Dave hosts a fun iCephalon 2009 Keynote address (AKA Encephalon 72), a collection of the best brain and mind blog posts of the last couple weeks. Enjoy!
The Neuroanthropology blog team has just published one of the most complete and high-quality editions of Encephalon brain & mind blog carnival in months. Enjoy!:
Encephalon #71: Big Night
Welcome to the 70th edition of Encephalon, the blog carnival that offers some of the best neuroscience and psychology blog posts every other week.
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Mysteries of Brain and Mind
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Cognitive Daily, |
Guys on dates want to know: Is it really impossible to ignore an attractive face? Recent research seems to demonstrate that, indeed, attractive faces can distract us from a variety of tasks. Dating Tip of the Week: what about impressing your date with a homecooked dinner next time and avoid potential misunderstandings? |
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Neuroanthropology, |
BIG NEWS: First Neuroanthropology Conference! The first Neuroanthropology Conference will be held 8 October 2009 at the University of Notre Dame. Great theme, great speakers. Will it offer a cross-cultural analysis of the research mentioned above? |
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On Neurons, Journeys, and Chemical Friends
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BrainHealthHacks,
by Ward Plunet |
The power of one - neuron We have all been told about the power one person, that one person can make a difference. Well, does the general principle also hold true about a single neuron? Can a single neuron make a difference - change your sleep state, motor movement, or induce a behavior? |
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Neurophilosopher, |
New cells in the adult brain migrate long distances by crawling along blood vessels The journey undertaken by newly generated neurons in the adult brain is like the cellular equivalent of the arduous upstream migration of salmon returning to the rivers in which they were hatched. |
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Neurotopia,
by Scicurious |
The elegant logic of dopamine What do we know about the formation of dopamine neurons and the regulation of gene expression?. A simple and elegant recent study provides some much-needed, critical information that could drastically affect how we pursue new therapies dopaminergic diseases such as Parkinson's. |
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Brain Stimulant, |
Brain Synapse Computational Capacity Evolution has exploited multiple avenues to increase the brain's computational capacity. This is great news for all humans, except perhaps for those trying to model the mind exactly by building computer brain simulations, since they will likely have to model all of these protein interactions to function in a manner similar to a real brain. |
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On Brain Functions
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SharpBrains,
by Tracy Alloway |
10% Students may have working memory problems: Why does it matter? In screening of over 3000 school-aged students in mainstream schools, 1 in 10 was identified as having working memory difficulties. Why does this matter? Clue: Working memory seems to be even more important to learning than other cognitive skills such as IQ. |
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Neurotopia, |
Cake or Death? It's all a matter of self-control, and your vmPFC A recent MRI study helps pinpoint where signals for self-control may originate, and could be a big deal clinically. Not necessarily as a diet aid, but rather for problems where there's a lack of self-control, as in addiction. |
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The Mouse Trap,
by Sandy Gautam |
Low Latent Inhibition, high faith in intuition and psychosis/creativity What is the relationship between low latent inhibition (brain's capacity to screen from current attentional focus stimuli previously tagged as irrelevant), high faith in intuition and psychosis/creativity? |
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Frontiers in Perception
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Dr. Deb,
by Deb Serani |
Can You Find The Twelve Faces?
How many faces can you see in this image? |
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Mind Hacks, |
Deeper into the neuroscience of hypnosis A new article from Trends in Cognitive Sciences explores how cognitive neuroscientists are becoming increasingly interested in understanding hypnosis and are using it to simulate unusual states of consciousness in the lab. Might hypnosis help you see the Twelve Faces above? or perhaps 25 of them? |
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Next edition will be hosted by Neuroanthropology on Monday, May 25th. If you can't wait until to read more, you may be interested in the new in-depth feature, Cognitive Monthly, offered by Cognitive Daily blog for $2/ month. This month's issue, "The Illusion of Theater," discusses the "remarkable science behind what theatrical professionals seem, to laypeople, to do intuitively: create an environment that encourages us to believe that what we see on stage is a true representation of reality."
