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Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its effects on behavior, mental functioning, and how people think. They investigate what happens to the nervous system when people have emotional, mental, and physical problems. A neuroscientist can specialize in a variety of fields, from neuroanatomy to neuropsychology. Research in this field can improve our understanding of both the brain and the body, how it works, and the health problems that affect them.
What is Neuroscience?
Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary science that works collaboratively with other fields, such as mathematics, linguistics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, philosophy, psychology, and medicine. Here we will talk about the research of great neuroscientists.
Eric Kandel
Kandel’s award-winning study focused on sea slug Aplysia. Few nerve cells, many of which are very large and readable are found in the sea slug Aplysia. The sea slug also has a protective reflex to monitor its lungs, which Kandel uses to learn basic learning techniques. These experiments, combined with his recent research on mice, confirmed that memory was concentrated in synapses. As changes in synaptic function created different types of memory. Kandel has shown that weak substances cause certain chemical changes in synapses; these changes are the basis of temporary memory, lasting minutes to hours. The powerful stimulus triggers different synaptic changes, leading to long-term memory that can last for weeks.
Kandel’s books include The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain: From Vienna 1900 to the Present (2012) and The Disordered Mind: What Unusual Brains Tell Us About Ourselves (2018). In Search of Memory: The Emergence of New Psychological Sciences (2006) was an autobiography.
Adele Diamond
Adele Dorothy Diamond is a professor of neuroscience at the University of British Columbia, where she currently chairs the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Adele is one of the pioneers in the field of cognitive development neuroscience. She is investigating how management activities are affected by biological and environmental factors, especially in children.
Recent research
Diamond’s work began based on “YES, YOU CAN”. A child may seem incapable of doing or understanding something, but they can. You must question differently or teach a concept in new ways so the child can succeed. Diamond has shown this approach first with infants’ understanding of the concept. Then with their ability to understand unintelligible concepts. Followed by children’s ability to succeed in a task that requires memory and prevention.
His lab is researching the power of art (music and spoken voice) to improve emotions and reduce or reverse the decline in understanding of aging. As well as the effects of stress, and how it differs in gender and genetics.
Antonio Damasio
Antonio Damasio is a Portuguese and American neurologist. He is currently chairing David Dornsife in Neuroscience, as well as Professor of Psychology, Philosophy, and Neurology, at the University of Southern California. He is an interim professor at the Salk Institute. He previously served as chair of neurology at the University of Iowa for 20 years. Damasio leads the Brain and Creativity Institute and has authored several books. His latest work, Self Comes to Mind: Building a Conscious Brain (2010), explores the relationship between the brain and consciousness. Damasio’s research on neuroscience has shown that emotions play a key role in social understanding and decision-making.
Antonio Damasio’s research on neuroscience has shown that emotions play a key role in social understanding and decision-making. His work has greatly influenced the current understanding of neural systems, which support memory, language, and cognition.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Damasio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adele_Diamond#Recent_research
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eric-Kandel
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arvid-Carlsson
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2000/kandel/facts/
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2000/kandel/biographical/
What is Learning?
Learning is a basic process to understand and acquire new knowledge and skills. Human beings are bestowed with learning ability and they can use their energy to learn anything they want. Other than humans, animals can also learn different things and attitudes. According to psychology, learning can be of two types. The first category falls in basic learning, which comes immediately like to make a child learn how to throw a ball, and the child will learn it at once. The second type of learning is acquired by repeated practice and comes with immense experience. Learning is not as a simple process as it seems to be.
When a human is born, he starts learning from his environment and it continues until he dies. The learning starts and continues to progress because of interaction and relation between humans and its interaction with its atmosphere. Which drives to make humans learn new things every day. Learning is a process, which is dealt with by various disciplines to understand it. Psychology, neurology, humanities, and neuropsychology study the notion of learning in their respective manner.
How to learn?
The question now arises of how learning can happen. It can be the result of habituation, operant conditioning, and classical conditioning according to neuropsychology. Novek and Bob in their book, learning how to learn demonstrated that in fact there are multiple forms of learning, focusing on methods to learn effectively. According to Novek and Bob, there is meaningful learning and then there is autonomous learning. They analyzed Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato’s analysis of Meta-science which led to the discovery of “how science works”. Therefore, they are determined to find the process of learning and name it meta-knowledge.
There are many methods, which we can use to become effective learners.
Psychology says when you improve your memory, you’re learning enhances automatically. All you need is just to focus on the things that psychology offers to enhance your memory. When learning something new, you can simply start by putting your focus along with structuring your time. It usually enhances your memory and makes you an effective learner. However, while learning something new, do not forget to read psychological facts about it. As it will lead you in a better way.
According to science, when you are into learning new things, your brain increases the amount of gray matter in your occipital area of the brain. In an article, which was published in Nature, it was claimed that when a person learns something and does not practice it more, the gray area in his occipital area of the brain disappears. So, to learn effectively, one must need to practice it and not leave it.
