Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #brains
Most recents (20)
People are asking LLMs to write stories like a waking mind does, then declaring their own supremacy as creators when tools structured to work like the dreaming mind spit out what have always been described by the engineers as dreams rather than coherent waking-state narratives.
The extra funny part is people thinking that in an era perhaps most accurately characterized as a collective psychedelic experience, the waking-mind economy is somehow going to maintain its tide wall against this tsunami of unconscious material.
Bad trip recipe, that.
Bad trip recipe, that.
It's like the foolishness of expecting kids to think like adults. These are distinctly different modes of cognition that exist together in an ecology of strategies adapted for different purposes. Exploration-tuned systems are vital complements to exploitation-tuned systems.
1/5 "The analysis revealed that older, #cognitively #healthy #brains showed similar amounts of #dissolvable, #non-#fibrillar #amyloid #protein as #brains of #Alzheimer’s #patients."
#aβ #Aβ #fibrils
gero.usc.edu/2023/01/05/new…
#aβ #Aβ #fibrils
gero.usc.edu/2023/01/05/new…
2/5 "But, as the researchers expected, the brains of #Alzheimer’s patients had higher amounts of #insoluble #Aβ #fibrils, the form of #amyloid #protein that aggregates to form the telltale “#plaques” seen in the #disease,..."
3/5 "... higher levels of #fibrillary #amyloid appear to be a better indicator of #poorer #brain #health."
Happy New Year all
If you 'celebrated' last night, and are 30 or over, you've probably spent today grappling with a phenomenon @elisjames flagged up recently
The 'psychological' hangover. The intense anxiety/unease that lays you low all day, or longer. What's that about?
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If you 'celebrated' last night, and are 30 or over, you've probably spent today grappling with a phenomenon @elisjames flagged up recently
The 'psychological' hangover. The intense anxiety/unease that lays you low all day, or longer. What's that about?
/1
@elisjames It's a bit of a cliché, in the UK at least; when you start drinking at 18 (*cough*) you can cane it all night, wake up and feel crap for a couple of hours, but then bounce back and do it all again, guilt free and right as rain
But as you get older, that gets... harder
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But as you get older, that gets... harder
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Usually around your late twenties, but especially after them, your hangovers change. The physical effects may be less intense, but they endure longer. And the mental aspect is way worse. No more laughing it off, it's at least a day of feeling crap/sluggish/paranoid etc.
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Psychologist Dr. Lee-Anne Gray founded a school whose mission is “Empathic Education for a Compassionate Nation.” She teaches the art of empathic listening and it is a powerful technique to dismantle normalized bullying in our society @bulliedbrain #resist
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
Identifying with the aggressor is comparable to Stockholm syndrome, in which a hostage will bond with their captor. This bonding occurs because the brain is aware that the captor could harm or kill the #hostage. The bond intensifies as a survival strategy
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
@bulliedbrain's clients want to know why as employees, they suffered repeat abuses. To overcome this obstacle to recovery, we must first recognize how bullying works.
@jjfreydcourage and Pamela Birrell detail the coping mechanism of blindness @PsychToday
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
@jjfreydcourage and Pamela Birrell detail the coping mechanism of blindness @PsychToday
psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bu…
"Training Machines to Learn the Way Humans Do: an Alternative to #Backpropagation"
Today's SFI Seminar by Sanjukta Krishnagopal
(@UCBerkeley & @UCLA)
Starting now — follow this 🧵 for highlights:
Today's SFI Seminar by Sanjukta Krishnagopal
(@UCBerkeley & @UCLA)
Starting now — follow this 🧵 for highlights:
"When we learn something new, we look for relationships with things we know already."
"I don't just forget Calculus because I learned something else."
"We automatically know what a 'cat-dog' would look like, if it were to exist."
"We learn by training on very few examples."
"I don't just forget Calculus because I learned something else."
"We automatically know what a 'cat-dog' would look like, if it were to exist."
"We learn by training on very few examples."
