the root of heated debate for a good while. The article reports that in Texas it is not acceptable for doctors to perform a slew of stem cell procedures as long as they are research based and are approved by a institutional review board. This marks a very dramatic shift in views of the state. From my understanding, the patients opt for this treatment and are not charged for the use of the stem cell treatments as they are being done on a research basis. Naturally the mere topic of stem cell use is going to cause debate and uproar from people who deem themselves religious. As I interpreted it, there really is no form of true regulation on this new piece of legislature. It sounds like you can go into a research facility and say "I have this problem, give me stem cells to fix it." As long as there is approval from a medical review board you are set to go. The medical board that was set to review and approve or deny the new regulations were put into a tough spot as the rules had already been printed into the Texas register and a act of approval or denial was all that the board could do.

Normally this is something that I would be a large proponent of, as the use of stem cells, specifically embryonic stem cells has the ability to make almost all of the "incurable" diseases and conditions we know of things of the past. However, the way that Texas has set this up and the way that this article presented these new pieces of "Legislation" is really quite sketch to me. This may be a biased article, but the facts appear to be sound to me and it kind of makes me worry for people that opt to have these studies performed on them. There is no period of pretesting or waiting to see possible after effects or anything. I think that what Texas is doing with this is an attempted step in the right direction for the wide spread use of stem cells medicinally, but I fear that this is really going to blow up in their face sending thoughts of stem cell use to the trash can. There are no rules or regulations on it! Like what are you doing? Good intentions, horrible idea.

Mom's Depression and Baby's Language

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/08/does-moms-depression-affect-babys-language/

Language is basically an inborn trait. Our brains are wired to understand language from birth. At 6 months old babies can differentiate between sounds in different languages that sound the same to someone who only speaks one language. They can also differentiate between languages based on mouth shapes and rhythms of what is being said. However, at 10 months old infants lose this ability, which indicates that there is a critical period for language. They become better at their native language and don't need to be sensitive to non-native languages. This study investigated the critical period of language in infants and the relation to mother's depression and use of antidepressants, specifically serotonin reuptake inhibitors. There is a large percentage of women who experience depression while pregnant and some take antidepressants during this time period.

A study was done to see if there is a connection between depression, anti-depressants, and baby's language perception at 6 months and 10 months. One group was made up of women who were depressed but didn't use antidepressants. The second group was women who were both depressed and used antidepressants. The control group was women who were neither depressed nor on medication. The researchers tested the babies at 6 months and 10 months to see if they could tell the difference between letters in different languages. The control babies passed at 6 months and failed at 10 months. The depressed but not on medication group failed at 6 months and passed at 10 months which means their language critical period was delayed. The depressed and medicated group failed both times.

The article offers a few possibilities to explain why this happened. Maybe the chemicals in the medication affected the fetus' brain development, but it's interesting that they didnt have any other symptoms. It doesn't appear to have long term affects on the babies, however I would be nervous to take medicine that alters my brain chemistry while I was pregnant.

Causes of suicide may not be based on long-term problems

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/13/health/nurse-uk-suicide/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

This article is focused on the suicide of Jacinta Saldanha following a prank call from a radio station claiming to be Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.  The event has caused an international outcry as well as provided more interesting insight to how and why some people are inclined to take their own lives.  Sources including many professors of psychology have noted the fact that contrary to popular opinion a person who has a stable mental condition can still be subject to certain events that may suddenly tip them over the edge.  Namely the experts claimed that moments of intense anxiety may cause people to feel as if they may not be able to cope with a certain or unique stressor despite having a stable emotional mindset.  Finally the article points to a simple explanation that suicide is a subject of psychology that is still very misunderstood and falls under the umbrella of not understanding why some people decide to take their lives and some don't   This is similar to how some people who have experienced the same traumatic event develop PDST and some don't many of the intense emotional disorders that can affect people are subject to many psychological and biological factors.

