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Feb. 7th, 2007 02:38 pmA Small Part of the Brain, and Its Profound Effects -- the insula
a post I made in ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
psychology
Sep. 28th, 2005 09:25 pmElectric impulses in our brains are not translated. They're transduced.
How is sound transduced by the ear? We don't know. We only know that there are electrochemical responses that modulate vibrations and render them as sound to our brains.
I surmise feelings follow a similar course. The limbic system is one of the oldest parts of the brain and is where our "feelings" arise. The amygdala is involved in the recognition of fear; the reward complex is involved in the recognition of pleasure. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are directly involved in the limbic system. These partly determine one's reaction to any particular stimulus. The other part is based on memory, associations, connotations. We are influenced by all we've encountered before.
Now thoughts, I still can't tell you what thought is.
How is sound transduced by the ear? We don't know. We only know that there are electrochemical responses that modulate vibrations and render them as sound to our brains.
I surmise feelings follow a similar course. The limbic system is one of the oldest parts of the brain and is where our "feelings" arise. The amygdala is involved in the recognition of fear; the reward complex is involved in the recognition of pleasure. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are directly involved in the limbic system. These partly determine one's reaction to any particular stimulus. The other part is based on memory, associations, connotations. We are influenced by all we've encountered before.
Now thoughts, I still can't tell you what thought is.
(no subject)
Jun. 10th, 2004 08:34 amCan Dogs Speak? No, But They Understand, Study Says
A clever border collie that can fetch at least 200 objects by name may be living proof that dogs truly understand human language, German scientists reported on Thursday.
Rico can figure out which object his master wants even if he has never heard the word before, the researchers say.
The findings, reported in the journal Science, may not surprise many dog owners. But they are certain to re-ignite a debate over what language is and whether it is unique to humans.
Rico's abilities seem to follow a process called fast mapping, seen when young children start to learn to speak and understand language, they report.
Fast-mapping allows a child to form quick and rough hypotheses about the meaning of a new word the first time they hear or see it.
( Read more... )
A clever border collie that can fetch at least 200 objects by name may be living proof that dogs truly understand human language, German scientists reported on Thursday.
Rico can figure out which object his master wants even if he has never heard the word before, the researchers say.
The findings, reported in the journal Science, may not surprise many dog owners. But they are certain to re-ignite a debate over what language is and whether it is unique to humans.
Rico's abilities seem to follow a process called fast mapping, seen when young children start to learn to speak and understand language, they report.
Fast-mapping allows a child to form quick and rough hypotheses about the meaning of a new word the first time they hear or see it.
( Read more... )
(no subject)
Jun. 9th, 2004 10:14 pmHoarders Show Unique Brain Pattern, Study Finds
New research into the brain patterns of compulsive hoarders shows the disorder may have been misclassified and victims could be getting the wrong treatment, U.S. scientists reported on Tuesday.
Brain scans show the biology of America's estimated 1 million compulsive hoarders is significantly different to that of other people diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the team at the University of California Los Angeles found.
( Read more... )
They used positron emission tomography or PET scans to image brain activity in the volunteers.
The hoarders had unique activity, including less activity in brain regions known as the posterior cingulate gyrus and cuneus, they reported.
New research into the brain patterns of compulsive hoarders shows the disorder may have been misclassified and victims could be getting the wrong treatment, U.S. scientists reported on Tuesday.
Brain scans show the biology of America's estimated 1 million compulsive hoarders is significantly different to that of other people diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the team at the University of California Los Angeles found.
( Read more... )
They used positron emission tomography or PET scans to image brain activity in the volunteers.
The hoarders had unique activity, including less activity in brain regions known as the posterior cingulate gyrus and cuneus, they reported.
