BrainBlog

Takahashi T. Time-estimation error following Weber-Fechner law may explain subadditive time-discounting. . Medical Hypotheses. 2006 Jul 25; [Epub ahead of print] Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan. Impulsivity in drug addicts have been associated with impatience in intertemporal choice, i.e., high degrees to which delayed rewards are discounted, indicating the importance of reducing the degree of discounting in drug addicts. Intertemporal choice (delay discounting) has been attracting attention in neuropsychopharmacology and behavioral neuroeconomics. Recently, behavioral economists have reported that impatience/impulsivity in intertemporal choice is increased if a delay period is presented as a sum of divided time-blocks, which is referred to as subadditive discounting (i.e., "total patience" over the delay period is larger than the "sum of patience" over divided delay periods). This...

International Neuropsychological Society (INS) mid-year conference taking place this week in Zurich, Switzerland. Visit the conference website for more information: website . - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

Most everyone reading this will have had a closer degree of connection with Virginia Apgar than they know. Who is Virginia Apgar, you ask? When born, most of you will have received an Apgar Score in the delivery room. She created it. Did you know?... (grin) virginia and her brother From an NIH press release on the 13th of July: Papers of Virginia Apgar Added to National Library of Medicine's Profiles in Science Web Site Bethesda, Maryland - The National Library of Medicine's Profiles in Science Web site has been enriched by the addition of the papers of Virginia Apgar, M.D., creator of the widely used Apgar Score to evaluate newborns. The Library has collaborated with the Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections to digitize her papers and make them widely available. This brings to 18 the number of notable scientists who have personal and professional recor...

I received a couple of new books on neuroethics from The Dana Center. The first one I started to read is Mind Wars: Brain Research and National Defense by bioethicist Jonathan D. Moreno, Ph.D. It's been a fascinating read so far. The cover blurb points to coverage of how neuroscience may influence warfare and the ethical and policy issues that are likely to be confronted. I'm curious as to what arguments and points will emerge in Moreno's presentation! The other book is Hard Science, Hard Choices: Facts, Ethics, and Policies Guiding Brain Science Today by Sandra J. Ackerman. - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

Last week's issue of The New Yorker (03 July 2006) included an excellent Annals of Medicine essay on hemispherectomy, The Deepest Cut, written by Christine Kenneally. She follows the lives of two individuals, Lacy and Christina, and provides a succinct overview to the indications for this operative procedure and its outcomes. - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

Cummings JL, McRae T, & Zhang R. (2006). Effects of donepezil on neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia and severe behavioral disorders. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14(7), 605-612. Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California (JLC); and Pfizer, Inc., New York, New York (TM, RZ). Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct exploratory analyses of data pertaining to the efficacy of donepezil treatment of patients with severe behavioral disturbances. Preliminary studies suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil, may reduce behavioral disturbances in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Most patients included in clinical trials have had low levels of psychopathology at baseline, and the effect of cholinesterase inhibitors on patients with more severe behavioral disturbances is unknown. The authors report the effects of donepezil on behavioral...

From an NIH press release on 04 July 2006: Dopamine Drug Leads to New Neurons and Recovery of Function in Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease In preliminary results, researchers have shown that a drug which mimics the effects of the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine causes new neurons to develop in the part of the brain where cells are lost in Parkinson's disease (PD). The drug also led to long-lasting recovery of function in an animal model of PD. The findings may lead to new ways of treating PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. The study was funded in part by the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The study suggests that drugs which affect dopamine D3 receptors might trigger new neurons to grow in humans with the disease. Some of these drugs are commonly used to treat PD. The finding also suggest...

Zach Lynch of Brain Waves points to a recent Op-Ed piece in The Washington Post by the CEO of Wyeth, Robert Essner: Read the post, with a link to the piece - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

From the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): Ants walk using internal distance clock: Study Last Updated Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:43:19 EDT CBC News Desert ants have an internal pedometer that measures how far they've marched, researchers have found. Foraging Sahara Desert ants wander when searching for food, but take a relatively straight path when heading back to their nests. To do so, the ants need to judge directions and distances when travelling over flat, sandy terrain without landmarks. Scent trails used by other species won't work because the odours fade in the hot desert. [...continues...] [ ... Read the full report ... ] - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain