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Why do we think and feel as we do? For years man has sought to understand the workings of the mind. Now, with advances in modern-day technology and developments in neuroscience, a whole new world of brain research is opening up. Understanding our minds is becoming a reality. Guided by top neuroscientist Susan Greenfield, Brain Story attempts to answer the question “What is my mind and who am I?” We talk to philosophers, clinicians, neurosurgeons and their patients to discover quite what a finely balanced and complex machine the brain is. All in the Mind. In the Heat of the Moment. The Mind’s Eye. First Among Equals. Growing the Mind. The Final Mystery.

Can't relax? It's all in your mind: Research shows stopping a thought puts more strain on the brain (PhysOrg.com) -- Turns out, relaxing is exhausting—which could by why so many people struggle to unplug from work during vacation. According to mathematicians at Case Western Reserve University, stopping a thought burns more energy than thinking-like stopping a truck on a downhill slope. "Maybe this explains why it is so tiring to relax and think about nothing," says Daniela Calvetti, professor of mathematics and one of the authors of a new brain study published in an advanced online publication of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. Since opening up the brain for detailed monitoring isn't exactly practical, Calvetti teamed up with fellow mathematics professor Erkki Somersalo and Rossana Occhipinti, a postdoctoral researcher in physiology and biophysics, to create a computer model of brain metabolism. Calvetti and Somersalo created a software package specifically designed to study the complex metabolic systems.

Brain Games & Brain Training Horse Racing and Online Horse Betting - TVG Brain is not fully mature until 30s and 40s (PhysOrg.com) -- New research from the UK shows the brain continues to develop after childhood and puberty, and is not fully developed until people are well into their 30s and 40s. The findings contradict current theories that the brain matures much earlier. Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a neuroscientist with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, said until around a decade ago many scientists had "pretty much assumed that the human brain stopped developing in early childhood," but recent research has found that many regions of the brain continue to develop for a long time afterwards. The prefrontal cortex is the region at the front of the brain just behind the forehead, and is an area of the brain that undergoes the longest period of development. Prof. In earlier research Professor Blakemore studied the brains of teenagers in detail, as reported in PhysOrg. Explore further: Study: Our brains compensate for aging

100 Best Blogs for Psychology Students With the availability of so many different blogs and other internet resources, psychology students today have a unique opportunity to gain insights and perspectives not otherwise available to their predecessors. Some information comes straight from professionals, others from students, and still others straight from the patients themselves. Though one should always practice discretion when perusing data and research on the internet, most researchers professionally offer links to reliable sources such as journal articles and websites for the American Psychological Association, National Institute of Mental Health, and other respected organizations. The internet provides a wealth of opinions and experiences for psychology students to discover every facet of their chosen discipline. 1.PsyBlog : University College London researcher Jeremy Dean posts articles relating to the scientific aspect of psychology with the hopes of highlighting how it factors into everyday life. 28.Dr. 32.PANIC!

Brain mechanism recruited to reduce noise during challenging tasks New research reveals a sophisticated brain mechanism that is critical for filtering out irrelevant signals during demanding cognitive tasks. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 26 issue of the journal Neuron, also provides some insight into how disruption of key inhibitory pathways may contribute to schizophrenia. "The ability to keep track of information and one's actions from moment to moment is necessary to accomplish even the simple tasks of everyday life," explains senior study author, Dr. Helen Barbas from Boston University and School of Medicine. "Equally important is the ability to focus on relevant information and ignore noise." Dr. "The primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulated cortex (ACC) are brain regions that focus attention on relevant signals and suppress noise in cognitive tasks. The authors conclude that ACC pathways may help reduce noise by stimulating inhibitory neurons in DLPFC. Source: Cell Press

