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 ...
Extra super sticky.
Most people put the cake the wrong side down on a serving plate. It should be placed so that the tines of the fork need only barely touch the sticky icing.
Attention to detail, people! Some days I weep for my species; on those days I deign to acknowledge them as related to me that is.
Yup—the world’s a big smorgasbord.
Oh, look!! The Great PV!! What a great Morning Floof! Thanks!
Good morning.
I’m not looking forward to today’s visit to the pain clinic because its a follow-up for the epidural, which was a disaster. Although things are improving, they still aren’t as good as before the procedure.
Still, I can have one in my neck if I want, and maybe that will help with the neuropathy in my fingers. I hope.
I have two great nieces who got married this year (sisters) and thinking I could make doilies for each of them from the same pattern, (easier and quicker) I was informed that the younger one, who got married first, wants NOTHING that in any way, shape or form resembles anything her older sister gets. *sheesh* Sibling rivalry is such a waste of time.
Good morning. I hope the rest of the day works out well. I’ve just discovered that I need to go to Walmart immediately, so see you in a bit!
I need to go to Walmart, too, but I have to wait for the DD to finally make a showing.
good luck on your shopping!!
It was fine. Very peaceable this time of day.
Especially since Mrs. ArGee is so allergic to dogs. ;)
I’m sorry you lost Beaker.
Yesterday as we pulled out of the house Mrs. ArGee saw something on the porch. We decided to check it out when we got home.
It was a dead cardinal. Mrs. ArGee was very upset. I buried it in the back yard.
That was something we never dealt with in NYC.
Good morning! ‘Tis Monday, yes ‘tis.
Oh, well at least we’ll never have to face another Monday in The Year of Our Lord, 2019.
1. You gets what you gets.
2. Do they check?
If they are as competitive as I've been led to believe (it runs in the family) they will, indeed, check. So thankfully, I have plans... ;o])
Exactly why I choose this time of day for my own shopping!
Thanks. I’ve had a lot of rescues, and some of them don’t make the transition to other homes. It’s never easy to see them lying on the bottom of the cage. Mrs ArGee is no different than I am. Except I had time to get attached to these critters.
Gonzo still hasn’t responded to her absence. He’s still sitting on his perch with his back to me. :o[ Poor little guy. Beaker was a very calming influence for him. I know he misses her because they were bonded.
Very good, Covenantor!!!
I needed that!!!
LOL! Good morning, and a happy Monday to you!
Thank you.
Hey, y’all.
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