Mindfulness is an approach to living that involves an open, active attention to the present moment in a non-judgemental fashion. In this way, we can observe our thoughts and feelings without becoming swept away by them. We can experience various thoughts and emotions, but they are not who we are. By being able to observe our thoughts …Read More
THE Answers to God, the Universe, and Everything
Nov 24, 2011
Please read my story at the end of this blog that ties into Chopra and Mlodinow’s new book War of the Worldviews: Science vs. Spirituality – it’s surreal and makes you go, “Hmmmm.” Is the universe conscious? What’s the connection between mind and brain? Does the brain dictate behavior? What is the nature of time? …Read More
OCD Symptoms Can Be Caused By Strep
Nov 3, 2011
I was working from home the other day, writing reports, and had the TV on as background noise. The program that was on was “The Doctors.” There I learned that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms can sometimes be caused by a complication from a strep infection called Pediatric autoimmune psychiatric disorder (PANDAS). OCD manifests as …Read More
“The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge, M.D. (Book Recommendation)
Aug 21, 2011
A fellow professional recommended this book to me a few years ago, and I finally go around to reading it (well, listening to the audiobook). Although a few years old, the findings and implications are still very relevant today. It is similar to Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain by Sharon Begley, which I blogged …Read More
“The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” by Nicholas Carr (Book Recommendation)
Jun 11, 2011
I recently enjoyed the audiobook version of Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains. Yes, I did the audiobook version. Sometimes while I was driving. At double playback speed. Yes, I get the irony…or hypocrisy? In The Shallows, Mr. Carr chronicles the history of various ways we have dessimated information …Read More
“The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us” (Book Recommendation)
May 12, 2011
I recently completed the audiobook version of The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us is by scholars and professors Christopher Chabris, Ph.D. and Daniel Simons, Ph.D. As the name implies, they describe the results and implications of fascinating research on the fallibility and shortcomings of human perception, attention, and memory. They introduce concepts such as “change …Read More
The Problem of Technology “Addiction” – The Neuroscience of Tech Addiction
Mar 21, 2011
Before we even tackle why various technologies can be addictive, a clear concern about Facebook, texting, email, video games, etc. is that they can become so compelling that we stop engaging in other need-satisfying activities. To borrow a term from the economic world, any technology that we become enamored with creates an “opportunity cost.” What aren’t we …Read More
The Problem of Technology “Addiction” – An Addiction vs. A Problem
Mar 8, 2011
I was recently interviewed on KXAN regarding technology addiction. Too much technology may tweak your life: kxan.com Given some of the constraints inherent in a TV news cast, I thought I’d follow up with some additional thoughts on this fascinating and timely topic. I’ve presented on the topic of technology addiction to various schools around Austin, and …Read More
Update on Football and Head Injuries
Feb 2, 2011
A while back, I posted a blog entitled “The Brady Bunch, Football, and Head Injuries” in which I discussed some of the risks that many very physical/contact sports, such as football, have on players. Neuroscientists and neuropsychologists are accumulating significant research indicating that these sports are causing what they term as “chronic traumatic encephalopathy” or CTE. Basically, when …Read More
Where is the pitch?
Jan 25, 2011
In recent years there has been increasing interest in research related to cross-modal interactions in music. That is, researchers are starting to wonder how music relates to other senses besides hearing. For example, Western societies generally associate pitches in music with vertical space. We tend to think of lower sounding pitches as lower in space …Read More