#brain-science — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #brain-science, aggregated by home.social.
-
NASA scientist who ‘died three times’ saw the same thing every time… and it wasn’t the pearly gates of Heaven
A NASA scientist has claimed she did not just die once, but three times, and saw the exact same thing each time.
Ingrid Honkala, 55, an oceanographer who has worked with NASA, said she had near-death experiences at the ages of two, 25 and 52.
While each incident unfolded differently, she said the outcome was identical: she entered a strange state of complete calm, with no fear, no sense of time, and a feeling of separating from her physical body.
Instead, Honkala described becoming ‘pure awareness,’ immersed in what she calls a vast, interconnected consciousness filled with light, clarity and peace.
She claimed this was not a fleeting hallucination, but a consistent experience she returned to every time she came close to death.
The scientist now believes these moments offered a glimpse into what lies beyond human life, challenging the idea that consciousness ends when the body shuts down.
__________
The highlighted paragraphs above describe a samadhi state, which the Buddha said is available to virtually all human beings. Samadhi, or the training for it, is the Eighth Path of the Noble Eightfold Path. To use Honkala’s words, the fourth and highest samadhi state in Buddhism is an experience which transforms human consciousness by ‘immersing‘ us in ‘a vast, interconnected consciousness filled with light, clarity and peace.’ ABN
#abn #brainScience #BuddhistPractice #philosophy -
People who are blind from birth never develop schizophrenia – what this tells us about the psychiatric condition
#Health #Schizophrenia #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #BrainScience #CognitiveScience #MedicalScience #BrainDevelopment #Psychiatry #Blindness
https://the-14.com/people-who-are-blind-from-birth-never-develop-schizophrenia-what-this-tells-us-about-the-psychiatric-condition/ -
A challenge to the cognitive model of the mind: Paul Cisek questions the dominant scientific paradigm and the current theory of artificial intelligence
…human language is a tool for communicating our thoughts, but is separate and distinct from thought itself. Evelina Fedorenko, a neuroscientist at MIT and lead author of the paper laying out the empirical evidence for this claim, was kind enough to let me interview her. Her basic argument is that we know language must be separate from thought because (a) people who lose language ability can still think and reason, and (b) different parts of the brain activate when we engage in different types of thought, and often the “language part” remains idle when we’re thinking. In my view, this evidence deals a serious blow to the hopes of achieving “artificial general intelligence” through the scaling of large-language models since, after all, they are language tools (it’s in the name).
Enter now stage left Dr. Paul Cisek, a neuroscientist at the University of Montreal, to throw some gasoline on that fire. Cisek first came across my radar last year when a pithy observation he made about LLMs started making the rounds on social media. You can read his full comment here, but to summarize:
- We know that humans in general can falsely impute intelligence and agency to complex events that take place in the world, as we’ve seen humans do this in the past when interacting with a chatbot such as ELIZA, or claiming the gods make volcanoes explode.
- But although modern-day LLMs are complex, researchers know quite a bit about how they function, through pattern-matching and use of mathematical theories (among other things).
- Thus, although the public may be inclined to attribute sentience and agency to LLMs, scientists should know better. Cisek: “We are like a bunch of professional magicians, who know where all of the little strings and compartments are, and who know how we just redirected the audience’s attention to slip the card in our pocket…but then we are standing around backstage wondering, ‘Maybe there really is magic?’”
There isn’t any magic. But a big challenge we face is that the companies that produce LLMs are willfully trying to convince us otherwise, and are working to take advantage of the human impulse to ascribe agency to these tools.
Cisek’s main claims as I understand them:
- The simple model of the mind as an information processor that takes input and produces output is mistaken.
- We should instead see minds as control systems that guide behavior as part of a continuous process, like a circuit.
- Over hundreds of millions of years, biological evolution has expanded the range and depth of behaviors that our minds can control.
…
…
__________
I have taken several excerpts from the essay above to provide a sense of the overall discussion. It’s an interesting read, not very long, not hard to follow. Well-worth reading. ABN
#AI #analysis #brainScience #history #philosophy #technology -
Student Finds the Psychedelic Fungus the Inventor of LSD Spent His Life Searching For
#brainScience #medicalScience #scienceThe discovery could reshape how we study psychedelic compounds in nature and medicine
At West Virginia University (WVU), Corinne Hazel, an undergraduate major in environmental microbiology, examined morning glory plants for signs of protective chemicals. She wasn’t looking for new drugs or anything psychedelic. But nestled in the folds of a tiny seed coat was a hint of white fuzz.
That fuzz turned out to be a fungus that scientists had been seeking since the 1930s. And this included Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD.
Hofmann offered the world LSD in the late 1930s by modifying a compound called lysergic acid, which he extracted from the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea. That fungus grows on rye and other grains and is well-known for producing ergot alkaloids, a group of chemicals that can be toxic or medicinal depending on the dose.
