#brain and cognition

[drchristophedelongsblog]

Anatomy of the brain: A journey to the heart of our control center

Let's delve into the intricacies of our brain, the fascinating organ that governs all our thoughts, emotions and actions.

The human brain is a complex structure made up of billions of interconnected neurons. These neurons communicate with each other via specialized pathways, forming a complex network that enables us to perceive the world, think, learn and act.

Major brain regions

The brain can be divided into several major regions, each with specific functions:

- Cerebral cortex: This is the outer layer of the brain, made up of gray matter. It is responsible for higher functions such as thought, language, memory and perception.

- Limbic system: Involved in emotions, memory and learning.

- Brain stem: Connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls vital functions such as breathing and heart rate.

- Cerebellum: Involved in movement coordination, balance and posture maintenance.

Key structures for information transmission

Within these large regions, many structures play a crucial role in the transmission of information:

- White matter: Composed mainly of myelinated axons, it ensures communication between different brain regions.

- Basal ganglia: Involved in movement control, learning and emotions.

- Thalamus: Relays most sensory information to the cerebral cortex.

- Hypothalamus: Regulates many vital functions such as body temperature, appetite and sleep.

Communication pathways

Information circulates in the brain via specific nerve pathways. Among the most important are :

- The pyramidal pathway: Responsible for voluntary control of movement.

- Sensory pathways: transmit sensory information from the body to the brain.

- Associative pathways: Connect different regions of the cerebral cortex, enabling the integration of information and the performance of complex cognitive functions.

Neurotransmitters: the brain's chemical messengers

Communication between neurons takes place via molecules called neurotransmitters. These chemical substances transmit signals from one neuron to another, enabling the transmission of information.

In conclusion, the brain is a complex and fascinating organ, whose functioning relies on precise organization and efficient communication between its different structures. Understanding the mechanisms of information transmission in the brain is essential to our understanding of the basis of our behavior and cognitive abilities.

[stemgirlchic]

why neuroscience is cool

space & the brain are like the two final frontiers

we know just enough to know we know nothing

there are radically new theories all. the. time. and even just in my research assistant work i've been able to meet with, talk to, and work with the people making them

it's such a philosophical science

potential to do a lot of good in fighting neurological diseases

things like BCI (brain computer interface) and OI (organoid intelligence) are soooooo new and anyone's game - motivation to study hard and be successful so i can take back my field from elon musk

machine learning is going to rapidly increase neuroscience progress i promise you. we get so caught up in AI stealing jobs but yes please steal my job of manually analyzing fMRI scans please i would much prefer to work on the science PLUS computational simulations will soon >>> animal testing to make all drug testing safer and more ethical !! we love ethical AI <3

collab with...everyone under the sun - psychologists, philosophers, ethicists, physicists, molecular biologists, chemists, drug development, machine learning, traditional computing, business, history, education, literally try to name a field we don't work with

it's the brain eeeeee

[unbfacts]

[pigeonstab]

anatomy of Nugget

[normal-with-adhd-is-a-joke]

Being prone to medication side effects sucks so bad. Yes this medication helped with a symptom that was really bothering me. Unfortunately it also ruined my life.

[pandemic-info]

Long COVID Looks Like Acute Infection in the Brain | Psychology Today

Key points:

Long COVID patients with brain fog have the biological signature of an acute infection in the brain.

50 percent of people with cognitive impairment from Long COVID improve after two years, but very slowly.

An effective interferon lambda response in the brain helps recovery from Long COVID cognitive impairment.

Researchers call for a clinical trial on the use of interferon lambda to treat Long COVID brain fog.

[chronicallycouchbound]

Intelligence Doesn't Equal Morality

Intellect is rooted in ableist systems and stupidity and intelligence are pointless social constructs that don't relate to morals or character.

I try to be a pretty good person, I fight for human rights, I regularly engage in mutual aid, and I care for my community. I try to do the right thing and support causes I care about and make positive changes in the world.

But I also am not very smart. I have several neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as cognitive disabilities. I can’t do simple, basic math, it’s hard for me to remember facts or algorithms, I rely entirely on spellcheck and speech-to-text to write, I failed many classes in high school and I barely passed with a low GPA, I had low pSAT scores and I never took the SATs. I moved around a lot all through school starting in third grade, and I missed a lot of basic fundamentals in learning (like how to do division and multiplication) so when I went to a different school they had already passed it and expected me to know. After my TBI, I could barely read AFTER I was cleared from my “concussion” symptoms because letters and words would flip around and I’d get headaches. Which still happens sometimes.

