The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe. --Michio Kaku
In my newspaper this morning, there were two different articles about the nervous system. Last week we briefly talked about nerve cells and how cell shape is directly related to cell function. The nervous system is not only interesting, but it is a hot-spot of new research.
Brains and Lack of Sleep:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/12/09/7-ways-sleep-affects-the-brain-and-what-happens-if-it-doesnt-get-enough/#610622884e19
Mind-Controlled Robotics:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-caltech-neuroscience-donation-20161206-story.html
Music Therapy and the Brain:
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20161211/news/161219857/
Pick one of the articles above and read it. After reading the article, write a five sentence summary in a scholarly paragraph. If you find another article or video clip about the brain or nervous system that you would like to write about, send me a link to the article so I can preview it. Once you have posted your paragraph, I would also like you to comment on at least one of your peer's posts. This is the last blog post of first semester.
I read the article about lack of sleep from Forbes. They gave us seven reasons for why we need sleep. The most interesting reason in my opinion was that sleeps helps solidify memories. Which, when I think about it is so true. Before I go to sleep I always try to clear my head with meditation, so then when my sleep my brain can sort through my day and get rid of things I don’t need and remember things I do need to know. Also as an actor I have learned that if I practice your lines or study before I go to sleep, then I tend to remember things better. Maybe this happens because the information is fresh in my mind so my brain feels as though it’s more important. Wow, I just had an epiphany while writing this! Sometimes, I feel like my brain doesn’t do this because I always remember unnecessary things but forget things I need to know, maybe it’s because on average I get about four to five hours of sleep. Maybe if I got more sleep then my brain would remember things more! Not only that but if you think about it, in the movie Inside Out, at the end of the day when Riley goes to sleep, they take all of her memories from that day and send them into long term memories! Just like a real brain! I’m not really a science person to be honest (sorry Mrs. Mazzuca) but if I ever went into a branch of science it would definitely be something with the brain. Humans are so cool because we have this brain that helps us to remember and learn things, and everybody's brain works differently! Isn’t that just miraculous?! And now I know that SLEEP helps determine how our brains work! How amazing is that?
ReplyDeleteAislynn,
DeleteI love that you had an "ah-ha" moment while writing this blog post. Next time study your bio right before you go to sleep. I think you are more of a science person than you think.
I read the article 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn't Get Enough) by Alice G. Walton. Scientists have been researching “why do we need sleep?” but no one is sure yet; there are many theories. The only thing we know for sure is that the brain never “turns off”. Some researchers think that we sleep so the brain can retain our memories. Also, they think toxins are cleared up while we sleep. There's many other reasons as to why we sleep: however, none of these are 100% facts because research is still being done.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that the brain helps us so much while we sleep, I plan on doing more myself. I think that there is much more to find with all of the research be done. Good response.
DeleteLack of Sleep and how it affects us
ReplyDeleteMany people in the U.S are sleep deprived, but don’t know how much it really affects them. For instance the U.S is estimated to lose 411 billion dollars from poor performance from sleep deprivation in employees. Sleep help strengthen memory and helps us remember the important things from the day. While we sleep, toxins and junk are cleared out as the brain cells expand. When we don’t get enough sleep it can increase the risk of developing things like alzheimer's. Lack of sleep can affect your body too. Adults who sleep under 6 hours and over 9 hours are at greater risk for obesity. Overall sleep affects us more than just feeling tired, it affects the brain and mind in many ways.
Kathleen,
DeleteThere is a ton of research linking lack of sleep and obesity. Sometimes when people are over-tired they eat just to stay awake.
I read this article too and I can’t believe the average amount of sleep that teens are getting as compared to how much they should get! There is a lot of research regarding sleep and it’s effects but I had never really heard about sleep linking with obesity, that is so interesting. The fact that our brain “never turns off” interests me as well because even when we are asleep you know that your brain isn’t, just like how even when we are asleep our bodies continue to digest our food, only your metabolism is slower.
DeleteI can really relate to this artical. I know that I dont get as much sleep as I should, like most teens. It cuases me to preform worse in school and have less energy through out the day. It also causes a lot of stress for me. I was really suprised when you said that too much sleep causes obesity.It make me wonder what the reason for this is. It just seams very strange.
DeleteI read this article too and I was so surprised by the amount of money the U.S. loses because of poor performance caused by lack of sleep.
