Cogent – Curated – Updated || Since 1999 || Information you need-produced by humans
For alcohol consumption, how much is too much? Clearly, prolonged heavy drinking or heavy binge drinking is bad; there are a range of negative effects–health, disease, neurological, and behavior. But, occasional, “social” light to moderate drinking? There have been studies that purported to show some health benefits. Is that true? Or, is all alcohol consumption bad? Does it have anything to do with how the…
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Fear is corrosive whether caused by events outside our immediate control or if purposefully used (for example, by politicians trying to gain or consolidate power). Fear impacts the decisions we make and the actions we take. We do things we would not do if the fear was not present. We believe things we normally would not. We act against our own best interests. See the…
See moreSeek information, not affirmation; what does that mean? If you use Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp to get news and learn about current events, you are being manipulated. The algorithms that drive these platforms create “bubbles” within which people are grouped together based on their social media use, product preferences, and other digital choices current and past. Within a bubble, you find yourself amid other users…
See moreThe origins of adult disease are often found among developmental and biological disruptions occurring during the early years of life.
See moreDisinformation and propaganda are not new; they have been used for hundreds if not thousands of years. With algorithm-driven social media platforms, however, they have become a lot easier to do; these days, it has even been automated. Those comments on Facebook that got you all riled up? Maybe it’s a bot … and perhaps it’s even a bot being used by another country let…
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The guidelines (“discovered through observation” and research) are — *Exercise your body and your brain every day. Research shows that “moderate, daily exercise” for your body and your brain “is good for nearly everyone.” *Count your blessings. Positive thinking is important and powerful. *Try to see others’ points of view. Focusing on someone else regularly, and doing them some good, will make you feel better….
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Quick bibliography: Reviews/recent articles on Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)–a sign of our times? **Updated January 2021** Classic review: *Tyrer, P. & Baldwin, D. (2006). Generalised anxiety disorder. Lancet, 368 (9553), 2156-2166. [Cited by] “Generalised anxiety disorder is a persistent and common disorder, in which the patient has unfocused worry and anxiety that is not connected to recent stressful events, although it can be aggravated by…
See moreNews: The midbrain in humans controls “functions such as hearing and temperature regulation.” But, because of its location–in the middle of the brain–this area is “likely to sustain damage” when a person suffers a hit to their head. A recent study that tracked football players (American football) at the University of Rochester in New York (NCAA Division III) found that though only 2 of the…
See moreReview: The mental processes that allow us humans to live beside and with other humans are extremely complex. Our brains have become highly specialized for processing all manner of social stimulation (relationship formation, social learning, decision-making, etc.) The result is that we have developed a “social brain.” However, “high complexity may also be associated with a high susceptibility to several pathogenic interventions.” Social deficits can…
See moreFor decades, the theory has been that the emergence of stone tools led early humans (around 2.6 to 3.5 million years ago) to hunt for increasingly larger animals and therefore to eat more meat–and that increase in nutrition led to the increase in human brain size. “Flaked tool use and meat eating became defining characteristics of the Homo genus.” A newer theory, however, suggests that,…
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