Neuroscience research notes
Parkinson’s case study, mind theories, growth mindset, wellbeing…
Follow me on Twitter @fuzzworks_uk
Explore my Art & Mind website fuzzworks.co.uk
Neuroscience Research:
— Dopamine controls the brain’s pleasure centres and coordinates movement.
— Serotonin controls your mood, well-being, and appetite.
— Alzheimer’s disease causes tremors, memory loss, and cognitive impairment.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by losing dopamine-generating cells in restricted areas of the brain, including regions called the Substantia Nigra, the locus ceruleus and the dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve.
Substantia Nigra (black substance) is in the midbrain. When the SN diminishes it causes Parkinson’s. Neuro Melania is the pigment that gives SN the darkness of colour. Basal Ganglia (BG) is responsible for movement, learning, and reward. The SN is located in the BG.
“Key to the mystery may be Mitochondria, the powerhouses that allow cells to grow and neurons to conduct electrical signals and release their chemical messengers such as dopamine, noradrenaline and acetylcholine…. But why does Mitochondria in the Substantia Nigra work so hard to produce energy? and then lead neurons to overheat is unknown…”
The snippet above was taken from The Brain, Michael O’Shea
Psilocybin derived from Magic Mushrooms when taken binds to Serotonin receptors, which increases activity & reduces Depression!
Saffron also reduces depression & is as effective as Prozac. Saffron contains crocin & safranal which restores balance to serotonin & dopamine.
Sleeping flushes out toxins in the brain. A toxin protein called Amyloid Beta builds up plaques that can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Loneliness reduces willpower, alters behaviour and increases the chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.
The more educated you are, such as language learning can make the brain more connected and also fasting two times a week can reduce the chances of getting Alzheimer’s.
The neocortex is responsible for all our rational and analytical thought and language. This allows us to look through vast amounts of facts and figures, but it doesn’t drive behaviour.
Limbic Brain is responsible for all our feelings, such as trust and loyalty.
This area of the brain is responsible for all human behaviour and all our decision-making. It is where our emotional connection takes place.
Worry and anxiety is a sign of high intelligence. Those who have a tendency to worry suffer from cerebral asymmetry, where the right side of the brain is more active than the left side.
Guilt and shame activate the brain’s reward system. So it’s good to worry as you‘r’ rewarding yourself.
Recovering from bipolar tends to make people creative. Mood improvements activate the brain in the lower frontal lobe and flare up in the higher part of the frontal lobe. The same thing happens when people have bouts of creativity.
Great art comes stems from bad pain.
Researchers don’t know whether the dip in serotonin causes depression, or depression causes serotonin levels to drop.#Wellbeing #Catch22
My Parkinson’s Case Study:
I think one of the contributing factors that causes Parkinson’s disease is when you have reached the peak and the excitement of your life/career, which has also subconsciously burnt you out, and in turn, losing dopamine-generating cells that gave you pleasure right up until that period of time.
Case 1: Muhammad Ali — 1942–2016 (died aged 74)
Prime Active years: (1960–1964) and (1970–1975)
Retired in 1981 (age 39)
Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1984 (age 42)
Case 2: Michael J. Fox — (1961-age 54)
Prime Active years: Back to the Future, 1985–1990 (age around 24–28)
Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1991 (age 30)
Spin City Series: 1996–2001
Semi-Retired in 2000 (age 37)
Mind Theories / Books…
Psychological Mind consists of the Human, the Chimp & the Computer from The Chimp Paradox book.
Freud’s idea of Id Ego & Superego.
It’s not what you do? it’s Why you do it? — Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle
Imposter Syndrome..
Stinking Thinking…
StinkingThinking is a bad way of thinking, that makes you believe you will fail, that bad things will happen to you, etc.
Confirmation Bias…
I hate being confirmation bias, where we tend to make new decisions that fit with our old ones. What an irrational bias thought.
EFT — Emotional Freedom Technique is where you tap the meridian points of your body to calm your negative thoughts, anxiety… tap your temple a few times, your forehead and so forth, you may find you cannot think of anything. I call it happy slapping!
NLP — Neuro-linguistic Programming. Be conscious of where your eyes are at — they are cues for accessing what you are thinking. For example, if you’re looking down right, you are processing feelings/emotions. Looking down left, you are processing an internal dialogue. 👀
When you look up you are not likely to access sad thoughts — maybe that’s why they say chin up! 🤔
NLP Anchoring…
Find a happy anchor on your body, lets say your left arm — place your right hand there and think of a happy time in your life or a really good day you had — go to that memory — bring to life all the senses of that memory. Keep your hand in place and only release when the memory subsides. When you are struggling you can trigger your happy anchor.
- Change = A Pattern Interrupt
- Perseverance = A Growth Mindset
- Pattern Interrupt + Growth Mindset = Results
Visualization & belief is the attainment of desire that convinces the subconscious mind, which the conscious mind translates into reality.
“It’s not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality.” via Ted Talk
When reality is negative the mind focuses on hope. Our unconscious mind & tendencies to risk are the success of our survival. #BBC #Horizon
Random Wellbeing / Mindfulness
Have you had your DOSE of Happiness today?
Dopamine = Pleasure
Oxytocin = Love
Serotonin = Wellbeing
Endorphin = Natural Pain Relief
Not all are privy & asking for one is hard but a 20-second #HUG or 10 minutes of #HandHolding reduces #Sadness, #Stress, #BloodPressure
2 minutes of good posture, stretching and opening your arms can boost your confidence, make you feel better…
Write down what you are grateful for; gratitude can boost dopamine (pleasure) & serotonin (wellbeing) neurotransmitters.
#Appreciate #BeGrateful & #Mindful #ChemicalReaction
Have you found your cognitive sweet spot honey?
Within 90 minutes after eating chocolate, your neurons are humming! #OhYeah #LoveChocolate
It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.
Apparently, a sarcastic brain is a healthy brain. #YeahRight #BitterSweet #Sarcasm #Irony
Does mind wandering cause unhappiness or does unhappiness cause mind wandering? #Sad #Happy #CauseAndEffect
When someone says you’re a Case Study you don’t know whether to give them more material or do #ReversePsychology on them. #Headcase
If what you focus on is the opposite of what you have then it contradicts what you are subconsciously still in harmony with.
If you focus on what you’re not supposed to do, as opposed to what you’re supposed to do, then you get the opposite of what you want.
It would be great if you could obsolete a few neurons on a flick of a channel to transmit only positive chemical signals.
I am not mad. I’m in denial. If I admit it that means I’m halfway to recovery. Who wants to recover from madness, as madness is genius!
Question for the Optimistic…
Can a pessimist have ambition, or is it a conflict of interest?#ConflictOfInterest #Contradiction #PolarOpposite
