A new study in mice shows a connection between gut microbiome and willingness to exercise. Could this discovery lead to improved motivation to exercise in humans? Possibly, but we don’t yet know if humans share the same pathway. A study from the University of Pennsylvania, published in Nature on December 14, 2022 reported… read more "Motivation to Exercise in Mice"
The Riddle of Consciousness
For most of human history, people have assumed that some kind of vitalistic essence had to be added to matter to produce life. The belief in an immaterial soul was pervasive. At one point, scientists even tried to weigh the soul by weighing a body right before and after death,… read more "The Riddle of Consciousness"
SPECT Scans at the Amen Clinic – A New Phrenology?
Phrenology was a 19th century pseudoscience that claimed to associate brain areas with specific personality traits. It was based on palpating bumps on the skull and was totally bogus. New brain imaging procedures are giving us real insights into brain function in health and disease. They are still blunt instruments,… read more "SPECT Scans at the Amen Clinic – A New Phrenology?"
A Skeptical View of SPECT Scans and Dr. Daniel Amen
Daniel G. Amen, M.D., runs the Amen Clinics, writes books, gives lectures, maintains a Web site, and makes other media appearances. He recommends single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to help diagnose and manage cases of brain trauma, underachievement, school failure, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety, aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain… read more "A Skeptical View of SPECT Scans and Dr. Daniel Amen"