Description: Do you know what the Vagus nerve is and what it does? Well, to begin with, it is not a single nerve cell but rather a complex nerve network with connections throughout the body. In terms of what it does, we are still working on that one, but it could be loosely described as… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Clinical Neuropsychology
Yoga, Pilates and Stress: Selling to Neuroscientists
Description: Have you heard the exercise is good for reducing stress? How about Yoga? How about Pilates? How about deep breathing? Of course, you have, but do they REALLY lower stress levels and if they do HOW do they do that? How would a neuroscientist approach these questions? Well, he or she would likely NOT… Read more »
Daylight Saving Time, Standard Time, Social Time, and Circadian Time: Decision Time!
Description: In most jurisdictions we recently “fell back” as we turned out clocks back an hour and returned to Standard Time after spring, summer and fall on Daylight Saving Time. What was somewhat different about this most recent “fall back” is that many states and provinces and countries are contemplating perhaps never doing that again… Read more »
Just How ARE ACE’s Related to Mental Illnesses?
Description: You have likely heard about the data that is piling up regarding the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and beyond childhood incidences of mental and physical illness (if not there are a couple of links in the Reference section below that will provide you with an overview of that work). An obvious question to… Read more »
Mental Illness: Beyond the Biomedical Model
Description: Do we (Psychologists and Psychiatrists) know what caused mental illness? When I teach the Psychological Disorders and Treatments sections on my Introductory Psychology course, after talking about the drugs used in treating the symptoms of various mental disorders (like depression or schizophrenia) I will usually ask if people think that because there are drugs… Read more »
Is Video Gaming Addiction Real Addiction?
Description: OK quick, answer this question: can someone become addicted to video gaming? Now, do you mean addicted as in the general use that suggests that many people like many different things a bit too much? Or do you mean addiction as in addicted to heroin or nicotine? And, is this distinction one we need… Read more »
New NeuroPsychology of Anxiety: New Treatment Potential?
Description: Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20% of North Americans suffer from some form of anxiety disorder that impacts their relationships, their schoolwork and/or their jobs. There are many things Psychology can suggest that people do or try in order to cope with their feelings of anxiety but what if there was an “underlying disease… Read more »
A Brain Reset Treatment for Depression?
Description: Perhaps you have heard about the use of ECT (electroconvulsive shock therapy) to treat “treatment resistant depression. It involved(s) the induction of a grand mal seizure (random firing of all neurons in the brain) through the application of electrical stimulation of the brain. Why does it work (when it does)? It seems to “rest”… Read more »
Seeking the Causes of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder with Epigenesis
Description: What causes schizophrenia? If you said something like “a chemical imbalance in the brain” you are not alone and that fits with what else you likely know which is that there are a wide array of drugs available that are used as parts of efforts to address that “imbalance.” However, you know those drugs… Read more »
Suicide Prevention: Multifactorial Odds
Description: Do you think you would be able to tell if someone close to you was contemplating suicide? There ARE things you could/should look for (more on those below). However, how do you think a mental health professional (Psychiatrist, Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatric Nurse, or Social Worker) would respond to this question? Does the typical “what… Read more »
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