Round-up of recent articles on neuroscience, brain development and cognitive health:
Encephalon 68: A carnival of neuroscience:
Chris hosts a great collection of neuroscience and psychology posts in his signature Q&A style.
Bilingual Babies Get Head Start --- Before They Can Talk:
- Unlike the monolingual group, the bilingual group was able to successfully learn a new sound type and use it to predict where each character would pop up.
- The bilingual babies' skill applies to more than just switching between languages. Mehler likened this apparently enhanced cognitive ability to a brain selecting "the right tool for the right operation"—also called executive function.
- In this basic process, the brain, ever flexible, nimbly switches from one learned response to another as situations change.
- Monolingual babies hone this ability later in their young lives, Mehler suggests."
Study shows how kids' stress hurts memory:
"Now, research is providing what could be crucial clues to explain how childhood poverty translates into dimmer chances of success: Chronic stress from growing up poor appears to have a direct impact on the brain, leaving children with impairment in at least one key area - working memory."
Returning troops getting tested for brain injuries:
- "More than 150,000 service members from the Marines, Air Force, Army and Navy have undergone the testing that became mandatory last year. Those who suffer a concussion or similar head injury will get a follow-up test."
Diabetes 'impact on brain power':
- "Failure to control type 2 diabetes may have a long-term impact on the brain, research has suggested.
- Lead researcher Dr Jackie Price said: "Either hypos lead to cognitive decline, or cognitive decline makes it more difficult for people to manage their diabetes, which in turn causes more hypos.
- "A third explanation could be that a third unidentified factor is causing both the hypos and the cognitive decline."
Three excellent new editions of these blog carnivals:
- Encephalon at Neuroskeptic: brain and mind topics.
- Grand Rounds at Running a Hospital: overall health and medicine, this week with special theme "when things go awry".
- Change of Shift at EmergiBlog: nursing and related healthcare topics.
A couple of very well curated collections of recent blog posts:
Encephalon #64: hosted by Neurocritic, covering neuroscience and psychology. Please make sure to visit when you have some time to spare...because you will quickly become addicted to the quality content and superb presentation.
It’s Grand Rounds, What Do You Think? GOSH!: hosted by Kim at EmergiBlog, with an interdisciplinary, "Napoleon Dynamite", frame. Doesn't seem to make sense? well, pay a visit.
A great new edition is out. Enjoy!:
Encephalon #60
If you are a blogger or read blogs often, you know that there are a good number of excellent blog carnivals focused on specific themes. If you are interested in medicine, you know what carnival to visit. Education, the same. Biology, neuroscience, nursing, birds, aging, philosophy...a variety of topics are very well covered in the blogosphere.
What you probably haven't come across is a high-quality "metacarnival" or "carnival of carnivals", where you can read the best blog posts ACROSS topics, subjects, disciplines.
This is why a few blog carnival "organizers" are launching next Monday a monthly rotating "MetaCarnival" to feature the most interesting posts from a variety of high-quality blog carnivals.
Participating blog carnivals so far, alphabetically: Continue Reading »
Two quick notes:
- Encephalon #56 edition: the latest edition of this neuroscience and psychology blog carnival is ready for your reading pleasure.
- Michael Merzenich Elected to Institute of Medicine: Congratulations! "The Institute of Medicine’s total active membership is now 1,576 and the number of foreign associates is 89. With another 71 members holding emeritus status, IOM's total membership is now 1,736. Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine is a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on issues related to human health. With their election, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time as members of IOM study committees."
You may have seen him talking about neuroplasticity in the PBS special titled Brain Fitness Program.
Mo, the founder of Encephalon blog carnival, has hosted its most recent edition:
- Encephalon 54, with "everything from the perception of colour and shapes to behavioural economics, the neuroscience of sports and squabbling psychologists."
If you are looking for some good articles on recent neuroscience and psychology news and development, this twice-a-month carnival is a great place to start.
- Next »