Researcher Show Possibility of Neuron Transplantation

I recently had the opportunity to read an article entitled Transplantation of Embryonic Neurons Raises Hope for Treating Brain Diseases.This article described the results of an experiment conducted by researchers at UCSF who implanted embryonic interneuron cells into the brains of infant mice. The expected result was that most of these cells would fail to form a lasting hold in the brains of the mice however, the researchers found that there was a consistently high ratio of cells surviving in the mice. 

This is a very promising result because of the nature of the interneurons used. The cells used are GABAergic interneurons, which have been connected to diseases such as Parkinson’s schizophrenia, and epilepsy. During the developmental process these neurons have been shown to migrate. Many researchers believe that errors in this migratory process is a root cause of problems with GABA pathways in the cerbral cortex. This a problem because GABA has a major effect on excitatory and inhibitory processes of neurons. It is the hope of many scientists that this development may spur the advancement of treatments in which cell transplantation is used. These findings are also significant because they go against the long held neurotrophic hypothesis, which states that, because the brain can only support a finite number of neurons, as the brain develops it systematically removes excess neurons through competition and extrinsic signaling .

 Experiments such as this may shed more light on the nature of movement and elimination of brain cells during development and help scientists to better understand its connection to life threatening neurological diseases. I believe that this research is incredibly promising as it introduces extensive possibilities for the use of neural implantation in therapeutic procedures. The fact that these neurons are connected to so many major neurological disorders should place research like it at the top of the list for funding.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121012102117.htm

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature11523.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11377916

Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior

http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.lib.vt.edu:8080/stable/10.2307/40063648

The author's Craig A. Anderson and Brad J. Bushman speak to the positive correlation between many notable scenes of adolescent violence such as school shootings and the playing of violent video games such as Doom in the case of the Columbine High School shooters.  The essay speaks to the large increase of both the amount of people between the ages of 8-18 who play violent video games and more importantly the amount by which they play per week.
As an active participant in video games as well as the video gaming community I find that while violent video games may lead to more aggressive behavior the most prolific evidence that researchers can use to support this claim is school shootings and tragic scenes of adolescent violence.  While it has been proven that playing violent video games can have a negative impact on the development of certain areas of the brain placing video games as one of the major reasons why aggression has increased in younger people is in my opinion almost not scientific in so far as it merely seeks a scapegoat to explain the changing social norms.  Research points to the effect that violent video games tend to inhibit social behavior but do nothing to question the motives or reasons as to why many introverts who may never excel at social interactions or sports may be more inclined to play video games online where they are often accepted.

How to Overcome Neediness

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-craig-malkin/neediness_b_2116608.html


This article discusses how the concept of "neediness" is tied with depression, and even more closely linked to connectedness. Neediness, or the overwhelming feeling of dependence on others, has been shown through research to be correlated with depression in a number of ways. People who consider themselves to be needy also show traits of loneliness, hopelessness and other depressive symptoms. However, psychologists have discovered that neediness most likely stems from the innate human need to be connected to other people. We, as a species, have become inclined though evolution to need to be close to one another. We really are a pack species. When humans do not feel sufficiently connected to other people, whether it is a loved one or even family and friends, it is our natural instinct to try and reach out to others. In extreme circumstances, we can be seen as "needy." The article states that it is, therefore, not a real need to connect that induces neediness, it is actually our fear of being alone. The article also gives tips on how to cope if you are feeling needy, which include: breathing as a stress management skill, getting connected with peers, practicing emotional mindfulness, taking stock of your personal relationships, and making room for your own needs.

While this article may not go into the biological and chemical functions of why we feel needy, I think it's important to take a step back and look at how simple feelings that we may not really think about have a psychological and even evolutionary background. We are programmed to seek out others and keep company as an evolutionary way to keep our species going from generation to generation. It seems that for every emotion we may experience, not only is there a biochemical reason for it, but there is also an explanation for that biochemical phenomenon. What do you guys think about this?

