Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qXe_aKmPdoY

We’ve known for years that unique and surprising stimuli foster better learning.  A Belgian study, just published in the journal Neuron now tells us how this happens.

Using a mouse model, the neuroscientists demonstrated that novel fragrances versus familiar ones trigger the brain cells that produce and release dopamine, a learning catalyst.  When they blocked dopamine production, the animals’ learning suffered.

To turbocharge knowledge gain, get out of your ruts by seeking new adventures.  Take new routes and friends to work, talk to strangers, and try something new each week.  Pump up your dopamine reserves.  Eat foods like almonds, bananas, avocados, beans, eggs, and fish.  Exercise more, sleep bettter, and enjoy music. 

Joachim Morrens, Çağatay Aydin, Aliza Janse van Rensburg, José Esquivelzeta Rabell, Sebastian Haesler. Cue-Evoked Dopamine Promotes Conditioned Responding during Learning. Neuron, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.012

#novelty #dopamine #learning

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qXe_aKmPdoY

We’ve known for years that unique and surprising stimuli foster better learning.  A Belgian study, just published in the journal Neuron now tells us how this happens.

Using a mouse model, the neuroscientists demonstrated that novel fragrances versus familiar ones trigger the brain cells that produce and release dopamine, a learning catalyst.  When they blocked dopamine production, the animals’ learning suffered.

To turbocharge knowledge gain, get out of your ruts by seeking new adventures.  Take new routes and friends to work, talk to strangers, and try something new each week.  Pump up your dopamine reserves.  Eat foods like almonds, bananas, avocados, beans, eggs, and fish.  Exercise more, sleep bettter, and enjoy music. 

Joachim Morrens, Çağatay Aydin, Aliza Janse van Rensburg, José Esquivelzeta Rabell, Sebastian Haesler. Cue-Evoked Dopamine Promotes Conditioned Responding during Learning. Neuron, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.012

#novelty #dopamine #learning

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eK0gG8io0SY

Your friends eating habits, known to you via Twitter, Instagram, and TicTok, profoundly influence your own.  When they eat fruits and vegetables, you will be more likely to do the same now that you know.

A study from the UK’s Aston University surveyed 369 undergrads about their eating habits and media use.  Besides the positive, the tabulated results also show that junk food fans pass their bad habits to their online followers.

You have to power to get yourself healthy and do the same for your friends.   If you aren’t eating healthy, pretend you are online as a gift to your friends.  Then think about why you have to pretend.

Lily K. Hawkins, Claire Farrow, Jason M. Thomas. Do perceived norms of social media users’ eating habits and preferences predict our own food consumption and BMI? Appetite, 2020; 149: 104611 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104611

#socialmedia #eating #diet #twitter #instagram #tictok #facebook

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eK0gG8io0SY

Your friends eating habits, known to you via Twitter, Instagram, and TicTok, profoundly influence your own.  When they eat fruits and vegetables, you will be more likely to do the same now that you know.

A study from the UK’s Aston University surveyed 369 undergrads about their eating habits and media use.  Besides the positive, the tabulated results also show that junk food fans pass their bad habits to their online followers.

You have to power to get yourself healthy and do the same for your friends.   If you aren’t eating healthy, pretend you are online as a gift to your friends.  Then think about why you have to pretend.

Lily K. Hawkins, Claire Farrow, Jason M. Thomas. Do perceived norms of social media users’ eating habits and preferences predict our own food consumption and BMI? Appetite, 2020; 149: 104611 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104611

#socialmedia #eating #diet #twitter #instagram #tictok #facebook

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/43XfUWWch4Y

The bucket seat cradling you contains the toxic organophosphate flame retardant TDCIPP.   The longer your commute, the more danger you face.  A just published study from UC-Riverside tested 90 non-residential college students traveling to their classes.

The participants wore silicone wristbands that accumulate airborne organics.  The data confirm that TDCIPP exposure rises with every minute you spend in your vehicle.  As you seat cushion’s foam fragments, the toxins in the particles it generates get into your body.

TDCIPP, also known as chlorinated tris, has been banned from other furniture foam, but not from  your car.  Your only defense is eliminating the toxic dust by vacuuming your car often.

