Welcome Back Brainiacs!!! 😉

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Have you ever contemplated the magnificence of this powerful organ that defines who we are?

While slightly intimidating, in addition to confusing for even the most seasoned scientist to fully comprehend; neuroscience is fun!

• Upon reading this, you can impress your friends with your newly acquired brainy scientific knowledge.

  Hence, without further ado here are some…

Strange Things Our Brains May Contain

• WARNING!!! This post may contain some scientific language. No worries, I will walk you through them step by step.

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• A Homunculus

          Our somatosensory cortex (a specialized brain area crucial to the perception of touch and body sensation) contains a bundle of nerves specifically grouped to respond to a specific body (somatic) area.

This structure actually creates a depiction of our entire bodies; mapped in our brains! Let that sink in before I reveal the next mind-blowing facts:

• Our brains representation differs from the anatomically correct version one would imagine a person to look like realistically.
• Here is what a Homunculus looks like in two ways of scientific representation:
• Firstly, as so

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• Secondly it is depicted here:

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• Fun fact we also have another one in our primary motor cortex that is proportioned for movement, as this area helps facilitate it. In the above representation of our bodies, more cortical space (area on the surface of the brain) is dedicated to our areas that are most sensitive and contain the most sensory nerve receptors (e.g. lips, fingertips, and other regions)

• The take home message is the more sensitive the area of the body (e.g. lips and fingertips); the larger it is on our cortical area of the brain.

• Remember the homunculus’s denotative definition differs a bit when applicable to neuroscience (do not attempt to say that five times, fast 😉) 

Our brains are fine-tuned to function like maps in many multifaceted ways. Which is a perfect segue to my next sub-topic. We now know that all of our body’s constituent parts are represented in our brain’s hypothetical atlas (e.g. the homunculus above is considered part of cortical mapping), but there is another map critical to our sight and that is:

• A Retinotopic Map

The second light strikes the eye images are projected onto our retina; our brain begins a complex procedure called visual transduction.

• Visual transduction or the process of taking outside stimuli and converting it into a neural relay of signals; it’s the brain’s complex procedure of sensing and perceiving the world around us.

This schematic demonstrates the phenomenon  

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• Fun Fact! The brain in this instance also has a disproportioned map as in the case of the aforementioned homunculus. The disparity, attributed to the fact that certain areas contain more sight receptors, is called cortical magnification.  

Each of our eyes contain a fovea at the center of the retina (responsible for our ability to focus). The fovea possesses a larger concentration of sensory neurons than any other area responsible for vision in the eye. 

Last but certainty not least, an awesome update on an interesting structure.

• A Fusiform Gyrus

Let’s explore an area once believed to be responsible only for facial recognition; leading scientists to much debate over the name and purpose (once dubbed FFA or Fusiform face area). Now called the FG for short, I wanted to explain the new discoveries to you.

This brain area was being studied when scientists noticed that it became more active when objects in subjects’ visual field contained a face. However, upon further testing the FG was implicated to have other important functions as well.

Research participants are usually monitored with fMRI imaging, when presented with stimuli to see which area reveals activity when perceiving or preforming tasks. This hypothesis was well accepted until someone noticed activity when a professional was assessing a photograph with subject matter specific to their area of expertise.

Now neuroscientists also recognize the FG as:

• An expertise area. For example: professional dog breeders would have this area active when assessing pedigrees  
•  Also, as an area that plays a role in our bias; among other entities such as the orbital frontal cortex or (OFC) for short. For example: the area play’s a role in racial or gender stereotyping or even when discriminating wine selection at a tasting.

Images like these rendered by scientists, help us determine how the things we take in impact our understanding or behavior

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• Fun fact: The brain also has clusters of neuronal cells that fire in response to pictures of houses and other familiar structures named the Parahippocampal Place area or PPA, for short. With all these images collected for many years by various neuroscientists worldwide, we now roughly have a cortical map of our entire brains! For brevity’s sake I was only able to share a few “puzzle pieces” with you.

• However, if you would like to know more about anything at all, please inform me in the comments below and I will be ecstatic to accommodate you!

• Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter so you can be notified when a new installment is posted

Lastly, this post was inspired by:

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I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this, as much as I had writing it.

Sincerely,

Jessi

References

• https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/blog/scientists-say/scientists-say-cortical-homunculus
• https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101960403
• https://cognitiveconsonance.info/tag/retinotopic-map/
• http://fourier.eng.hmc.edu/e180/lectures/v1/node3.html
• https://leanforward.hms.harvard.edu/2017/01/10/new-information-on-facial-recognition-and-the-fusiform-gyrus/
• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/debate-over-roles-of-the-fusiform-face-area-psychology-essay.php
• https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/full/10.1162/jocn_a_00974
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160502131003.htm

Hello There! Welcome back!

Photo credit: https://pacificcognitivebehavioraltherapy.com/specialization/anxiety-disorder/phobias/attachment/phobia-pacific-cbt/

You may be asking: What is the difference between fear and phobias? According to Merriam-Webster fear is defined as “an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger”. Whereas, phobias are demarcated per certain DSM-V (the manual used by mental health professionals) criteria.

• The most important distinction to note between the two is: while fear is a common response to instantaneous or otherwise immediate danger, phobias can evoke an emotional response from a photograph, an invasive thought, or even a conversational reference to the object the individual is phobic of.    

