Brains may have a playfulness switch | Mindcare center Tarrytown

Blocking the activity of certain cells reduces play behavior in rats.

Rats are extremely playful creatures. They love playing chase and they literally jump for joy when tickled. Central to this playfulness, a new study finds, are nerve cells in a specific region of the brain.

Neurons in the periaqueductal gray, or PAG, are active in rats during different kinds of play, scientists report July 28 in Neuron. Blocking the activity of those neurons makes the rodents much less playful.

The results give insight into a poorly understood behavior, particularly in terms of how play is controlled in the brain.

When scientists tickled lab rats (one shown) and played a game with them, nerve cells in a brain region called the PAG became active. The team suspects that this region controls playfulness. “There are prejudices that it’s childish and not important, but play is an underrated behavior,” says Michael Brecht, a neuroscientist at Humboldt University of Berlin...

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Smoke gets on the brain

Health impact studies of air pollution, including wildfire smoke, have mostly focused on the lungs. But toxicologist Matthew Campen of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque is looking at the brain.

In a study of the inflammatory effects of smoke PM_2.5 on the brains of mice, Campen and colleagues found that inflammation in the lungs was modest compared with the “profound” inflammation in the brain, Campen says. Given what’s known about how damaging smoke can be in the lungs, to find even greater effects on the brain is troubling, he says.

The inflammatory effect on the mice’s brains was almost immediate, within 24 hours of exposure, the researchers reported in the March Toxicological Sciences. The particulates enter the body through the respiratory system, get in the blood, and are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and start affecting the brain. Inflammation has been linked with dementia in older people and neurodevelopmental issues in younger people, plus mood disorders like anxiety and depression, Campen says.

“I’m hoping that our study with mice spurs… epidemiologists to take a look,” he says. “The effects we see are much stronger and more worrisome than what we see in the lungs,” he says, but we don’t know yet at what PM_2.5 levels the danger begins. “We need to explore this more rigorously.”

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Most ADHD Children have the Problem as Adults

 

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) is often thought of as a problem of childhood – but 90 percent go on to suffer symptoms as adults, such as speaking impulsively, or not being able to make decisions.

It’s important for people to recognize that ADHD carries on into adulthood, and there will be times when a person can’t manage situations or feels less in control, said researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

It was thought that half of all children diagnosed with ADHD would still suffer from it as adults, but the Washington researchers estimate the true figure is much higher and could be as high as 90 percent of cases.

They followed the health of 558 children when they were eight and until they reached the age of 25. All the children had been diagnosed with ADHD.

The researchers aren’t sure why ADHD symptoms flare up in adulthood but suspect it could be related to stress or not following a healthy lifestyle of good nutrition and sleep. Symptoms come and go, the researchers found, and many in the study group had worked out their own coping mechanisms.

Adults with ADHD are much more likely to be in a creative profession. “The key is finding a job or life passion that is compatible with ADHD. You are going to see a lit of creative people who have ADHD, whereas ADHD people who may be required to do very detail-oriented tasks at a computer will find it very difficult,” said Margaret Sibley, one of the researchers.

ADHD has two main clusters of symptoms: inattention can manifest as disorganization, forgetfulness, or having trouble focusing, while those who are more hyperactive can be verbally impulsive, indecisive, compulsive when they grow up.

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Some Surprisingly Good News About Anxiety | Mindcare center

 Everyone suffers from fear and anxiety at some point in time. People can be anxious without knowing why. Anxiety usually stems from founded or unfounded fears, or apprehension of what may or may not occur in the future. These triggering of alarms are often coming from the amygdale – a marble-sized sub-cort ical organ in the brain.

“The harder I try, the worst result I get!” Have you ever came across this thought? It can be a frustrating experience that leads to suffering from chronic worry, social anxiety disorder, or phobias.

However, you can use these uncertain times as an opportunity for personal growth and stability. Below are few strategies which can help you to deal with anxiety.