Hofmann and others searched the plants for a fungus related to Claviceps purpurea, the rye-dwelling microbe that produces ergot alkaloids, a group of potent compounds with powerful biological effects. But for decades, that fungus remained a phantom.
Hazel found it almost by accident.
“We had a ton of plants lying around and they had these tiny little seed coats,” she said. “We noticed a little bit of fuzz in the seed coat. That was our fungus.”
With Panaccione’s guidance, Hazel extracted DNA from the fuzz and sent it for sequencing. The results confirmed what generations of chemists and botanists had only suspected: the morning glory harbored a previously unknown species of ergot-producing fungus.
“Sequencing a genome is a significant thing,” Panaccione said. “It’s amazing for a student.”
-
Smartphone apps are changing how we study everyday brain activity
#Health #AI #Tech #Neuroscience #Innovation #Brain #Apps #Smartphones #MentalHealth #WearableTech #BrainScience #FutureTech #DigitalHealth #Science #BrainActivity #Study #SmartphonesApps
https://the-14.com/smartphone-apps-are-changing-how-we-study-everyday-brain-activity/ -
FIML and cerebral efficiency
This article argues that the human brain saves energy by predicting or imagining “reality” more than actually perceiving it: Do Thrifty Brains Make Better Minds? The article argues that this way of using our brains allows us to work more efficiently with complex data or in complex situations.
I think this general premise is pretty well known and agreed on, but the linked article puts it in a new way. The following sentence caught my eye: This… underlines the surprising extent to which the structure of our expectations (both conscious and non-conscious) may quite literally be determining much of what we see, hear and feel.
The article uses visual perception as an example, but the idea applies just as well, and maybe more so, to what we hear in the speech of others. FIML practice works by inserting a new mental skill between the first arising of a (stored) interpretation and its full-blown acceptance as “reality”.
#brainScience #BuddhistPractice #FunctionalInterpersonalMetaLinguisticsFIML #memory #psycholinguistics #psychology -
Research has long shown that meditation influences brain function, but exactly when changes begin after starting — and how they evolve with continued meditation — has been less clear. A recent study suggests even a few minutes of the practice can positively affect your brain.
#psychology #mindfulness #brainscience #behavior #health #wellness #biology
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/04/23/two-minutes-meditation-brain/ -
The Caputo Effect: Why Your Brain Creates Monsters in the Mirror Under Low Light #CaputoEffect #MirrorIllusion #StrangeFaceIllusion #DarkPsychology #PsychologyFacts #BrainScience #MindMysteries #UnbelievableButTrue #WeirdScience #CognitiveIllusions #DidYouKnow #TrueFacts https://www.gsnsp.com/strange-face-illusion-mirror-distortion/
-
Interoception, proprioception, and perception of dynamic mental states
Interoception means our “perception or sense of internal body states,” including the states of our cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, and thermoregulatory systems among others.
Proprioception means “one’s own” or “ones’ individual” (Latin proprius) “perception.” We normally use this word to refer to our physical position in the world—whether we are standing or sitting, how we are moving, and how much energy we are using.
Both interoception and proprioception generally refer to physical states of the body though, of course, how we interpret those states may involve much more than immediate physical considerations.
Erroneous interoception or the misinterpretation of internal states is is generally thought to be an important contributing factor to many psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and more.
Consider some other levels of interoception—our states of mind; our mental impressions of other people and of ourselves; our senses of our own psychologies.
These levels of psychological reality are normally accessed through introspection, meditation, mindfulness, and psychotherapy. All of these methods are good, but each of them lacks ongoing, real-time input from another human being, thus missing the dynamic functioning of the human mind in real-life situations.
FIML corrects this problem by providing objective, dynamic access to real-time psychological functioning. FIML is a method or tool for optimizing human psychology by honing our perceptions of our mental states as they actually function in real-world situations.
#brainScience #BuddhistPractice #FunctionalInterpersonalMetaLinguisticsFIML #memory #psycholinguistics #psychology -
Why do breakups hurt so much? Researcher put people in MRI scanners to find out. Her answer explains everything.
-
Brain networks act dynamically, rapidly reorganizing on both spatial and temporal scales
A new model of the brain is emerging from research that shows that:
The brain is highly dynamic, reorganizing its activity at different interacting spatial and temporal scales, including variation within and between brain networks. (The spatial chronnectome reveals a dynamic interplay between functional segregation and integration)
Traditionally, models of brain activity have assumed networks were spatially more fixed. More information about this study can be found here: Structure of Brain Networks Is Not Fixed, Study Finds.
In Buddhist literature, it is frequently stated that one’s karma can be completely changed in the “duration of a single thought,” or words to that effect.
If we understand karma to mean the work or ongoing functional habits of the mind, and consider that in light of the above findings, we may fairly conclude that thousands of years of Buddhist practice have been based on valid insights into how our brains actually operate.
