Technically, the human microbiome refers to the genetics of all of the various microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi etc.) that live on or in the human body – there are literally hundreds of thousands of different species. These microbes are at least neutral if not helpful (taking up space and producing by-products so that ‘bad’ microbes […]
In a recent article I talked about magnetic fields stimulating the brain using a device call the ‘God Helmet’. I’m not going to open that can of worms again, but I did promise to delve into TMS and how it uses magnetic fields to stimulate the brain. TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation – it […]
Researchers at the University of Zurich studied 191 adults over two years, using magnetic resonance imaging to assess each individual three times, tracking 450 anatomical features in the brain and they found that structural differences between participants were significant enough that they could identify an individual, based on the anatomy of their brain, with over 90% accuracy. […]
There has been some hype recently (see here, here, or here) about a helmet that has caused “mystical experiences” among individuals at a Dutch music festival. Sounds pretty cool, and a little unbelievable, that a helmet could cause such a reaction. What makes it even more unbelievable is it was just a skateboard helmet with […]
I’m wary to entertain that there is a debate on this or that it’s a “theory”. It’s like debating a theory that the Easter Bunny causes mental illness–if the onus is on me to prove that the Easter Bunny does not, in fact, cause mental illness, I must admit I have no proof she’s not […]
Yes. The answer is an unequivocal, irrefutable yes. We can see this in anecdotal personal experiences and in research. Let’s start with an anecdote and then we’ll explore some research and what it might mean for you on your own journey. In the past, I struggled with a bunch of different mental illness diagnoses. The […]
Researchers from the University of Buffalo have found that psychiatric drugs and their metabolized remnants are building up in the brains of fish species in the Great Lakes: Selective Uptake and Bioaccumulation of Antidepressants in Fish from Effluent-Impacted Niagara River Waste treatment facilities don’t remove chemicals like those found in psychiatric medications. This may sound harmless […]
France instituted a new labour law this year which included a provision that asks companies with more than 50 employees to negotiate with their staff to establish times when the employees may digitally disconnect from the office. There are no penalties for companies that don’t establish a code of conduct around email use but the law is meant to, […]
In this TedX talk, Dr. Steven Hayes offers several helpful techniques for handling nasty intrusive thoughts and putting some distance between you and the stuff in your head. Check it out:
Scientists have long puzzled over why some species of birds, with their teeny tiny bird brains, are able to solve complex problems, create tools, recognize their own reflection, find their way home without GPS, form lasting monogamous partnerships, sing, understand causal relationships, and make long-term decisions about resources–all things that you, with your grotesquely oversized adult primate brain, […]