The science of consciousness: 2023

Sunday, December 3, 2023

What Is Psychological Spin?

My manuscript, "What Is Psychological Spin? A Thermodynamic Framework for Emotions and Social Behavior," was published in Psych last week. It explores how individualistic motivations form the root causes of social inequality.

Consciousness science seeks to explain how the neural system produces psychology and social phenomena. A prominent example is quantum cognition. In this vein, the perception cycle is a reversible energy-information exchange with the environment with rapid shifts in orientation that can give rise to the dynamic and probabilistic features of perception and decision-making.

Homeostatic regulation, occurring on many levels, is vital to life. Emotional regulation, centered on the resting state, sits at the top of this hierarchy and maintains a genetically, culturally, and personally determined cognitive comfort. While the cortical library creates multidimensional emotional experiences, emotional regulatory power originates from their energy nature, consisting of only positive and negative motivation. Thus, the reversible cycle's emotional polarities are endothermic or exothermic conditions analogous to particle spin. The endothermic process increases intellect due to energy input from the environment. This is a psychological up spin, promoting openness and creativity.

In contrast, the exothermic process, which expels energy into the environment, corresponds to down spin. The fear-based and insecure orientation causes polarization and divergence. As fermions' half-spin shapes matter via the Pauli exclusion principle, it also leads to social animals' territorial or personal space needs. Contradictory and competitive tendencies generate hierarchic social structures and inequality.

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Thursday, October 26, 2023

Characterizing Consciousness Using Mathematical Tools

What is consciousness? It's a question that has philosophers and scientists baffled for centuries. But now, a new study has used the Yoneda lemma, a mathematical concept, to characterize consciousness based on its similarities to fermions, which make up matter.

What is the Yoneda lemma? The Yoneda lemma is a mathematical concept that characterizes relationships between concepts by looking at categories of objects. The Yoneda lemma states that the relationship between two categories is entirely determined by how object maps in the first category are mapped to object maps in the second category.

What are fermions? Fermions are elementary particles with half-integer spin, which provides their space-filling properties to form matter. Some examples of fermions are electrons, protons, and neutrons.

The mathematical model of the Yoneda lemma showed that consciousness and fermions have identical connection maps, proving their near-identic structures and operations (Shown below). The finding that consciousness and fermions are similar is significant because it provides a new way to think about consciousness. It suggests that consciousness is not something separate from the physical world but rather a fundamental part of it.

The findings could lead to new ways to understand and treat consciousness-related disorders, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the work provides a new way to think about consciousness and its relationship to the physical world.

The hypothesis is supported by many neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences findings.

Ways to test the hypothesis:

The neural system’s energy relationships, particularly neural computation, can be studied in dish brains.
Computer simulation can test the validity of the hypothesis.
Analysis of time series from electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data permits quantifying brain activity states and their corresponding transitions.

Read the article: "Can the Fermionic Mind Hypothesis (FMH) Explain Consciousness? The Physics of Selfhood."

The connection maps of consciousness and fermions according to the Yoneda lemma.

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Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Positive Psychology; Striving for Long-term Wellbeing

The contemporary interpretation of karma has paved the way for positive psychology, a field dedicated to investigating the advantages of optimistic thinking and improving the quality of life. It is defined by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as the study of positive human functioning and flourishing on multiple levels, including personal and cultural dimensions of life. It offers evidence-based interventions to boost well-being and enhance life satisfaction by exploring concepts like flow, gratitude, resilience, and hope. It provides tools to lead more fulfilling lives and for societies to foster more thriving citizens.

The Minnesota Nun Study is a longitudinal study of Catholic sisters belonging to the School Sisters of Notre Dame congregation. The study delves into the life trajectories of these nuns, revealing that complexity, fluency, and imagination in youth protect against later cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's. Positive thought processes, a sense of dignity, and forward-looking anticipation foster well-being and healing and can contribute to longevity. Traits like faith, love, and courage catalyze enduring enthusiasm, generosity, and cooperation. Even in broken relationships or loss, one can find transcendence and closure through emotional healing.

