Neurofeedback
A longitudinal study tracking 1,035 adults for six months following the October 7 attacks in Israel identifies four distinct psychological trajectories after mass trauma: resilience (54%), natural recovery (27%), chronic distress (18%), and delayed onset (2.5%). Researchers found that the dynamic trajectory of symptoms over time predicts long-term PTSD risk far more accurately than any …
If you live in the southern hemisphere, you know what time of year it is. That’s right, it’s winter! Cold temperatures and the lack of sunlight are all hallmarks of this time of year, along with fabulous road conditions and cold and flu season. As well, the season brings something even more sinister: Seasonal Affective …
Continue reading "Seasonal Affective Disorder: the reason for the feelings"
The vagus nerve is a modulator of intestinal immune homeostasis. The gastrointestinal tract is constantly confronted with food antigens, possible pathogens, and symbiotic intestinal microbiota that present a risk factor for intestinal inflammation (63). It is highly innervated by vagal fibers that connect the CNS with the intestinal immune system, making vagus a major component, …
Continue reading "vagus nerve: brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders – part II"
Psychiatric and neurological diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite their shared neural origin, they have distinct underlying pathogenic entities and are classified separately in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). However, the degree to which they share an etiological basis and genetic influences is unclear. Psychiatric disorders have a neurobiological …
Continue reading "nature or nurture: neurobiology and psychiatry overlap"
Following are excerpts from the book, “Freedom: the end of the human condition” written by biologist, Jeremy Griffith, in 2016*. It recounts the psychological alienation felt by humans when a separation occurs between (the Grace of) instinct and the 'knowledge of right and wrong’ inherent in the social adaptations of living in society, what he …
You are playing such an intense video game and are focused so intently on getting to the next level that you don’t know what is going on around you. You have no sense of time passing. You feel great. You are “in the zone.” You are experiencing flow. You are running a marathon and you …
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell During the past 50 years, quite a few researchers, social scientists, and psychologists have written passionately about the creative process, offering a number of models to help clarify its various stages. All of their models are deeply considered and relatively easy to understand. …
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are metabolised into molecules called lipid mediators and the levels of these in the blood are linked to an improvement in depressive symptoms. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in oily fish. Researchers from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) …
Continue reading "anti inflammatory effects of omega 3 fatty acids could help reduce depression"