Buddhist concepts of non-attachment, emptiness, and impermanence can also be seen in this light. And this would apply both to individual psychology, group psychologies, or the cosmos itself from a Mind Only perspective.
A good tool to have is the understanding that even deep psychological states can be transformed in a moment’s time. Consider also that the Buddha did describe some individual traits as “persistent” or unchanging even after enlightenment.
#brainScience #BuddhistPractice -
Why the Brain Craves Toxic People? 🧠💔 | The Dopamine TrapIt’s not a choice; it’s a chemical addiction. 🧬 In this episode of The Human Lab, we explore the "Intermittent Reward" system. When someone treats you badly and then shows affection, your brain spikes Dopamine like a drug. 🧪 Discover why your mind confuses intensity with passion. 💀#TheHumanLab #Neuroscience #ToxicRelationships #PsychologyFacts #BrainScience #DopamineTrap #MentalHealth #ScienceShorts
-
Why Men Lose Interest After Finishing? 🧠📉 | The Prolactin SecretIt’s not emotional coldness—it’s pure biology. 🧬 In this episode of The Human Lab, we explore the "Prolactin Spike" and "Dopamine Crash" that happens in the male brain after intimacy. Discover why the brain switches to recovery mode and how it differs for women. 🧪💀#TheHumanLab #Neuroscience #BiologyFacts #HormoneHealth #BrainScience #Dopamine #Prolactin #ScienceShorts
-
Connection isn't just physical; it's neurological. 🧬 When your body senses another, your mind lowers its guard. This is the science of safety. 🧪 Welcome to The Human Lab, where we decode the invisible signals of life. 💀
.
.
#TheHumanLab #BrainScience #Humanity #Biology -
Small habits that actually move the needle for ADHD brains: exercise before hard tasks, protein at breakfast, body doubling, timers over willpower, consistent sleep. None of this is motivation. It's neuroscience.
-
Recent brain imaging proves a shift in understanding. AuDHD isn’t just “autism + ADHD.”
Co-occurring brains feature a distinct frontoparietal pattern. They also show unstable control networks. These markers differ from either condition in isolation.
Source: https://www.eneuro.org/content/10/7/ENEURO.0146-23.2023
-
exo-SCIENCE: Scientists Put a Fruit Fly’s Brain Into a Computer #Simulation — What It Did Next Shocked Everyone... - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvL5NlpYauk #KünstlicheIntelligenz #KI #Software #Biologie #Neurowissenschaft #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #biology #BrainScience #NeuroScience
-
Indian Institute of Science Researchers Identify Brain Mechanism for Stress-Induced Itch Suppression
IISc researchers found a brain pathway that stops itching when stressed. This could help treat long-term itch problems. Learn how it works.
#IIScResearch, #BrainScience, #ItchRelief, #StressResponse, #MedicalDiscovery
-
Scientists at IISc discovered a brain circuit that turns off itching during stress. This finding is important because it could lead to new ways to help people with constant itching.
#IIScResearch, #BrainScience, #ItchRelief, #StressResponse, #MedicalDiscovery
-
Psychedelics increase neuroplasticity — helping the brain form new connections, break rigid thinking, and create new pathways for healing, learning, and emotional reset. #Neuroplasticity #Psychedelics #MentalHealth #Psilocybin #BrainScience #Healing #M
-
The study found that so-called super-agers — people 80 and up who have the memory ability of someone 30 years younger — had roughly twice as many new neurons as older adults with normal memory for their age, and 2.5 times more than people with Alzheimer’s disease. The research focused on an area of the brain called the hippocampus, which is important for learning and memory and is thought to be the primary birthplace of new neurons.
#BrainScience #science #aging
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/well/mind/super-agers-brain-neurons.html -
:awesome: ✨️ 💫 🧠 The area of the anterior mid-cingular cortex is bigger in super-agers 👵🧓
Therefore, I’d say it’s fair to say this aged well 😏✨
🦆💨 Duck and cover…#nope #Neuroscience #SuperAgers #BrainScience #AgingWell #CognitiveHealth #NerdHumor :awesome: ✨ 💫:awesome: ✨️ 💫 I hope that no anterior mid-cingulate cortices were shrunk while reading this… XD
-
Scientists at U. Glasgow explore how the eye's blind spot 🧠👁️—filled in by our brain's illusions—could unlock consciousness theories like IIT & Predictive Processing. Mind-bending research! https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a70237632/blind-spot-consciousness/ #Neuroscience #Consciousness #BrainScience
-
Scientists discover hidden brain cells that repair spinal cord injuries, offering breakthrough hope for paralysis, stroke, and multiple sclerosis patients.
#SpinalCordInjury #Neuroscience #LesionRemoteAstrocytes #Astrocytes #BrainScience
https://www.scientificworldinfo.com/2026/02/scientists-reveal-secret-repair-system-spinal-cord.html