DeleteI read the article by Forbes.com on the 7 ways that sleeps affects the brain (and what can happen if we get sleep deprived. The first way was that sleep helps solidify memory. A study was done where participants had to go through a motor routine, which is when they had to touch buttons in the right order. When learning the task and recalling it were separated by a night of sleep, the participants performed very well. People who weren’t separated by a night of sleep did worse on this routine. Another thing from the first step of the article is that the brain seems to nail down negative memories, which plays a role in PTSD and depression. A recent study showed that once negative memories are consolidated during sleep, they are likely to become suppressed. This means that in addition to all the good memories we store, the bad ones came back into our memory, which is why people come down with problems such as PTSD and depression. After this step, the author explained that toxins, even ones that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, are cleared while sleeping. One of the most fascinating discoveries recently is that the brain clears out toxins while we are asleep compared to when we are awake. The space between brain cells expands significantly during sleep, which facilitates the clearing of the “gunk” through cerebrospinal fluid. What is crazy is that this gunk is a form of protein, which is a precursor to the plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. The third, and quite obvious reason, is that it is necessary for cognitive functions in our body. We do a lot of multitasking throughout the course of a single day, and not getting enough sleep during the day will affect our ability to multitask. For example, driving. When driving, people have to be able to control their hands, feet, vision, and being able to see what is happening around them. Many accidents that occur today is because people are sleep deprived. This seriously affects the way people drive, and can lead to a long list of trouble. The fourth step is that creativity needs sleep. When people are sleep-deprived, certain types of thought seem to be affected more than others: divergent thinking, for example, or the ability to think outside of the box, seems to be the first thing that goes away when one is sleep deprived. One study deprived people for 32 hours and tested them on various aspects of thinking. Clearly, people that were 32 hours sleep deprived performed much worse on these aspects of thinking. It also affected their verbal memory, or coming up with the right answer consistently. The fifth thing that they addressed was that not getting enough sleep and being in depression went hand in hand. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than six hours a night or sleep more than eight hours a night have are most likely to be in a depression state. The explanation for this is that the brain functions in a cycle, the daily sleep-wake cycle, which is disrupted by depressed people. The sixth reason is physical health and longevity.. A new study that was presented showed that when health professionals got an average of three hours of sleep during a twenty-four hour shift, their hearts suffered from it. The participants had increases in contractility of their hearts, blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of thyroid hormone and the stress hormone cortisol. Other studies have linked lack of sleep to overweight and obesity, and poorer glucose control. The effects of sleep deprivation are mostly tied with hormones, which can increase heart and diabetes risk, as well as inflammation, which can lead to forms of cancer. The last step is directed more towards kids. Studies have reported that kids who are sleep deprived are more likely to get symptoms of ADHD. Others have found that getting just a little bit more sleep, like only 18 minutes extra, can significantly increase their performance in math and english. Schools have started to notice this, and have begun to push back the time in which school starts so that kids can get more time to get the sleep they want and need.
ReplyDeleteEaston,
DeleteWhen I was in high school one of my friends was dating a girl in college. He went and saw her for the weekend and fell asleep behind the wheel on his drive home. Unfortunately, he got in a horrible car accident and is now paralyzed from the neck down. I am always especially careful when I am tired and driving after what my friend, Jason, went through.
I completely agree with your thoughts. I think that you had a very detailed response to your readings and you must've learned a lot. I know I will use this in my everyday life.
DeleteFor the blog post I read “How a Mind Controlled Robotic Arm Paved the Way for Caltech’s New Neuroscience Institute”. In the article it states that a Caltech scientist helped a quadriplegic man use his thoughts to control a robotic arm so he could drink unassisted. Two Singaporean people watching, Tianqiao Chen and Chrissy Luo, were watching the news when they heard of the scientist, Richard Andersen. The two Singaporeans donated 115 million dollars to Caltech so they can study the human brain. The construction of the new building will begin in 2018, and will bring together many science fields, focusing on brain functions in an integrated, comprehensive way. One of the donators, Chen, states that “We believe uncovering how the brain perceives, interprets and interacts with the world is pivotal in so many aspects. It can shape groundbreaking industries such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality.” There will also be a center focusing on making decisions and processing and guiding social interactions, and also two others focusing on molecular and cellular study of the brain’s anatomy and questions relating to neural circuits and brain systems. The studies that come from this could help many people who have neurological issues.
ReplyDeleteEthan,
DeleteMaybe if you change your mind about the Coast Guard, you could go to Cal Tech and work on the robotic arm. I think this is so cool.
I read the first article, Brains and Lack of Sleep. In this article, it talked about the different things our brain is capable of doing and what happens to those functions if we don't get enough sleep every night. One thing I learned was that sleep helps solidify memory; one of the central functions of sleep is that it helps preserve long-term memory. Another thing is that sleep is necessary for cognition; sleep deprivation has also been shown to have a negative impact on functions like attention and working memory. Also, sleep deprivation and depression are intertwined. This article also went over other things like physical health and longevity, kids needing sleep, and many more topics.
ReplyDeleteMiranda,
DeleteHow much sleep does the typical teenager need? Do you think that you get enough sleep?
Alan Pasquesi has primary progressive aphasia, a condition that makes him unable to speak and understand language. Even so, when he hears music it's like he's okay. He and many others are apart of a foundation made just for research of music "healing" the brain. Due to the fact that emotions our intact even when memory fades, the love of music overpowers our mental state and makes the brain feel again. To me, this is amazing. Music can stimulate the brain in so many amazing ways, its incredible. It warms my heart that people with memory loss and conditions like Alans can feel something and be happy again. The power of music continues to enlighten me and my love for everything about music grows.
