...Alzheimer’s disease was discovered in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer. Dr. Alzheimer was studying the brain of a woman who had recently died of an illness that was undetermined. He noticed that the tissue of the brain he had been studying had changed over time. The symptoms of this disease at the time was memory loss, unpredictable actions, and language problems (Alz.org). Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that consists of plaques and tangles grown on the brain, this causes memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease can’t be cured as of right now, but research is being done that could possibly stop or decrease plaques and tangles from growing on the brain. This disease is known to affect many people, mostly over the age of 60 but some cases result in anywhere...
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...________ Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants By Marc Prensky From On the Horizon (NCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001) © 2001 Marc Prensky It is amazing to me how in all the hoopla and debate these days about the decline of education in the US we ignore the most fundamental of its causes. Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. Today’s students have not just changed incrementally from those of the past, nor simply changed their slang, clothes, body adornments, or styles, as has happened between generations previously. A really big discontinuity has taken place. One might even call it a “singularity” – an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back. This so-called “singularity” is the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century. Today’s students – K through college – represent the first generations to grow up with this new technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. Today’s average college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of their lives reading, but over 10,000 hours playing video games (not to mention 20,000 hours watching TV). Computer games, email, the Internet, cell phones and instant messaging are integral parts of their lives...
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...Midterm Daniel Jaeckle 10/13/2011 The question that was posed is what does each author hold as his or her highest value; and, what do I think their values tell us about their culture? The two authors that I am going to write about are homer and Sopocles. These two authors have many differences and similarities; but I think there are three things these author’s hold as there highest value. That is, brains over brawn, maturity over time, and the need to complete a journey. Let’s begin with the idea of brains over brawn. Both of the authors seem to emphasize the intelligence of each main character; and, that intelligence is touted at a higher regard than strength. We see this in Odysseus who repeatedly uses his brain and intellect to outsmart others. Of course, he uses some force, but it is suggested that he was just as much of a warrior with his mind as he was with his sword. We also see this in Oedipus as he used his foresight to become a great leader. However, although Oedipus’s use of his intelligence was touted as noble, the book also uses his is intelligence as a lesson on fate. This leads to my second point which is maturity over time. Both of the main characters in either novel seemed to have gone through change in maturity. We certainly see the maturity level in Oedipus change after he finds out that he has no control over his fate; and even if brains were preferred over brawn, you still must understand your destiny. I use the word destiny because that’s...
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...Arnold”). Nevertheless, the memories are good or bad they are part of who we are no matter what it may be. But what if a person started to lost them? What if she doesn't even remember her family members, what if she doesn't even remember how to speak? Or imagine the person that she was yesterday can not even recognize it today. Even with the increase in the technology that we have, we could not bring back the memories that we lost. With the increase in the technologies, we increase in diseases connected with middle aged people. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the common diseases that is affecting middle-aged people. Although...
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...dementia syndrome Dementia is a term for the progressive disease of brain and describes a serious deterioration in mental function, as memory, language, orientation and judgement , The causes of dementia are still not fully understood. Research in dementia is an ongoing and to date number of types of dementia and their causes have been identified. The brain contains billions of cells, in dementia some of these cells stop working properly. Depending what part of brain this occurs in it will affect the way an individual thinks, remembers, walks and communicates. There is a range of causes of dementia here are son of them:- Mixed dementia Mixed dementia is a condition in which abnormalities characteristic of more than one type of dementia occur simultaneously in the brain. Physicians may also call this condition “Dementia multifactorial.” In the most common form of mixed dementia, the abnormal protein deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease coexist with blood vessel problems linked to vascular dementia. Alzheimer’s brain changes also often coexist with Lewy bodies, the abnormal protein deposits characteristic of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia. In some cases, a person may have brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is caused by nerves cells dying in certain parts of the brain and the connection between affected nerve cells deteriorates...
