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 ...
She has a job: she works as a baker for Panera on the overnight shift. She had plenty of time to pat squealy Cassidy on the head and get to work by 10:00 p.m.
Yes, the same squealy friend. She’s a nice girl, in a ... well, in a squealy way. Sally collects friends who would not otherwise have a life and has them do stuff such as attend our church festival ... like she’s a cruise director or a daycare teacher.
The morning Floof has a little smudge on her nose! How sweet!
Good morning.
Sorry I’m late. I slept in again. I don’t know what’s up with that, but its weird. Today its my left knee that hurts and that seems to have set the tone for the day. The unexpected rules. *sigh*
The hand is improving but it still hurts when I laugh. Now I’m trying to decide whether to wear the brace on it or leave it, knowing how folks like to shake hands, some with much vigah.
It won’t be very warm today, so I’m glad I don’t have to go anywhere besides church. Of course, church isn’t far enough away to heat up the interior of the truck. About the time I get warmed up in church, I’ll have to turn around and come home. ;o])
Good morning. Back from Walmart. I recommend using the brace. Also, you could wear a face mask and pretend you have a contagious crud!
I slept late, for me ... after 6:30. Shannon was annoyed; she wanted to go out, and also, she wanted me to clean up a spew, which she left on the carpet, of course, rather than the tile.
Brace it is. I’ll go to Walmart in the morning when the laundry is done.
So now, I get to freeze my little self as I head for church. Eep! ;o]
Later!
PS: Look for a letter in the coming days...
I hope everything goes swimmingly!
Perhaps more figurative than literal?
Hopefully, Cassidy’s mom will rematerialize and no harm has come to her. Sounds like Sally has Peter Pan Syndrome. Always remember, when she leaves, change the locks immediately and confiscate the car keys haha. (Does she know how to hot wire a car yet? That’s a serious deal breaker.) :(
Oh, good about Squealy Cassidy’s mom. Some of the moms I knew never reappeared.
Thank you.
It did!
And I’ll tell you about it tomorrow!
Kitteh looks gobsmacked!!
Good morning.
The laundry is done except for hanging it up, but I will go to Walmart before I do that.
I had to use Prestone Windshield De-Icer on the truck yesterday before I could drive to church. The ice was pretty thick. We’re supposed to have rain and snow for the next six days, so I’m not excited about my truck. The defroster works well, mostly on the passenger side, but it’s liveable. I’ll find out how well it works on my way to Walmart. Which I have to make now.
At least with all the rain we had in the last week, the truck is cleaner...
Life in the mountains ...
I hope you have a successful trip to Walmart! I’ll probably have to go tomorrow, once the various family members tell me what they need for their Thanksgiving contributions.
Thank you.
You’re welcome. Good morning, and happy Monday!
Happy Monday, everyone.
I survived another weekend in the wildlands of PA. We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning (not foreguessed and the app on my beeber said it was raining when it was clearly snowing) but nothing that impacted my drive back to the regions of NYC.
I’ll be working today and tomorrow, then it’s off to do a lot of driving and a little eating for Thanksgiving.
Life in the mountains has its good points, because its a familiar setting. But 30+ years in the desert really spoiled me for heat.
Back from Walmart with nothing but the usual Walmart Wind. Of course, the Christmas music was playing so I couldn’t get out fast enough. After Thanksgiving, I can linger!
The laundry is done for another week, except for drying, and I’m a little on the tired side, but I’ll manage.
The bruise is mostly gone, but the lump remains. I have no idea how long that thing will last. And its still very painful.
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