Physiological Psychology Course Blog

Article: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/12/05/Brain-imaging-reveals-clues-to-stuttering/7941480946486/ Summary: The article was is about how the prevalence of stuttering can be seen through brain imaging. It is stated that abnormalities within brain imaging correlate to the severity of one’s stuttering. The research conducted by Dr. Bradley Peterson had 94 participants. 47 were children and the other 47 were adults. Age span was not indicated. However, some participants stuttered, while others did not. Instead of the use of an MRI, an MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy). This imaging device looks at nerve tissue density in the brain. It should be noted that stuttering is rather rare, and is most prominent during childhood, but is typically outgrown. Reflection: I thought this article was very relevant to our class. We spent a lot of time discussing areas of the brain, the frontal lobe in particular, where speech production occurs. I just found it interesting that yo...

http://highexistence.com/consciously-control-immune-system-wim-hof-method-system-wim-hof- method/ This article looked at a study conducted by injecting participants with a dead bacteria strain that usually produces an intense immune response. Half of the participants, however, were trained in the  Wim Hof Method and did not present this of intense immune response. The creator of this method, Wim Hof, holds 20 world records in a variety of feats related to cold temperature endurance.  T he training consisted of meditation, cyclic hyperventilation followed by breath retention, and cold exposure. The scientific basis given for this phenomena was that the  breathing technique makes huge fluctuations in the acidity degree, causing a chemical release of adrenaline which in turn is said to suppress the body's normal immune response.  I am extremely skeptical of this article for several reasons. First, the title sounds like a snake oil hoax. Second, there were links...

http://discovermagazine.com/20 14/julyaug/14-why-nothing-work s This article examines some of the most important studies which have advanced the field of placebo research. Despite some lingering skepticism among certain researchers, studies have shown that   endorphins, also called opioids, are linked to placebo treatments and can be very powerful natural painkillers, which are stored in the brain. Brain imaging has also revealed placebos can reduce activity in the anterior cingulate cortec (ACC), thalamus, and insula. All while relieving pain. Although the placebo effects are not the same across disorders and diseases the article highlights Parkinson's disease, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and physical pain as being particularly prone to placebo effects. In another novel study, a researcher in Bethesda, MD showed that not only could placebos inhibit relatively intense shocks (6/10 on the pain scale), but that this inhibition can carry over even when...

http://neurosciencenews.com/sexual-afterglow-bonding-6263/ Research shows that after sex, couples experience something called a sexual "afterglow" that lasts for up to two days. Sexual satisfaction is connected with relationship satisfaction. Two studies were conducted in which newlywed participants were asked to report on their relationship on a 7 point scaale (1- not satisfied, 7- extremely satisfied). They reported on their satisfaction with their partner, their relationship, and their marriage for 14 days. Although the average amount of days couples had sex was low, the couple still continued to rate their sexual satisfaction as a high number days after they had sex. Thus, this introduces the concept of a sexual "afterglow". This phenomenon also indicated higher ratings of marital satisfaction. I help out couples in my friend group all the time. However, I never helped them out by telling them that they need to have better sex. This article is very interes...

Article: http://neurosciencenews.com/dbs-depression-6260/ Summary: This study took 8 patients who suffered from severe depression that was non-treatable by therapy, drugs, and even treatments like electroconvulsive therapy and gave them small electrode implants on the brain region involved in perception and pleasure. The study found that these patients depression ratings dropped to very low levels of depression and half the the patients scored less than the threshold for diagnosis after the first month. Some of the patients suffered from side effects that caused vision problems that were mitigated. This points towards future research involving more patients that, if shown successful, could develop into a practiced therapy in Europe. Reflection: As someone who suffers from depression, I absolutely love seeing new research and new methods of treating it. It's such a common thing to suffer from and it feels good knowing that others have been and could continue to be helped by this...

http://neurosciencenews.com/appetite-control-mechanism-6536/ Article summary: There is a newly discovered appetite control molecule. This molecule increases hunger in times of fasting and decreases hunger in times of gorging. although our understanding of hunger has been steadily increasing this new discovery is quite the curveball. This is important research because it indicated that hunger and energy consumption mechanisms are more complex than we already know. the newly discovered molecule is called NPGL was  first discovered in chickens by a professor at the university of Hiroshima. they closed by saying that further research is needed to understand the interaction of the previously known factors in hunger with this new molecule. reflection: The minute I read this I thought wow, so that why all the food looks better when your dieting. As well this article relates directly to class as we just recently talked about hunger and this is a new piece of information on the process....

http://neurosciencenews.com/pain-mini-brain-6370/ Researchers found after a 5 year study that the peripheral nervous system has a role in pain sensation and analysis; a process previously thought to be exclusive to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).  The study found that ganglia, previously thought of just energy supply for messages being sent to the CNS, act as “mini-brains” in modifying the amount of information that is sent to the CNS. This research was conducted with rats, and poses a ground-breaking starting point for research on pain medications. Normally pain medications target the CNS, which has a great risk for addiction and other significant side effects, the research presented here opens up the PNS as a route for pain regulation that could avoid any type of addictive side effect, as well as becoming safer to take higher doses for more efficacy.                 This rese...