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...(Riley’s) mind. The writer/s packaged the movie in such a way that it would show the audience how and why a person acts in a certain manner in such an entertaining way. It used whimsical representations showing how the brain receives, processes, and lets out responses, how memories fade, and how humans develop our personalities. Expressing Riley’s consciousness are five characters, which determine her actions and thoughts: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. These five characters are embodiments of five emotions voicing the complex workings of the human brain. It was, for me, one of the best movies Disney Pixel has ever created. There have been, however, reactions from neuroscientists regarding the metaphors or representations used in the movie. The movie according to them, though cute and entertaining, was not a neurology lesson and some important elements of the functions of the human brain were misplaced, if not missing. Hence, I am going to try and discuss the comments of some neuroscientists regarding the representations used in the movie. First is the control panel being the center of commands. There does not seem to be a control panel similar to that of the movie in the actual human brain. The consciousness, however, does not reside on a single command center but rather distributed, with each part of the brain contributing its little bit. The nearest thing the human brain has to a command center is the frontal lobe, which allows humans to strategically plan actions...
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...an uncontrollable urge to use one’s cellular device. Identity control. Information control. Emotion control. A world where everything is monitored and kept under control. Society has changed. The age of technology has become the age of control, and for he who controls technology, controls humanity. How far can technology go? What makes it so addictive? It all comes down to the functions of the brain. As the human brain develops over time-from birth to adulthood- the sudden change is relative to the way humans respond to stimuli. The human brain, in particular, is one of the most complex of all biological systems. In the early stages of brain development, at birth most specifically, the brain is composed of glial cells and 100 billion neurons (Nguyen). Glial cells provide structural and metabolic support for the brain. Neurons are excitable cells which chemically transmit electrical signals through connections called synapses (Nguyen). Essentially, it is the way we respond to different situations and execute actions. While it’s true that babies are born with a significant amount of nerve cells and reflexes, the cerebral cortex, which is largely responsible for most important brain functions such as voluntary actions, isn’t quite developed. At birth, however, the cerebral cortex produces most of those synaptic connections in a process known as the exuberant period (Zero to Three). Such synaptic connections allow...
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...Done to Our Brains? Section I: Introduction and Context Imagine going back in time and staying there permanently. Out of all the things that will be missed, there is no doubt that the one thing would be technology. The Shallows: What Internet is Doing to Our Brains is nonfiction book written by Nicholas Carr who asserts and cautions the effects that internet has on everyone to this day and even more so in the future. People nowadays can communicate with people all around the world using many different types of communications such as social networking sites, cell phones, emails, etc. Carr brings in many different scientific research as well as a couple of personal experiences to show the great change in technology and the internet. The author chose to write The Shallows from an epiphany he had realized, “It (his brain) was hungry. It was demanding to be fed by the net feed...I wanted to check email, click links, do some googling. I wanted to be connected” (Carr 16). The way that technology has changed and developed the internet has made Carr want to stress the fact that although technology is very useful, it can be very harmful to peoples’ brain in a way that it affects a person’s deeper level of thinking. Section II:The Author’s Background Nicholas Carr is a columnist, member of the Encyclopedia Britannica's editorial board of advisors, as well as an executive editor. Carr writes about technology, culture, and economics which have made his books New York Times Bestsellers...
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...“A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt that can change the way the brain normally works” (Stich). Anyone can obtain a concussion no matter what activity they participate in or if they simply do not participate in anything. A concussion can happen anywhere and everywhere and happens much more than people think. People have gotten concussions while working and even while doing nothing. One of the most common sports to receive a concussion in would include football. “Teens who pay high school sports are four times more likely to come down with a concussion today than they were a decade ago” (Jio). Many football players in the NFL have received concussions and many of them have the disease called Chronic Traumatic...
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...people; just like it did to Esther Welp. Those affected by this disease have these: memory loss, executive dysfunction, spatial disorientation, personality changes, trouble communicating, and appearance change(Shea). They lose the ability to do everyday normal tasks such as bathing, cooking, and using the restroom that people sometimes take for granted. Dementia can be caused from many different reasons, and it possible to treat it in multiple ways or even completely healed. Studies have been able to prove that aging, genetic diseases, infections, trauma, tumors, strokes, nutritional deficiencies, and diseases cause memory, cognitive decline, and personality changes; otherwise known as dementia(Shea). All of these can induce the damage of brain cells. This damage causes the inability for brain cells to correspond with one another. The brain has specific regions and each has its own job. When the cells in...