Interesting Function of Oligodendrocytes

      In class we talked some about glial cells and their importance in the myelination of axons. We also discussed that researchers suspected that there was more to glial cells  and that there was currently a good deal of research being done on their other functions. So out of curiosity I began to research glial cells, and found an article by the name of Glial Cells Supply Nerve Fibres With Energy-Rich Metabolic Products. This article talked about a study done by Klaus Armin and his research group from the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Göttingen researching how glial cells support axons metabolically. They tried to prove this by deactivating the Cox10 gene, which is necessary for the mitochondrial activity of glial cells in mice and observing the effects on the neurons. They expected this to result in the death of the axons however, what they say was an increase in the energy and thickness of the fibers in the axons. When studied more closely they found that the oligodendrocytes were staying alive through glycolysis and actually strengthening the axons by transferring lactic acid, which was broken down and used by the neurons. 

(http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v485/n7399/full/nature11007.html)

This interesting adaptive feature of these cells provides a good reminder of how little we really understand of the brain. I belive this research could prove helpful when looking at curing neuro-degenerative diseases. It might also be helpful when looking at preventing neural death when the brain is not receiving proper oxygen due to cardiac arrest or near drownings. I think that the continued research of oligodendrocytes as well as other glial cells will go a long way in strengthening our understanding of the brain  as a whole.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510100046.htm

Brain Scans Reveal Possible Vulnerability to PTSD

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/3199-brain-changes-ptsd-japan-earthquake.html

Researchers in Japan discovered that people with weak connections in certain parts of their brains may be more vulnerable to PTSD after a traumatic event. Previous research had found differences between the brains of people with PTSD and those of people without the condition. However, it is uncertain as to whether different brain features cause vulnerability to PTSD or are a result of the condition itself. The study followed 30 Japanese adolescents who experienced the devastating 2011 earthquake. Researchers compared the adolescents' brain scans form before the earthquake (they got the scans from earlier studies) to brain scans after the earthquake, and gave the adolescents a questionnaire to gauge their anxiety levels after the earthquake. 

The comparison of brain scans showed changes in the brain's white matter, tissue that facilitates communication of different areas of the brain. Adolescents with small amounts of white matter in the front, left region of the frontal lobe before the earthquake hit were more likely to have high anxiety levels after the earthquake. Also, adolescents with large amounts of white matter in the front, left area of the frontal lobe found after the earthquake were more likely to have high anxiety levels, too. These brain areas are involved with processing fear and anxiety, so any extra or lack of communication in those areas could cause decreased emotional regulation. 

Why Intelligent People Use More Drugs

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201010/why-intelligent-people-use-more-drugs


The author, Satoshi Kanazawa, claims that intelligent individuals are more likely to use psychoactive drugs. He clarifies his point by claiming the negative and positive health effects are immaterial to the hypothesis. The argument of whether or not intelligent people are healthier is not the question at hand. A study in the U.K. indicated that the greater the intelligence (weighted from from an I.Q. test), the more likely the child would consume psychoactive drugs than a child with a lesser I.Q. This does not coincide with a popular view that intelligence is associated with positive outcomes, but rather "evolutionarily" novel outcomes. Kanazawa argues that intelligent individuals are more likely to engage in "evolutionarily novel behavior."

I think its a very interesting take. A while ago I read an article commenting on the correlation between intelligence and atheism, which in hindsight I realize was not as common yet controversial as in today's light (in the sense it is a prevalent and noticed issue that gets debated over in diffused aspects). In an American culture dominated by religious moral, atheism is often seen as novel, and the claim then definitely was. Intelligent people are usually the ones questioning what's "accepted" and revolutionizing everything about it (e.g. evolution, general relativity). The author also mentions intelligent people doing stupid things. In the search of novelty, stupidity is bound to manifest. I do consistently see great things come from very smart people. These things are not always practical or wise, but novel nonetheless. So to correlate that with drug use as novel is befitting to today's standards, controversies, and current events.