In today's rapidly evolving society, psychological well-being is closely linked to personal growth and expanding possibilities. While happiness serves as a motivator for striving toward a brighter future, the mere act of feigning happiness proves ineffective. Deceiving our employers, friends, or partners might be possible, but deceiving our own minds remains an impossible challenge.

The principles of positive psychology extend to communities as well. Physical proximity, touch, and embracing signify group unity, cohesion, and mutual trust.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Newly Discovered Pattern of Brain Waves Signals Depression

A new report in "Nature" reveals a neural code that connects to the presence or absence of depression in the brain. This is a significant step forward in our understanding of this widely-spread condition.

– A Hub for Depression is discovered: - Subcallosal Cingulate, also known as "Brodmann area 25," is a region located deep in the brain intersecting with four major nerve fiber tracts. These pathways are closely involved in functions often affected by depression, such as emotional regulation, sleep, appetite, reward, motivation, and memory. This location is crucial to the onset and progression of depression. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) effectiveness targeting this area has increased over the years, thanks to refined techniques that enable precision.

- Promising Biomarker found: The neural code researchers found within the subcallosal cingulate could indicate relapses in depressive episodes, which can help clinicians provide more targeted interventions.

- Brain Scans & Their Revelations: Pre-surgery scans of participants indicated a correlation between damage to specific nerve fiber tracts and the severity of their depressive symptoms. These insights might lead to more advanced imaging techniques for early detection.

- Facial Expressions as Indicators: Using artificial intelligence, facial changes were discovered that mirrored the brain's wellness signals. This suggests an external and visible indicator that connects to the internal neural changes related to depression. This combination of neurology and technology shows promise for early and non-invasive diagnostic methods.

Abbott Laboratories, an American multinational medical devices and healthcare company, is now working with the FDA on a plan for a clinical trial based on these promising results.

Read the whole article: Implanted electrodes pick up a pattern of brain waves that can signal the presence or absence of depression.

Picture credit: Eva Deli: Depression

Friday, August 25, 2023

The role of beauty in the arts

The concept of beauty and art has evolved from the early cave paintings in Altamira to abstraction, film, and mediums without specific rules. Technology will undoubtedly provide new avenues for art-making and influence its future. Although AI has instantaneous technical ability, true art requires the artist's involvement. People connect with the artist's humanity and even the mark of his hand in the work.

To envision art's future, we must understand what art is. Art is a kaleidoscope of human experience, but it originates in nature, the source of all beauty, independent of subject or style. Unlike the sterility of perfection, art reflects the internal rhythm of things. Whether it expresses happiness, terror, or suffering, great art conveys a positive, optimistic message of human potential. While the audience's interpretation of the artwork may differ from that of the artist (we may never know the Altamira painters' intentions), every great piece of art, music, and literature uses the language of emotions that moves us more than logic. Art creates beauty, the symphony of surprising yet familiar. Too much novelty turns the work into bizarre, threatening, or ugly, but lacking surprise is the recipe for boredom. Therefore, repeated exposure exhausts art's originality. As Oscar Wilde said, "The moment you think you understand a great work of art, it's dead for you." Therefore, art, the servant of only emotions, not rules, is a mirror of its time.

Picture credit: https://www.evadeli.com/art

Thursday, August 17, 2023

What is Electrogenetics? Gene Control With Wearables

Electrogenetics, the combination of electronics and genetics, is an emerging field of mammalian synthetic biology. It combines genetics and electronics to influence gene expression through electrical signals. Wearable devices could serve as vehicles for these signals, to activate or silence specific genes, which holds promise for treating diseases caused by gene misregulation and advancing personalized medicine.

Traditional gene editing techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas9, involve modifying the DNA itself. In contrast, electrogenetics seeks to control genes indirectly by manipulating the electrical signals that regulate their activity. This paradigm shift has opened up exciting possibilities for non-invasive interventions.