Furthermore, it is important to not confuse fear and anxiety, which are distinctly different themselves. While fear is a common reaction to a known stimulus (e.g. point-source), anxiety can manifest in our thoughts; when pervasive, it may require professional treatment. I want to remind my readers there is no shame is seeking help.
  

• Fun fact: I remember learning in lecture that these emotions are heavily influenced by our own individual perception. It is mind blowing to think of it this way. All the above emotions are relative to, and based upon our perspectives. These findings are so important because they lay the foundation for treatment. If you would like me to research this further please let me know in the comments below 😊

Unusual, yet interesting phobias!

Photo credit: https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/6413248/have-you-suffered-from-an-unusual-phobia/

• Warning! This blog is NOT written in Latin. However, some of these terms carry a whopping number of syllabics, with a Greek or Latin base (par for the course of medical terminology). Do not stress. Read on to learn more and impress your friends with your new knowledge of these:

Examples of Interesting Phobias

• The purpose of this blog is to inform readers of these unique conditions. I am in no way attempting to make light of these, nor stigmatize anyone suffering from them.

• Arachibutyrophobia (The Fear of Peanut Butter)

Photo credit: https://www.coolpun.com/topic/peanut+butter

All puns aside (you know I couldn’t resist!), I chose this unique condition to demonstrate that phobias can be of a particular entity, or subject to a specific event.

According to an article on Very Well Mind, it isn’t always the object specified in the name of the phobia that is the responsible source for negative reactivity. For those afflicted with this condition, most likely the issue is a negative reaction to a situational occurrence (e.g. the texture, or feel of it when in your mouth). While the origin of this phobia may be subject to an individual’s adverse experience with P.B., the article also states it may be attributed to a deeper fear of gagging, obstructed airways, or common of someone who is aversive due to extreme allergy. This is an example that sometimes it isn’t what the item is, but rather what can happen in relation to the object.  

• (The Fear of Numbers)

Photo credit: https://magoosh.com/math/5-things-you-should-know-about-real-numbers-in-math/

While ever so tempting to use this condition as an excuse to get out of handing in your math homework (albeit, math is anxiety inducing even to me, and I am decent at it); people that suffer from this condition, do so in egregious excess (especially due to the prevalence of numeric symbols in modern civilization).

Also called Arithmophobia, this condition causes many issues to those suffering from it. The reactions span the range from mild discomfort in solving a difficult numeric expression or equation, to a severe panic attack when even contemplating doing so. Usually stemming from childhood trauma (which is true of many phobias) there are many available ways to treat it.

An article I read suggested a promising technique called, “Neuro Linguistic programming therapy” that was reported to help the patient simultaneously build self-assurance and aid them in retraining their brain to react differently to numerical stimuli. This treatment was specifically recommended for the case of Numerophobia, in conjunction with other more traditional methods. I provided a link to the article in the reference section below.

• Fun Fact: There are instances where phobias develop (usually due to societal or cultural context) for specific numbers, as opposed to numbers in general (e.g. one of the more common ones is Triskaidekaphobia or fear of the # 13).

• Genuphobia (The Fear of Knees)

Photo credit http://bikramyogafullerton.com/3-things-happy-knees/

This curious condition is correlated either with: the visual aspect of the knee, or the act of an individual kneeling on their own. Even the thought of these factors can provoke sufferers to experience effects ranging from mild uneasiness, to severe psycho (mental) and even somatic (bodily) symptoms similar to that of an anxiety attack. While the effects of this stimuli can be attributed to a personal experience, this can also be inherited due to a genetic factor, or socially learned. While certain medications can be prescribed to treat the symptoms of the anxiety associated with this condition; the author of the article where I sourced this information (you can find a link below) urges readers to seek help to treat the actual phobia, to rid themselves of the underlying pathology that is the latent cause of such maladies.

• Fun Bonus fact for my Brainacs: With respect to condition above (Genuphobia), the root of this word Genu means “knee” in Latin. You will find this base in neuroscience as well; in the name of the brain region called the lateral geniculate nucleus or LGN for short (i.e. an area of the brain imperative to the neural process of visual transduction; necessary for our sense of sight). You can find its locus in the thalamus. I added a picture for you so you can see how it got its clever name.

Photocredit: https://www.cns.nyu.edu/~david/courses/perception/lecturenotes/V1/lgn-V1.html

If you think this looks like a bent knee you aren’t alone in this common consensus!

• For a cute bonus list, check out the image below (Also, please keep reading to the end for another link):

Photo Credit: https://writerswrite.co.za/characters-with-phobias/

I thought I would share this adorable image I came across in an interesting article I clicked on while researching for this blog. Since most of my fellow readers are also writers, I thought you may see the wit in this list.

References

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear

Classifying Anxiety: Understanding the Difference Between Fear and Phobia

https://www.verywellmind.com/arachibutyrophobia-2671777

Fear of Numbers Phobia – Numerophobia or Arithmophobia

http://www.triskaidekaphobia.info/

http://common-phobias.com/Genu/phobia.htm

https://www.cns.nyu.edu/~david/courses/perception/lecturenotes/V1/lgn-V1.html

*Images are cited under each photograph.

For a cool complete list of phobias click here !

Let me know in the comments below if you would like more information on these fascinating conditions!

Thanks for reading!

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

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