No Man is an Island! Loneliness Could Increase Dementia.

http://www.livescience.com/25446-loneliness-feelings-dementia-risk.html 

According to a new study, people who feel lonely are at higher risk of developing dementia. the study followed 2,200 healthy people ages 65 to 86 for three years. The results suggested that dementia could be advanced both by psychological and physical loneliness. In one survey, lonely people were 1.64 times more likely to develop to develop dementia, where 13.4 percent of those who reported feeling lonely went on to develop dementia over the next three years, while only 5.7 percent of those who reported no lonely feelings developed dementia. Because subjects only reported that they felt lonely, these specific findings suggest that a perceived absence of social attachments can be a psychological cause of increase dementia risk. The researchers did not have an exact explanation of this relationship, but said that it could be because feeling lonely leads to a lack of stimulation.  

The study also found that 9.3 percent of subjects living alone developed dementia, whereas only 5.6 percent of those living with at least one other person developed. Also, of the subjects who were not or no longer married, 9.2 percent developed dementia, compared to only 5.3 percent of married people. Whether the loneliness was psychological or physical, there is still a common possible explanation for the dementia. Memories are strengthened during long-term potentiation (LTP), where synaptic strength is increased when successive neurons along a neuron pathway are activated. If a person is not regularly stimulated by conversation or interaction, nothing will be triggering those neuron pathways, causing cognitive decline.

What are your thoughts? Do you buy into the study's findings that dementia can increase merely based on a person feeling lonely? 

Suffer. Spend. Repeat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/opinion/sunday/suffer-spend-repeat.html?n=Top%2fNews%2fHealth%2fDiseases%2c%20Conditions%2c%20and%20Health%20Topics%2fPsychology%20and%20Psychologists&_r=0

This article touches on the stress of shopping and what retailers are doing to increase the amount of impulse shopping of consumers.  Evidence suggests, as stated by the article, that the less comfortable shoppers are during their shopping spree, the more money they are likely to spend.  This is why they play the same songs over and over and throw tons of ‘money-saving’ deals at us.  Playing the music at high volumes overstimulates us, augmenting chances of impulse purchases.  Studies mentioned in the article even include musical selection intended to increase tips in restaurants.  The sense of olfaction is also visited, stating that seasonal aromas connect shoppers with seasonal products.  Other interesting marketing techniques mentioned include the fact that supermarkets put bread and milk on opposite ends of the store to increase distance traveled past non-essential items.

This article was very entertaining to read because I could connect, as a consumer, to many of the ploys mentioned to be used by retailers.  At this point, I haven’t gotten the chance to do much holiday shopping, but I will be playing much closer attention to strategies used by stores as I do venture out to purchase gifts for family and friends.  The article does not go into much detail regarding the biological processes underlying the situation, but through this class, I could deduce that many reward neurotransmitters are active whilst shopping in the conditions aforementioned.  As one of the oldest senses in vertebrates, olfaction was mentioned to have significant effect on our impulsiveness.  I’m sure there are many more articles noting how our senses can have underlying, subconscious effects.  Retailers are probably also always looking for the latest research to increase sales, so while you’re out making your last minute purchases, take a look at what type of techniques retailers may employ urging you to buy their products.

Change of Language, Change of Personality

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201212/change-language-change-personality-part-ii


This article essentially comments on the difference multilingual individuals feel and appear to exhibit in personality between different languages. The author, Dr. Francois Grosjean, cites his previous post explaining evidence positive the claim personality changes between languages. Dr. Grosjean, however believes environment factors influence the change in personality (like culture or interlocutors) rather than the language itself. Most others in the same field sense its is, more accurately, the environmental conditions that compose the language as well as confront the bi-linguist that affect that individuals personality. This takes into consideration the challenges the speaker is facing when talking in a different language. As people we adapt to situations to get a point or meaning across. This isn't necessarily changing personality, but rather "an expression of another part of our personality" less emphasized in another language.

Being able to speak other languages myself, friends who witness me speaking in an Indian language, Marathi, to my family comment on how different I sound and appear. I would argue language to essentially be a different mode. I can see how that plays into affecting personality. I agree with the situational aspect affecting personality as well. When I most recently went to India, I noticed the difference in body language between American conversation and Indian conversation. I definitely adapted some aspects of their body language to help get my, relatively, broken speech across.