ReplyDeleteI read that article too and had a really similar reaction. My grandma is losing her memory but I've witnessed this with her. Whenever she hears the song that was my grandpa's, who died, favorite song she lights up. It's truly amazing to see.
DeleteSarah,
DeleteHave you ever been in a situation where you hear a certain song and it remind you of a specific memory? I think both music and certain scents definitely stimulate memory.
My reaction to that article was very similar! My piano teacher works with people like Alan, helping them with music therapy. I'm so impressed with her, and I agree that it's amazing how music can stimulate a damaged mind.
DeleteI read the article “7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain.” This article interested me because I have learned a lot about the effects of sleep and what not enough, or potentially too much, sleep can do to your body. This article talks about a few of the effects of sleep deprivation along with why we do sleep and what really happens while we are sleeping. According to this article we “go downhill” when we don’t get enough sleep. We need sleep for cognition (understanding and decision making), and for creativity. The article also brings up the fact that sleep deprivation and depression are somehow intertwined. I think that sleep is very important and everyone should try to get the right amount of sleep that they need not only to function properly, but to stay healthy. The average teenager needs between 9-9.5 hours of sleep while, in reality, the average teen only gets 7-7.25 hours, and some even less due to homework, media, and other causes.
ReplyDeleteOlivia,
DeleteOf your peers, how many do you think get 7 hours of sleep a night? Do you? How would you go about fixing this problem of lack of sleep in teens?
I chose the article Music Therapy and the Brain. This article is about how people suffering from primary progressive aphasia or Alzheimer's listen to music to help them focus on something or help them relax. The article states, “His feet start tapping and his head bobs a little. His eyes gain some sparkle. He smiles ever so slightly.” It also mentions that the music part of the brain would be the last thing to go when a Alzheimer's happens. When listening to music the patients were able to focus better on little tasks like drawing in a coloring book. The initial reaction generally is wonder or joy. When you put the music on you can see them come back. Their eyes will open, they'll sit up a little bit. Depending on where they are in their disease, some people will start singing, some people will start talking about music.
ReplyDeleteI didn't read this article so I'm not sure if this was mentioned in the it, but maybe since the music part of the brain is the last to go, playing music that they've heard that goes with a memory could trigger that memory and bring it back for a little bit.
DeleteMy summary is on "Music therapy makes memory loss patients calmer, more joyful". I found this article very touching. Since I've always liked music, I thought this would be interesting and it was. According to the experiment in the article, music is helping people with memory loss problems. Simply putting on some headphones can change that person's whole demeanor. Their personality comes back. Those people are calmer and even joyful!. Their loved ones are lovin g the new results and so are the volunteers!
ReplyDeleteChanel,
DeleteI agree that when some people put their headphones on that they are transported into a different frame of mind. Do you think that is why teenagers love their headphones so much?
When you say people with memory loss do you mean people with short term memory loss or long term? Also, does it depend what illnesses can be helped with music? I think it would be really interesting if people with certain memory losses could be cured with the help of music.
DeleteAfter reading 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn’t Get Enough) by Alice G. Walton, I learned about several interesting findings. One of sleep’s central functions is solidify memory by strengthening or pruning connections made throughout the day. In addition, the lymphatic system removes toxins with Alzheimer’s while one is sleeping. Thirdly, a negative effect caused by lack of sleep is our cognitive function, such as attention. Unfortunately, without sleep our ability to think inventive and outside the box cease to exist. As a result, our creative sides are enhanced by sleep. Also, links have been made between lack of sleep to depression and obesity; even changes in one’s body effect can lead to an increase of cancer chance. Lastly, as we all know kids need their sleep: brain development counts on good sleep. I find the way in which the brain works, how different things go on without our realization, and the impact things have fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that how the brain works is fascinating. Especially that in our of sleep so much happens, yet we feel rested after so much happening.
DeleteI think it's really interesting how being deprived of sleep can cause us to have a lack of creativity in our brains.
DeleteI chose to read the article "Music Therapy makes memory loss patients calmer and more joyful". I connected to this article as I have witnessed firsthand the the powerful effects music has on people with memory issues. Advanced memory issues like dementia are tied to certain parts of the brain, taking toll on a person's ability to accomplish daily living activities. However, music is connected to our emotional system and it can reach areas of the brain that are still working. Research has found that familiar music has a calming effect for often agitated memory-challenged individuals. When they hear favorite and familiar songs, they take notice. You'll see them sit up, focus and even show joy. Feet start tapping and they may even sing along. Over the past several years, I've witnessed this firsthand when caroling at Autumn Leaves, an assisted living facility for memory care individuals. As soon as we started singing familiar Christmas carols, a sense of calm and a relax state would come over residents. Smiles were instant, clapping contagious and many joined us in singing. A nonprofit organization, Music and Memory, focuses its efforts on creating individualized playlists on Ipods for memory patients. They hope to raise awareness of the benefits of music therapy for memory patients and have their program in healthcare facilities across the country.
