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Your Brain Is a Your Brain Is a
Work in ProgressWork in Progress
Your Brain Is a Your Brain Is a
Work in ProgressWork in Progress
Brain and Brain and ConsciousnessConsciousness
Sun Monday Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat
Sept 11: Paradigms 13: Brain Develop-ment
Sept Mongolia Conference
Sept Yom Kippur 27: Sleeping
28: TM and TC
Oct 2: Science and Pseudoscience
4: Other Meditations
Oct 9: Cosmic Consciousness
Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00
Drfredtravis.com for copy of lecture power points
Our Brain Is Our Brain Is Unassembled at BirthUnassembled at Birth
Our Brain Is Our Brain Is Unassembled at BirthUnassembled at Birth
Dendrites, Dendritic Dendrites, Dendritic spinesspines
Dendrites, Dendritic Dendrites, Dendritic spinesspines
Synaptic connections naturally Synaptic connections naturally increase during first 3 years of life.increase during first 3 years of life.
Number of Connections Increases Number of Connections Increases and then Decreasesand then Decreases
Number of Connections Increases Number of Connections Increases and then Decreasesand then Decreases
oYears
Why High Synaptic Density Why High Synaptic Density from 2-9 Years?from 2-9 Years?
Why High Synaptic Density Why High Synaptic Density from 2-9 Years?from 2-9 Years?
– This is a physiological This is a physiological counterpart of counterpart of all all possibilities.possibilities. This sets the This sets the stage for ongoing experience stage for ongoing experience to enliven specific cortical to enliven specific cortical circuits to deal with current circuits to deal with current experiences. experiences.
– This is a physiological This is a physiological counterpart of counterpart of all all possibilities.possibilities. This sets the This sets the stage for ongoing experience stage for ongoing experience to enliven specific cortical to enliven specific cortical circuits to deal with current circuits to deal with current experiences. experiences.
Why Synaptic Pruning from Why Synaptic Pruning from 10-18 Years?10-18 Years?
Why Synaptic Pruning from Why Synaptic Pruning from 10-18 Years?10-18 Years?
– Pruning is not bad (garden Pruning is not bad (garden analogy)analogy)
– Pruning eliminates Pruning eliminates connections that are not used, connections that are not used, and strengthens brain and strengthens brain connections that are used.connections that are used.• This optimizes our ability to This optimizes our ability to
interact with the environment.interact with the environment.
– Pruning is not bad (garden Pruning is not bad (garden analogy)analogy)
– Pruning eliminates Pruning eliminates connections that are not used, connections that are not used, and strengthens brain and strengthens brain connections that are used.connections that are used.• This optimizes our ability to This optimizes our ability to
interact with the environment.interact with the environment.
Glial: Myelination—speed up the action potential 20 timesGlial: Myelination—speed up the action potential 20 times
Schwann Schwann Cell (body)Cell (body)
Oligodendroglia Oligodendroglia (brain)(brain)
Notice the Orderliness of Notice the Orderliness of Axonal Connections Axonal Connections
Notice the Orderliness of Notice the Orderliness of Axonal Connections Axonal Connections
1. Development1. Development1. Development1. Development
Why might we learn Word of Wisdom at age 5, TM Why might we learn Word of Wisdom at age 5, TM at 10, and TM-Sidhis at 15 years?at 10, and TM-Sidhis at 15 years?
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40+
Years
Experience Interacts with Experience Interacts with Natural Maturation Natural Maturation
Experience Interacts with Experience Interacts with Natural Maturation Natural Maturation Maturati
on Experience Experience
Am
ou
nt
of
Infl
uen
ce
Neuroplasticity: Experiences Neuroplasticity: Experiences changes the brainchanges the brain
Neuroplasticity: Experiences Neuroplasticity: Experiences changes the brainchanges the brain
Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical plasticity: from synapses to maps. plasticity: from synapses to maps. Annual Review Annual Review of Neuroscienceof Neuroscience, 21, 149-, 21, 149-186186
Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical Buonomano, D.V., Merzenich, M.M., 1998. Cortical plasticity: from synapses to maps. plasticity: from synapses to maps. Annual Review Annual Review of Neuroscienceof Neuroscience, 21, 149-, 21, 149-186186
Dendritic Spines change Dendritic Spines change Minute-by-MinuteMinute-by-Minute
Dendritic Spines change Dendritic Spines change Minute-by-MinuteMinute-by-Minute
Exercise:Exercise:Let’s pretend we Let’s pretend we
are neurons.are neurons.