• Build your pain tolerance: Stop overthinking and worrying about everything. Accepting the fact that there is usually a solution for every problem is a great idea. People who are not capable of tolerating their stress drain their coping abilities, often leading to harmful strategies, such as self-medicating with drugs.

• The actual threat may be less than the imagined: The fear of the unknown magnifies the anxiety, whereas searching for what is the known can help to diminish it.

• Breath into it: Slow, full inhalation, exhalation in the abdomen / lower back, known as diaphragmatic breathing, is used by many, to effectively alleviate anxiety, and bring tranquility.

• Moving the body: Can shift your mood, energize, promote mental clarity, dispel ruminating thoughts. Escape the inertia of sedentary living and engage in healthy distraction.

• Strengthen your connection: Studies say that talking with others and making your social connection stronger, can help you to find answers to your questions. Try to make things real by engaging in casual conversations. It will definitely help you get a better understanding and way to approach a particular issue with other people.

• Be more accepting of yourself: Many of you might be going through a phase where you think that you are too fat or too thin, or other self-image issues.. Don’t let your opinion determine your state of mind.

• It is very important to remember that everyone has struggled to balance their life. Try to take a break and accept your shortcomings, adopt a concept called self-sympathy. Keep in mind what one can be grateful for, and reach out to comfort the vulnerable, those in worse circumstances.

If you know someone who is suffering from anxiety and fear, let them know that they don’t need to live in their pain. There are various successful treatments that can save a person’s relationships, career, and self-confidence, such as counseling – person-to-person or via teletherapy –  and EEG biofeedback. Adopt a healthier lifestyle and cultivate positive thinking – the half-full glass –as a daily practice. Why not take the first step today?

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Have chronic pain? What you need to know about your pain management options

 

Everyone deals with pain at one time or another. Perhaps you’ve temporarily suffered from a cluster or tension headache, or a muscle spasm.

Pain that lasts for two months or longer can be called Chronic Pain. Chronic Pain, often stress-related, can feel like it is bodily pain, localized or generalized, but mostly it’s generated by misfiring pain circuits in the brain. For some, the cause is arthritis or other health condition, such as Fibromyalgia, a muscular-skeletal disorder, often causing pain receptors to go into hyperdrive. Ignoring this kind of pain can have dangerous consequences, and can lead to many other problems, such as:

• Impact your daily activities
• Sleep disturbance, disruption of regular eating habits
• Make it difficult to focus
• Can lead to Anxiety and Depression
• Detract from quality time with friends and family

Those with Chronic Pain describe symptoms in various ways, as aching, burning, shooting, squeezing, stiffness, stinging, or throbbing. Living with Chronic Pain can be emotionally and physically challenging.

There are various kinds of treatment approaches that can help with pain management:

• Prescription drugs are used to treat several kinds of severe pain, but they can be highly addictive. Users tend to replicate with higher doses to obtain the same desired effect.
• Corticosteroids work by reducing the immune system’s inflammatory response. But there can be various side effects, such as difficulty sleeping, weight gain, high blood sugar.
• Short term counselling may reduce the reaction to chronic pain.
• Physical therapy: various meds including antidepressants are used to treat pain
• Other methods include medication, Yoga and EEG Biofeedback, which, it is suggested, should be performed safely by a professional therapist. EEG Biofeedback – Neurofeedback – can alter control of pain by altering connectivity between brain regions, thus bringing lasting changes in neuronal networks.

LENS Neurofeedback is used to treat Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Migraine. Biofeedback measures physiological activity (Autonomic Nervous System), which includes heartbeat, breathing, muscle activity, skin temperature – a monitoring system, leading to changes in thinking and emotional control processes.

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What is LENS? How can it work for me?

LENS – or Low Energy Neurofeedback System– is an advanced form of brain technology or EEG biofeedback for adults and children – so-called, because it uses a tiny signal, hundreds of times smaller than your cell phone, that your brain is attracted to, and which enables it to reboot and reset in a beneficial way to optimize function.

