o1

Your Brain Is a Your Brain Is a

Work in ProgressWork in Progress

Your Brain Is a Your Brain Is a

Work in ProgressWork in Progress

Brain and Brain and ConsciousnessConsciousness

Sun Monday Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat

Sept 11: Paradigms 13: Brain Develop-ment

Sept Mongolia Conference

Sept Yom Kippur 27: Sleeping

28: TM and TC

Oct 2: Science and Pseudoscience

4: Other Meditations

Oct 9: Cosmic Consciousness

Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00

Drfredtravis.com for copy of lecture power points

Our Brain Is Our Brain Is Unassembled at BirthUnassembled at Birth

Our Brain Is Our Brain Is Unassembled at BirthUnassembled at Birth

Dendrites, Dendritic Dendrites, Dendritic spinesspines

Dendrites, Dendritic Dendrites, Dendritic spinesspines

Synaptic connections naturally Synaptic connections naturally increase during first 3 years of life.increase during first 3 years of life.

Number of Connections Increases Number of Connections Increases and then Decreasesand then Decreases

Number of Connections Increases Number of Connections Increases and then Decreasesand then Decreases

oYears

Why High Synaptic Density Why High Synaptic Density from 2-9 Years?from 2-9 Years?

Why High Synaptic Density Why High Synaptic Density from 2-9 Years?from 2-9 Years?

– This is a physiological This is a physiological counterpart of counterpart of all all possibilities.possibilities. This sets the This sets the stage for ongoing experience stage for ongoing experience to enliven specific cortical to enliven specific cortical circuits to deal with current circuits to deal with current experiences. experiences.

– This is a physiological This is a physiological counterpart of counterpart of all all possibilities.possibilities. This sets the This sets the stage for ongoing experience stage for ongoing experience to enliven specific cortical to enliven specific cortical circuits to deal with current circuits to deal with current experiences. experiences.

Why Synaptic Pruning from Why Synaptic Pruning from 10-18 Years?10-18 Years?

Why Synaptic Pruning from Why Synaptic Pruning from 10-18 Years?10-18 Years?

– Pruning is not bad (garden Pruning is not bad (garden analogy)analogy)

– Pruning eliminates Pruning eliminates connections that are not used, connections that are not used, and strengthens brain and strengthens brain connections that are used.connections that are used.• This optimizes our ability to This optimizes our ability to

interact with the environment.interact with the environment.

– Pruning is not bad (garden Pruning is not bad (garden analogy)analogy)

– Pruning eliminates Pruning eliminates connections that are not used, connections that are not used, and strengthens brain and strengthens brain connections that are used.connections that are used.• This optimizes our ability to This optimizes our ability to

interact with the environment.interact with the environment.

Glial: Myelination—speed up the action potential 20 timesGlial: Myelination—speed up the action potential 20 times

Schwann Schwann Cell (body)Cell (body)

Oligodendroglia Oligodendroglia (brain)(brain)

Notice the Orderliness of Notice the Orderliness of Axonal Connections Axonal Connections

Notice the Orderliness of Notice the Orderliness of Axonal Connections Axonal Connections

1. Development1. Development1. Development1. Development

Why might we learn Word of Wisdom at age 5, TM Why might we learn Word of Wisdom at age 5, TM at 10, and TM-Sidhis at 15 years?at 10, and TM-Sidhis at 15 years?

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40+

Years

Experience Interacts with Experience Interacts with Natural Maturation Natural Maturation

Experience Interacts with Experience Interacts with Natural Maturation Natural Maturation Maturati

on Experience Experience

Am

ou

nt

of

Infl

uen

ce

Neuroplasticity: Experiences Neuroplasticity: Experiences changes the brainchanges the brain

Neuroplasticity: Experiences Neuroplasticity: Experiences changes the brainchanges the brain

Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical plasticity: from synapses to maps. plasticity: from synapses to maps. Annual Review Annual Review of Neuroscienceof Neuroscience, 21, 149-, 21, 149-186186

Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical plasticity: from synapses to maps. plasticity: from synapses to maps. Annual Review Annual Review of Neuroscienceof Neuroscience, 21, 149-, 21, 149-186186

Dendritic Spines change Dendritic Spines change Minute-by-MinuteMinute-by-Minute

Dendritic Spines change Dendritic Spines change Minute-by-MinuteMinute-by-Minute

Exercise:Exercise:Let’s pretend we Let’s pretend we

are neurons.are neurons.