A lot of people see me as smart because I've learned a lot of academic language and can formulate thoughts into cohesive posts. But I lack a lot of necessary skills and rely on my caretakers to assist me. Things like budgeting and planning are extremely difficult for me. If I need to do simple addition or subtraction, even with a calculator, I quickly get confused and struggle. I forget basic information about myself all the time, let alone other subjects. I'm talking, has to check my ID for my birthday type confused. Doesn't know my name or address or what year it is confused. It happens daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Being able to type out posts like this often takes weeks and many adaptive tools to get there. Focusing is extremely difficult on many fronts, severe chronic pain, ADHD, dissociation, fatigue, migraines, and TBI, are just some of the contributing factors. I struggle daily with many things because of my lack of intellect.

I’m also privileged in the fact that I had some access to education as a homeless youth, that I had some supports in place to help me (towards the end of school), that I was somewhat able-bodied at the time and could walk or bike to and from school when the school system didn’t provide transportation. I was fortunate to have a chance to succeed, and I’m proud that I graduated high school because it was a difficult task for me, and others often aren’t offered that chance or get accommodations. I almost didn’t and I dropped out many times before graduation. I passed on sheer luck and what little privileges I had. 

That all being said, me being stupid (reclaiming it here) doesn't make me a bad person. I don't hurt people because I can't do math. I may mess up things or get confused but it doesn't make me want to harm others.

We often (wrongfully) equate morals with intellect. Being ‘stupid’, ‘dumb’, or an ‘idiot’ doesn’t automatically make someone a bad person. Plenty of evil, awful, and abusive people are extremely intelligent. 

I see this most notably with people advocating for IQ tests to be able to vote. Often from left-leaning people, in hopes it'll make the right (that they view as unintelligent), unable to vote. The reality is, it just hurts some of our most vulnerable members of the community while not actively doing anything to restrict some of the most dangerous members of our community-- those who know what they're doing to harm others and deliberately doing so. My voice matters, and I speak up against injustice and participate in dismantling oppressive systems. Taking away my right to vote won't make the right stop oppressing minorities (which also puts a lot of faith into the two-party voting system, which is a post for another day).

Additionally, legislative measures that discriminate against intellectually disabled people such as IQ tests for voting are also rooted in racism and classism. 

Yes, education can be a vital tool when it comes to addressing discrimination and creating safer communities. But the kind of education that is measured with an IQ test (or any test) isn't the same. Building compassion and caring for others can (and should) happen at any IQ level. We can all practice this, we can all participate.

It harms our communities and stagnates our progress when we equate intelligence with high morals.

[cognitivedoodles]

Brain Cog Volume. 1

Here's the rest of the comic ^_^ So sorry for the long wait I got a lot of things going on IRL and forgot to post the rest of this :')

Enjoy the comic! I know it's something simple and sweet but this is a project for my Comic class. PART 1 / PART 2

[5tomatoes]

i am a little scared about posting these (i do NOT primarily make fanart) but woe, elijah be upon ye *tosses art and scurries away*

[osddid-i-do-that]

Having AuDHD and conditions that affect memory is so weird.

Here is my hyper fixation. I love it. I know nothing about it until I open the Wikipedia page. Please take me to the convention but don’t take me to trivia night. You can’t ask me anything specific but I will drop an odd fact out of nowhere with zero follow up and you just have to say “Cool!” and move on.

Thank you for coming to my TED statement.

[unbfacts]

[sixeyesonathiel]

Honestly I can't complain about Suguru because if we're being fair Satoru's decisions killed a lot of people too, if he had cremated Suguru's body like Shoko wanted Kenjaku wouldn't have been able to do the culling games and saving Yuji was what ended up killing him and everyone else who died because of Sukuna, and that's something I like about JJK all actions have consequences even the ones that are well intentioned.

It's very easy to hate Sukuna and Kenjaku and blame them for everything but the only reason they were able to do everything they did was because of Satoru's decisions. I love Satoru, he's my favorite character and I even have a tattoo of him but I think more people in the fandom should sit down and think about what I just said.

listen up and listen real close, because i am hanging on by a thread, and that thread is made of pure unfiltered satoru-shaped love, blind loyalty, and several decades of unresolved rage.

yeah, jujutsu kaisen is about consequences. yes, even the good intentions burn down the house sometimes. but if you’re gonna sit there and go “hmm satoru’s decisions killed a lot of people too” as if that’s somehow on the same tier as kenjaku’s full-scale war crimes or suguru’s descent into incel cult leader territory?? i’m sorry, are we watching the same show or are you just looking for reasons to blame the man who carried the entire jujutsu world on his six eyes and infinity-coated back??? be so for real. you're really going to put a man who wanted to break the cycle in the same bucket as someone who actively perpetuated suffering? GET A GRIP AND PREPARE FOR A WHOLE LECTURE BELOW.

