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 ...
I used to have an Unabridged Dictionary, but the boys wore it out. Weird boys.
Good morning! I’m waiting for daylight to see whether the morning will feature an outdoor exertion or more work on the house.
It’s warm here (as n-t-i would know): with all the windows open all night, the temperature indoors is 73.
That is one of my favorite songs, bar none!
And speaking of music, Kenny Rogers passed away. What a talent!
I saw that, and yes, he was.
Yep is becoming humid
America has lost a great talent
That cracking south wind yesterday must have blown some moist air this way.
Face are you seeing any panic out your way ???
Seen much panic buying over your way
That’s an interesting question. One would anticipate that, of all identifiable groups, our Latter Day Saints friends would be the best-positioned for these events. The combination of faith in God, avoidance of tobacco/alcohol, and an institutional disposition toward Emergency Preparedness and rule-following would, in theory, lead to pretty smooth sailing. These elements should ease both the epidemic itself and the effects of the quarantine.
If I’m wrong, well ... theories often run into unexpected real-world data.
Not since we had the e-coli scare a week ago. DP has been doing more shopping ... he’s the stereotypical “retail therapy” type. I guess Walmart is still out of toilet paper, and he bought name-brand paper plates instead of Great Value, but that could have been carelessness. Pennies get pinched by me, not him.
I was out yesterday morning with the kids. Hobby Lobby was almost vacant of shoppers. (Tom the Son wants potholders, so I needed more “loops.”) Same with Academy Sports, where I picked up AirSoft ammunition for my friend Brenda. Academy had a sign up limiting purchases of real ammunition.
One of the old guys at church last night - the Knights of Columbus were running their fish dinner as a takeout service - said his wife couldn’t find yeast in the stores.
Though am no a Later-Day Saint seeing many closures, some over the top purchases but all in all, most folks are remaining calm though there are a few more crazies than normal. Mostly quiet for the time being.
NtI, I have been isolated for most of the last 25 years, so I’m probably the last person who would know about panic.
Judging from the empty shelves in stores, I would say there is a fair amount of panic, but I think it’s mostly newcomers to the state, because most of the people I know already have a “food storage” to last at least three months, and most of those people could go a year. It’s not just food, its basic supplies to keep functioning in a normal manner.
Me? I have enough of most things to last at least a month except water. The water from the tap has mold in it and it makes me sick, so I have to buy water.
No one I’ve talked to has been in panic mode. No one knows anyone who has the virus or has been exposed to it. So I guess it just depends on who we talked to.
Bill the Son was over last night. He said that things are calm Uptown, although there’s still no TP available. Tom the Other Son hasn’t been over looking for meals, so I guess Chipotle is open and keeping him busy. He’s usually off Sunday, so maybe he’ll come by for some games.
I think there’s still a run on bottled water, which is silly.
See #4173
Thank you for your response. I bet you have a keen sense of what is taking place around you as your post demonstrates
When this is over, there will be lots of data available in the “lessons learned” department, if anyone is interested in learning!
Rain has begun here, annoying the cats.
Which is exactly why I decided to make sourdough. It takes the yeast spores from the air.
Maybe someone thinks it’s medicinal? I can’t imagine that there’s suddenly a surge of home bread-baking!
I have to fix breakfast this AM It is my turn. I best go full on toward breakfast preparation or better half will have my head then I’ll panic ....
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