1, 2) "[#MachineLearning] is fundamentally different from the way humans learn things."
3) Re: #FeedForward #NeuralNetworks
"You choose some loss function...maybe I'm learning the wrong weights. So I define some goal and then I want to learn these weights, these thetas."
3) Re: #FeedForward #NeuralNetworks
"You choose some loss function...maybe I'm learning the wrong weights. So I define some goal and then I want to learn these weights, these thetas."
"Liquid and Solid #Brains: Mapping the #Cognition Space"
Today's SFI Seminar by Ext Prof @ricard_sole, streaming now — follow this 🧵 for highlights:
Today's SFI Seminar by Ext Prof @ricard_sole, streaming now — follow this 🧵 for highlights:
"Why #brains? Brains are very costly...it seems like they are not a very good idea to bring complex cognition to a #biosphere that just needs simple replicators."
"I also want to explore the problem of #consciousness, which is around all the time..."
@ricard_sole
"I also want to explore the problem of #consciousness, which is around all the time..."
@ricard_sole
Two different views of #evolution:
- Stephen Jay Gould and an emphasis on #contingency
- Simon Conway Morris/Pere Albach and an emphasis on #constraints and #convergence
--> "Replay the tape with different results vs. 'the logic of monsters' & 'life's solution'"
- Stephen Jay Gould and an emphasis on #contingency
- Simon Conway Morris/Pere Albach and an emphasis on #constraints and #convergence
--> "Replay the tape with different results vs. 'the logic of monsters' & 'life's solution'"
Taken me several days to answer this, because migraines have long been a gap in my knowledge
Can't feel too bad though, because the science of #migraines is WAY more complex and uncertain than most would have thought
Here's what's known
Strap in, this will get complicated
/1
Can't feel too bad though, because the science of #migraines is WAY more complex and uncertain than most would have thought
Here's what's known
Strap in, this will get complicated
/1
What is the root cause of migraines? Currently 'TBC', unfortunately.
But evidence suggests it involves neurological, vascular, hormonal and genetic factors are working in concert
Applies to pretty much anything in the brain, it never makes it easy
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But evidence suggests it involves neurological, vascular, hormonal and genetic factors are working in concert
Applies to pretty much anything in the brain, it never makes it easy
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But if there IS one specific 'root cause' of migraines, most fingers point to Cortical Spreading Depression, CSD
What's that?
It's when a neuron, brain cell, experiences a sudden burst of activity (depolarisation), followed by a period of inactivity, as if it's exhausted
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What's that?
It's when a neuron, brain cell, experiences a sudden burst of activity (depolarisation), followed by a period of inactivity, as if it's exhausted
/3
Therapist Thread on #Narcissistic Injury & Narcissistic Rage 🧵: the reactions are disproportionate the the perceived 'slight', which is the injury. They are 'over the top'. For e.g. they want you to lose your entire career because you disagree with them on something.
Narcissistic injury is caused by: 1.challenged confidence. When there excessive needs for admiration your attention, time, energy are not met, they will #rage to protect their ego. 2. Injury to the narcissists #selfesteem often occurs because they don't have a stable sense of
Self. When this happens & the smallest failure is pointed out, they will #RAGE This may look like swearing, snorting, spitting, violence, screaming & melting down or covert and is always directed back at the person or projected back on the 'perceived' accuser.