Wearable devices have already transformed how we monitor our health, from tracking our steps to monitoring heart rate and sleep patterns. The marriage of electrogenetics and wearables takes this a step further, envisioning devices that can communicate with our cells by emitting precise electrical signals that target specific genes, modulating their expression, and potentially rectifying genetic mutations responsible for diseases. This concept taps into the body's natural communication pathways and could be harnessed to correct gene misregulation. The practical applications of electrogenetics and wearable devices in gene control have substantial potential for healthcare.

Hope for diabetes treatment

Electrogenetic treatment show promise for diabetes treatment. In just four weeks the treated mice could better battle low blood sugar from dieting, and eventually they restored their normal blood sugar levels. They were also adept at regulating blood sugar levels after a meal, something that’s difficult in people with diabetes without insulin.

In conclusion, the emergence of electrogenetics and its potential integration with wearable devices represents a pivotal moment in the field of genetics and healthcare. The ability to modulate gene expression using electrical signals has the capacity to revolutionize disease treatment and prevention. Wearable devices, once designed to merely monitor our well-being, could soon become active participants in our cellular biology.

Image by brgfx on Freepik

Friday, June 23, 2023

Depression, the state of current understanding

Depression can be a profoundly distressing and isolating experience that engulfs one's entire being. It can feel like being trapped within themselves, cut off from the world around them. The pain can be all-consuming, making it difficult to articulate or even understand what one is going through.

It's crucial to understand that depression is not a voluntary choice. It can be overwhelming and debilitating, but there is always hope for recovery. Studies have shown that depression will almost always come to an end.

Various factors can contribute to depression, including chemical imbalances in the brain. While specific genes and neurotransmitters may play a role, it's crucial to remember that these factors do not necessarily guarantee that one will become depressed. It's frequently a combination of internal and external factors that trigger depression. Furthermore, depression is not solely psychological.

People with depression don't reliably have less serotonin activity than people without the disorder. Yet serotonin inhibitors reduce depression symptoms, possibly by increasing the circulating levels of the amino acid tryptophan, a serotonin precursor which helps regulate sleep cycles. People with a family history of depression also appear vulnerable to tryptophan depletion. For example, tryptophan and serotonin regulate bacteria and other microbes growing in the gut, and chemical signals from these microbiota could affect mood.

Other neurotransmitters, which play an essential role in memory formation, and inhibit cells from sending messages to one another, may be involved in depression. Researchers also have identified about 200 genes linked to a risk of depression but explain only about 5% of cases. Moreover, simply having the genes for depression doesn't guarantee the disease outcome because the genes must be activated by internal or external conditions.

Chronic inflammation can significantly impact mental health and even trigger depressive symptoms. Inflammation can lead to appetite loss, fatigue, and a slowdown in mental and physical activity — all symptoms of major depression. Chronic inflammation can degrade synaptic connections in neural tissue, which impede healing. The loss of connections might contribute to mood disorders. Depression can feel devastating and incapacitating, but seeking help from friends, family, and qualified professionals can provide an understanding of the symptoms and manage healing and recovery.

Image credit: Wikipedia Commons

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

The Nerve Net, the First Step in the Nervous System's Evolution

Comb jelly internal representation The nerve net is marked purple. Two kinds of nerve cells — sensory cells (light blue) and mesoglea neurons (yellow) exist outside the nerve net. Image credit: PAWEL BURKHARDT AND MAIKE KITTELMANN

Animals use active processes to obtain nutrients for their biological needs. Movement is supported by the nervous system, made up of individual neurons. The nervous system transmits signals between the sensory and motor system, allowing the ability to sense, move, breathe, and feed. The transmission of signals occurs via tiny gaps between neurons, where chemical or electrical signals transfer nerve impulses in one way. The electrical synapse is a cell association between two nerve cells where ions are used to transmit nerve impulses rapidly. In the latter case, neurons release chemicals that must travel across this gap to stimulate the post-synaptic receptors.