Exercise:Exercise:Let’s pretend we Let’s pretend we

are neurons.are neurons.

Neurons cannot Neurons cannot move, but they can move, but they can move their arms move their arms around, and even around, and even grow new arms….grow new arms….

Neurons cannot Neurons cannot move, but they can move, but they can move their arms move their arms around, and even around, and even grow new arms….grow new arms….

I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly the “tap” makes it to the back. the “tap” makes it to the back.

I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly the “tap” makes it to the back. the “tap” makes it to the back.

Your Brain is a River, Your Brain is a River, Not a RockNot a Rock

Your Brain is a River, Your Brain is a River, Not a RockNot a Rock

70% of connections change every day….

London Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab Drivers

It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones

It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones

Same decisions = Same brain patterns

New decisions = New brain patterns

Evans & Schamberg (2009) Childhood poverty, chronic stress, and adult working memory, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(16) 6545–6549

Reduced Reduced frontal frontal (executive (executive center) and center) and hippocampal hippocampal (memory) (memory) volume.volume.

Negative ExperiencesNegative ExperiencesNegative ExperiencesNegative Experiences

Number of violent films

Behavioral Data: After watching violent Behavioral Data: After watching violent movies, you are less likely to help others.movies, you are less likely to help others.

““The Brain That Repairs Itself”The Brain That Repairs Itself”““The Brain That Repairs Itself”The Brain That Repairs Itself”

• Antibiotic led to Antibiotic led to dizzinessdizziness

• Antibiotic led to Antibiotic led to dizzinessdizziness

• Restricted Mitt Technology Restricted Mitt Technology for stroke victimsfor stroke victims

Education: Education: Encounter New IdeasEncounter New Ideas

Education: Education: Encounter New IdeasEncounter New Ideas

When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:

Mackey et al, 2012, Frontiers in Neuroanatomy

Increased Myelination in frontal executive

circuits.

It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones

It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones

FEEDFEED

• FocusFocus

• EffortEffort

• EffortlessnessEffortlessness

• DeterminationDetermination

Arden, Rewire Your BrainArden, Rewire Your Brain

Transcending thought is Transcending thought is infinitely more valuable infinitely more valuable

than thinking. than thinking. --Maharishi--Maharishi

Transcending thought is Transcending thought is infinitely more valuable infinitely more valuable

than thinking. than thinking. --Maharishi--Maharishi

Four Months TM PracticeFour Months TM PracticeFour Months TM PracticeFour Months TM Practice

Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991

Front

Center

Back

Eight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM Practice

Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991

Front

Center

Back

Main Point Main Point Main Point Main Point Biologically driven processes sculpt the number of connections (synapses) and nature of the output fibers (myelination). The maturation of brain structure and functioning allows increasingly abstract levels of inner experience to be maintained in a stable way including growth towards enlightenment.

Biologically driven processes sculpt the number of connections (synapses) and nature of the output fibers (myelination). The maturation of brain structure and functioning allows increasingly abstract levels of inner experience to be maintained in a stable way including growth towards enlightenment.

Group DiscussionGroup DiscussionGroup DiscussionGroup Discussion

Why does it take time to Why does it take time to evolve?evolve?

Why does it take time to Why does it take time to evolve?evolve?

Brain Activity Associated Brain Activity Associated with General Intelligence with General Intelligence Brain Activity Associated Brain Activity Associated with General Intelligence with General Intelligence