Frontiers in Psychology
May 22, 2014
Axel eCleeremans
In this paper, I explore the idea that consciousness is something that the brain learns to do rather than an intrinsic property of certain neural states and not others. Starting from the idea that neural activity is inherently unconscious, the question thus becomes: How does the brain learn to be conscious? I suggest that consciousness arises as a result of the brain's continuous attempts at...
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
July 23, 2012
Ronald S. Duman, Nanxin Li
361 citations
Molecular and cellular studies have demonstrated opposing actions of stress and antidepressant treatment on the expression of neurotrophic factors, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor, in limbic structures of the brain. These changes in neurotrophic factor expression and function result in structural alterations, including regulation of neurogenesis, dendrite length and spine density...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 7, 2012
Wallace C. Duncan, Simone Sarasso, Fabio Ferrarelli et al.
253 citations
The N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). In rats, ketamine selectively increased electroencephalogram (EEG) slow wave activity (SWA) during non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and altered central brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Taken together, these findings suggest...
Frontiers in Neurology
April 18, 2012
Ravindra P. Nagendra, Nirmala Maruthai, Bindu M Kutty
Intense meditation practices help to achieve a harmony between body and mind. Meditation practices influence brain functions, induce various intrinsic neural plasticity events, modulate autonomic, metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions and thus mediate global regulatory changes in various behavioral states including sleep. This brief review focuses on the effect of meditation as a self...
Addiction Biology
October 1, 2010
Vicente Hernández‐rabaza, Graciela Navarro‐mora, Clara Velázquez-sánchez et al.
40 citations
ABSTRACT Recent trend assessments of drug consumption reveal an increase in the simultaneous use of several drugs at raves, clubs and college settings among youngsters and young adults. We studied in adolescent rats the effects of repeated exposure to cocaine and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethanphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), given alone or in combination with alcohol, on memory performance, adult...
BMC Neuroscience
2010
Manish Saggar, Stephen R Aichele, Tonya L Jacobs et al.
50 citations
Figure 1 (a) Model architecture for a single site (adapted from [1]).(b) Model estimated (in red) and experimental (in blue) spectra for a sample channel and subject.(c) Topographic map of the intrathalamic gain parameter before and after training.Reduction in intrathalamic gain has been linked to increase in alertness [2].Thus, the model not only fits experimental data but also provides a...
arXiv Preprint Archive
July 13, 2009
Charles Ross, Shirley Redpath
preprint
We have analysed the many facets of Consciousness into two distinct categories. First: the organisational state of the neural networks at any one time, which determines whether a person is conscious - awake, or unconscious - asleep. Second: the processes that underlie the traffic of electrical signals across these networks that accounts for all the experiences of conscious awareness. This paper...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
June 28, 2007
Julie A. Brefczynski-Lewis, Antoine Lutz, Hillary S. Schaefer et al.
988 citations
Meditation refers to a family of mental training practices that are designed to familiarize the practitioner with specific types of mental processes. One of the most basic forms of meditation is concentration meditation, in which sustained attention is focused on an object such as a small visual stimulus or the breath. In age-matched participants, using functional MRI, we found that activation...
Neuroreport
November 7, 2005
Sara W. Lazar, Catherine E. Kerr, Rachel H. Wasserman et al.
1,707 citations
Previous research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity. We hypothesized that meditation practice might also be associated with changes in the brain's physical structure. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cortical thickness in 20 participants with extensive...
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
June 1, 2002
Emmanuel S Onaivi, Syed F. Ali, Sanika S Chirwa et al.
23 citations
The mapping of the human genetic code will enable us to identify potential gene products involved in human addictions and diseases that have hereditary components. Thus, large-scale, parallel gene-expression studies, made possible by advances in microarray technologies, have shown insights into the connection between specific genes, or sets of genes, and human diseases. The compulsive use of...