Recently in Brain Category

Somewhere else in this blog I mention how looking up can cause your mood to lift.  Here research indicates that looking from left to right (the shifty look) can help you improve your memory.  If you forgot where you placed your wallet do the shifty look for 30 seconds.

Hardwired for Happiness

Of all the emotions, happiness is the one scientists least understand.

In this article, find out the recent developments in the neuroscience of happiness. What stood out for me was:

"Research in psychology has shown repeatedly that the ability to regulate one’s emotions is essential for a happy life. While we may strive to be rational and in control, emotions are an indissoluble and essential part of our psyche. The great personal search, then, is how to defeat our inner enemies, to achieve control over our negative emotions. Although many psychologists and neuroscientists decry as unsupported sensationalism what has been known as the “power of positive thinking,” in fact several serious studies, using functional brain imaging techniques to observe the brain during sadness and happiness, have shown that distinct parts of the prefrontal cortex are involved in the volitional suppression of negative feelings."

So: CHOOSE HAPPINESS, MISERY IS OPTIONAL.

Here are more compelling excerpts:

To me this is both visually beautiful and cognitivly intriguing.

I heart the brain.

National Geographic's March 2005 issue has a full feature on the brain called "Beyond the Brain."

In it they talk about:
- brain surgery while patient remains awake
- how different regions of the brain control different functions (front left, language; back of brain, vision, etc.)
- brain development starting from inside the womb (did you know that at the moment of our birth we possess more brain cells than we ever will again?)
- how the brain, at birth, is able to hear every sound of every langauge on Earth, but only the syllables of our native language fill our ears, then our brain becomes more sensitive to just those sounds, while losing their responsiveness to other langauges
- In the old days, people said the brain is like a computer, but it's very distributed, closer to the Internet. (Most activity occurs in both hemisphere's of the brain.)

While National Geographic doesn't offer the entire article on-line (even for subscribers; what gives!?), they do include some other fun and useful links.

My favorite is Paul Eckman's survey that is asking for volunteers to take an online test to see how good you are at identifying emotions. It takes about 10 minutes.

Using the link above, click on "Do Your Part for Science" over there on the right hand side of the page. Have fun! (You have until the end of 2005 to participate.)

I have been addicted to Survivor since the first season, and can confess that Survivor turned me on to other reality TV shows. From Dr. Phil, to The Bachelor, to Star Search, to The Apprentice, I am no longer embarrassed to say I LOVE these shows.

Are you with me?

Why can we hold our heads high?

I believe consciousness is simply what it feels like to have a neocortex.

Jeff Hawkins, author, On Intelligence

One of the most provocative definitions of consciousness I have come across.

Helen Fisher, Ph.D., is one of this country's most prominent anthropologists. She has conducted extensive research on the evolution, expression, and chemistry of love. Her two most recent books, The First Sex and Anatomy of Love, were New York Times Notable Books. Here, in an interview from Elle Magazine, she explains what goes on in the brain when you are in love, and the differences between men and women.

And while she's measuring love in the brain, Fast Company writes how marketers have figured out a way to measure how consumers really feel about brands. And they note that rsearch suggests that brands that engage people emotinoally (as in "To Google is to love") can command prices as much as 20% to 200% higher than competitors', and sell in far higher volumes.

Dopamine frenzy.

Recently I've had Jeff Hawkins on the brain. That's because I've been thinking about this article from Fortune on Jeff Hawkins called "How Do You Think the Brain Works?" It has excited me at so many levels and I'd love to talk to you about it. (If you aren't a Fortune subscriber, email me and I'll let you borrow my login.)

First, it's got to do with the latest theory on one of my favorite subjects, the brain, and second, it talks about how the brain works, specifically, its intelligence. (He's written a book called "On Intelligence". Here's a free excerpt from the book's website.)

Third, the theory is a scientific theory gaining respect from top nueroscientists, even though Hawkins is a Silicon Valley millionaire legend in the technology market. He pursued this interest while he ran Palm (is in the Palm Pilot handheld) and later, Handspring.

Fourth, it weaves in theories of language and creativity and artificial intelligence and how business should get started on developing "intelligent systems" now.

Oh my, I could go on and on. Why don't you read it yourself (about a 10-minute read) and let me know what you think about it. What stood out for you?

I plan to live to 100. And I want my brain to live that long too! Don't you?Here are some tips.

There are ways to give your brain a workout and keep it fit. And a fit and healthy brain means a longer life. David Snowdon, PhD, author of Aging with Grace notes that those who age best share optimism, gratitude and engagement in a variety of new intellectual pursuits.

So live longer, exercise your brain! Learn, explore, share, discover, create, innovate, play!

And get physical: Outside Magazine has an article that gives you some tips on the physical and mental brain workout you can focus on for a healthy brain.

They say you only use 10% of your brain and that if you used 100% you could fly. I often think what the results would be if we used, say, only 12, or even 11 percent. How much would it take to reach world peace? How much would it take to simply get along better with those around you, including yourself? I'm not greedy, let's just all agree to use 11% and see what happens.

By the way, here's an interesting read (albeit a little dry -- the juicier read is at the bottom "Is Your Brain Really Necessary?"). The article talks about the proof that exists that reveals that we only use 10% of our brain. It also gives some good brain facts.

Are you ready to feed your brain?