Recent work has shown that Comb jellies have a cobweb of neurons rather than synapses, with a unique, fused structure pictured above. These ancient animals are called comb jellies because they swim using rows of beating, hairlike combs. Comb jellies fused nerve net represent long, stringy neurons sharing a cell membrane. Comb jellies or ctenophores are similar to jellyfish. Still, the enigmatic phylum is one of the earliest, perhaps the most ancient animal group, to branch off the animal tree of life.

Reference article:

P. Burkhardt et al. Syncytial nerve net in a ctenophore adds insights into the evolution of nervous systems. Science. Vol. 380, April 21, 2023, p. 293. Doi: 10.1126/science.ade5645.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Therapeutic use of Psychedelics for depression

The use of psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, has a long history of being associated with counterculture and pursuing transcendent experiences. However, there has been a growing recognition of these substances' therapeutic potential, particularly in treating mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD. Specifically, psychedelic drugs' potential for treatment-resistant depression therapy occurs through receptors that promote new brain cell connections.

While psychedelics provide mystical and even profound experiences, most of those experiences are not drastically different but involve observing the world around us in a new and different way. Recognizing the extraordinary in the ordinary is a form of wisdom that can help us find meaning in the seemingly insignificant moments of our everyday lives and cultivate gratitude and contentment. Transcendence and enlightenment can be achieved by recognizing the potential for profound insight and understanding are present in every moment. True wisdom can be found in the most commonplace experiences without mind-altering substance use.

Therefore, a better understanding of psychedelics' mechanism of action could lead to related therapeutic potential without hallucinogenic effects. Moreover, appreciating everyday moments can help us have happier and more meaningful lives without the help of psychedelics.

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

How could science be different?

A government-administered grant system provides the lion's share of funds for scientific research. In the grant system, the government pays for the study, salaries, supply and equipment costs, travel, and publishing. Indirect costs cover building maintenance, depreciation, and library materials. The generous grant system increased the number of scientists and created an independent research culture. It also spurred an unprecedented scientific renaissance in the twentieth century with significant discoveries in practically every field. In addition, the fierce competition to analyze a particular subject in greater detail led to discoveries in many fields, e.g., molecular biology, DNA structure, and the Standard model in physics. Even today, new information continually emerges about the inner workings of biological systems, gene editing, and the structure of the states of matter.

Nevertheless, recent findings suggest that top researchers are increasingly unhappy with the status quo. Rather than an objective measure of quality or scientific merit, grant awards are often a contest of craftsmanship, where investigators write research proposals designed to please grant review committees. There is a hidden drive toward safe science, as proposals with predictable outcomes are more likely to receive funding. Funding uncertainties also channel academic careers toward "popular" research areas.

Therefore, financial support is a double-edged sword. As it gave rise to a robust scientific community, it created a conservative scientific hierarchy. Anchoring professional careers to accepted beliefs turns people antagonistic to meaningful change. Therefore, top researchers need to be more satisfied with the grant writing process and the subjectivity of evaluation. On the other hand, the future of science depends on scientists' ability to bring science into public conversation. Because taxpayers fund the grant system, the public should have the opportunity to see the results of their tax money. Therefore, institutions accepting various public funds should host regular Open University events. An Open University event presents scientific progress in a conference format, enabling scientists and the public to familiarize themselves and engage in current research. This program should ease the persistent skepticism of science and the tendency for conspiracy theories. For example, Open University events could have made the public more favorable to the vaccine rollout during the Covid 19.

To read the rest of the essay you need to download it on QSpace.

Click on the link: https://qspace.fqxi.org/competitions/entry/2271

Monday, March 27, 2023

Can memory prostheses boost memory?

Brain electrodes can help understand the electrical activity patterns when memories are encoded and then use those same electrodes to fire similar activity patterns in the hippocampus—a seahorse-shaped region deep in the brain that plays a crucial role in memory. Memory prosthesis is an electrode inserted deep into the brain to help people with memory disorders—and it is most effective in people with poor memory.