Depression is probably not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain – new study
theconversation.com/depression-is-…
A few have asked me for my thoughts on this, so here's a thread
But basically; I agree. So much so, I've been saying it in most of my writing for 5+ years now
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theconversation.com/depression-is-…
A few have asked me for my thoughts on this, so here's a thread
But basically; I agree. So much so, I've been saying it in most of my writing for 5+ years now
/1
You can see where the 'depression is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain' theory came from. Antidepressants were discovered (by accident), and they caused an increase in certain chemicals in the brain, reducing depressive symptoms. Ergo, depression = low chemicals
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Except since then, ample evidence has accumulated to show that depression is far more complex a thing than can be explained by 'not enough brain chemicals', and there are a lot more theories and models out there now that try to explain it more thoroughly
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Dear @UWaterloo about this hardline on returning to F2F Feb 28. A major element of #LongCovid seems to be microglial inflammation (that’s in the brain) yielding neurological damage. The prevalence of long COVID varies among studies, but 5-10% is a conservative estimate. 1/3 🧵
A #University’s greatest asset is their people. You’ve invested so much in all your #faculty. Mostly we are valued for our #brains. I wonder if those pushing the “learn to live with COVID” agenda have done the math on what it would cost if 5% of us got #LongCovid #NeuroCOVID 2/3
#Genderdysphoria & FASD short thread 🧵 #FASD is a brain-based disability, caused by alcohol. It is known as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It is a ‘Spectrum’ & often not visible physically. It often co-exists with #autism #adhd #aspergers #LD & remains largely under diagnosed
In #Australia, alcohol is part of the culture & part of life. It is a BIG problem. Mothers are cautioned largely not to drink & the fathers role is largely ignored, not realising their own addictions affect the foetus. Many children & teens have FASD Spectrum & they don’t know it
Nor do their parents. If the parents do know, there can be much guilt, denial, shame & lack of support. Many children with FASD are underdiagnosed or MISdiagnosed. There are a group of children/ teens with #FASD & #genderdysphoria (with or without #autism) #psychology
This Sunday is #WorldMentalHealthDay2021, so here is a #BrainStuff thread about one of the less often discussed, and more readily stigmatised, disorders; addiction.
What happens in the brain to make addiction so harmful? Suffice to say, it's not 'just a matter of willpower'
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What happens in the brain to make addiction so harmful? Suffice to say, it's not 'just a matter of willpower'
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At present, practically all 'recognised' forms of addiction concern a type of psychoactive chemical substance. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, heroin, cocaine, etc.
The only 'official' non-chemical type of addiction so far is gambling.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
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The only 'official' non-chemical type of addiction so far is gambling.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
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There's much debate as to whether other types of addiction should be recognised, like shopping, porn/sex addiction, video games or social media etc.
These are all essentially marked 'TBC' right now. They may end up being recognised addictions, they may need a new label
/3
These are all essentially marked 'TBC' right now. They may end up being recognised addictions, they may need a new label
/3
Empathy, as in recognising, understanding, and *sharing* the emotional state/experience of others, is a vital ability of the human brain. It makes us what we are.
However, one problem is, that our own emotions and experiences can distort the process.
Here's more #BrainStuff
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However, one problem is, that our own emotions and experiences can distort the process.
Here's more #BrainStuff
/1
A surprising amount of our brain's processes are geared towards detecting, recognising, and recreating the emotions of others. We're constantly, often without realising, broadcasting our inner state, and human brains have evolved to recognise and interpret these cues.
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As I say, we often don't even realise this is happening. You ever walked into a room after a huge argument has happened and immediately felt uncomfortable, or noted a 'frosty atmosphere'? That's what's happening there.
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All vertebrate #brains have #parvalbumin #interneurons, but in mammals they play a critical role in the function of the #cortex. @ellie_bucher‘s debut paper in Brain Structure and Function surveys the field to tell this emerging and exciting story. rdcu.be/cni5M
Parvalbumin equips these #neurons for sustained fast firing, synchronizing large areas of cortex to focus attention. Linked in vast networks which buzz with gamma #oscillations, their outputs target cell bodies and axons of principal neurons to control their interactions.
Uniquely among interneurons, #perineuronal nets and #myelin anchor and stabilise the cell bodies and axons of basket cells, tightly regulating #plasticity to bind their networks into functional structures after critical periods pass.