Any others multilingual or know anyone multilingual and feel or see a change in personality?

Insulin makes you fat.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121204145549.htm

In a study conducted on animals, it was found that those with low-levels of insulin were able to eat more food without the risk of gaining body fat.  Those who had more insulin in their bodies were more likely to gain body fat after the same size of a meal.  They believe that they have finally located the cause of obesity in mammals, directly stating that insulin is the driving factor.  The doctors are reassuring people that have to take insulin as a result of diabetes that it can be thought of as a good or bad substance, but it is one that is needed in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level within the body.  In mice, scientists know that they are predisposed to produce high amounts of insulin if those parts of their body are activated to do so.  It was found that the mice in the low-level condition of insulin production did not gain as much body fat, even when indulging in a high fat all they could eat buffet of sorts.  They had lower levels of inflammation, and less fat build up on their livers.  However, the scientists say that the evidence that points toward the fact that insulin may indeed be the cause of fat gain, it is not a true detrimental health risk to the public.  If your insulin levels tend to be high there is nothing to worry about, but it is something to take into consideration.
    This article dealt with the manipulation of mice genes in order to see the effects of high levels of insulin and low levels of insulin.  It was found that low levels allowed the mice to eat significantly more than the high level without gaining weight, while the high level mice became fat to the point of obesity.  After all of this, however, I thought it was strange at the end of the article that the scientists tell us that this is not too significant because the benefits outweigh the risks.  This must be because weight gain in mice seems more significant, because their normal weight is only about a pound or two.  When they begin to tip the scales at 4 or 5 pounds of course it will seem to be significant.

Diabetes Medicine Cures!!!...wait it cures Alzheimers?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121211145234.htm

     A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Alberta have discovered a drug that was originally created to help with patients with diabetes, but is capable of restoring brain functioning caused by the damage of Alzheimer's Disease.  This was first found when they introduced the drug, called AC253, onto the brain cells of an animal that had Alzheimer's and tested the brain tissue in the lab.  In this lab setting, when electricity was applied to the areas of the brain that trigger remembering, it was found that these areas that had previously been damaged, were now functioning properly.  They took this drug, and began using it on animals with Alzheimer's Disease.  In many lab studies, it was found that the drug actually helped these animals to perform better in memory tasks than previously thought could be achieved.  It appears that the drug can bring the damaged memory cells "to levels similar to those in normal cells."
      This is a very exciting find in the world of medicine.  Many consider Alzheimer's Disease to be one of the saddest diseases out there because of the depersonalization of their loved one's.  Some people cannot even remember who their own children are and are dependent on them at the same time.  People with Alzheimer's mostly cannot remember where they are, which put them in a constant state of stress and worry.  This drug, if it is further tested and taken to human trials and is successful would be a truly miraculous scientific finding.  People who have family members with Alzheimer's could be relieved and have hope that their parents, aunts, and uncles could remember who they are and where they are.  To think that this drug was made originally for diabetes makes me wonder if there are other drugs out there that can help for unknown diseases.

Why Can't People Admit They Are Wrong And What Are the Consequences?

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/why-it-so-hard-police-admit-theyve-messed?paging=off

     Pointing out the errors of out peers are easy, but why is it admitting out own faults difficult? According to psychologists, cognitive dissonance is the cause. Cognitive dissonance is when a person holds two conflicting ideas, not knowing which one to follow. The person must then choose one of the ideas to settle the inner conflict. In our minds, we embrace "self-justification," or almost always viewing ourself in a positive light; however, this blinds us to our faults. Therefore, when we make a mistake, we engage in cognitive dissonance, and usually, we choose to ignore our faults, trying to find a reason to prove our point. This happens almost everyday, and usually does not cause monumental problems. What happens; however, when this psychological phenomenon interferes with the the law? In a 1998, the police coerced a false testimony from the victim's brother, making him give false details to the police. The charge against him was later dismissed, and DNA evidence years later found the real killer, but the consequences of this could have been disastrous if the judge did not overturn the case. Be wary of cognitive dissonance, as it lurks around every corner of our lives.

