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 ...
And there’s Jake, all washed out from being outside all night!
Good morning.
The shower has been had. I slept in again. The pill alarm woke me up at 0230 and then I slept again until 0315. *yawn*
But I’m warm and squeaky clean and need to get started on my letter to Charlie.
I forgot some things on my grocery list, so it’s up to a dozen items now, because I keep finding things that should have been on the first one, Wednesday morning.
Good morning. I’m going back to bed now. See you later!
What a wonderful idea! Not for me, today. I need to do Things. Enjoy!
It was okay for a while. Then I got up and had some eggs and another cup of coffee. Maybe I’ll get dressed later.
I know - I could take a shower!
Taking a shower before others get to all the hot water is a wonderful thing!
I will go to Dollar Tree at 0900 to get a birthday cod for James, whose birthday is Monday. Then tomorrow, I’ll mail it and the little book I got for him, as well as the books I promised to send to Charlie three months ago. So they’ll be something between a birthday and a Christmas present. For what its worth.
:o]
I need to mail a package to DP’s stepmother. Maybe I’ll get that done today.
My mom emailed and said she had a fall Tuesday morning while she was out walking before daybreak. She cracked her kneecap, banged up her face, and broke her dental bridge. She did not mention this on Wednesday or Thursday, sigh. She’s really mad about the bridge, because she got it earlier this year and it took forever.
Now she won’t be coming to visit later in the month. I asked if she wants me to come down there before the end of the year. I could take the airport shuttle van from/to Orlando International.
I’m very sorry to hear about your mother’s unexpected commune with Ma Nature. She must have landed very hard, right on that knee! I’d be mad about the bridge, too!
It would probably be easier for her if you go visit, so maybe if you just chose a day and time and let her know?
It is family etiquette that prospective guests ask whether it’s appropriate to visit and then agree on a date amenable to all parties. Since I’m the prospective guest, I now have to wait while Mom decides whether she wants me to visit.
Ah. Then I stand corrected! At any rate, I hope she heals quickly. :o]
*tagline*
Judy is right!
Judy is another one of my awesome nieces, this one living in NE with an awesome daughter who is an excellent horseman and a budding artist. She has a quarter horse, and she has already begun to win buckles in roping and barrel riding. And she was 11 as of the 11 of this month!
I have a LOT of awesome nieces!! All of them here in the West. If I only got to see them... :o|
Crikey. I forgot to take my last dose of pills. UNNGH!!!
Well, you’re still up ...
Cold in Nebraska!
I just put up one of my Nativities.
Had to wait for UPS. Now I’m off to bed.
Need to nuke my coffee. It’s the wrong season for iced coffee..
(The formerly hot contents of the coffee mug have obeyed the second law of thermodynamics..)
I seldom ever drink hot beverages, and I especially like iced coffee. In fact, I Thursday, while I was putting gas in the truck and getting laundry money at 7-11, I ducked into the adjoining McDonald’s and treated myself to an iced chocolate mocha. They make the best I have ever had!!
Kitteh sez, “Wha’s so ‘portant you hadda wake me up?”
Good morning.
Nothing is planned today but letters and mailing stuff. I’m going to mail Charlie’s books and the little book I got for James, since Monday is his birthday. I forgot how old he is...my bad.
My Favorite Daughter has been sending pics to me since they got to OR, and this morning, she finally sends me one of my oldest grandson and his little family. His brother and his kids had a pic of their own, but his wife wasn’t in it. I don’t even know if she was there!
We’re supposed to have rain again today. *sigh* Pine Valley Mountain has been hidden so there is no telling how much snow is on it.
Thinking of making your bed when the cat is there is just wrong. So says Jake.
Good morning. We’re going to the flea market in a little while: Kathleen wants a Mexican dress for Our Lady of Guadalupe.
It looks like rain, but maybe we’ll be done shopping before it hits.
Good luck on your shopping, and I hope Kathleen can find her Mexican dress!
I’m going out, and then coming back in where its mostly, sorta warm.
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