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 ...
Good luck! People will have the opportunity to catch up on their murders.
Oh, poor kitteh! He must have been very hungry.
The needs of the Fog are paramount.
Business as usual.
So far this winter it has only been active at night, but there is still time....
Afternoon, Darks.
You may be right there TC.
This could affect filming and production in the Midsomer area!
If murders have to be committed locally and not in Midsomer due to travel restrictions, catastrophe for the area.
Luckiest cat ever. Heavy rain created the deep mud.
Needed cat eye drops from lack of sleep.
Afternoon!
Been rough this way, our version of the fog made a one day appearance but only summoned the laziest deer servants it could find.
I thought I'd seen this topic, but then I considered the possibility that I'd, well, you get it...
What if the topic gets you instead?
Can you feel yourself inhaling what this one sheds?
Yes, well, with all the COVID-19 mania, I can understand some visions...or dreams...or... yeah... got it. ;o]
Dat kitteh looks reddy to take on COVID-19 and WIN!
Good morning.
I’m sorry for the delay in joining the fray this morning but my excuses are, in order of occurrence, I slept in, I had to sort my pills for the week, three text messages that came in while I was sleeping that had to be addressed, I got an email from my Favorite Daughter,and I got an email from a friend I’ve known since our husbands were on different ships but the same duty sections in San Diego, a century ago.
So here I am. Right now, I think I need to go comb my hair and wash my face off.
If you decide it’s essential information, I can FReepmail you. I can say it wasn’t tea or ice.
Well, here everyone wants the government to take over or something. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't start calling for the national guard to man the potties and wash people's hands for them.
Good morning. Happy Tuesday from the suddenly unpopulated lower Manhattan.
Mrs. ArGee is asking why I can’t work remotely. There’s a good chance that after this week’s status meeting I will head back north and work from there.
Now the question is, will she let me in the apartment upon my return?
Eventually, I’ll cough up a hairball.
Either the topic or the shower curtains.
Good morning. It sounds like you’ve accomplished more already than many people will all day.
The brothers have some pending assignments from yesterday to complete before we start today’s work.
Good morning. I hope you sort it out successfully.
I now need to go top off the tank because of my trip in to St George tomorrow and it’s accompanying side trips. I’ll be a little tired and stressed when I get home, I think.
So the bed has been made and the clothes hung in the closet and the foldables waiting for my hands to put them where they belong. When I get back, my day will start. ;o]
The item in question has already been shipped!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.