In a healthy hippocampus, electrical activity flows from one layer to another before spreading to other brain regions. A decoding memory model (MDM) mimics patterns of electrical activity across the hippocampus that occur naturally when we successfully form memories. The MDM model takes an average of these patterns across each individual and then fires off this pattern of electrical stimulation. A multi-input, multi-output model more closely mimics how the hippocampus works by learning the electrical inputs and outputs corresponding to memory encoding and then mimicking them.

The memory prosthesis improved the volunteers' performances significantly on memory tests—if they had received the correct pattern of stimulation when first presented with the images. The prosthesis improved brain memory encoding by 11% to 54%. The most significant improvements occur in people with the worst memory performance at the start of the experiment.

The electrodes used in the study are around a millimeter wide, and all the volunteers had them implanted deep enough into the brain to reach the hippocampus—around 10 centimeters deep. The hippocampus patterns associated with successfully stored memories are unique and different for each person. Therefore, customizing stimulation to individual brains by mirroring the hippocampus working will likely require brain electrodes with hundreds of contact points, allowing them to record from and stimulate hundreds or thousands of neurons.

Although the prosthesis is still in some way from clinical use, more advanced versions could help people with memory loss due to brain injuries or aging or degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Read the whole article on the memory prosthesis.c

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Can new seawater processing provide green hydrogen?

Hydrogen has high energy density and burns cleanly into water, which makes it a promising renewable resource. A new study published in the journal Science uses seawater electrolysis to produce sustainable hydrogen. Electrolysis involves passing an electric current through water, splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. However, the process requires a lot of energy, making it expensive for large-scale production. In addition, seawater electrolysis can produce dangerous chlorine gas. Nevertheless, the study suggests that renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, could provide power for an economic electrolysis process.

Seawater is an ideal source for hydrogen production because it is abundant and contains dissolved salt, which can improve the efficiency of the electrolysis process. Seawater electrolysis could produce up to 1,000 times more hydrogen than freshwater electrolysis, making it a desirable option for green hydrogen production. As a result, green hydrogen could provide an endless source of clean energy. In addition, hydrogen fuel cells can store renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, for use when these sources are unavailable.

Nevertheless, with improvements in the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electrolysis, seawater electrolysis can be a sustainable green hydrogen source. While there are still some challenges to overcome, the potential benefits of green hydrogen are significant for a cleaner, more sustainable world for future generations.

Read the Science article: "Splitting seawater could provide an endless source of green hydrogen."

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Potential for Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Medical Treatments

The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the 12 cranial nerves. It transmits information to or from the brain's surface to tissues and organs elsewhere in the body. It is responsible for regulating internal organ functions, such as digestion, heart rate, and respiratory rate, as well as vasomotor activity and reflex actions, such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing, and vomiting.

An abnormal vagal tone with minimal heart rate variability has been associated with conditions such as diabetes, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Conversely, the ideal vagal manner may represent a high variability between heartbeats.

In the early 2000s, researchers started to show that vagus nerve stimulation could help some patients who were severely depressed and had not responded to other treatments. By 2005, the Food and Drug Administration had approved implantable pulse-generating devices that sent electrical signals to the vagus nerve for use in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Similar devices have also been supported for obesity — to help control feelings of hunger and fullness. In addition, internal vagus nerve stimulation to treat inflammation may also have applications for psychiatric disorders such as PTSD. Other conditions improved by stimulating the vagus nerve include epilepsy, diabetes, and inflammatory autoimmune conditions such as Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis.

Home remedies that improve vagus tome include holding the breath and submerging the face in cold water. The process can trigger the "diving reflex," a response that slows the heartbeat and constricts blood vessels. Some people who have tried it report that it has a calming effect and can even reduce insomnia. Others wrap an ice pack in a cloth and place it on their chest to relieve anxiety.

Image credit: Manu5, via Wikimedia Commons

Read the article: This nerve influences nearly every internal organ. Can it improve our mental state, too?