Blue Mind Global Online Open Book Club

Hi Everyone!

I'm so excited to tell you Blue Mind by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols is having a Global Online Open Book Club which begins TODAY (Sun 9/28) & runs through Thanksgiving! Just a few pages each day! Check out the Schedule!

Chapter 1 is online FREE!! You can buy the book here.

Blog/vblog posts will be made on the Schedule page & on the website.

You can go on Twitter with #bluemind, or join on the Global Online Open Book Club for Blue Mind Facebook page to discuss what you read each day!

I hope you will join me in exploring & discussing this AWESOME book with Dr. Wallace!

Star Talk: The Brain

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Hi Everyone!

Check out this episode of StarTalk on the Brain! HYSTERICAL and loaded with all kinds of Psychology...Consciousness, Self-Awareness, DSM, Sleep, Motivation, Learning etc.

This episode includes neuroscientist Dr. Mayim Bialik of The Big Bang Theory, neuroscientist and StarTalk Live! veteran Dr. Heather Berlin, comedian Michael Ian Black, actor Paul Rudd and Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Part 1

Part 2

What Part of Your Brain Don't You Use???

Hi Everyone!

Seems a recent poll found 65% of people still believe we only use 10% of our brain. Lets think about this. Well, use the 10% of your brain to think about it. :-) If this was true, that would mean 90% of your brain is not used? What parts of your brain then would that be? Where do myths like this come from? Seems this one is being credited to Dale Carnegie's book "How To Win Friends & Influence People." A very popular book and unfortunately one that does not provide scientific proof. So what makes for a good Self-Help book? Here are some questions you should think about when choose one.

Your Future Self

Imagine yourself 10 years from now. Who do you think you will be? How much do you think you will change? How much will your personality change? Will you like the same music you do today? How much have you changed from 10 years ago? Do you like the same music you did 10 years ago? How accurate do you think you are on your predictions? Dr. Daniel Gilbert of Harvard University explains his research on our ability to predict our future in this short video.

The Benefits of Kissing!

Hi Everyone!

A March 31st blog post on Psychology Today describes the Benefits of Kissing. Wonder what they might be? Take a guess first & then check out the link to find out! ;-)

New Drugs for Down's Syndrome

A research at Johns Hopkins University has been able to restore the Cerebellum in Down Syndrome rats to its normal size and has also found learning and memory was restored. They are trying to figure out if they also ended up fixing the Hippocampus, known to be vital in memory, or if the Cerebellum has a role in learning and memory. The potential for treatment in humans is quite exciting now.

Alzheimer's Linked to Inflammation & Omega 3

Researchers have found that those with Alzheimer's Disease seem to lack the ability to recover from Inflammation and this is opening the door to new treatments including increasing Omega 3.

Love, And Lust, on the Brain

Hi Everyone! Researchers at University of Chicago have discovered the areas of the brain which is involved in the feelings of Love and Lust. The Anterior Insula is associated with love whereas the Interior Insula is involved with Lust.

What Does Psychology Say About Love?

(Eros & Psyche)



For Valentine's Day...I'll share a post from PsychBlog on the 10 Psychological Studies Every Lover Should Know. See how many you knew, maybe these can help your relationship out! :-)

Microglial Cells & Depression

Hi Everyone!

Some of you who heard my Pain presentation in class may recall me telling you Glial cells will BIG in the future. Researchers in Jerusalem have recently found Microglial die under chronic stress which leads to depression. Further when researchers found when medication was given to stimulate microglial cells they increased back to normal levels and complete recovery of depression occurred. These effects also occurred within just a few days! That is BIG!