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 ...
The “Oregon” series was my favorite.
Maybe his car collection will go to a museum or up for auction. The classic-car chase in each book was always fun.
LOL! Morning Floof has food crumbs on his chin hairs and on his little nu-nu (nose!)
Good morning.
Something is trying to catch me, so I’ll be OD-ing on Emergen-C for at least the next few days. I’m hoping its just a CFIDS symptom (a change from what they have been) but it could develop into something else/worse.
My throat has been sore the last two nights, which makes me think its the disease and not a cold or worse. I seems to come when I’m tired. So we’ll see.
The Newbie is much chirpier (no pun intended) in the early morning than Gonzo is, and is still trying frantically to get into the flight cage. We’ll see!
The book that Bill and Kathy sent (New Nephew) is “Five Presidents” by Clint Hill. They send me books because his mother was a reader, as was our dad. It runs in the family and I don’t know what my childhood would have been like without books in it.
I agree. Books are the thing! We’re listening to a biography of James A. Garfield, briefly president, in the van. He was a remarkable man.
I was just reading up on him, and his daughter is the manager of the car collection, which is a museum in Colorado. Another reason to make the trip!
Though I don’t know about the trip, because the starter is going out on the truck and the Tracker Guy says its about $210 for starter and labor, though I did see some cheaper ones online. It would reduce the price by $40+ to get the cheaper one, but how long would it last? As long as it outlives me...
Oy. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Also, it’s Thursday today.
Yep. It all works to keep me from being cocky in my old age!
I think you deserve a pat on the back for making it to this point. Getting old isn’t for the weak!
Or for the fearful.
I think adjusting to CFIDS was a major milestone, but that was a battle that took over 20 years. It all began when my sister sent me some olive leaf extract for my chronic infection. From there I decided that if an herbal supplement could help that, maybe there was one that could help this.
And that’s the way it went, with experiments in types and dose amounts. I’ve finally managed to find a combination that works and it makes me feel almost normal, though I’m ever on the alert for symptoms, and something that needs changing. With 65+ symptoms, I have to be careful to weed out what may be a cold or flu. Not easy. Constant vigilance and trying to fit my life into the restricted corridor the disease demands.
Speaking of cold, I’m going to take a shower, so I can feel my feet again.
I know the feeling in that look.
Happy Friday Eve, everyone.
I’d like to feel my feet again. The neuropathy is awful. Enjoy!
Backatcha, ArGee.
That was interesting, what you said about renting in NYC. Another reason for me to stay out west... :o]
Happy Friday eve! Since I now feel my feet, I can take Pat to school and then go to Walmart.
YAY! I’m sorting yarn so I can toss it, give it away or keep it. Most of it will be given away, I think. I’ll save the best left-overs for a throw later on.
Exciting!! At least I can watch movies while I do it! :o]
“You did WHAT?”
Hey, y’all.
Poor kitteh. Maybe somebody took the sun away.
FYI:
https://www.cusslermuseum.com/about
Just down the road from my Favorite Daughter and a little farther from my Real Brother! I wish they would pinpoint the opening a little closer.
Would you like a picture book of the newly-late Mr. Cussler’s cars?
That would be wonderful, actually! I’ve been to several car museums and they’re never tiring. Thanks!
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