Posts

Does depression cause brain damage? Does it make you dumber?

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Actually, that's a pretty interesting concept. The brain is a very,  very  complex organ, and there's so much we don't know or understand about it, however based off images of the brain taken through a PET ( Positron Emission Tomography ) scan it shows that a depressed brain is in a way “damaged”. This proves that depression isn't just something you can get over in a week, and isn't just “all in your head”, for lack of better term. (You aren't just making it up) PET scan:   As you can see, the depressed brain is  literally  different, because of the lack of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. The brain is ill in a sense, the lack of green and yellow in the depressed brain showing the difference. Depression isn't made up, it's real, and it's serious; however, though depression is a long painful ride, it can be treated. Antidepressants and SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) can help treat clinical depression and other

What are some neuroscience hacks to become smarter and genius?

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There are no neuroscience hacks to achieve your goals. IQ is determined genetically and can be lowered by environmental factors, such as head trauma , disease, and exposure to toxins. Efforts have been made for many years to find a means of increasing intelligence. No practical means has yet been discovered (see Haier, R. J. (2017) referenced below). Intelligence is not learned nor can it be taught. IQ is 85% heritable in adults (developed nations). The environment contains two factors: C __ the things that make us more alike E __ the things that make us more different As mentioned above, the genotype increases from early childhood until adulthood. If environmental effects were potent, they would cause the opposite to happen; we would see C or E or both increasing as we age. The opposite happens. You can increase your use of your IQ by pursuing as much education as you can effectively absorb. People at all IQ levels need education to learn how to perform tasks in thei

Why can't brain cells reproduce?

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A typical mature neuron has a network of hundreds if not thousands of branches connecting it to other neurons , and these connections are what determine brain function . These connections are also built up slowly over years and decades of experience and reinforcement signalling. In order to divide itself, a neuron would have to retract all these connections back into its main cell body , thus losing all its accumulated normal function. The two new daughter cells would have no connections and would thus be useless. Re-establishing such a complex network of connections to restore normal function is a staggeringly difficult task, and even if it could be done there would be a time gap in which the function would not be present. And a single mistake in rewriting can have far reaching consequences, such as seizures. Over evolutionary time as brains got ever more complex it just became more advantageous to maintain individual neurons for as long as possible, keeping their con

Can stem cells cure or reverse neuropathy?

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Neuropathy sufferers now have a new, minimally invasive therapy option: stem cell treatment for neuropathy. Stem cell therapy for neuropathy is an alternative, revolutionary approach to relieving your neuropathy pain and symptoms . A stem cell's primary function is to repair and regenerate damaged tissue . Most patients feel no improvement for at least 3 weeks and possible 6-8 weeks. Once you feel improvement, you will notice continued improvement expanding over 6 months. What is the recovery like after a stem cell procedure? There may be some mild soreness in the joint for up to a week after the injection. Go to my Profile and you can find all Neuropathy material there... Reference: Martha Mitchell

Neuroscience: Yes, Brain Training Actually Can Work When Done Correctly?

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For best results together with your own brain training you'll specialise in a couple of main points: Awareness: Once you are often increasingly conscious of your own experiences, reactions, and limitation, you'll be ready to guide your own brain training regimen. Listening to the days you grind to a halt, and therefore the experiences that you simply find the foremost upsetting will guide you better than the other diagnosis. Anger, frustration, and irritation are fantastic signposts pointing you to the exercises which will benefit you. Make it up:   You don’t need to join a gym to urge exercise and you don’t need to use professional services to exercise your brain. Do things that you simply think are hard. If you struggle with speechmaking, do that. If you're a terrible reader, do that. If you hate math, do that. Therapeutic exercise is about doing the items that are hard. Dig deeper:   Don’t have a look for reasons to elucidate your weaknesses. Sometim

What is the difference between non receptor tyrosine kinase and receptor tyrosine kinase?

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After binding of the ligand, the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) autophosphorylates Tyrosine -> activates GRB2 -> SOS -> RAS -> downstream kinase -> transcription factors. Think  anabolic / growth factors  - Insulin, IGF-1, FGF, PDGF, and EGF Nonreceptor tyrosine kinase receptors dimerizes -> recruits JAK -> JAK cross-phosphorylate dimer -> activate STAT and dimerize it -> STAT translocates into nucleus and activates transcription. The hormones are mostly related to immunity. Think  acidophils and cytokines . A good mnemonic is PIGG (L) ET: Prolactin, Immunomodulators (cytokine, IL-2, Il-6, IFN), GH, G-CSF, Erythropoietin and Thromobopoietin The key conceptual difference here is RTK has  intrinsic  TK activity and nRTK needs to recruit JAK to have kinase activity. Reference: Kayee Tong

How do you know if you are developing Alzheimer's?

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Alzheimer’s disease usually is not diagnosed in the early stages, even in people who visit their primary care doctors with memory complaints. ·          People and their families generally underreport the symptoms. ·          They may confuse them with normal signs of aging. ·          The symptoms may emerge so gradually that the person affected doesn’t recognize them. ·          The person may be aware of some symptoms but go to great lengths to conceal them. Recognizing symptoms early is crucial because medication to control symptoms is most effective in the early stages of the disease and early diagnosis allows the individual and his or her family members to plan for the future. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms, contact a physician. Memory loss that disrupts daily life. Challenges in planning or solving problems. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home or at work. Confusion with time or place. Trouble understandin