Isom's Psych 36 Biological Psychology Page

01/05/2021

“Brain Tsunamis” - another name for excitotoxicity...

Listen Listening...

01/05/2021

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200708105935.htm

Hearing is widely thought to be the last sense to go in the dying process. Now, the first study to investigate hearing in palliative care patients who are close to death provides evidence that some may still be able to hear while in an unresponsive state. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to mea...

10/18/2020

ADHD can also be a “gift”

“Just because a diagnosis [of ADHD] can be made does not take away from the great traits we love about Calvin and his imaginary tiger friend, Hobbes

09/25/2019

Finally something that *may* be better than a symptom checklist...!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first ever blood test that detects mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), more commonly referred to as a concussion.

In a clinical study, blood samples were taken from almost 2000 adults and the levels of two proteins that the brain releases into the blood after injury were measured. The test, which will be marketed as the Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator, was compared to detection of concussion using computed tomography (CT) scans. When brain tissue damage was detected on a CT scan, the blood test indicated the presence of concussion 97.5% of the time. When no brain tissue damage was detected using CT scans, the blood test was able to detect the absence of concussion 99.6% of the time.

The fact that this new blood test can rule out a concussion with over 99% accuracy is a significant breakthrough because in many cases, it can eliminate the need for expensive CT scans that expose patients to x-ray radiation.

According to the FDA press release: “in 2013 there were approximately 2.8 million TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. Of these cases, TBI contributed to the deaths of nearly 50,000 people. TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain’s normal functioning. Its severity may range from mild to severe, with 75 percent of TBIs that occur each year being assessed as mTBIs or concussions. A majority of patients with concussion symptoms have a negative CT scan. Potential effects of TBI can include impaired thinking or memory, movement, sensation or emotional functioning.”

Links: https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm596531.htm

https://banyanbio.com/

02/17/2017

http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2013/09/26/law-protects-transgender-students-rights/

On Aug. 12 Gov. Jerry Brown signed into state law AB1266, a bill aimed to protect certain rights for transgender students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

09/24/2014

Evidence is mounting that intestinal microbes exacerbate or perhaps even cause some of autism's symptoms

08/13/2013

11/11/2011