ReplyDeleteGrace,
DeleteI love that you went Christmas Caroling at Autumn Leaves. Did you go this year?
I chose the Musical Therapy and the brain as my article and I found it very interesting how much music and have an impact on someone. Like in Alan Pasquesi's case a 65 year old man who suffers from a condition called progressive aphasia a condition that makes him so he can't understand or speak language. According to the article when he listens to music his feet start tapping and he smiles this shows that music has an impact on people as a therapy. His wife also said before music he would never go into public, but the music has allowed him to calm down and be more willing to go out in public. This shows that Music Therapy has a detrimental effect on someone with a condition like Alan.
ReplyDeleteI read this article as well and I thought it was really cool how much music can affect a persons life and personality.
DeleteYes I agree this is a very interesting article.
DeleteThis is a very cool story because something simple like music could impact someone. It can open up people with disabilities to speak out against their disease and how to cope with it.
DeleteI read 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn't Get Enough) in the article by Forbes the function of sleep is described as a necessity due to the way sleep allows the brain to solidify memory, Toxins including those associated with Alzheimer’s disease are cleared during sleep and Sleep is necessary for cognition to name just some of the few key functions that the brain preforms during sleep.
ReplyDeletei was amazed on how the brain does what it does during our sleep a time that was originally seen as a time when our brain rested seems to be its busiest. proving that our brain truly is the most complex creation that has ever been or ever will be
I didn't read this article but I think its kind of amazing from what you said above what sleep can do.
DeleteI chose the Music Therapy and the Brain article. One of the reasons it stuck out to me is because I'm a musician and have been playing piano for seven years. I think very little of it when my grandparents ask me to come over and play for them or when they say it makes them feel calmer. When in reality, for many people, music is their form of therapy. In elders and others suffering from dementia or other brain defects, music can be a cheap, effective source of therapy. Even in patients who have lost the ability to understand words or speak them, the moment they heard songs from their past they livened up a bit and showed signs of recognition. Music is like the "back door" and targets a different part of the brain. Next time my grandparents ask me to come play for them I might look at it a little differently.
ReplyDeleteDo you enjoy playing the piano? Do you remember when you were first learning to play? What was the first song that you truly mastered?
DeleteMusic is definitely very convenient!! We can create music using almost anything around us. I think it is amazing that people are happier with music they love, I love how certain songs can change a persons mood based on the memories they experienced while listening to it for the first time!
DeleteI know that feeling exactly. When ever I decide to practice my instrument I always feel better and more relaxed.
DeleteI think it's very cool that you playing Piano can kinda help your grandparents! I've been playing my trumpet for five years now and I never really though about how music in general can help people so much.
DeleteI also chose the music therapy article because I'm into music too. I think it is amazing how something like music that we all love can be considered a remedy to certain people!
DeleteI used to play the piano and my grandparents always asked me to play for them and now that i know that music is form of therapy for some i with i kept playing.
DeleteI definitely agree that music can be very soothing and important for the brain. Whenever I listen to music I tend to feel calmer.
DeleteI chose the Musical Therapy and the Brain as my article and it was super cool. I didn´t know that music had so much impact on a person. Allan Pasquesi suffers from progressive aphasia, where he can understand of speak english. When he listens to music he starts to dance and tap his feet showing that music can have a huge impact on people. I know from experience that music helps sooth and calm me down. When im doing homework I listen to music and it helps me concentrate.
ReplyDeletePeyton,
DeleteDo you think that you hear music differently than your peers?
In this article, we learn how a man who lost his arm was able to drink water unaided. This is all because professors at Caltech university put countless hours into researching robotic technology. Also a family gave Caltech 115 million to help their studies. This allowed them to make the arm which allowed him to have an arm. Since then Caltech has made many other robotic limbs and help many other people.
ReplyDeleteI agree do you also think that these limbs will be affordable for everyone and will they eventually be able to attach those limbs to you.
DeleteI find it really nice of that family who donated that vast amount to change lives of those who need robotic limbs.
DeleteAfter reading the article about how sleep affects the brain I learned so vital information on why sleep is so important. Sleep helps solidify memory, it weeds out what memories to keep and what memories are unimportant, that it can get rid of. Sleep clears toxins out of the brain, some of which have been linked with Alzheimer's disease. Lack of sleep has a negative effect on our abilities to be able to multitask, driving requires and ample amount of multitasking, hence why sleep deprived people tend to get in more car accidents. Lack of sleep can also lessen the amount of creativity a person has, that's why when you're incredibly tired and trying to write a paper it becomes so difficult. Sleep can also cause or worsen depression. Lack of sleep can cause a multitude of other health issues such as increase in risk for cancer and several heart issues. Lastly, kids need more sleep that adults, if growing kids fail to get the proper amount of sleep then they could end up with a number of physical and mental health problems. Sleep is a necessity for your well being.
ReplyDeleteBernadette,
DeleteDo you think that the reason there are more and more depressed and anxious teens is due to lack of sleep?
