Finally, a reason to be proud, smokers of the world: you think quicker and remember better. This article was forwarded me by Onkel. My thanks. The source is DiscoveryNews. The author is Teresa Shipley.
SMOKING IS GOOD FOR YOU
*Um, not really.
But nicotine does enhance our ability to think, perform and take tests. Thanks to new research, scientists now know it increases our memory function, too.
Up to now, results about nicotine's effects on boosting human performance were mixed. Dr. Stephen Heishman, a scientist with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (part of the National Institutes of Health) said that in the past, researchers kept doing studies on the effects of nicotine and human performance without taking into account the drug's harsh withdrawal effects. Instead, they'd ask subjects to go eight or 12 hours without smoking before testing their brain functions. He says it wasn't surprising that as soon as nicotine was administered in those cases, performance improved.
"Without knowing what their baseline level of performance is, you can't really say whether that increase is a true increase or whether you're just bringing that person back to their baseline," Heishman told Discovery News. "Those early studies didn't provide the pre-deprivation performance, [as in], what's their performance when they're normally smoking?"
So Heishman and his colleagues studied all the literature they could find on nicotine and performance published between 1994 and 2008. In all, they reviewed and coded 41 studies and looked at how nicotine affected everything from fine motor skills to short term memory. Their results were published online in the journal Psychopharmacology.
What they found surprised them. Not only does the drug help with fine motor skills and alertness, it improves short term memory for tasks like remembering a list of items.
"We knew that the effect on attention was well known, but I was somewhat surprised about the effects on memory," Heishman said. "Smokers say that one of the reasons that they smoke is to help them concentrate, focus on tasks and do their work, and obviously a lot of our daily work involves memory. So on the other hand, I guess it shouldn't be too surprising."
Having a better understanding of nicotine's effects, including withdrawal effects, can lead to more effective quitting tactics, Heishman said. If we know that nicotine is the reason why we feel more alert when we smoke, for example, developing medicines that mimic nicotine's role can make quitting seem like less of an impossible task.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Near Misses Are Like Wins to Problem Gamblers
This is a very interesting article I found on medicalnewstoday.com. I can attest anecdotally to the accuracy of these findings. The article was posted yesterday. The author is Becky Allen of the University of Cambridge.
The brains of problem gamblers react more intensely to near misses than casual gamblers, new research from the University of Cambridge has found. The results could help explain what keeps problem gamblers betting even though they keep losing.
The study involved scanning the brains of 20 gamblers using functional magnetic resonance imaging while they played a computerised slot machine. Participants' gambling habits ranged from regular, social gamblers to those with severe problem gambling.
Dr Luke Clark of the University of Cambridge, who led the study, found that the parts of the brain involved in reward processing - the so-called dopamine centres - were more active in problem gamblers than in social gamblers.
During the experiment, volunteers played a computerised slot machine with two spinning wheels of icons and won 50p when the two icons matched. An icon mismatch was a loss, but when the wheels stopped within one icon of a match, the outcome was considered a "near miss."
Dr Clark found that near misses activated the same brain pathways as wins, even though no reward was given, and that this reaction was stronger in those gamblers who had more symptoms of problem gambling.
In particular, the study found strong responses in the midbrain, an area that is packed with dopamine-releasing brain cells. The dopamine system is associated with addiction and targeted by drugs of abuse. The study also found the near misses were linked with increased activity in a brain region called the ventral striatum, an area associated with reward and learning.
The results help explain why problem gamblers find it hard to give up.
According to Dr Clark: "These findings are exciting because they suggest that near-misses may elicit a dopamine response in the more severe gamblers, despite the fact that no actual reward is delivered. If these bursts of dopamine are driving addictive behaviour, this may help to explain why problem gamblers find it so difficult to quit."
Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays an important role in signalling "rewards" such as money and chocolate, and the dopamine system is also targeted by drugs of abuse.
"The results highlight some of the links between problem gambling and drug addiction, and have implications for both psychological and drug treatment for problem gamblers," Dr Clark says.
The findings are published in the new issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
The brains of problem gamblers react more intensely to near misses than casual gamblers, new research from the University of Cambridge has found. The results could help explain what keeps problem gamblers betting even though they keep losing.
The study involved scanning the brains of 20 gamblers using functional magnetic resonance imaging while they played a computerised slot machine. Participants' gambling habits ranged from regular, social gamblers to those with severe problem gambling.