Aalekhya Reddam, George Tait, Nicholas Herkert, Stephanie C. Hammel, Heather M. Stapleton, David C. Volz. Longer commutes are associated with increased human exposure to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate. Environment International, 2020; 136: 105499 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105499

#TDCIPP #chlorinatedtris #flameretardant #commuting #automobiles

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/43XfUWWch4Y

The bucket seat cradling you contains the toxic organophosphate flame retardant TDCIPP.   The longer your commute, the more danger you face.  A just published study from UC-Riverside tested 90 non-residential college students traveling to their classes.

The participants wore silicone wristbands that accumulate airborne organics.  The data confirm that TDCIPP exposure rises with every minute you spend in your vehicle.  As you seat cushion’s foam fragments, the toxins in the particles it generates get into your body.

TDCIPP, also known as chlorinated tris, has been banned from other furniture foam, but not from  your car.  Your only defense is eliminating the toxic dust by vacuuming your car often.

Aalekhya Reddam, George Tait, Nicholas Herkert, Stephanie C. Hammel, Heather M. Stapleton, David C. Volz. Longer commutes are associated with increased human exposure to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate. Environment International, 2020; 136: 105499 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105499

#TDCIPP #chlorinatedtris #flameretardant #commuting #automobiles

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Sek3E-X63SM

You’ll make your best choice faster by quickly narrowing your alternatives to a pair.  Swiss psychologists now report the dynamics of this process after their study of 129 subjects attempting to finalize food choices from a menu.

The investigators unraveled the decision-making process by following the participants’ eye movements.  Those who arrived at a final choice most quickly, rapidly chose two possibilities as an intermediate step.

When selecting an entrée or a partner, use this rule of twos.  Whittle down your alternatives to a pair of the best.  Then focus on the pros and cons of each.  If a final decision eludes you, don’t stress but rather flip a coin. 

Sebastian Gluth, Nadja Kern, Maria Kortmann, Cécile L. Vitali. Value-based attention but not divisive normalization influences decisions with multiple alternatives. Nature Human Behaviour, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0822-0

#decisionmaking #humanbehavior #selection

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Sek3E-X63SM

You’ll make your best choice faster by quickly narrowing your alternatives to a pair.  Swiss psychologists now report the dynamics of this process after their study of 129 subjects attempting to finalize food choices from a menu.

The investigators unraveled the decision-making process by following the participants’ eye movements.  Those who arrived at a final choice most quickly, rapidly chose two possibilities as an intermediate step.

When selecting an entrée or a partner, use this rule of twos.  Whittle down your alternatives to a pair of the best.  Then focus on the pros and cons of each.  If a final decision eludes you, don’t stress but rather flip a coin. 

Sebastian Gluth, Nadja Kern, Maria Kortmann, Cécile L. Vitali. Value-based attention but not divisive normalization influences decisions with multiple alternatives. Nature Human Behaviour, 2020; DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0822-0

#decisionmaking #humanbehavior #selection

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/n8Fx1Wj1qzY

Aortic valve replacement by a minimally-invasive transcatheter technique, TAVR, yields long term results equal to those of open heart surgery.  Both restore a patient’s life expectancy to normal without an undue risk of post-op stroke.  

A just published multi-site study led by cardiologists at LA’s Cedar-Sinai Hospital followed more than 2,000 patients for 5 years following valve replacement.   Half underwent catheter and half surgery.  A study published last year revealed that catheter valve replacements had a 50% lower incidence of immediate bleeding, stroke, and death.

Not everyone is a candidate for TAVR.  If your doctors are recommending aortic valve replacement, do ask about it.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200130104927.htm

https://www.dicardiology.com/content/tavr-performs-well-compared-surgical-aortic-valve-replacement-low-risk-patients

#TAVR #aorticvalvereplacement #transcatheter #heartsurgery

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/n8Fx1Wj1qzY

Aortic valve replacement by a minimally-invasive transcatheter technique, TAVR, yields long term results equal to those of open heart surgery.  Both restore a patient’s life expectancy to normal without an undue risk of post-op stroke.  

A just published multi-site study led by cardiologists at LA’s Cedar-Sinai Hospital followed more than 2,000 patients for 5 years following valve replacement.   Half underwent catheter and half surgery.  A study published last year revealed that catheter valve replacements had a 50% lower incidence of immediate bleeding, stroke, and death.

Not everyone is a candidate for TAVR.  If your doctors are recommending aortic valve replacement, do ask about it.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200130104927.htm

https://www.dicardiology.com/content/tavr-performs-well-compared-surgical-aortic-valve-replacement-low-risk-patients

#TAVR #aorticvalvereplacement #transcatheter #heartsurgery