This is really interesting and more people should be informed about this beause so many health probelms could be prevented if people just slept a little more. I really like your wording and completely agree that sleep is a necessity for our well being.
DeleteThere is a big question buzzing around with scientists around the world: Why do we need sleep? In, “7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn't Get Enough)”, it discusses seven reasons why we need sleep. The first one was that sleep helps solidify memory because when we sleep, we strengthen certain neural connections and we prune back unwanted ones. The second reason is that toxins, including those associated with Alzheimer’s disease, are cleared during sleep. The space between brain cells expands significantly during sleep, which facilitates the clearing of the "gunk” through cerebrospinal fluid. Some other reasons include cognition, creativity, to lower the risk of depression, health, and longevity. There are many different reasons of sleep that I did not know prior to reading this article. I need to get more sleep myself.
ReplyDeleteI love thinking of sleep as cleaning the gunk out of my head!
DeleteI have always been interested in neuroscience; whenever it’s talked about in school, I’m intrigued. This article is about how important neuron research is to do and find out things that didn’t seem possible before. We could cure or even prevent autism and anxiety which are both mental deficiencies that prevent social interactions. For people that the strongest part of their body is their brain can finally do things that they’ve always wanted to do, but couldn’t because they needed aid. Now people with disabilities could start caring for themselves and not feel like a burden to people around them. A scientist stated that “it can even help answer many ultimate questions about life, such as its origin, purpose, and ending” which I thought was pretty cool. I’ve honestly always wondered what was the point of us here? Is there a point of us being here? It would be pretty cool to find out if there’s answers to these questions.
ReplyDeleteThe article I chose to read was about brains and the lack of sleep. Our brains don’t fall asleep when we do, they actually start to work. One fact that really stuck out to me was that 18 more minutes of sleep, for an elementary school student, leads to better grades in math and english! I also did not know that more sleep improves your creativity skills, but it does make sense. When you do’t get enough sleep your brain won’t be able to think as normally as usual. You lose a part of your thinking that is "outside of the box". All you are capable of doing is the one answer problem and solution questions. I thought it was incredible that the US alone loses $411 billion from the lost of work and poor performance due to lack of sleep. I wonder what our world would be like if every single person got enough sleep every night and we never lost all of that money. Would we have even higher technology? I almost feel like there is not enough time to get all of your work done while getting a good night's sleep as well, so I can definitely see how it is tough for most people.
ReplyDeleteIn the article about your Brain and Lack of Sleep, they talk about 7 different reasons why your body needs sleep. For starters, sleep helps solidify memory. When you’re sleeping, your brain sifts through memories and prunes back bad memories. Also, sleep is necessary for cognition. Sleep deprivation can affect cognition, attention, and decision-making: the most important of them all being your decision-making. Sleeping a healthy amount also allows you to be more creative. Sleep loss and depression are also intertwined since depression causes you to sleep more or less.
ReplyDeleteThe article I read was Music therapy makes memory loss patients calmer, more joyful. This article was about how seniors who have an aggressive form of aphasia that attacks their brain. This can mess up their memories and leave them mute. Researchers found that by giving them ipods with playlist of their favorite music and having them listen to it a few times a day will make them happier and responsive. Even though the “dosage” has to be increased,it will bring a little more life into the people’s lives.
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Music Therapy Makes Memory Loss Patients Calmer, More Joyful”. It talked about how music really helps people who suffer from memory loss. Patients go from not being able to speak or eat to now eating and understanding language. They’re exposed to music and that calms them and makes them happier. It can’t be just any music. It has to be music the patients are familiar with and music they love. When the patients hear the music they start singing or talking. It’s shocking that people with memory loss can heal just by hearing the music they love.
ReplyDeleteWow that is shocking that people with memory loss can heal just by hearing the music they love I never knew that.
DeleteI read the same article and I agree with you, it's amazing what music can do to someone.
DeleteI read the article “How a mind-controlled robotic arm paved the way for Caltech's new neuroscience institute” This article talked about new research in connecting robotics with neuroscience. The amazing thing that I saw in this article was a man who had not been able to drink on his own for over 10 years could now do so with this breakthrough in technology. He was able to control with his thoughts a robotic arm which picked up a drink, brought it over and set it back down that is amazing! I firmly believe that here is the future of science combining technology with biology to better our lives and help people who can not do simple tasks on their own, who knows what will be next maybe there will be limbs available that will react to brain signals and act like an ordinary limb. This would help many people especially our war veterans.
ReplyDeleteI Chose the article about music therapy. I thought it was interesting because of how music could help this man with some of his problems. How just listening to music helping him do things it would be hard for him to do before. It really shows how music can really help people. By using music therapy it helps him and his family.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think it's really funny and bizarre that now and then I hear someone at school saying something like: "What's the point of music?....It's not productive in any way...," and this just proves that they're wrong. Music can help in many more ways than people realize. It's the one thing that gives peace to people and can actually help people to recover either physically or mentally.