Dr Luke Clark of the University of Cambridge, who led the study, found that the parts of the brain involved in reward processing - the so-called dopamine centres - were more active in problem gamblers than in social gamblers.
During the experiment, volunteers played a computerised slot machine with two spinning wheels of icons and won 50p when the two icons matched. An icon mismatch was a loss, but when the wheels stopped within one icon of a match, the outcome was considered a "near miss."
Dr Clark found that near misses activated the same brain pathways as wins, even though no reward was given, and that this reaction was stronger in those gamblers who had more symptoms of problem gambling.
In particular, the study found strong responses in the midbrain, an area that is packed with dopamine-releasing brain cells. The dopamine system is associated with addiction and targeted by drugs of abuse. The study also found the near misses were linked with increased activity in a brain region called the ventral striatum, an area associated with reward and learning.
The results help explain why problem gamblers find it hard to give up.
According to Dr Clark: "These findings are exciting because they suggest that near-misses may elicit a dopamine response in the more severe gamblers, despite the fact that no actual reward is delivered. If these bursts of dopamine are driving addictive behaviour, this may help to explain why problem gamblers find it so difficult to quit."
Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays an important role in signalling "rewards" such as money and chocolate, and the dopamine system is also targeted by drugs of abuse.
"The results highlight some of the links between problem gambling and drug addiction, and have implications for both psychological and drug treatment for problem gamblers," Dr Clark says.
The findings are published in the new issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Me and Timothy Leary
It was 1993, and I was with my buddy Danny and a few other college chums at Lollapalooza in Mountain View, California. Primus and Alice in Chains were the headliners, though Danny and I were most excited about the side stage offering, a fairly new band we were into named Tool. It was sometime toward the middle of the festival that we headed over to check them out.
The crowd was only a couple of hundred strong, and we made our way toward the front. A few minutes later, an elderly, frail looking, grey haired man meandered out on the stage and said:
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce some good friends of mine. Put your hands together for Tool.”
The mushrooms and alcohol I had been consuming that day clogged the rusting gears of my brain, but eventually visual recognition kicked in. “Jesus Christ,” I yelled in Danny’s ear as the deafening music began to play, “I think that was fucking Timothy Leary.”
The show was great, though I remember it as pretty short. Lead singer and frontman Maynard had hardly broken a sweat on the scorching day before the band left the stage. I recall being a little disappointed as the two of us headed over to the bar for a drink.
But then, to our collective glee, we saw that Mr. Leary was sitting at a small, round table in the bar area with a fortyish, heavy-set man. Leary was staring into space and his companion seemed to be looking for something to say or do. We approached them aggressively, unable to contain our excitement.
“Mr. Leary, oh God, it’s so amazing to meet you,” I exclaimed. “You’ve been a big influence on me. You’re life’s work is, like, an inspiration.”
The Acid King said something, but I couldn’t hear him.
Danny chimed in, “You like Tool? How long have you known those guys?”
The Harvard professor mumbled and muttered unintelligibly. His eyes looked upward, as if searching for just the right word or phrase. Alas, the proper verbiage eluded him, though he continued speaking in his incomprehensible tongue. We waited for what seemed like several minutes on his every garbled word for some piece of wisdom, some kernel of truth; we waited in vain.
“Mr. Leary is very tired, gentlemen,” his companion-handler finally interceded haughtily. “I’m going to have to ask you to give him some space.”
We turned and departed the company of this legend of drug culture, disillusioned by the unexpected lesson we had received.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Chameleon
The Oakland A’s have a “Tuesday Night Free Parking” promotion. So, being the cheapskates we are, Rick and I decided to head over to the game last night after a devastating session at Hometown Buffet. As the crowd was pathetic (an announced 10,125, but not even close to that number) our nine dollar tickets got us decent seats not far from the A’s bullpen.
We were taking in the game when Rick recognized Dave, a sixty-something supervising usher and former colleague. Dave came over and we all started talking. Soon the conversation steered toward the days when the stadium allowed access to the upper level. (Two years ago, the club decided to tarp over the highest level of seats, due to the fact that hardly anybody, other than people getting high, like Rick and myself, would sit there.)
“Oh man,” Dave said, “it was a real nightmare patrolling up there. Kid’s were smoking and everything.”
“I’ll bet they were even smoking dope,” I chimed in.
“You're right, they were,” he replied, his light blue eyes bulging like distended marbles.
“Damned druggies,” I added offhandedly.
Dave gave me an approbatory nod and said goodbye to the two of us. We enjoyed the rest of the game unmolested.