Exercise:Exercise:Let’s pretend we Let’s pretend we
are neurons.are neurons.
Neurons cannot Neurons cannot move, but they can move, but they can move their arms move their arms around, and even around, and even grow new arms….grow new arms….
Neurons cannot Neurons cannot move, but they can move, but they can move their arms move their arms around, and even around, and even grow new arms….grow new arms….
I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly the “tap” makes it to the back. the “tap” makes it to the back.
I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people I’ll signal a person in front, who will tap people behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly behind them and so on….let’s see how quickly the “tap” makes it to the back. the “tap” makes it to the back.
Your Brain is a River, Your Brain is a River, Not a RockNot a Rock
Your Brain is a River, Your Brain is a River, Not a RockNot a Rock
70% of connections change every day….
London Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab DriversLondon Taxi Cab Drivers
It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones
It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones
Same decisions = Same brain patterns
New decisions = New brain patterns
Evans & Schamberg (2009) Childhood poverty, chronic stress, and adult working memory, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(16) 6545–6549
Reduced Reduced frontal frontal (executive (executive center) and center) and hippocampal hippocampal (memory) (memory) volume.volume.
Negative ExperiencesNegative ExperiencesNegative ExperiencesNegative Experiences
Number of violent films
Behavioral Data: After watching violent Behavioral Data: After watching violent movies, you are less likely to help others.movies, you are less likely to help others.
““The Brain That Repairs Itself”The Brain That Repairs Itself”““The Brain That Repairs Itself”The Brain That Repairs Itself”
• Antibiotic led to Antibiotic led to dizzinessdizziness
• Antibiotic led to Antibiotic led to dizzinessdizziness
• Restricted Mitt Technology Restricted Mitt Technology for stroke victimsfor stroke victims
Education: Education: Encounter New IdeasEncounter New Ideas
Education: Education: Encounter New IdeasEncounter New Ideas
When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:When Law Students Study:
Mackey et al, 2012, Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
Increased Myelination in frontal executive
circuits.
It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones
It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old It’s our Choice: Reinforce Old Habits or Make New ones Habits or Make New ones
FEEDFEED
• FocusFocus
• EffortEffort
• EffortlessnessEffortlessness
• DeterminationDetermination
Arden, Rewire Your BrainArden, Rewire Your Brain
Transcending thought is Transcending thought is infinitely more valuable infinitely more valuable
than thinking. than thinking. --Maharishi--Maharishi
Transcending thought is Transcending thought is infinitely more valuable infinitely more valuable
than thinking. than thinking. --Maharishi--Maharishi
Four Months TM PracticeFour Months TM PracticeFour Months TM PracticeFour Months TM Practice
Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991
Front
Center
Back
Eight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM Practice
Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991
Front
Center
Back
Main Point Main Point Main Point Main Point Biologically driven processes sculpt the number of connections (synapses) and nature of the output fibers (myelination). The maturation of brain structure and functioning allows increasingly abstract levels of inner experience to be maintained in a stable way including growth towards enlightenment.
Biologically driven processes sculpt the number of connections (synapses) and nature of the output fibers (myelination). The maturation of brain structure and functioning allows increasingly abstract levels of inner experience to be maintained in a stable way including growth towards enlightenment.
Group DiscussionGroup DiscussionGroup DiscussionGroup Discussion
Why does it take time to Why does it take time to evolve?evolve?
Why does it take time to Why does it take time to evolve?evolve?
Brain Activity Associated Brain Activity Associated with General Intelligence with General Intelligence Brain Activity Associated Brain Activity Associated with General Intelligence with General Intelligence