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 ...
Greetings.
Too early for me to be up.
But cats have other ideas.
I voted by mail because my residence address told them I was a ol’ lady!
I checked with my current health care insurance and they do have dental coverage, so I will have to see what the co-pays are for the specialists. I want to get some of the work done by January.
There was a letter from NC in yesterday’s mail, and this morning, I see I have a form letter from Melania Trump, our classy First Lady! Even if its a form letter, I will treasure it!
I’m trying to get the gifts wrapped. Roy is getting the honey, of course, in two pint Mason jars, and I ordered a honey dipper that is made specifically for Mason jars, so that will go with the honey. And then the thank-you for Carol, and then, last but not least, the going away present for my G-niece, Alexis. I got the “official” announcement/invitation on FB this morning. She will have her farewell at noon, and then the going away party at 1430. Unngh…
Tomorrow, I will go back to Walmart and get the Harry Potter gift set! Lucky me!!
PS: I want dat baby Floofy Fing! !!
I see things like that and want a kitten!!
And cats rule!!!
T-c, local kingmaker.
And queenmaker. ;o])
The cats have not been sufficiently consistent with respect to your training.
I voted on the way home from WW. I was #44 at my poll, which is the largest precinct in the area.
Howwwwww-DEEEEEE!
Only local?
I may have been confused.
Oh, there's a period there.
I was gonna say, I was sure you weren't THAT old.
LOL! On the Internet, nobody can tell you’ve been dead for 40 years.
My cat also said “Ek’rah skabak erg Thrak’Kilrah maks Rag’nith.”
Should I be worried?
Try Fluffy the Stainless Steel Cat’s stock reply: “Yow yow yow, ngao ngong, oooh wow.” He’s a natural-born diplomat.
Depends. Is the food bowl full?
Crunchy dish is full, the only dish they truly care about.
After all, quarter inch below the rim “It’s EMPTY!”
And if they can see the bottom of the bowl, then that’s it for your extremities.
I just watched another MM and Edward Fox was in this one. The new style of humor is growing on me. The first time I saw Edward Fox was when he played in “Day of the Jackal,” and I had read the book in one day. Awesome!
The sofa and the heavy TV stand are on their way to the needy G-Ma, and the guy who took them said he will come back and help me with the desk. My friend was going to do it in the early morning, but she can sleep in, now!
So all I have to do is wait for Skyler to get back.
Catz should never see the bottom of the bowl. The Late Great PV refused to eat the crumbs. His highness had to have full pieces or he would snub the bowl and then pout.
Now, of course, I want a kitteh...
!
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