We were taking in the game when Rick recognized Dave, a sixty-something supervising usher and former colleague. Dave came over and we all started talking. Soon the conversation steered toward the days when the stadium allowed access to the upper level. (Two years ago, the club decided to tarp over the highest level of seats, due to the fact that hardly anybody, other than people getting high, like Rick and myself, would sit there.)
“Oh man,” Dave said, “it was a real nightmare patrolling up there. Kid’s were smoking and everything.”
“I’ll bet they were even smoking dope,” I chimed in.
“You're right, they were,” he replied, his light blue eyes bulging like distended marbles.
“Damned druggies,” I added offhandedly.
Dave gave me an approbatory nod and said goodbye to the two of us. We enjoyed the rest of the game unmolested.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
4/20 Rally in Denver
This picture was taken from a 4/20 rally that took place in Denver, Colorado this year. I used to think that I was pretty handy with produce, but these kids take the blue ribbon in the MacGyver category! It's good to see the youth moving forward.
Apples are the best, but I also like potatoes and yams.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A Quote From Henry Ward Beecher
"All men are tempted. There is no man that lives that can't be broken down, provided it is the right temptation, put in the right spot."
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Inconvenient Timing and the Golden Mean
What a beautiful day for the races it was. The sun was shining. It was neither hot nor cold. The smell of grilled burgers filled the air. There were literally dozens of hot women wandering around the track in their sun dresses and fancy hats. The scumbag regulars and well to do, once-a-year outsiders mixed genially. There is no event in American life that compares to Kentucky Derby day.
My buddy Nick just had two teeth pulled a couple of days earlier, so he arrived with a fresh container of Vicadin to ease his pain. He offered me one. I accepted it, broke it in two to offset the effects of the time release coating, and washed it down with a Budweiser. As I was on an empty stomach, I began feeling the benumbing effects of the drug fairly soon.
Rick arrive soon thereafter, and within an hour or so we had pounded a couple more beers and went off to the bleachers to smoke some chronic. When we returned, I enjoyed a nice Cohiba Nick’s fiancés mom had brought back from Mexico. I was really flying high.
But it turned out that, like Icarus, I was flying a little too high. The three of us were in the interior hallway at the track, surrounded by people, watching the preliminary events leading up to the Derby on an antiquated television. Just as the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” was coming to an end, I was overwhelmed by a strong claustrophobic sensation which was coupled by an immediate cold sweat, shaking and the feeling my heart was going to burst. I immediately went outside and walked around in circles for a minute or two, breathing deeply and telling myself I’d had this feeling a million times before. (Which is true, but this fact never makes it any easier.) I tried to return to the simulcast, but came back outside again.
I returned inside once more, just as the horses were entering the starting gate. My panic had seemingly peaked, though I was still very high and shaken by the experience. I watched the race and even hit on one of my plays, garnering a one half return of my total wager. But the event had been somewhat tarnished by my adverse chemical reaction. I had obviously overdone it. And I felt stupid and just a little bit juvenile.
My buddy Nick just had two teeth pulled a couple of days earlier, so he arrived with a fresh container of Vicadin to ease his pain. He offered me one. I accepted it, broke it in two to offset the effects of the time release coating, and washed it down with a Budweiser. As I was on an empty stomach, I began feeling the benumbing effects of the drug fairly soon.
Rick arrive soon thereafter, and within an hour or so we had pounded a couple more beers and went off to the bleachers to smoke some chronic. When we returned, I enjoyed a nice Cohiba Nick’s fiancés mom had brought back from Mexico. I was really flying high.
But it turned out that, like Icarus, I was flying a little too high. The three of us were in the interior hallway at the track, surrounded by people, watching the preliminary events leading up to the Derby on an antiquated television. Just as the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” was coming to an end, I was overwhelmed by a strong claustrophobic sensation which was coupled by an immediate cold sweat, shaking and the feeling my heart was going to burst. I immediately went outside and walked around in circles for a minute or two, breathing deeply and telling myself I’d had this feeling a million times before. (Which is true, but this fact never makes it any easier.) I tried to return to the simulcast, but came back outside again.
I returned inside once more, just as the horses were entering the starting gate. My panic had seemingly peaked, though I was still very high and shaken by the experience. I watched the race and even hit on one of my plays, garnering a one half return of my total wager. But the event had been somewhat tarnished by my adverse chemical reaction. I had obviously overdone it. And I felt stupid and just a little bit juvenile.
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