DeleteThe article that I read was about music therapy and the affects it has on people. I learned that music can have a massive impact on someones life. Like for Alan he is a 65 year old with aphasia which has caused him to have a loss in his memory. When they put the headphones on him he starts to smile and and his eyes gain some sparkle. I hope when I am old that I do not have to deal with memory loss but if I do I want my family to do this to me.This means a lot to me because if music can unlock some parts of the brain and make you remember then I am excited what the future holds for science.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you conpletely. Me money loss is a pretty scary thing to think about but it's nice to know that this is a helpful solution to the problem.
DeleteI chose the article Music Therapy and the Brain because I’m very into music and it is interesting how music can often be a remedy or coping method for certain diseases. Scientists have recently realized that music therapy can be offered to elder patients who have experienced memory loss. Music is played for the patient through earbuds and they listen to it while doing daily activities. The music is calming and makes the patients happy which makes them able to do everyday things like spending time with family. Music therapy is a medical breakthrough and could continue to be the foundation to more research.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It is extremely important to help those who have memory loss in anyway possible.
DeleteI read the article about how music therapy helps elderly with mental disabilities become more responsive and alert. I’m involved in music a lot and the idea of it being used as therapy was extremely intriguing. My piano teacher has even done music therapy on patients herself and has talked with me about it before. An example was that a man who suffered from primary progressive aphasia, but listening to music helped him. This is a disease that hinders his ability to speak or understand speech. Listening to music helped him gain back the light in his eyes and he would even nod his head to the music. Music therapy is a treatment that has wonderful potential and should be utilized more often.
ReplyDeleteI read the 7 Ways Sleep Affects the Brain article and I had no idea that when we sleep our brains clear out toxins. The space between brain cells expands while we sleep which clears out the “toxins”. And most of the toxins is the amyloid protein. Making sure we get enough sleep is really important because studies have shown that teens that get more sleep do better in school and score better on standardized tests. Lack of sleep can also cause us to take away our creativity. One study showed that deprived participants of sleep for 32 hours tested them on various aspects of thinking. They had the tendency to perservate on verbal memory tests and in this case to come up with the same answer again and again, cross it out, and try again is a sign that the creativity mind isn't doing well.
ReplyDeleteThat is really interesting. Who know that someones brain could be doing such cool things while they sleep?
DeleteI chose the artical "How a mind-controlled robotic arm paved the way for Caltech's new neuroscience institute". In the artical, it explaines that there have been new advances of nuerotechnology in recent years. One of these advanced was a new robotic arm which influenced the creation of a research center. There research could help open up new doors for treating pacients who have lost limbs, or have had other serious injuries. This robotic arm also opened new doors in terms new job opertunities, combining the fields of biology, engineering, chemistry, physics, computer science and the social sciences. This research could even be influential in artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality.
ReplyDeleteThe article I read was about brains and lack of sleep. I chose this one because I'm highly interested in the brain and how sleep(and dreams) affect it. I found it interesting that sleep plays a big role with remembering negative memories, which plays with PTSD and depression. These memories are then harder to suppress and stick with you. Sleep plays an important role for your brain and body, like when you are asleep, toxins are cleared out faster and having enough sleep improves attention to decision-making and much more. That's why with lack of sleep, accidents happen more often, no sleep means poorer function of the brain. Overall about this entire article, sleep is connected to everything. Sleep affects our mental health, and our physical health, which may be for better or worst. And I found something interesting in the article that a lot of people misinterpret, "sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity, and brain will probably rebel if it doesn’t have enough." People are always saying how much sleep is wanted and how much they may love it, I say do not abuse the 'luxury' of sleep because that will throw off your schedule and may even make you even more tired, which then repeats in an endless pitiful cycle.
ReplyDeleteI read the article How a mind-controlled robotic arm paved the way for Caltech's new neuroscience institute. This article is about the robotic arm that connect to your brain so you can use that like your real hands. I think that it’s cool that the scientist and engineers all met up to create this arm that could be used by people that may not be able to use their arm. I also thought that it was cool that they studied neurons and then applied that to engineering and then kind of hooked it up to the brain. I also thought that it was kind of the people that had paid a lot of money for this to happen. This building that the people donated money for is supposed to be built in 2018. In this project many fields of science, math and engineering come together to create a thing that is unimaginable yet really helpful.
ReplyDeleteI read the article,"7 Ways Sleep Affects the Brain(And what happens if it doesn't get enough."This article was about the affects sleep deprivation has on your brain and the reasons we need sleep.Recent research has provided reasoning behind why we need sleep.One reason is because sleep helps solidify memory.Second reason is because sleep clears up toxins,including those associated with Alzheimer's disease.Third reason is because sleep is necessary for cognition.Sleep deprivation also affects attention to decision-making.Sleep also helps build creativity,while sleep deprivation strips it away.Another reason is because sleep loss is linked to depression.Sleep also affects your physical health and longevity.Last but not least kids need their sleep for their growing brain.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting how sleeping helps solidify memory! I guess we need to sleep more in order for our brains to remember everything we learn at school.
