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 ...
Those green eyes will disarm you every time!
I got some bread yesterday, but it wasn’t what I like. Still... Today I had to get some Swiss and some roast beast slices for sammiges on the bread that isn’t what I like, but will do.
Since its too rainy to walk anywhere, I’m staying home. Again. But the trees are blooming like there’s no tomorrow! And things are suddenly so green it hurts your eyes.
I want some new blinds for in here, but maybe I won’t need to worry about it for too much longer.
It’s the power to cloud men’s minds ...
The windows are done, but we can’t touch them for a few hours, so I’m keeping the kids downstairs. An email from the city says the park is open but the bathrooms are closed, so we’ll have to keep that in mind if we decide to go there.
And I’m sure he has no clue!
Nah, he does. He gets mad when it doesn’t work.
This is something I find most interesting, reading your posts and other Freeper postes else where, the difference in the restrictions on freedoms between the two countries during this “event”.
I wonder which will prove to be the most successful, the “Suggestions and advice” method currently being taken here or the ‘We know best’ that I read here (US).
If you're reluctant to mess with a gas-powered chainsaw at this time, you might consider adding to your tool assortment an electric chainsaw.
Harbor Freight usually has a small one available for under fifty dollars. It's suitable for clean-up jobs such as you are describing, and it's much simpler to operate. All you need is a long enough power cord.
They also don't go fuel-bad if you leave them sitting for a few months. Just push the trigger and go; keeping your vital attachments out of the way of course.
It will be interesting to see how it turns out, in the spirit of the Scientific Method. Personally, I’m having a lovely time, and I’d be okay with its lasting all Spring, if that didn’t mean difficulties for others. I’d even eat all the lentils and oatmeal in the pantry.
The "we know best" crowd usually can't organize a fire drill, so most of us just find another way to get 'er done. Then the government takes credit for solving all our problems.
LOL!!! Like my Favorite Daughter thinks she can manipulate anyone, just be being “helpless.” Right. Doesn’t like it when the Plan fails. ;o]
We’re supposed to persuaded by Pat’s Famous Mental Powers.
Of course. And we are. Up to a point!
It looks like the rain is going to let up for a while. I lied. Off and on, we’ll have showers until Monday when it will rain most of the day again. :o|
Unnngh. My joints ache in sympathy!
It might rain tomorrow, here. If it does, we won’t go hiking with whoever accidentally shows up. Instead, we’ll get Shannon’s Room ready to be painted for occupation by Pat and James.
Vlad and Frank, who will (we assume) live here longer than James and Pat, will get the larger front bedroom, and the girls will move to the room currently held by the four boys. It is devoutly to be wished that it will soon be Kathleen’s Room of Her Own, if you get my drift.
Howdy, Moose. I’m well, but I’ve discovered the other thing the US Government is efficient at doing - restricting freedoms. Gov. Cuomo just locked down NY State. I don’t THINK that means I have to ask permission to leave my apartment (flat to you) but I’m not sure.
The first thing they were ever efficient at was updating lottery payouts.
*tagline*
Yes, I do get your drift! Best of luck with that!
And now, I think I’ll check my emails and then toddle off down the hall. My mind seems filled with gray lint again.
Wow, the whole state! Hopefully they still allow grocery trips.
Have you got a few gallons of water squirrelled away? (Just a hunch)
The French have an on-line permission slip system, print and go... (what if you don’t have a printer? )
Stay safe.
A note to all: During the Spanish flu epidemic the postal delivery was discovered to be a vector for the virus. And that was in the US.
Since I’m mostly isolated because of CFIDS, life isn’t much different, except that I can’t find what I want when I want it at the price I can afford!
Take care of you over there, OK? And give yer mum my regards.
Same to you ‘Face {{{hugs}}}, and will do. :)
(Electronic hugs are covered by the UK Govenment Social distancing policy and pose no harm to health)
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