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 ...
We got everyone home before the roads were too far underwater to get through.
Turn around, don’t drown. Your car is not a boat!
It’s understandable that people who haven’t experienced the power of water would misunderestimate it.
Yes. Tom couldn’t get to work, so he
stopped by to hang out and cadge a meal. I gave him some cheese to take home. I don’t know why we had so much Swiss: the other kids don’t like it much.
That’s nice. Is he enjoying his new independence?
Very much, and he’ll like it even more when the new roommate arrives in April to split the rent and utilities three ways.
Another gorgeous Morning Mini Floof! Thanks!!
Good morning.
The shower has been had, but I got a late start on it for some reason. I managed to get 10 hours sleep, but I think I should have had a nap yesterday. I pushed me to go on without one, and I know better. I hope I don’t pay for it until Tuesday...
It sounds like you got the same storm that hit most of us this last week. I’m sorry about that! I meant to send it to Disneyland East. ;o]
Now we have wind.
The newspaper came for a change.
We’ve had wind most of the week. I don’t envy you.
I just found out that media rates don’t apply outside the US of A and that the cost of sending a 4.5 ounce small volume to Australia is $16+. It will wait. I don’t have that much in my stamps.com account so it won’t get mailed this month.
At least I learned how to fill out a Customs Form online!
Next up is a letter to Charlie. And who knows, after that? The DVDs I ordered on Wednesday are in, so I can return these two and pick up the other four. Two are movies, two are TV series. Maybe I’ll toss a Midsomer into the next batch. ;o]
Off to Stormwater Services. Macroinvertebrates ahoy!
Good luck on your day.
Not much going on this day for me, but once again, I’d like to trade places with one of your macroinvertebrates today!
Enjoy the learning experiences! And watch out for the other guy!
Thank you.
Iz on ur counterz.
There is an orange based stripper you might want to try.
And Iz not drying ur diches.
Wow! Thanks! That will help enormously!
‘Face
This morning’s kitten looks like a Birman! Like the Late Great PV! Thanks!
Good morning.
One letter and a birthday card under my belt so far today. This birthday snuck up on me. Dang. I hate when that happens!
Thank you.
I’m waiting for nicer weather, of course, before I do lots of things.
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