How do the hundreds of genetic risk-factors for #Schizophrenia actually lead to disease? New work medrxiv.org/content/10.110… from @manoliskellis illuminates the #SingleCell landscape of #Brains from patients with #Schizophrenia and their healthy counterparts🔬🧠🧵1/10
Combining single-nuclear RNA-Seq @10xGenomics, barcode #ing, and multi-level cell-state decomposition, first author Brad Ruzicka et al. identify 20 cell types in the prefrontal cortex of 24 patients with #Schizophrenia and 24 controls 2/10
While most of these #cells have been described before, what's powerful about the approach is that we can now ask: are there specific cell-types that are increased or decreased in numbers in #Schizophrenia patients compared to healthy individuals (great study design) 3/10
Finally got to watch this amazing talk by @BhupeshPrusty 👉 showing that pathogens like HHV6 may reactivate in #ME/CFS blood, and start a process via small non-coding RNA expression that can fragment mitochondria + limit cellular ATP content:
2/ Also incredibly exciting, IMO, to see his team’s early-stage results showing activated HHV6 in the frontal lobe (and even in one case lumbosacral nerve) of autopsied #ME/CFS #brains
3/ The talk, along w/ @MBVanElzakker’s at the same conference, show #ME/CFS #autopsy studies have big potential to shed more light on the disease 👉 Don’t forget all USA ME/CFS patients (plus healthy family + friends!) can register for brain donation here: braindonorproject.org
Study finds a “striking buildup of lipid droplets in microglia w/ aging in mouse/human #brains.” The cells, called ‘lipid-droplet-accumulating #microglia (LDAM), are defective in phagocytosis, produce high levels of ROS + secrete proinflammatory cytokines: nature.com/articles/s4159…
2/ Worth noting that persistent #viruses target #lipid signaling, synthesis + metabolism to remodel host cells like microglia into an environment optimal for their replication 👉 Indeed viral infection of LDAM cells cld explain ROS + proinflammatory state: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
3/ Or since LPS induced lipid formation in the study, cld bacterial infection be involved? (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…) 👉 Especially w/ more teams reporting bacteria inside astrocytes/glia in the brain? (sciencemag.org/news/2018/11/d…) Any thoughts @wysscoray @CarolynBertozzi?
My mind explodes at the detail these machines can image 👉 To observe a range of #brain abnormalities (and how they can change over time!) does not offer a vague sense of “hope” for chronic #disease☝️ It allows for the actionable testing of key hypotheses in #ME/CFS, #autism etc
2/ Add to that the newer staining + microscopy + computer tools that can be used to analyze autopsied #brains/bodies 👉 This study of autopsied #autism brains shows that potential👇 Eg: look at the differences b/t neutrophil density in autism vs. controls:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/31591…
3/ Or look at this scatterplot from the same #autism autopsy study 👉 They found clear separation of median #lymphocyte count + median perovascular tissue damage in every autism case vs. control case analyzed 👇
Team examines if #Huntington’s genetic mutation that predisposes to immune cell + neural tissue problems cld faciliate #microbial colonization of the of HD brain 👉 Find microbiome (bacteria + a variety of fungal structures) in HD autopsied brains: frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…
2/ Some of the #fungi were found in the striatum + frontal cortex of seven #HD patient #brains, w/ close proximity to the nucleus, or even as intranuclear inclusions 👉 and prevalent #bacterial genera included Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Burkholderia.
3/ Some of the identified #fungi create #mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and trichothecenes 👉 which can provoke cellular injuries including ROS production + #mitochondria dysfunction
Excellent example of how a #microbe (p. gingivalis acting as a persistent #pathogen and not a “trigger”) 👉 can modulate a “cell danger-type response” by dysregulating #mitochondrial metabolism (ATP signaling impacting ROS generation etc): ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28725…
In fact I’m keeping a very peeled eye on p. gingivalis these days 👉 B/c it’s also very interesting that p.gingivalis + the toxic proteases it creates (called gingipains) were recently identified in the #brains of #Alzheimer's patients: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/30746…
Aaand this team just found that 👉 when p. gingivalis was fed to mice, it modulated gut #microbiome composition + the gut immune response in a manner that aggravated arthritis symptoms: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28761…
