Narcolepsy

             By: Jean Luc M.

     "Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001805/) When Narcolepsy attacks there is nothing that the person can do! They just fall to sleep anywhere, and there is nothing that they can do. I believe that suffering from this syndrome is something really bad, because you could randomly fall down and sleep; anywhere and at any time. They think that this could be either genetic or it could be a biological disorder. 

http://catherine333.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/kitten20with20narcolepsy.jpg

      They still don´t know and haven´t confirmed if it was either something that is carried in the family or if its something that could be cause upon any type of mutation in the genetically structure of the person. This week we have been watching a series of video´s that confirm many types of ideas over this mutation. In this videos we saw a man who could not maintain him self more than 10 mins with out suffering of a Narc. Attack. for this he had to use a helmet to where ever he should go in the house.             

      If he felt tired his brain would automatically shut down like a computer with a virus. He didn't have a life, because he couldn't even go out of his house. 

Narcolepsy

             By: Jean Luc M.

               "Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001805/) When Narcolepsy attacks there is nothing that the person can do! They just fall to sleep anywhere, and there is nothing that they can do. I believe that suffering from this syndrome is something really bad, because you could randomly fall down and sleep; anywhere and at any time. They think that this could be either genetic or it could be a biological disorder. 
             They still don´t know and haven´t confirmed if it was either something that is carried in the family or if its something that could be cause upon any type of mutation in the genetically structure of the person. This week we have been watching a series of video´s that confirm many types of ideas over this mutation. In this videos we saw a man who could not maintain him self more than 10 mins with out suffering of a Narc. Attack. for this he had to use a helmet to where ever he should go in the house. 
             If he felt tired his brain would automatically shut down like a computer with a virus. He didn't have a life, because he couldn't even go out of his house. 

http://catherine333.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/kitten20with20narcolepsy.jpg

Sleeping:

WHY should we sleep? 

by: Jean Luc M. 

http://nuevotiempo.org/mundoactual/files/2009/08/sonambulo.jpg

            Why is it that we always have to sleep? Can there be some way in which we can continually live our life always awake, and never sleep? Well, there are many theories in which they talk about why we sleep, and it tells you that you should sleep certain hours etc. But I believe that sleeping is just an action by the body to tell you that you’re tired, and that they need to rest. I believe it is really good to sleep even though, for m y sport experience I have learned that sleeping, give you like this little bust of energy which makes you do thing better; helps you focus; helps  you understand and learn better. I personally believe that If I don’t sleep well I can’t focus in class, or watch different video and stuff. But as a form of common belief a person can’t live without sleeping! Is this true? What happens to your brain then if you don’t sleep..? And well many things could change if you don’t sleep...You day dream, or start to see things that are not really there or present.  So my recommendation is that you sleep all you want and party all night! 

Sensory Deprivation and It's Affect on the Brain

Sensory Deprivation and It's Affect on the Brain

By: Jean Luc M. 

                    Could sensory deprivation really turn you crazy? Well, I believe it could. Right after the video that we saw in class, I could infer that out of 6 participants in the test by psychologist, 5 (five) of the participants left the cells transformed. So could this change a person for life? Well I believe that it does, because without our sense we are nothing, we can’t smell, touch, see, and even understand what another person is trying to tell. Around the world, many countries have used this technique to overcome the enemies SPYS; and it has given great results. Which by logic, you could infer that this technique has become more and more common in special military bases.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJskAwCvFUzAKHZ0QTjHAEuAJKA5yqiyCZLvWW714SMy898ibn&t=1

              Why is it so efficient? Well there are many theories which conclude on why is this threatening technique so efficient. I believe that it’s because a person suffers without all his senses, but there has been many changes to this. Instead of lacking of sense, they over give them sense. This causes a major effect on the person. But this is not it, they also use to make them have for example, One day they can’t use their senses at all; but right after the next morning they have an over sense acts, in which they over stimulate their sense.  In conclusion I believe this is a efficient technique, and that it is very malicious and connote. 

Mental Abilities: Genius, Savant and Autism

Mental Abilities: Genius, Savant and Autism

By: Jean Luc M.

1. Explain in detail what "savant syndrome" means.

I believe that a Savant syndrome is a syndrome born with, which gives the individual physical and mental abilities superior from the normal people. Usually, scientist will infer that this people have received their power and abilities from a shot down from their left side of their brain, and this activates completely the rights side. 

http://www.mrsonnier.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Stephen-Wiltshire-Autistic-Artist-4.jpg

2. What does genius mean?  Explain the difference between genius and savant.

Genius is someone who has become, or has natural ideas and has become the way he is by the time in which he has constantly done some stuff. While the Savant is a person who is born with the special abilities which make him spark in between the normal people.