Judy Willis is a researcher who says that the best way to learn is to learn in different dimensions and domains. The tip just does not stick to one method but rather try different methods. For example, If you are learning a new language, learn it in all possible ways and means you can figure out. Do not limit yourself to learn a language only through some guide and book. Learn it visually and watch videos about it. Try to make notes on it, and then try to practice it with your mates, friends, and relatives. According to Willis, these multiple methods of learning enhance your brain activity. When you learn in multiple forms, then multiple forms of brains are activated to store that particular information and save it for a longer period.
Besides this, there are a plethora of ways which can offer us the best ways of how to learn. Psychology says, if you teach what you learn to another person, it is open to enhance your learning knowledge. Besides, if you are a multi-tasker, stop it immediately because learning is not a simple process rather a complex procedure that requires a lot of attention and focus. Therefore, if you do your learning with treat focus, the chance is high that you are acquiring it in the right way. There are many strategies for learning. Different theories offer different techniques to learn things fast and to evaluate your best learning strategy to make you learn fast. The tip is to interpret learning theories and to know your strength in the learning process. The Theory of Multiple Intelligence by Gardener presents eight different types of intelligence that can prove helpful in understanding your learning strength. You have to learn what is your intelligence strength.
Why Learn?
Now the thing is why a person should invest his /her time in learning new trends and knowledge. Most people do not approve of this way of life where they have to learn every day and throughout their life. Little do they know whether or not, they know it but learning can be consciously done as well as learning is non-conscious.
When we learn something, we add to our knowledge and enhance our quality of life. Living in contemporary times you have to face too much stress and depression. Sometimes you are worn out by your hectic routine. According to psychology, learning new things can help you relieve your stress by shifting your focus to something new and productive. Your productive activity will help you to distract your focus on stress patterns and enable you to enjoy your life and spare some time for your self-development.
Learning bestows you with immense confidence and you begin to feel confident and empowered. With learning comes new knowledge and this knowledge can benefit you in multiple possible ways you have ever imagined. For example, you have learned something which is of great worth, and now you can easily transform into your earning. You can also earn money besides getting multiple other benefits. One very important aspect of learning is socialization. Learning cannot be done alone. You have to be socialized while learning something new. Because it enables your mental activity to work in a better way than ever. Sometimes, when you invest your time in learning, you discover a new you. Your strengths, and weaknesses which you have never thought about.
Methods to Improve your IQ
There are multiple ways to increase your IQ and to learn effectively and efficiently. The book The Complete Guide to Genius, Achieve an IQ of 180 With a Simple 3 Step System, narrates a three-step process to enhance a person’s IQ up to 180. Firstly, know what your basic goals and objectives behind your action are and figure out these to know why you want to increase your IQ. The second step involves figuring out techniques and tactics to achieve your objectives and goals. The third step involves the relative pattern and behaviors to achieve the goals and objectives.
Another scientific method to naturally increase your IQ is through playing chess. It is scientifically proven that when you play chess your brain part corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres. The right hemisphere and left hemisphere of the brain. This is the reason why Einstein was one of the most intelligent geniuses in the world. That’s why playing chess can be useful as it helps to concentrate which improves problem-solving skills and enables the cognitive ability of human beings.
In Venezuela, a study was conducted which claimed that children who played chess are more likely to develop their IQ level fast. A study conducted in Sweden proved that working out and doing exercises is far better than playing games. Maria Aberg, a Sweden Researcher, said it is due to cardiovascular fitness that can be proved very helpful and can give results in enhancing your IQ efficiently.
Other methods can be effective. Taking creatine daily by 5g enhances your brain energy, which in turn helps to develop your IQ quickly. Another method is Meditation. When you meditate for 20 minutes, it boosts brain activity along with relieving stress that helps to enhance your IQ. Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre found out that getting eight hours of sleep can help raise your IQ. Which ultimately helps you learn faster and efficiently.
Tools of Learning
Learning can be made easy and smooth by using these various learning tools. When it comes to self-learning, there are numerous ways and methods. Especially in contemporary times where there are no barriers to learning. Where the internet is available and you can virtually do anything anywhere just by the use of your electronic devices.
In the book named the lost tools of learning, Dorothy referred to Aristotle’s Organon. He mentioned that lost tools of learning are posterior analytics and prior analytics along with interpretation and logic. When combining them, they are all the necessary tools for learning. These are the logical tools of learning if we talk about physical tools of learning, there are many others too.
Social media and other online software are the best tools to learn anything at your ease. The biggest learning tools are Facebook, Twitter, Google documents, notes, and many others. You can just search for what you want to learn and it will provide you detailed information regarding your respective subject and interest.
Factors influencing learning
According to scientific research, learning can be influenced by many factors, and these factors tend to play an important part in the learning process. These factors can be both internal and external and learning can entirely depend on it. External factors that influence the learning process are hereditary, the physical environment, and the learning environment. Some learners are geniuses because of their heredity traits. So, learning is easy for them compared to others.
