Tag: brain science

Categories
Technology The Internet

Read The Shallows

Read The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains

Nicholas Carr’s bestseller The Shallows has become a foundational book in one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the internet’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply? This 10th-anniversary edition includes a new afterword that brings the story up to date, with a deep examination of the cognitive and behavioral effects of smartphones and social media.

I didn’t expect a tech book more than ten years old to feel so relevant. There are a few dated passages, but on the whole it’s very aligned with our technological path, even if we’re a bit farther along. I’d say there’s a little too much detail on brain science, but overall this feels invaluable. I’m very glad to have read it.

I read the 10th anniversary edition and appreciated the new afterword.

Categories
Health Science

More research shows that COVID is much more than the flu

The number of young and middle aged people dying from heart issues has increased since the start of the pandemic.

The excess death, defined as the difference between the observed and the predicted mortality rates, was most pronounced for the youngest (25–44 years) aged decedents, ranging from 23% to 34% for the youngest compared to 13%–18% for the oldest age groups.

Yeo, YH, Wang, M, He, X, et al. Excess risk for acute myocardial infarction mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Med Virol. 2022; 1– 11. doi:10.1002/jmv.28187

 

COVID-19 activates similar response to Parkinson’s disease, study suggests

Lead researcher Trent Woodruff, from the university’s neuro-inflammation laboratory, said the findings illustrated a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Categories
Art and Design Cool Mental Health

Looking at art makes your brain happier

Liked Canadian Doctors Will Soon Be Able to Prescribe Museum Visits as Treatment by Molly EnkingMolly Enking (Smithsonian Magazine)

Hélène Boyer explains that museum visits have been shown to increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter colloquially known as the “happy chemical” due to its mood-boosting properties…According to Boyer, the uptick in hormones associated with enjoying an afternoon of art is similar to that offered by exercise…

Also in Brussels this year

So there’s a chemical reason I like going to museums 😂

Curious if anyone has studied whether the effects hold from a virtual visit 🤔