Imagine a remote control that can adjust the brain.

[-SD-]

Does she at least get partial credit for spelling neurochemistry correctly?

no

 

[mrplunkey]

One thing is how the brain works as per the functions we display (behavior, thought patterns, conditioning, etc) and another the way we feel and act based on clinical things such as neurochemistry, lesions in areas, etc. Completely different.

I was a behind-the-retina visual neuroscience guy for years, and we used to delineate the world exactly that way. We considered ourselves the "hard science" guys and the psychology/development/behavior guys the "soft science" guys (we had snide names for them, like the School of Arts and Crafts).

The older I get and the more I observe, the more I'm convinced that both sides are co-mingled in some really bizarre ways.

1) I do think that the hard-science aspects of your brain (neurotransmitter levels, overall brain state, synaptic organization, genetic variations) have a huge impact on how you react to the circumstances in front of you. Within that tiny, 2-10 second decision-making period, you're almost 100% on autopilot. Over the immediate time interval in front of you, you're in far less control than you think.

2) But I also believe that the soft sciences stuff gradually remodels the hard-science aspects of your brain over time. The mantra "fake it till you make it" is incredibly accurate. Behavioral overrides of existing patterns over a long enough period of time will undoubtedly lead to brain chemistry changes that make them more comfortable -- but that door swings both ways (it can make things worse as well).

3) And finally (as if anyone cared, fuck you guys in advance), I think we like to think that our frontal lobes assess situations and guide us toward action. I personally think that a huge majority of the time, our older brains make the call and our frontal lobes actually spend their energy justifying the decision.

tl;dr

 

[caligirl85]

I agree with you that they are co-mingled and sometimes in ways that perhaps would not make sense to the frontal lobe. I'm on my phone but will add a bit more later. I've done a lot of reading and been to a couple trainings in the last 6 months on this exact thing. Some of it is geared more to children and trauma but the concepts are the same. Fascinating stuff!!

 

[TableFun]

I'll give you some deep brain stimulation via your posterior oropharynx...

 

[caligirl85]

We do a lot of ect where I work and sometimes it's tempting to go for a re-boot! lol

 

[miplank]

Lotta neurosurgeons up in here

 

[smurf2]

I'll give you some deep brain stimulation via your posterior oropharynx...

Watch it

 

[-SD-]

Watch it

Heres where you earn that lifestyle honey

 

[Captain FT]

Someone stimulate me remotely.

 

[mrplunkey]

I'll give you some deep brain stimulation via your posterior oropharynx...

Word on the street is you can't clear the first molar.

Just sayin'