Brainstorming II

PSYC 674.101

Topics

• Nutritional Neuroscience

• The “self” effect and evolution

• Stress and cognitive performance

• Your ideas…

Systems and Circuits

Multiple levels of organizationMultiple levels of organization

Synapses and Neurons

Genes and Molecules

Behavior and Cognition

Free radicals: ROSany species capable of independent existence

that contains one or more unpaired electrons • hydroxyl radicals • lipid oxyl or peroxyl radicals• singlet oxygen• peroxinitrite

free radicals "steal" electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, resulting in cell damage.

Antioxidantsmolecules capable of slowing or preventing

the oxidation of other molecules

• Vitamin C and E

• Various enzymes – Catalase– Superoxide dismutase– Peroxidases

The “hot” antioxidants

• Polyphenols – plant derived chemicals containing more than one phenol group– Flavonoids – secondary metabolites (not

directly involved in growth and development but may contribute to long-term survival and fecundity).

• Proanthocyanin, Procyanidinwas discovered in 1936 by Jacques Masquelier and called vitamin P (associated with the color in fruits and bitter taste of seeds).

can procyanidins improve cognition?

• Red wine• Tea• Cocoa• Berry fruit

Presumably through antioxidant activity but other mechanisms related to signal transduction are possible.

The wine diethttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/global/2006/11/27/hwinediet27.xml

naked scientist segment…

Cocoa may be better than wine and tea

Comparison of cocoa products

Comparison of Cocoa products

Stawberries improved

hippocampal-based place

learning, blueberries improved

striatal-based reversal learning

Gogi (wolf) berries

ORAC measures

The “self effect”

Julian Keenan http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/season1_2005.html

Seeing oneself (with the right hemisphere) in computer-generated morphs….

Perhaps one evolutionary advantage is to “see” oneself in real morphs that are a 50/50 genetic combination of two people, aiding in paternal identification.

Stress effects

Is there a sex difference in the “half-life of the ANS”?

Would a psychologically-induced stressor influence learning performance?

Robert Sapolsky on Radio LabWhere am I http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2006/05/05

(3:38 – phantom limbs segment)

Stress http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2005/02/11 (15:00 - )