Dangers Of Medical Overdiagnosis & Overtreatment

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/owning-pink/201212/dangers-medical-overdiagnosis-overtreatment

This article brings up a hot topic in the medical world: overdiagnosis.  This term is used to describe when people test positive for a condition when no symptoms will ever show or no disease will develop.  As fear of a condition accumulates, more people are going to several doctors, ordering more tests to be done, and are essentially doing more harm than good.  Every test has an uncertainty rate and having more tests done increases chance of misdiagnosing or overdiagnosing the problem.  A study cited in the article revealed that categories of 25% of breast cancers, 50% of lung cancers, and 60% of prostate cancers are overdiagnosed.  In turn, patients go through therapies even though the cancers may eventually either regress on their own, or the patient would die of other causes before a cancerous death. 

These therapies end up harming the patient more than doing good.  Unfortunately, the author states there is ultimately no right answer for the tradeoff between taking action to potentially avert a cancer death and the likelihood of overdiagnosis, and is ultimately a personal choice.  Once I read this statement, I immediately understood why most people choose to have too many tests done.  I figured it was because they would rather do something about a potential disease than not do anything and have one develop.  However, upon looking at statistics I cited above, maybe we should start thinking about having more consideration whether we are being tested too much, leading to unnecessary procedures, rising medical costs, and predisposition to future cancers, among other conditions.  So what’re your all opinions on the matter?  Should we continue with testing all we like, have some type of regulation as to how many we get done, or go with a healthy medium?

Drug Addiction as a Developmental Disorder

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/24/health/drug-addiction-as-a-developmental-disorder.html




This article that I came across was centered on the development of drug addiction in teenagers. Dr. Chambers of Yale School of Medicine was in lead of a project that took into the account the findings of 140+ studies on drug addiction in teens. They found that addictive drugs stimulated brain parts that had undergone rapid change causing a possible neural imbalance. This imbalance would be a benefiting factor in the impulsive and unwise decisions that teens commonly make. They reported that these studies have also caused a shift of belief as to what constitutes a venerability risk in developing serious drug addiction. It has been commonly argued that using drugs at a young age would greatly increase the likelihood of addiction in adulthood. With the new data taken into account, it was seen that vulnerability was positively correlated with the brains developmental changes after puberty and into adulthood. This shift in developmental speed impacts teens brain functioning causing them to be drawn to new activities and experiences much more readily and ferociously which is called "the expansion of their motivational repertory" according to Dr. Chambers. In addition, the motivational circuitry of the brain is growing and establishing its roots within the developing brain. The motivational circuitry is concerned with the brains interpretation of how desirable a experience or act is. These systems are dependent on the release of dopamine in the brain.

Basically the take away from this article was that as a person matures out of adolescence into adulthood, the brain is constantly getting bigger, developing, and experiencing new things. It is at this time that the brain is in a extremely vulnerable position of influence by outside forces. It is now being suggested that past thought is flawed in thinking that use of a drug in childhood ensures a predisposition of developing addiction at a later age. Teens exposed to certain experiences when their brains are in a state of flux provides more of a chance of developing addiction. The brain's dopamine patterns have the potential to make a experience with a drug a very powerful and desirable feeling. I feel as if this is something that cannot really be screened or tested for predicatively and is something that would be probable to happen if the brain was expanding and reorganizing at a disproportionate pace.

Does Music Effect Studying?

          It is very common to pass by a dorm room and hear someone listening to music while they study for their finals, but can listening to music while trying to concentrate on a specific task be more detrimental than helpful? Toledo University professor Stephen Christman analyzed the psychology of studying. The first thing he says is that the most basic factor of concentration is the arousal level of the person trying to study. While everyone is different and optimal arousal level can vary, it is a general rule of thumb that a low arousal level is key when trying to concentrate. Working out in between and even during study sessions can help lower or calm the person who is trying to concentrate having a positive effect.

