Posted on 10/14/2019 10:45:03 AM PDT by BenLurkin
In the 1950s, researchers stumbled upon a new class of drugs that provided relief for those suffering from schizophrenia. These drugs were known as antipsychotics and, as the name suggests, they reduced symptoms like hallucinations and delusions — primarily by reducing the levels of dopamine in the brain. This led clinicians and scientists to argue that dopamine was linked to the experiences of psychotic symptoms, and a concerted research effort ensued, seeking to solve the puzzle of why excess dopamine might produce hallucinations.
Although it was later shown that increasing dopamine could produce hallucinations, establishing a consistent link between them, it has not been clear why.
They achieved this by taking advantage of a simple fact: Your brain is lazy. It makes shortcuts to understand the deluge of information that bombards it daily. If you’re presented with consistent information, consistently, your brain adjust its expectations of reality in turn. This is the basis of Bayesian theories of how we perceive the world – that is, the brain makes inferences about the world around us based on statistics and probabilities on what is likely to occur.
[I]ncreasing dopamine made it more difficult for participants to adjust their perception — an effect comparable to how the hallucinators had struggled. Moreover, the extent to which participants struggled was strongly associated with the severity of hallucinations — but not with any diagnosis of schizophrenia. In other words, the difficulty appeared to be associated with a symptom, not a diagnosis.
Using brain imaging, the researchers also showed that an increased capacity for dopamine release, from a part of the brain known as the striatum (an area involved in schizophrenia), was associated with the severity of hallucinations. Together, these experiments showed that excess dopamine was associated with difficulty in accurately predicting reality.
(Excerpt) Read more at inverse.com ...
I have suggested to Congress the best way to provide cheap, limitless heat to the entire country without increasing our carbon footprint one iota. But they ignore me, which shows they don’t take Global Climate Change (TM) seriously. I don’t even ask for any money for my idea as I’m not sure it’s something I can patent.
Simply pipe the hot air from the capital to wherever it’s needed. After the initial infrastructure cost the heat will be free. The only problem will be keeping it in DC in the warmer months. (You all know how hot DC is in the summer, right? This is why.)
That is one of the reasons I have suggested that latitude to Mrs. ArGee (if not that actual state) as a retirement locale. She claims she wants the four seasons, even as she gripes about the cold in central PA.
Logic is not her strong suit. But don’t suggest to her she makes emotional decisions unless you want the windows to rattle. (I did that once.)
Now for yesterday’s fiasco. Since it wasn’t too difficult to capture Beaker, I figured something else would go wrong before the day was over.
I went over about 7:45 to let Harley out, then figured, since he hadn’t been out since last night, I’d leave him out for the 5-7 minutes it would take me to go to the vet’s office and drop off Beaker. Since I had forgotten my backpack, I had to come back anyway, and when I got here, (7 minutes later) Harley was gone, and I thought one of Rochelle’s friends or family came and let him back in.
So I opened the door and said, “hello?” and there was no answer and no Harley. I went back, got the parakeet, paid the bill and came back home and there was still no Harley. I had no idea what had happened, but I had to leave again. The time elapsed by now was about 35 minutes.
When I got back an hour and a half later, there was a note on my door saying that Harley was in #4. I was so angry with Lona, owner of the nasty little Chihuahua. I usually leave Harley out about 5-10 minutes to give him time to do his business. It wasn’t that cold and the wind wasn’t blowing, so I thought he would be OK. Wrong. Lona said he was “shivering” but I doubt it because he hadn’t been outside more than five minutes. She also said he was “thirsty,” and I have no clue why she thought I would be responsible for that. His food and water is in his house!
Lona had brought over some “piddle pads” at 4:00 yesterday morning in case Harley had to go out and I wouldn’t let him. It’s none of Lona’s business what arrangements Rochelle and I make and for her to do something like this “on my watch” was inexcusable. I’m still too angry to even talk to her. She thought he was here. She didn’t ask, just assumed.
I would never have done something like that when another neighbor was responsible for someone else’s animal, and to me, it was nothing but meddlesome interfering. I’m sure he wasn’t outside five minutes when she took him to her house. When she told me he was “thirsty” I told her that Rochelle had people who were coming in to feed and water him and that she would never leave without making arrangements for that.
Lona SWEARS she put the note on my door “right after” I left, but she didn’t. It had to be when I left again and was gone for much longer. I doubt he was as thirsty as she claims, and I doubt he was shivering because of the thickness and length of his coat.
Anyway, I wrote a note to Rocky (Rochelle’s nickname) and told her the events as they really happened. I think she came home last night, as the storm door is locked.
* * *
I just checked and he isn’t home, so I don’t know what to think. I suspect Lona is just as nasty as her dog, but I will go see Chuck today and make sure he is aware of her BS.
Maybe she could get an extra key on a “lanyard” snap and remove it when she gets out to clean the windshield?
I taught my kids to be so independent they were (are) perfectly happy not living 10 minutes away from me. Though my son told me he had fun on our date Saturday and was glad I was close enough to where he could visit often while they were at her folks’ place.
I still miss both of them very much.
Not that it is likely to work, but I thought I’d make the effort.
DC, you are invited to make the next post!
Thank you.
Hi, y’all.
Wow.
Don’t worry about it. The guy stays busy.
But do you think you might be willing to adopt a more devilish personality? We try to make it traditional for post 666.
I’m mean as a snake. Does that count for anything?
Duty calls.
I do my level best to let such calls go to voice mail.
I suppose it might. How often are you a snake?
I waited, but he never showed up to snag it... :o|
Yes, quite the deal, huh?
I just got a long text from her, saying she was coming home for a while today to get some things, but would have Harley taken to some family members until she’s done with her testing and appointments.
Now I have to go see if he will quit pouting long enough to come out.
Thank you! I ended up driving my pickup+snowplow in to work because the passenger car had trouble on the steep slope and there's more snow falling before I get home again.
Downtown parallel parking is such a joy with a big pickup and a 7-foot plow blade... NOT! :-)
Oh well, it's my own fault, the studded snow tires should have been put on the passenger car two weeks ago. But life was in the way, as they say... LOL
Stay warm, and thanks again for the morning kitties!
Well played, Bob.
Sadly I have no say in what they do.
At least they haven’t stolen your stapler.
Uh, you do know there’s a new cover sheet for the TPS reports, right?
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