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Study uncovers why almost winning is just as good for some gamblers

By Guest PostMarch 5, 2014General, Sciencechanges in brain, frequency range, gambler, gambling history, magnetoencephalography, meg, natalia lawrence, ofc, orbitofrontal cortex, payline, simon dymond, swansea university, university of exeter, winning

A new study led by the University of Exeter and Swansea University has pinpointed the changes in the brain that lead gamblers to react in the same way to near-misses as they do to winning.

The research shows that near-misses are underpinned by increases in the brain’s electrical activity, particularly in the theta frequency range – known to be involved in processing win and loss outcomes.

They found that these increases in theta are linked to both how severe someone’s gambling history is and how susceptible they might be to developing a future gambling problem. (more…)

How sleep helps brain learn motor task

By Guest PostAugust 26, 2013Healthbrain, brain region, brainwave frequency, delta brainwave oscillation, magnetoencephalography, masako tamaki, massachusetts general hospital, meg, meg oscillations, motor task, playing piano, polysomnography, sigma, sleep, sma, supplementary motor area, tsung ren huang, yuka sasaki

Sleep helps the brain consolidate what we’ve learned, but scientists have struggled to determine what goes on in the brain to make that happen for different kinds of learned tasks. In a new study, researchers pinpoint the brainwave frequencies and brain region associated with sleep-enhanced learning of a sequential finger tapping task akin to typing, or playing piano.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — You take your piano lesson, you go to sleep and when you wake up your fingers are better able to play that beautiful sequence of notes. How does sleep make that difference? A new study helps to explain what happens in your brain during those fateful, restful hours when motor learning takes hold. (more…)

A Neural Basis for Benefits of Meditation

By Guest PostFebruary 28, 2013Healthalpha rhythms, alpha theory, alpha wave amplitude, benefits of meditation, body, brain imaging technology, brain process, breath sensations, brown university, brown university scientists, catherine kerr, christopher moore, chronic pain, chronic pain signals, computer simulation, cortex, cortical alpha rhythms, depression, depressive cognitions, electrical activity, emotional benefits, filters sensations, localized alpha brainwaves, localized alpha rhythms, magnetoencephalography, mapped by brain, massachusetts general hospital, matthew sacchet, meg, mind and body, mindfulness meditation training, model, modulate alpha, negative physical sensations, negative thoughts, neural basis, neural networks, primary somatosensory cortex, professor of neuroscience, reduces distress, regions of thalamus, sara lazar, sensory, somatosensory alpha rhythms, stanford university, stephanie jones, thalamic nuclei, volume knob

Mindfulness meditation training in awareness of present moment experience, such as body and breath sensations, prevents depression and reduces distress in chronic pain. In a new paper, Brown University scientists propose a neurophysiological framework to explain these clinical benefits.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Why does training in mindfulness meditation help patients manage chronic pain and depression? In a newly published neurophysiological review, Brown University scientists propose that mindfulness practitioners gain enhanced control over sensory cortical alpha rhythms that help regulate how the brain processes and filters sensations, including pain, and memories such as depressive cognitions. (more…)

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Study uncovers why almost winning is just as good for some gamblers

How sleep helps brain learn motor task

A Neural Basis for Benefits of Meditation