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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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have come out of what has been learned from that? IBM said once that there would never be a need for more than 2 or 3 computers in the entire world. Some people still think the space program is a complete waste of time. Pure research is never a waste of time, even if the benefits are not readily apparent. Why don't we want to know more about the world around us, the building blocks of matter, the nature of the universe?
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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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<
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wrote in message Claiming to understand a concept exactly can be epistomologically risky assertion in the world of newsgroups. I've worked at an atom smasher for almost 15 years, lived with a PhD scientist for 10 (the former Dr. Hunnybunny), and use a modicum of maths in my work, and I pale at claiming I understand probability exactly, because I just don't. A former friend of mine from the job in Florida used to work a place known as The supercollider somewhere while in school (i.e. as an intern or something), I remember because he occasionally wore the souvenier T- shirt from that place. I hardly see the usefulness in smashing atoms together  .. What exactly is it they are paying you for and what practical (non-military) applications have come out of what has been learned from that? Without an understanding of probability and statistics, how are you to know your observations are representative? How are you to know your repeats aren't chance flukes (cf the 100/5000 _base_ball thing)? The answer is that you can't know that they are chance flukes. Statistics can always say It seems to be likely that maybe perhaps possibly... to the Nth degree. At this point I've lost track of the point of this thread, but I would say that statistics can provide valuable insight into this disease. From any and every measurable parameter you can name, statistical analysis is what elevates observatons from anecdotes to data. Perhaps, but not in the genetic/medical sense because this isn't a genetic/medical disease (if it were, for example, everyone who had it would have the exact same gene mutation and everyone who didn't would not - and if that were the case, I think they would've found it on their first week of research). This disease is a disease of thought, and that can only be corrected by finding out what is causing the thought to work the way it is working. By the way, I'm about 6 weeks without meds now and no hickups yet. -Rob Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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Thanks for posting that, I used to love to read science books. Web Page at: http://www.robertpo.com |
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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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The preceding was edited down from references to the thought basis of mental illness to Rob's de_script_ion of neuronal activity in the brain, which I think is accurate and interesting in the way it was presented. However I would express misgivings about adjusting thought to control mental illness, it seems well proven that chemical intervention works and is necessary in those individuals whose disorder responds to chemotherapy. It is generally acknowledged that meds are a lifetime proposition, because they do not cure the fault but mask or control the most troublesome symptoms, mania expressed as runaway thoughts, can be a serious problem if not under control of someone or something. Vern Rob Wilkens <
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wrote in message : : Ok. First : are you familiar with the concept of neural networks? (This is : really computer science, but cognitive psychology and neurology use the same : basic theory): : : I'll summarize the theory here (very oversimplified): : : Every individual idea, thought, word, letter of the alphabet, etc... is : represented by one neuron (and I may use the wrong terminology, if I do : such, I apologize).. : : Thoughts (and reasoning, and everything else) are formed by connecting these : neurons together in a logical manner. : : The process of making those connections between the neurons is called : learning . : : Now, when you think , you may notice that one thought brings up related : thoughts (typically) because of the way the relation is made. (i.e. you may : only recall a fact for the first time when you're thinking about something : related to it, otherwise you had completely forgotten that you knew it). : : Following so far? Ok, good. : : The connections between existing neurons involves axons and dendrites (I : don't remember which is which - one is the transmitter one is the receiver, : and there is a spacial gap known as a synapse between the transmitter and : receiver). : : In order for an electical signal to bridge that gap, it has to cross a : certain threshold (or has to be a minimum strength). (In computers, these : are all represented with numbers, and when the total 'weight'(strength) of a : particular connection exceeds the 'threshold' the gap is bridged and the : connection is made - the neuron is said to have fired (like a gun) at that : point.) : : So by now, you should have somewhat of an understanding of what's going on : inside the head to make us think as we do (again, oversimplified, but it has : a basis in physical reality, and is relevant to your question). : : What lithium does, as I understand it, is get in the way of those : synapses. It interferes with the neurotransmitters (chemicals which are : there to assist the transmission between neurons), and slows down the : connections by increasing the threshold . : : This does effectively eliminate the symptoms of mania because
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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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generally accepted refers to our present state of knowledge, and yes this can certainly change, and is doing so as we chat. Vern Rob Wilkens <
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wrote in message : It's also generally accepted that this disease is incurable. A general : acceptance does not say anything about validity. : : -Rob : : vernon <
