Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: neuroscience – Page 387

Talk kindly contributed by Michael Levin in SEMF’s 2022 Spacious Spatiality.

https://semf.org.es/spatiality.

TALK ABSTRACT
Life was solving problems in metabolic, genetic, physiological, and anatomical spaces long before brains and nervous systems appeared. In this talk, I will describe remarkable capabilities of cell groups as they create, repair, and remodel complex anatomies. Anatomical homeostasis reveals that groups of cells are collective intelligences; their cognitive medium is the same as that of the human mind: electrical signals propagating in cell networks. I will explain non-neural bioelectricity and the tools we use to track the basal cognition of cells and tissues and control their function for applications in regenerative medicine. I will conclude with a discussion of our framework based on evolutionary scaling of intelligence by pivoting conserved mechanisms that allow agents, whether designed or evolved, to navigate complex problem spaces.

TALK MATERIALS
· The Electrical Blueprints that Orchestrate Life (TED Talk): https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_levin_the_electrical_bluep…trate_life.
· Michael Levin’s interviews and presentations: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/levin/presentations/
· Michael Levin’s publications: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/levin/publications/
· The Institute for Computationally Designed Organisms (ICDO): https://icdorgs.org/

MICHAEL LEVIN
Department of Biology, Tufts University: https://as.tufts.edu/biology.
Tufts University profile: https://ase.tufts.edu/biology/labs/levin/
Wyss Institute profile: https://wyss.harvard.edu/team/associate-faculty/michael-levin-ph-d/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Levin_(biologist)
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=luouyakAAAAJ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-levin-b0983a6/

SEMF NETWORKS

Continue reading “Michael Levin | Cell Intelligence in Physiological and Morphological Spaces” | >

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause a huge range of symptoms in different patients, and the severity can vary dramatically. It is an inflammatory condition in which the body attacks myelin sheaths, a protective insulation surrounding nerve cells. This can cause fatigue, pain, paralysis, and symptoms that gradually get worse. MS can be very difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be so different in different patients, and the presence of brain lesions is the clearest indication of the disease. MRIs that can reveal those brain lesions are only useful once the disease have progressed to the point of brain damage, however.

The innate immune system presents a potential option for monitoring the progression of MS. The disease causes inflammation, so researchers tracked immune cells in the brain called macrophages, and assessed brain inflammation in a mouse model of MS. The findings have been reported in Science Translational Medicine.

Read more | >

Often seen negatively cannabis seen truthfully is a miracle plant even derivatives like cbd have cured some of the hardest mental disorders to cure like dementia alleviating symptoms to bring a person closer to health than before. Also now with this study veterans often seen incurable due to the unknown factors of ptsd and unknown factors of the human brain now are seeing relief through cannabis usage in a therapeutic setting 😀 Even the plant itself is some sorta miracle plant alleviating some thought incurable diseases.

Read more | >

Summary: Probiotics might play a vital role in preventing cognitive decline associated with aging. By providing participants suffering from mild cognitive impairment with the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG for three months, researchers observed enhanced cognitive performance and gut microbiome modifications.

The study suggests that altering gut microbiome might be a strategic approach to enhancing cognitive function in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. If replicated, these findings could revolutionize preventive strategies in cognitive health using gut microbiome-focused approaches.

Read more | >

Lawrence J. Appel, MD, MPH, is the director of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research at Johns Hopkins University. His clinical research focuses on preventing blood pressure-related cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Here, he discusses the link between high blood pressure and kidney disease, and the importance of early detection and management.

Q: What is the link between kidney disease and high blood pressure?

A: High blood pressure is a leading cause for many adverse conditions, such as stroke, heart disease, heart failure, and possibly cognitive decline. Many patients are unaware of the link between elevated blood pressure and kidney disease.

Read more | >

Specifically, the researchers examined how THC administered through edibles, a common consumption method, influenced epigenetic changes in crucial areas for fetal development, including the placenta, fetal lung, brain, and heart.

In recent years, the popularity and availability of cannabis has grown significantly, with various consumption methods like edibles gaining traction. However, alongside this trend, there has been a worrisome increase in cannabis use among pregnant women. Unfortunately, our understanding of the detailed effects of using cannabis during pregnancy on the developing child remains limited. Because normal fetal development relies on the crucial process of epigenetic regulation and gene expression modification, it has been suggested that studying the molecular changes linked to cannabis exposure during pregnancy could provide important insights.

To gain a better understanding of the effects of cannabis use during pregnancy, researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) conducted a unique preclinical study that focused on investigating the epigenetic impact of THC, the main active component in cannabis, on fetal development and future health outcomes. The study’s findings were published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics.

With the increasing prevalence of cannabis use, there is a common perception that it is safe. As a result, more pregnant women are turning to cannabis, particularly during the first trimester, to relieve symptoms like morning sickness. However, early pregnancy is a critical time when the developing fetus is most susceptible to environmental factors.

Read more | >