          While studying with zero distractions would be thought to be the best environment, it is thought that music can help resolve the issues between the two hemispheres of the brain. The left hemisphere is linked to concentration and the right hemisphere deals with complementary attention like when a phone rings. Music can help the right hemisphere not get bored while the left hemisphere studies the material. When it comes to the lyrics of a song, it is suggested that songs with no lyrics such as classical or instrumental music, are ideal during study sessions. This is because the region of the brain that is focusing on reading or solving a math problem is the same region that is listening to the lyrics and distracting you from the important task at hand.

          Although the research suggests that classical music does increase concentration, other genres of music should not be neglected for everyone. Everyone is different and have different optimal levels of arousal, so it is important to also say that a persons state of mind or preference should also be factors of concentration.

          Do you listen to music while studying? What music do you feel helps you study the best? For me I actually do enjoy listening to Mozart or Beethoven while studying, it does help me study and concentrate better than say AC-DC does.

Damn! Where did i put my keys??

          This article examines how marijuana has a negative effect on memory formation. It's purpose isn't to ask if marijuana causes memory loss but how and why it causes memory losses while people are stoned. It is known that the psycho-active ingredient of marijuana, THC, binds to memory-forming areas of the brain like the hippocampus and causes memory deficits. 

          

          So neuroscientists at Rutgers University looked at rats as the test subjects and found that normal functioning brain cells in the hippocampus often synchronize their electrical activity. But when the scientists injected the rats with THC, or a synthetic drug that is identical in nature, the brain areas began working out of synchronization. The individual parts were working, but not necessarily working together. The brain regions did not change how often they fired nerve impulses, but their timing became irregular. The author of this article relates these findings to an orchestra, imagine an orchestra where all the instruments were still playing their parts, but not in a uniform and together fashion. The music from the orchestra would not be as pleasant as a well-timed orchestra. 

     

          There was a test that was designed to show memory deficits in the rats after THC had been injected. The rats were to learn which way to travel a maze to get to the water at the end. What the researchers found was that as the brain cells became less synchronized under the influence of the drug, they began making many more mistakes. This test suggests how crucial cell synchronization is for the formation of memories.

          The article also briefly talked about how marijuana can actually help people who are plagued with epilepsy because they found that many seizures are caused by the brain cells actually being too synchronized.  The fact that marijuana could help epilepsy is still unclear because some other animal tests have also showed that marijuana can also provoke fits. 

          With the information given, do you think this is enough evidence to prove that marijuana does hurt memory? Are rats a good animal to use to relate to human reaction to the drugs? What about the benficial side-effects such as helping patients with epilepsy? 

http://www.livescience.com/1134-marijuana-impairs-memory.html 

LSD Alleviates 'Suicide Headaches'

            In today’s day and age drug therapy has become a widely used method for curing or preventing the symptoms of many of today’s illnesses, be it psychological or physiological. New drugs are being created and tested everyday in search of finding the one, true cure for whatever disease you can imagine. But what about the drugs that have been around for a while now; the one’s we wouldn’t think to consider because of the stigma attached to them?

This article takes a look at research done the treatment of cluster (“suicide”) headaches with a nonhallucinagenic analog of LSD.

            Cluster headaches are referred to as “suicide” headaches because of the intense almost unbearable pain the patients experienced. These experiences are usually localized to one side of the face, can last for periods of hours, and can occur in bouts that last months with several headaches each day. The cause of these headaches has still not been discovered, but recent research that changes in the structure of the hypothalamus are involved in their origin.

            Six patients were treated with this analog LSD, 2-bromo-LSD (BOL) one time everyday for three treatments. Every patient reported a reduced frequency in the occurrence of his or her cluster headaches, and five of the six reported having none at all for months. This is inspiring research to me because my dad suffers from cluster headaches, and watching him struggle with a bout of them is a rough experience. More research definitely needs to be conducted in this area, but the fact that there is hope for a possible cure or treatment to these headaches means we are heading in the right direction.

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/06/lsd-alleviates-suicide-headaches.html