For those suffering from Anxiety, Depression, children and adults with ADHD, Chronic Pain, Head Injury, Sleep and a range of neurological issues – as well as for those experiencing stress, emotional reactivity, ‘brain fog’, struggling to cope – LENS can help.

The LENS has brought fast relief to many, and clinical studies indicate that, with this drug-free approach, results tend to be lasting. It is a gentle, passive approach, user-friendly, requiring no effort, quick to administer – ideal for young or fidgety patients.

The LENS model is based on disentertainment, freeing up ‘stuck’ or dysregulated brainwave patterns from prolonged stress and other conditions. It is a customized training as well as a treatment, with the functional review of progress over a course of treatment. Results can be seen in as little as 6 sessions, typically within 10-20 sessions, depending on severity, the onset of symptoms, and other factors.

The LENS is appealing for those seeking relief from neurological conditions; for those who don’t do well with medications and are dissatisfied with more traditional methods; for those interested in more holistic approaches, to health and wellness; as well as executives, test-takers, sportspersons, performing artists, and all those who seek to optimize their daily functioning.

Alzheimer’s is Preventable

Alzheimer’s Disease – a form of dementia affecting 5.6 million Americans , currently incurable – is preventable, according to The Lancet Neurology, an established medical journal for brain research.

In Dr Joseph Mercola’s interview of board-certified neurologist and nutritional authority, Dr David Perlmutter what it brought out and emphasized is the important role of aerobic exercise and healthy lifestyle choices: that eating a diet high in ‘good’ fats and oils, and low in carbs can positively affect brain health and lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Dr David Perlmutter is author of the best-selling book, ‘Grain Brain: the Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs and Sugar – Your Brain’s Silent Killer.’ In the book, he states: ‘Lifestyle choices, like aerobic exercise, healthy fats, reducing carbs, including whole grains, affect overall brain health, as well as risk of Alzheimer’s.’ Further, says Dr Perlmutter, ‘a hi-carb diet, of which 20% comes from wheat-based food,’ can lead to Dementia, ADHD, Anxiety, Chronic Headaches , Depression and other neurological diseases.

Gluten in wheat leads to gluten-sensitivity and the production of Zonulin in the gut, according to Dr Dasano, a pediatric gastroenterologist and research scientist directing the Center for Celiac Research & Treatment at Mass. General Hospital, Boston. Zonulin is the cornerstone of diseases characterized by permeability of the gut and inflammation in the brain – Alzheimer’s, Autism, Parkinson’s and Attention Deficit Disorders as well as auto-immune diseases’- related to consumption of carbohydrates, says Dr Perlmutter. Dr Fasano’s research shows that reaction to Zonulin is not confined to the 1.85% with Celiac, but is present in 100% of the population.

According to a recent German study at the University of Bonn, published in Neurology, a hi-carb diet has been directly related to atrophy, or brain shrinkage, particularly of the memory center. A blood test for hemoglobin, A1C, which assesses average blood sugar, is used to correlate blood sugar level to disease processes, such as Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment and Coronary Heart Disease. Researchers concluded that elevated hemoglobin A1C is directly correlated with brain shrinkage, including the brain memory structure, the hippocampus.

Dr Perlmutter, in his book, ‘Grain Brain’, recommends aerobic exercises, plus a diet rich in vitamin D, good fats’, such as coconut, sesame and nut oil, flax seed oil – the brain is 60-70% fat, and maintained by fats consumption – rich in above-ground vegetables, and aggressively low in carbohydrates (60 gm / day). The book clearly emphasizes restriction of gluten, wheat and carbohydrates and its impact on brain health.

A switch to such a healthy diet and lifestyle can, says Dr Perlmutter, effect neurogenesis, whereby we can have some control, or programming of our genes, and neuroplasticity, renewing brain function. Studies show that as a result, our memory centers can expand at 1-2% per year, and increase connection of brain cells. He says that this dietary approach can also apply to Heart Disease and brain health.

– Dr Perlmutter.com, Dr Joseph Mercola’s interview of Dr Perlmutter, 2013, PBS Grain Brain series.

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