Psst! The Human Brain Is Wired For Gossip hide captionLearning juicy details about someone can change the way you see them — literally, according to a new study. August Darwell/Getty Images Hearing gossip about people can change the way you see them — literally. Negative gossip actually alters the way our visual system responds to a particular face, according to a study published online by the journal Science. The findings suggest that the human brain is wired to respond to gossip, researchers say. "Gossip is helping you to predict who is friend and who is foe," says Lisa Feldman Barrett, distinguished professor of psychology at Northeastern University and an author of the study. Barrett is part of a team that has been studying how gossip affects not just what we know about an unfamiliar person but how we feel about them. But Barrett and her team wanted to answer another question: Once hearsay has predisposed us to see someone in a certain way, is it possible that we literally see them differently? Science/AAAS

The Extended Mind Andy Clark & David J. Chalmers [*] Department of Philosophy Washington University St. Louis, MO 63130 Department of Philosophy University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 andy@twinearth.wustl.educhalmers@arizona.edu *[[Authors are listed in order of degree of belief in the central thesis.]] [[Published in Analysis 58:10-23, 1998. 1 Introduction Where does the mind stop and the rest of the world begin? 2 Extended Cognition Consider three cases of human problem-solving: (1) A person sits in front of a computer screen which displays images of various two-dimensional geometric shapes and is asked to answer questions concerning the potential fit of such shapes into depicted "sockets". (2) A person sits in front of a similar computer screen, but this time can choose either to physically rotate the image on the screen, by pressing a rotate button, or to mentally rotate the image as before. (3) Sometime in the cyberpunk future, a person sits in front of a similar computer screen. 3 Active Externalism

The Top 10 Psychology Studies of 2010 The end of 2010 fast approaches, and I'm thrilled to have been asked by the editors of Psychology Today to write about the Top 10 psychology studies of the year. I've focused on studies that I personally feel stand out, not only as examples of great science, but even more importantly, as examples of how the science of psychology can improve our lives. Each study has a clear "take home" message, offering the reader an insight or a simple strategy they can use to reach their goals , strengthen their relationships, make better decisions, or become happier. 1) How to Break Bad Habits If you are trying to stop smoking , swearing, or chewing your nails, you have probably tried the strategy of distracting yourself - taking your mind off whatever it is you are trying not to do - to break the habit. That's because habit-behaviors happen automatically - often, without our awareness. J. 2) How to Make Everything Seem Easier J. 3) How To Manage Your Time Better M. 4) How to Be Happier J.

10 Websites With Fun Tests To Gauge Your IQ Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a term that’s related to the wattage of your brain; in short intelligence and reasoning skills measured across a few standardized tests. Before an inferiority complex starts laying its foundation, remember that I.Q is not a measure of knowledge or its practical application. To rub our egos the right way, you might take a few serious approved tests and arrive at your IQ. Me? FunEducation Try out the array of tests on this site which include a range of serious self discovery tools and fun quizzes. 3SmartCubes If you are looking for a range of tests that measure everything from IQ to your EQ (Emotional Quotient), then this site deserves to be bookmarked. Free IQ Test Just like the name says, this site is a place for a fast, free, and accurate online IQ test. IQ League The 60 Seconds IQ Test on this site is a fun and fast test which pits you against a clock as it countdowns to the minutes on the 10 questions. own system Test Yourself Magic Mnemonic Color IQ Test

Alien Abduction Experience and Research (AAER) at www.abduct.com In the abduction syndrome, most of the attention is on the Gray type Humanoids. However we really need to be looking at the often blonde Nordic-type entities who appear to be a vital element in all of it. "Who are they? Why are they here? What is their moral orientation?" For the last 38 years, I have specialized for them most part in alien human abduction and the Nordic-type aliens. Other hair colors have been reported. PENNY SMITH, BA is a degree holder Ontario from Canada. Pennyhas observed the beings along with the Grays, all in one place. The males were handsome with angular faces and the only emotion they displayed was serene amusement until they began to talk mentally to me. I had an intense longing for these beings after I left them. DONNA BUTTS, Kansas housewife. In a November incident, a large truck traveling on I-70 in Kansas was hit by a beam of light and Donna who was behind it had her first abduction. Donna first saw "Peter" when he parked near her at a local IGA store.

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