It is scientifically proven that internal factors are far more effective and play a greater role than external factors. Internal factors are ambitions, passion, interest, motivational patterns, behavior, guidance, speed, and attention. People who learn with all these factors will learn more than others. Among all these factors, guidance is important. Guidance will help a learner flourish and quickly proceed to attempt his objectives.
The Brain – Great Educator of Learning
Your brain plays out an extraordinary number of errands. It is astonishing how we think and how our mind attempts to manage responsibility. Your cerebrum controls your pulse and even your disposition. The mind controls the capacity to talk, think, feel, see, walk, sit, stand, contact, taste, dream, hear, and more. Correspondence exercises take up 60% to 80% of the mind’s energy. The cerebrum needs a lot of nerves and the spinal line to accomplish work. The spinal cord and nerves make the sensory system. The sensory system is comprised of millions of neurons. Every one of these many neurons communicates proficiently and exceptionally quick. The sensory system delivers messages from the cerebrum to the body. During learning, your mind voyages a message starting with one neuron then onto the next. At that point, in split seconds, the cerebrum makes associations between the neurons and the rest of the body for better correspondence. This encourages you to improve and makes learning things simpler. Distinctive cerebrum parts cooperate, yet these mind parts are liable for explicit capacities.
Think carefully in solid exercises like riddles, playing music, craftsmanship, and so forth.
Mental aerobics can practice and loosen up your cerebrum. A psychological exercise reinforces your mind. Remain tranquil and remain socially associated with a sound cerebrum. Evade medications and liquor. Also, quit tobacco use. Keep up an eating routine plentiful in nutrients and minerals. Your sensory system needs a decent eating routine for sound movement. A sound mind can understand and learn better.
To recapitulate the whole discussion, it is necessary to make the brain work effectively to learn new things. Learning is as important as breathing and eating. Learning should be part of a daily routine. Humans will be more productive and keep people’s minds refreshed.
References
Daniel L. Schacter; Daniel T. Gilbert; Daniel M. Wegner (2011) [2009].
Psychology, 2nd edition. Worth Publishers. p. 264. John D. Bransford, A. L. (2004).
How People Learn Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. WACHINGTON, DC: NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Karban, R. (2015).
Plant Learning and Memory. In: Plant Sensing and Communication. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 31–44
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning https://study.com/academy/lesson/aristotles-organon-definition-philosophy-summary.html
https://www.circeinstitute.org/2011/03/what-are-the-tools-of-learning
Top 10 Tools in My Personal Learning Environment 2019
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-become-a-more-effective-learner-2795162
https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8jkBcSDQPXcC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=ho w+to+learn&ots=nBmToxxJZ6&sig=tVUrF2EdI0mCr1BRma52xLyBmrs&redir_esc=y#v=onep age&q=how%20to%20learn&f=false
https://www.studygate.com/blog/great-educators/ THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GENIUS, achieve an IQ of 180 by 3 simple step process. (2009). New York. Joseph D. Novak, D. B. (1984).
Learn how to learn. New York: Cambridge University Press. Richard Gross, Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior 6E, Hachette UK
It is said that: “Our brain is just like a computer” because it works like a computer. It receives information from the body, organizes it, and sends a message back to the body. Our brain is more than a computer machine. The brain can think and feel emotions, unlike a computer. The brain is the root of the utmost intelligence of humans (1).
The brain is the Boss!
Your brain performs an incredible number of tasks. It is surprising how we think and how our brain works to do a task. Your brain actually controls your heart rate and even your mood. The brain controls the ability to talk, think, feel, see, walk, sit, stand, touch, taste, dream, hear, and many more things. Communication activities take up 60% to 80% of the brain’s energy (2).
You need some nerves!
The brain needs a lot of nerves and the spinal cord to do work. The spinal cord and nerves collectively make the nervous system. The nervous system is made up of millions of neurons. All these millions of neurons are connected for efficient, lightning-fast communication. The nervous system conveys messages from the brain to the body (3).
The Learning Process
During learning, your brain travels messages from one neuron to another. Then, in split seconds, the brain creates connections between the neurons and the rest of the body for better communication. This helps you do things better and makes learning things or questions easier (4). Different brain parts work together, but these brain parts are responsible for specific functions.
Be Kind to your Brain!
Use your brain in healthy activities like puzzles, playing music, art, reading, etc. Mental gymnastics can exercise and relax your brain.
A mental workout strengthens your brain and increases its vitality.
Remain stress-free and stay socially connected for a healthy brain.
Avoid drugs and alcohol. And quit tobacco use.
Maintain a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Your nervous system needs a good diet for healthy activity.
Try to be careful not to hit your head as it causes brain damage. Make a habit of wearing a helmet when you ride on your bike or play any sport with brain damage risk. (5)
References:
- InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. How does the brain work? 2009 Oct 8 [Updated 2018 Oct 31]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279302/
- Buzsáki, G., Kaila, K., & Raichle, M. (2007). Inhibition and brain work. Neuron, 56(5), 771-783.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/brain/sls-20077047?s=8
- https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/brain.html
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower