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wrote in message : : The preceding was edited down from references to the thought basis : of mental illness to Rob's de_script_ion of neuronal activity in the : brain, : which I think is accurate and interesting in the way it was presented. : However I would express misgivings about adjusting thought to control : mental illness, it seems well proven that chemical intervention works : and is necessary in those individuals whose disorder responds to : chemotherapy. It is generally acknowledged that meds are a lifetime : proposition, because they do not cure the fault but mask or control : the most troublesome symptoms, mania expressed as runaway thoughts, : can be a serious problem if not under control of someone or something. : : Vern : : : Rob Wilkens <
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wrote in message : : : : : Ok. First : are you familiar with the concept of neural networks? : (This is : : really computer science, but cognitive psychology and neurology use : the same : : basic theory): : : : : I'll summarize the theory here (very oversimplified): : : : : Every individual idea, thought, word, letter of the alphabet, etc... : is : : represented by one neuron (and I may use the wrong terminology, if I : do : : such, I apologize).. : : : : Thoughts (and reasoning, and everything else) are formed by connecting : these : : neurons together in a logical manner. : : : : The process of making those connections between the neurons is called : : learning . : : : : Now, when you think , you may notice that one thought brings up : related : : thoughts (typically) because of the way the relation is made. (i.e. : you may : : only recall a fact for the first time when you're thinking about : something : : related to it, otherwise you had completely forgotten that you knew : it). : : : : Following so far? Ok, good. : : : : The connections between existing neurons involves axons and dendrites : (I : : don't remember which is which - one is the transmitter one is the : receiver, : : and there is a spacial gap known as a synapse between the : transmitter and : : receiver). : : : : In order for an electical signal to bridge that gap, it has to cross a : : certain threshold (or has to be a minimum strength). (In computers, : these : : are all represented with numbers, and when the total : 'weight'(strength) of a : : particular connection exceeds the 'threshold' the gap is bridged and : the : : connection is made - the neuron is said to have fired (like a gun) : at that : : point.) : : : : So by now, you should have somewhat of an understanding of what's : going on : : inside the head to make us think as we do (again, oversimplified, but : it has : : a basis in physical reality, and is relevant to your question). : : : : What lithium does, as I understand it, is get in the way of those : : synapses. It interferes with the neurotransmitters (chemicals which : are : : there to assist the transmission between neurons), and slows down : the : : connections by increasing the threshold . : : : : This does effectively eliminate the symptoms of mania because
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cognitive psychology news APATHY - (BP : Medical Condition?)
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Brings to mind that long ago question is the world flat or around, it was generally acknowledged by people in high places and low places that the world was flat, and the sun revolved around the earth. Please someone deliver me from ignorance, that is at least curable. Vern Rob Wilkens <
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wrote in message : It's also generally accepted that this disease is incurable. A general : acceptance does not say anything about validity. : : -Rob : : vernon <
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wrote in message : : The preceding was edited down from references to the thought basis : of mental illness to Rob's de_script_ion of neuronal activity in the : brain, : which I think is accurate and interesting in the way it was presented. : However I would express misgivings about adjusting thought to control : mental illness, it seems well proven that chemical intervention works : and is necessary in those individuals whose disorder responds to : chemotherapy. It is generally acknowledged that meds are a lifetime : proposition, because they do not cure the fault but mask or control : the most troublesome symptoms, mania expressed as runaway thoughts, : can be a serious problem if not under control of someone or something. : : Vern : : : Rob Wilkens <
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
wrote in message : : : : : Ok. First : are you familiar with the concept of neural networks? : (This is : : really computer science, but cognitive psychology and neurology use : the same : : basic theory): : : : : I'll summarize the theory here (very oversimplified): : : : : Every individual idea, thought, word, letter of the alphabet, etc... : is : : represented by one neuron (and I may use the wrong terminology, if I : do : : such, I apologize).. : : : : Thoughts (and reasoning, and everything else) are formed by connecting : these : : neurons together in a logical manner. : : : : The process of making those connections between the neurons is called : : learning . : : : : Now, when you think , you may notice that one thought brings up : related : : thoughts (typically) because of the way the relation is made. (i.e. : you may : : only recall a fact for the first time when you're thinking about : something : : related to it, otherwise you had completely forgotten that you knew : it). : : : : Following so far? Ok, good. : : : : The connections between existing neurons involves axons and dendrites : (I : : don't remember which is which - one is the transmitter one is the : receiver, : : and there is a spacial gap known as a synapse between the : transmitter and : : receiver). : : : : In order for an electical signal to bridge that gap, it has to cross a : : certain threshold (or has to be a minimum strength). (In computers, : these : : are all represented with numbers, and when the total : 'weight'(strength) of a : : particular connection exceeds the 'threshold' the gap is bridged and : the : : connection is made - the neuron is said to have fired (like a gun) : at that : : point.) : : : : So by now, you should have somewhat of an understanding of what's : going on : : inside the head to make us think as we do (again, oversimplified, but : it has : : a basis in physical reality, and is relevant to your question). : : : : What lithium does, as I understand it, is get in the way of those : : synapses. It interferes with the neurotransmitters (chemicals which : are : : there to assist the transmission between neurons), and slows down : the : : connections by increasing the threshold . : : : : This does effectively eliminate the symptoms of mania because
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