DeleteI read the lack of sleep article, and there are seven things that happen when we sleep and when we don't get enough sleep. But the one that stood out to me most was that sleep cements memories. I find that crazy and cool at the same time. I also saw that sleep can help prevent things, like Alzheimers disease. But what I don't understand is why you are still sleepy after you sleep for more than eight hours. Is it because you oversleep?
ReplyDeleteI chose the article '7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain" because I wanted to get an idea of what not sleeping well can be bad. The article explains how during sleep our brains store important information, and also negative moments. Its interesting that research shows that lack of sleep leads to obesity, because from what I understand obesity you have to have a bad diet. This article has made me rethink the choice of staying up very late.
ReplyDeleteI read the article 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough). The first reason we need sleep is to solidify memories. When we sleep, we strengthen certain neural connections and we prune back unwanted ones. Another reason we need sleep is because it helps us be more creative. Studies show that divergent thinking (or “thinking outside the box”) is the first thing to go when someone is sleep deprived. Sleep is especially important for kids. If children are sleep deprived, there are many short-term effects, but over a long period of time it can affect brain development. Some other affects sleep has is physical health and longevity, lowering the risk of depression, cognition, and clearing toxins that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Getting enough sleep is very important, and these are just a few of the reasons why.
ReplyDeleteI chose the article about Music Therapy because I live the brain and anything cognitive or psychological, also I really enjoy music and was intrigued to learn more about what it does for people. It has been recently proven that music helps with memory related diseases such as primary progressive aphasia. Pasquesi was given headphones and some of his favorite music was played. This made him more alert and he started to act more calmly in situations that he would, without the music, have been uncomfortable in. Over all music has been found to bring out the light in people like Pasquesi, even if it was just a little bit he was acting more his old self than he had been for a while. There is so much more to music than pretty sounds, and it’s amazing to see that people are finally discovering what all those things are.
ReplyDeleteThe article, How a mind-controlled robotic arm paved the way for Caltech's new neuroscience institute, explains how it is now possible to move a robotic arm with the mind. A couple in Singapore, Tianqiao Chen and Chrissy Luo, saw how the arm worked, met the doctor, Richard Andersen, and donated $115 million to Caltech. The money will be used to study the brain in a new, innovative, way. This donation is one of the largest in Caltech history. This means, of course, the University will be able to use the money on many useful studies.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain, I started to understand the ways in which the different parts of your brain react to how much sleep you get. A large aspect of the brain functions to ¨solidify memory by strengthening or pruning connections made throughout the day¨. A negative effect caused by lack of sleep is a thing called our cognitive function, which is directly related to our attention spans. Along the lines of that, the lymphatic system is the main toxin remover for individuals with Alzheimer’s, which takes place while one is asleep.
ReplyDeleteLack of sleep is directly correlated to depression and obesity. Without sleep our ability to think outside the box exponentially decreases; meaning how creative we are are is based on sleep. Overall, kids need sleep. Brain development is controlled by the amount of sleep an individual receives, Its crazy to think that the things we do on a daily basis are correlated to how much sleep we can fit in our agendas.
I chose to read about the "Mind-Controlled Robotics". I thought that it was interesting that they talked about how they have created this new technology that can be used with neuroscience. I thought that it was cool that they said with this technology they could figure out the big questions in life like: Why are we here?, What's going to happen in the end?, and How did this all begin?. I also found it interesting that with these new advances in technology they said they could "fix" anxiety and other "disorders". But my only question left is: What happens after we fix these problems?
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you asked a question. And to answer that, we'd probably end up finding more and more flaws to perfect and fix. Cause we will never be perfect.
DeleteI used the article about music therapy. It caught my attention because I love music and one day I might have alzheimer's which is very close to dementia. Music makes me happy and reminds me a certain things so if i forget when I’m older and music reminds me of my past then it will bring me back to a time of happiness and youth which will make me feel relaxed. Music could possibly be the “back door” to certain parts of our brain giving seniors more forms of therapy that is not painful and it easy to afford.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about the ways that sleep affect the brain and the lack of sleep having a huge influence. I thought this article really pertained to me well because I know now that I never get as enough sleep or as much as I should be getting. It was said in this article that the brain is actually doing work and is active or "on" during sleep. A fact in here stated that "the U.S. alons loses 411 billion dollars each year between lost work and poor performance at work due to lack of sleep." Apparently the one of the main functions the brain has during sleep is to help consolidate long-term memory. In other words the article says that "sleep is a time in which the brain streamlines the connections it needs." The one fact that really stuck out with me was that "toxins including those associated with Alzheimer's Disease are cleared during sleep." I just found this to be very interesting because this disease ha stun pretty well within my family as both of my grandfathers passed away from it. All the necessities that go along with sleep, while I knew a few, were pretty new for me to hear.
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Music therapy makes memory loss patients calmer, more joyful”.