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...Sadi Ward Miss Lenhart World Lit- 4th period 19 March 2015 Effects of Music Music has the ability to make people feel different emotions. At times, music can make people cry or even angry. On the other hand, it could make a bad mood turn to a good mood and brighten their day. Music has the ability to connect people together and also has the ability to heal you, physically and emotionally. It can heal the brain and sometimes the heart from emotional damage. Often times, music is used in therapy and rehabilitation centers. Music affects your mood and how your brain functions. According to the online dictionary, “music is the art of sound and time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through elements of rhythm melody and color.” An article states that “emotions are more than just something we feel -- they happen in the body, too” (Millar). In fact, the dictionary definition of emotion is, “an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate is experienced.” The places where emotions are felt most commonly are within the heart. Emotions are highly affected by different types of music. What the brain is, is “the part of the central nervous system enclosed in the cranium of humans and other vertebrates, consisting of a soft, convoluted mass of gray and serving to control the mental and physical actions” (Dictionary). This is what allows people to feel, think and function. Different types of music can affect a person’s mind and emotions in...
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...understand why people become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction -- that it is a disease that impacts the brain, and because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume productive lives. What Is Drug Addiction? Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. It is because of these changes in the brain that it is so challenging for a person who is...
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...hypnologic hallucinations. This might let people to believe that methamphetamine is put to a good use, but reality is that it can damage so much more. ( Merrill M. Miller, Roza Hajdukovic, and Milton K. Erman, 1993) People that use methamphetamine for a long time look older than they really are. Methamphetamine causes the skin to lose elasticity and make the skin sag. Acne and blisters are signs of the abuse of the drug. The blood flow in the body is damaged and can no longer flow evenly around the body. This drug also damages the body’s capacity to fix itself and meth users can develop a disorder called formication. Formication is a constant picking at the skin because of the feeling or hallucination of insects on the body. This drug is used at times to lose weight and seem more attractive but in the process it makes the user less attractive. Hygiene is not an important issue in meth users. Meth users have mouth problems and most users have bad looking teeth. This all happens because of methamphetamine and this is a path that many people chose to take. There are so many other factors that involve this drug and how it affects the brain. (Frontline, 2006) Dopamine is a tremendously important part in how the brain works. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps with the movement of the body as well as other...
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...Does the Cultural Environment influence Lifespan Development more than our Genes? This debate has been ongoing for a long period of time where some believe that cultural environment influence lifespan development while others are against the claim. The argument that cultural environment influence the lifespan development of an individual more than genes is true as it is argued that culture is an evolution which is a process that is very different from genetic evolution by natural selection, and it is playing the central role in the production of people’s behavior (Guest, A.M 2011). Genes does not dictate how development will go what they do is that they participate together with the environmental influences in making some of the developmental outcomes to happen. It is also true that genes are involved in human behavior as for every aspect of a person’s phenomenon it is due to the interaction between the environment and the genome. An example that shows how gene is involved in our behavior is in the degree in which we use vision to adjust ourselves, like hitting a baseball and selection of new clothes for kids. The reason behind this is because we have genetically evolved to be sight animals whereby our perception system that is dominant is vision and the next one is hearing. The information that is in our DNA that is supposed to produce morphology and physiology which makes sight very important to us has been molded by natural selection (Guest, A.M 2011). According to evolutionary...
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...Human Development Nature and nurture both play a role in developmental outcomes – How much of who we are as humans is hardwired in our genes, and how much is the result of experience? – What is human nature when it is stripped of society and culture? Genie’s extreme case provided the opportunity to witness and record the potential consequences of extreme social isolation. What Shapes our Behavior? • Describe how the prenatal environment can affect development. • Explain how dynamic systems theory illuminates the ways biology and environment work together to shape development. • Describe key processes in infant brain development and how these processes affect learning. • Describe the types of attachment infants have to their caregivers. • Explain how attachment and emotion regulation are related. 9.1 What Shapes Us During Childhood? Biological and social forces combine to shape the path of human development. – developmental psychology: the study of changes, over the life span, in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behavior Physically, each human grows and matures at about the same periods in the life span: 9.1 What Shapes Us During Childhood? Biological and social forces combine to shape the path of human development. – developmental psychology: the study of changes, over the life span, in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behavior Physically, each human grows and matures at about the same periods in the life span: 9.1 What Shapes...
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