Posts Tagged ‘Brain-anatomy-and-imaging’
Change or Die: Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain
We are tempted to drop it all, find a nice warm tree in the park or coffeehouse table, and simply read 2 books that have just been published. We haven’t read them since they have literally just been released today, but we are certain there will be a fun and illuminating read for anyone interested in the…
Read MoreThe Hermann Grid Visual Illusion
While there are really only two colors in the grid, the high contrast black and white areas fool the eyes into perceiving a gray circle at each intersection. The illusion results from retinal cells adjusting the brightness of an image by adjusting the intensity of the light signal in many small sections, which allows you to see a wide range of both bright and dark details in the same image, unlike a computer monitor or TV screen that has one brightness setting for the entire image.
Read MoreTis Better to Give Than to Receive
Researchers have found that the mesolimbic pathway is activated by charitable giving. This area is one of the major pathways where you find the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with the brain’s pleasure system. Furthermore, donating also appears to increase the release of oxytocin, a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter and is involved in social bonding and building trust between people.
So this holiday, find a way to give back. Not only will it make you feel better, but social activities are good stress reducers too. If you and your family are at each others’ throats with too much togetherness, plan an activity together.
Go feed the hungry at a local community center, Walk the dogs at a local shelter, Visit the sick at a hospital, Clean a park or beach together. Having an activity together will take the focus off of each other and give you a reason to work together, bond, and enjoy your dopamine/oxytocin rush. It’s good for your brain.
New Brain Fitness Guide
We are very excited to announce our new guide: <strong>Brain Fitness for Sharp Brains: Your <em>New</em> New Year Resolution,</strong>. Alvaro Fernandez and Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg wrote it with Caroline Latham in order to provide an introduction to the concept, science, and practice of brain fitness.
Read MoreBrain Training and “Brain-ism” in Japan
Today we are traveling to Japan. Go Hirano is a serial Japanese entrepreneur who has been exploring neuroscience-based opportunities in Japan, having recently created the company NeuWell (neuroscience for wellness). ———————- Key take-aways: — People in Japan devour any product with brain-related claims — But there has been a recent backlash against children videogames, so…
Read MoreWhat happens in your brain when you see “SharpBrains”?
Well, it depends on how good a job we are doing. A study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, carried out functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies on the brain activation of 20 adult men and women when shown a number of logos. Very interesting results. We won’t write about…
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