ReplyDeleteIn this article they talked about a 65-year-old named Darien man and he has primary progressive aphasia, a condition that during the past 12 years has taken away his ability to speak or understand language. As his condition has progressed, Pasquesi has lost his personality and every day has revolved around his basic needs -- sleeping, bathing and eating. He also became compulsive with food. I thought this article was so cool, because it’s so interesting that music can automatically changes someone's mood and make then feel alive.
I read the article about mind controlled robotics, a man being able to move a robotic limb with his mind is crazy! I love that a couple came across this and felt that it needed to be furthered researched. I think this is a great topic to be studied and tested and figured out. I like how it could answer some big questions in life if we furthered our studies of the brain such as 'Why are we here"? I strongly think this is something to be studied and comprehended
ReplyDeleteI read the article from the Daily Herald about music therapy. In the article they described how they played calming music to memory loss patients. They described how some of the patients had totally lost their ability to remember anything or even speak. They played music for these people and they seemed to sort of open up and calm down. I wonder there would be any way to use music to try and help people with memory loss to regain some of their memories or abilities. Every night before I go to bed I listen to slower music and in general I get better sleep that way. From what it seems to me music can be very soothing and helpful to the brain.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about music therapy. It's so cool to think that music doesn't only put a catchy tune in our heads, but it can also help someone with demensia or a disease that takes their memory away. Music helps people in many ways, music can be inspiring, or it could save somebody's life. I'm happy that they've found a rehabilitation device for the elderly patients. They can be more relaxed and happy now.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "7 Ways Sleep Affects the Brain (and What Happens When It Doesn't Get Enough). Sleep strongly correlates to how we function in our every day lives. The article explained how based on a study, the US economy wasn't making as much money as it could have been if people weren't sleep deprived. Memory and coordination are also greatly affected by sleep. I believe that this article teaches people the value and importance of sleep and how to take care of their body properly. Without sleep, we wouldn't be able to function properly and we would be left not being able to work at our full potential.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about mind controlling robots, in this article a Caltech scientist helped a quadriplegic man take a sip for the first time in over 10 years. Two people watching this on the news named Tianqiao Chen and Chrissy Luo flew out to Pasadena to meet the scientist in person where they donated $115 Million. Construction of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience begins in 2018.
ReplyDeleteI read the article ¨Music Therapy Makes Memory Loss Patients Calmer, More Joyful This article is informing the readers that people with disorders that effect the memory and/or personality can actually be helped by listening to music. By listening to music the find joy and happiness even when they don´t understand and cannot communicate. Music can also help with everyday things like eating. While usually it would take seconds for them to eat, they would take time and eat. Also, it helps with anxiety. They are more calm when leaving their house and going outside. This article is informing people that there is a way to help people with music.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn't Get Enough)". This was about what happened to your brain, and in turn your body, when you don't get enough sleep. I learned that creativity, toxins being released, and cognition are all enhanced during sleep. I also learned people who usually get less than 6 hours and more than 8 hours of sleep are more likely depressed than those in the middle. After reading this I learned a lot more about the necessities of sleep and why we need it. This article has helped me realize that I need to get my stuff done earlier so I can get enough sleep to keep my body in proper function. I will use this to help make my life better and hopeful have the best possibility to be the best person I can.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about the effects of sleep on the brain and the body as a whole. Sleep effects many aspects of the brain, from creativity to even being a possible trigger for depression. Lack of sleep effects the way our brain works and processes our thoughts. When sleep deprived, a person's brain functions decrease. There are many studies to prove and show how sleep effects the brain.
ReplyDeleteI read the article on Brains and Lack of Sleep. I found this article pretty fascinating because I learned a lot about what actually goes when with your brain when you're sleeping. I never knew just how much your brain works in and out of sleep. It really is crazy just how complex our brains are. I also learned how sleep can make a big difference in your memory and thinking. If you get a good amount of sleep you can remember something easier from a previous day. If you don't get a lot of sleep you can forget some of the things you might have done the day before. I think that is really cool how sleep works with your brain. Overall I found this article very informing and fascinating and I'm glad I took the time to read it and learn something.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about how a brain powered robot paved the was to a new institute at CalTech. They were given $115 million to build an institute dedicated to brain study. A couple saw a robotic arm work by someones brain sending signals to it. They gave caltech this money in hopes to further their reseatch.
ReplyDeleteThe article I read was by Scientific American and was about some of the damage Trump's Wall could do to the environment. The article was interesting because you got the perspective of Trump's Wall from architects and environmental activists, not politicians or writers you usually hear from in the new and from newspapers. It seemed that many of the architects and activists felt that Trump's Wall could have devastating affects on the environment, including prohibiting animal migration. As a scientist, I can definitely see how the wall could negatively affect animals. A animals natural migration isn't prepared for a giant wall. But one thing that didn't seem to be accounted for in the article I read was some of the possible benefits of the wall, including decreases in crime and drug trafficking on the border. I think this, along with some of the negative affects on the environment, need to be taken into account in the building of Trump's Wall
Delete