by Niia Nikolova, Nick Wade, The Conversation Humans are fascinated by visual illusions, which occur when there is a mismatch between the pattern of light that falls on the retina, and what we perceive. Before books, films, and the internet allowed illusions to be shared widely, people were captivated by illusions in nature. Indeed, it is here that...
Tag: <span>Mental Health</span>
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Some Antidepressants May Help Treat Multiple Infections, Study Says
By Ted Ranosa Tech Times Scientists are looking at the possibility of using some antidepressant drugs to help treat a wide range of infectious diseases. Researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University and other organizations examined the impact of a certain type of antidepressants known as functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinas, or FIASMAs. These drugs include amitriptyline, desipramine, and nortriptyline. Results showed that FIASMAs...
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6 ways to protect your mental health from social media’s dangers
More than one-third of American adults view social media as harmful to their mental health, according to a new survey from the American Psychiatric Association. Just 5% view social media as being positive for their mental health, the survey found. Another 45% say it has both positive and negative effects. Two-thirds of the survey’s respondents believe that social media usage is related to...
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Mind-Machine Meld: How Computer-Assisted Telepathy Helps Humans Communicate
Communicating through your thoughts alone is possible — with a little technical assistance. Scientists at the University of Washington’s Center for Neurotechnology have figured out how to network human minds together to collaborate to move Tetris-like shapes on a computer screen using only thoughts. It works like this: Three players, including one main player, sit in separate rooms and...
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Sleep frees up the hippocampus for new memories
by Universitaet Tübingen Two regions of our brain are central for storing memories: the hippocampus and the neocortex. While the hippocampus is primarily responsible for learning new information and its short-term storage, the neocortex is able to store large amounts of information for a long time. Lea Himmer, Dr. Monika Schönauer and Professor Steffen Gais of the Institute of Medical Psychology at the...
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Game that trains your brain by showing you real-time scans of your mind at work can boost your mental skills in less than an HOUR, experts say
Researchers asked 36 healthy adults to imagine moving their left hand Half were shown a display if they were activating the right parts of their brains The others were given false readings as a placebo to confirm the game’s impact Activity in the brains of those who weren’t given the placebo was stronger By TIM COLLINS FOR...
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Parents of severely autistic schoolboy, 11, who could not talk claim he has said his first full sentence after ‘very encouraging’ stem-cell treatment in Miami
Danny Bullen had the treatment last month and should have a second this year The next day his mother claims he asked for ‘more potatoes [crisps] please’ The youngster needs help going to the toilet and attends a specialist school The parents of an autistic schoolboy claim he spoke his first full sentence just hours after undergoing stem-cell therapy in the...
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Indicators of Mental Illness and Despair on the Rise among Gen X-ers, Study Suggests
A new study looking at the mental health of so-called Gen X-ers (i.e., people born between 1974-1983), published in the American Journal of Public Health, shows a marked increase in the tell-tale signs of despair, often characterized by depression, thoughts of suicide, drug use, and excessive drinking. Back in 2016, when life expectancy in the...
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Do these 5 things now to keep your brain healthy as you age
It’s not uncommon for people in their 30s to notice a little forgetfulness or to have difficulty finding a particular word they want to use. That’s a part of normal aging. Most of the brain stops growing neurons in our mid-20s. What does continue to grow is the portion of the brain that controls memory, as well as the...
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Light, physical activity reduces brain aging
BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (Boston)–Incremental physical activity, even at light intensity, is associated with larger brain volume and healthy brain aging. Considerable evidence suggests that engaging in regular physical activity may prevent cognitive decline and dementia. Active individuals have lower metabolic and vascular risk factors and these risk factors may explain their propensity for healthy brain aging. However, the specific activity levels optimal for dementia prevention have remained unclear....