3. What is a stroke and how could it affect your mental functioning?

A stroke is a block in the veins conducting to the head which are product of a lack of blood to the brain. How could this affect the mind?  Well I believe that it specifically affects the mind in the mechanical and the logical thinking sides. Why? Easy, because there is no blood running to the part of the brain that needs it. Their actions slow, and the mind changes.

4. What is a functional MRI and how does it help us understand brain activity?

An MRI is a test done by doctors to evaluate the condition in which the brain is. It helps us understand brain activities while the doctors show a series of item to the person, and the computers show the place in the brain which the sensors have been activated; So it gives in depth detail of who where the brain activity is exactly when an action or thing is presented to the humans. 

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2003/mri_press1.jpg 

5. What is the corpus callosum and what role does it play in your brain's activity?

The corpus callosum (Latin: tough body), also known as the colossal commissural, is a wide, flat bundle of neural fibers beneath the cortex in the eutherian brain at the longitudinal fissure. It connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres and facilitates inter-hemispheric communication. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_callosum) It is important to the brain activity because it gives the brain the ideas and its where both the right and left hemispheres unite. I mean it’s where the ideas are organized from both sides of the brain.

6. What is epilepsy and how might it affect your brain's abilities?

Epilepsy is a syndrome suffered by people which have problems with their nervous systems. This concludes into losing track of time, and many other psychological effects. It affects the brain in the way in which you stop thinking rationally, and the body goes crazy. As for instance they body shakes and shakes and the brain too, as the brain is nervous. 

http://healthkut.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/epilepsy-recovery.jpg

7. What is autism?

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

8. What is Asperger's Syndrome?

It’s when a kid or child has problems with anxiety, and doesn’t know how to conclude very well. It is really difficult to the people who behold this sickness to conclude very well, as they are giving simple instructions and signs. 

Synesthesia

Synesthesia

By: Jean Luc M. 

We recently learned about a rare condition called "synesthesia".  Using internet research, explain each of the terms below:

1. Synesthesia:

Synesthesia is an involuntary joining in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense. In addition to being involuntary, this additional perception is regarded by the synesthete as real, often outside the body, instead of imagined in the mind's eye. It also has some other interesting features that clearly separate it from artistic fancy or purple prose. (http://web.mit.edu/synesthesia/www/)

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/synesthesia-3.jpg

2. grapheme-color synesthesia

Grapheme → color synesthesia is a form of synesthesia in which an individual's perception of numbers and letters is associated with the experience of colors. Like all forms of synesthesia, grapheme →color synesthesia is involuntary, consistent, and memorable. Grapheme → color synesthesia is one of the most common forms of synesthesia, and because of the extensive knowledge of the visual system, one of the most studied. (http://uk.ask.com/wiki/Grapheme-color_synesthesia)

http://www.evsc.net/v8/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/synabc.jpg

3. ordinal-linguistic personification  

I found it quite similar to what I did and went to research it. I found out that for me, it’s Ordinal Linguistic Personification (OLP). I associate words, letters or numbers with a personality. It’s a rare form of synesthesia and thus lesser studied(http://theparfaitprincey.wordpress.com/2010/03/05/ordinal-linguistic-personification/) 

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/sf/1016_syn01.jpg

4. number-form synesthesia

A number form is a mental map of numbers, which automatically and involuntarily appears whenever someone who experiences number-forms thinks of numbers. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_form)

http://annarosekerr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/synesthesia-alphabet1.jpg

5. sound-color synesthesia

In sound–>colour synesthesia, individuals experience colours as a response to music/sounds. Sound–>colour synesthesia can be further broken down into two categories, “Narrow band” and “Broad band” sound->colour synesthesia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia)

http://www.bluecatsandchartreusekittens.com/voorkantomslag.jpg

6. lexical-gustatory synesthesia

Lexical → gustatory synesthesia is one of the rarer forms of synesthesia, in which spoken or written words evoke vivid sensations of taste, sometimes including temperature and texture. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexical-gustatory_synesthesia) 

http://media.mlive.com/grpress/news_impact/photo/mackenzie-young-grapheme-color-synesthesia-3acb163c34a8bf31_large.jpg

Accidental Genius?

Accidental Genius?

By: Jean Luc M.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTACI9bo5DlJVlpvM-KG5ariOhyAq5SDw5uUvUB4Y-Rqz_hTXbq&t=1

                  Can you become an accidental genius? Can it be possible that out of nowhere you can become so intelligent in something that you become some kind of “savant”? Well, precisely in class we were discussing about becoming a genius or being a genius! I personally believe that you can become a genius if you put enough effort and give up to a normal life. AS we could see in the video, many of those who became those accidental genuses are people who don’t live a normal life. They are the ones who live in the Libraries our that lack the sociable side, and their humor. They don’t have much more interaction than what they are learning with them self, and even to those who are part of their families they talk very little to. The video shows that they have an amazing power, but yet I believe that the social side is very important as knowledge is.