first of all, suguru. suguru geto. i cannot express how much i loathe him without spontaneously combusting and launching myself into the sun. that man is evil with a skincare routine and a god complex so bloated it needs its own curse rating. he chose to become a murderer. he chose to kill innocent people. he chose to form a cult and feed off the admiration of the vulnerable while talking about “monkeys” like he wasn’t two brain cells away from becoming a reddit mod. and now you seriously wanna go, “well satoru didn’t cremate him so technically he’s responsible for kenjaku”? EXCUSE ME??? satoru was grieving. he stood over the body of his best friend—and in that moment, he broke. not because he’s stupid, not because he’s careless, but because he’s human. you really think he was sitting there going “ah yes let’s leave this body pristine in case an ancient sorcerer wants to play dress-up later”? NO. he was mourning. show some respect. show some human empathy. you can’t hold someone’s pain against them like that unless you’ve never lost someone you loved.

and now you’re saying “well saving yuji got everyone killed too”—baby, i’m gonna need you to pause, breathe, and reevaluate EVERYTHING you think you know. saving yuji was not some selfish power trip. it wasn’t satoru going “teehee i’m bored let’s adopt a sukuna bomb.” he saw a kid willing to die to protect someone else. a kid who took a cursed object into his own body not for power, not for glory, but because he wanted to save someone. and the higher-ups? they were ready to kill him without a second thought. satoru said no. satoru said, “maybe, just maybe, we don’t have to keep killing children to maintain this garbage system.” and you’re mad about that??? sukuna’s fingers didn’t vanish if yuji died. someone else would’ve eaten them. someone worse. someone who wouldn’t have fought back. but yuji did. satoru tried. and that’s the crime, apparently?? sparing a life instead of feeding it to a machine built to erase people like they’re nothing?? that’s what y’all are mad at??? girl, be serious. how can you look at a man trying to protect the only flicker of resistance against a rotten world and go, “actually this is his fault”?? 😐

yes, satoru is flawed. and THANK GOD for that. those flaws is what made him human. he was the only one trying to change the cycle. he was the only one out here fighting not just curses, but the entire system. he didn’t manipulate. he didn’t betray. he didn’t slaughter people because he gave up. he had hope. and if you can’t tell the difference between that and the people who actively made choices to hurt, then idk what to tell you. kenjaku planned this for centuries. suguru gave into his hatred. sukuna is a demon with no loyalty to anyone but himself. and satoru? he was trying to build something. protect something. save someone. that’s not the same league. hell, it’s not even the same sport. y’all are trying to measure thunderstorms and tsunamis with a rain gauge and calling it balance.

this whole “everyone has consequences” thing is true, but CONSEQUENCES AREN’T CULPABILITY. intent matters. context matters. if you think satoru being unable to cremate suguru in a moment of pain means he’s at fault for the culling games, then idk, should we also blame people for being scammed because they trusted someone once?? this is a tragedy. and you’re trying to turn it into a morality play where everyone gets the same sentence regardless of motive, regardless of pain. that’s not analysis, that’s moral laziness dressed up in edgy discourse.

and god, the way the system failed him. the whole tengen thing, the higher-ups, all the ancient rotten power clinging to relevancy—they made the world into a cursed pressure cooker, and satoru still tried to fix it. by himself. because no one else would. he was out here holding the sky up while everyone beneath him either prayed for his failure or stabbed him in the back. 

i love satoru. i love him to an unhealthy, legally questionable degree. i would gnaw through a steel beam for him. i would elbow drop god if god disrespected him. and if you think i’m just gonna sit here while people twist the story to act like he “deserved” what happened to him?? ABSOLUTELY NOT. satoru didn’t die because he was wrong. he died because he was right, and the world couldn’t handle it. they broke the only person who had the power and heart to change things, and now they want to blame him for their mess?? no. never. not on my watch.

satoru wasn’t the problem. he was the only one who ever tried to be the solution. give the man his flowers. hell, give him the whole damn garden 😠

[adulthoodisokay]

having OCD is wild because sometimes you just stare at a glass and have to reassure yourself “it’s okay to have an odd number of ice cubes” over and over again

[briarpatch-kids]

Nothing I hate as a personality trait more than willful ignorance. So many people i know try so hard to learn about the world with so much standing in their way, it's infuriating to see people who CAN learn but choose not to.

[chronicillnesshumor]

What it's like having cognitive issues from your illnesses

[dredgen-dumbass]

Deleted the rant but I am wishing all of you a very good if you took the r slur out of your vocabulary but still use brain damage as an insult you are not an ally to the disabled community, you changed nothing, you win nothing, you lose, good day sir.