Navigation Links
UCLA study shows different areas of the brain respond to belief, disbelief and uncertainty
Date:12/12/2007

The human mind is a prolific generator of beliefs about the world. The capacity of our minds to believe or disbelieve linguistic propositions is a powerful force for controlling both behavior and emotion, but the basis of this process in the brain is not yet understood.

In the January issue of Annals of Neurology, currently online, Sam Harris, a UCLA graduate student in the lab of Mark Cohen, a professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and a study co-author, and Sameer Sheth of Massachusetts General Hospital, report that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals clear differences in the areas of the brain involved in belief, disbelief and uncertainty.

Their results suggest that the differences among these cognitive states may one day be distinguished reliably, in real time, by techniques of neuroimaging. This finding has implications for the detection of deception, for the control of the placebo effect during drug design and for the study of any higher cognitive phenomenon in which the differences among belief, disbelief and uncertainty might be relevant.

Fourteen adult volunteers were scanned in an MRI device at UCLA's Brain Imaging Center. While inside the scanner, subjects were presented with written statements covering a broad range of topics, including mathematics, geography, factual knowledge, word definitions, religion, ethics and biographical facts about themselves. Subjects were asked to rate these statements as true, false or undecidable. The authors then compared the brain images recorded when their subjects believed, disbelieved or could not judge the truth-value of these written propositions.

The scientists predicted that the difference between belief and disbelief would be largely mediated by activity in the frontal lobes the part of the brain most enlarged and differentiated in humans. Indeed, when belief and disbelief were compared, the investigators saw dif
'/>"/>

Contact: Mark Wheeler
mwheeler@mednet.ucla.edu
310-794-2265
University of California - Los Angeles
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related medicine news :

1. Penn study finds pro-death proteins required to regulate healthy immune function
2. New study shows promise in reducing surgical risks associated with surgical bleeding
3. Study, meta-analysis examine factors associated with death from heatstroke
4. Study suggests loss of 2 types of neurons -- not just 1 -- triggers Parkinsons symptoms
5. Study says COPD testing is not measuring up
6. Preclinical study suggests organ-transplant drug may aid in lupus fight
7. Ability to cope with stress can increase good cholesterol in older white men, study finds
8. High alcohol consumption increases stroke risk, Tulane study says
9. Mailman School of Public Health study examines link between racial discrimination and substance use
10. Pitt study finds inequality in tobacco advertising
11. Stanford study highlights cost-effective method of lowering heart disease risks
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:8/21/2008)... New names and fresh websit... UME/GME administration software , ... one45 Software, a leading provider of healthcare ... of Cytiva Software Inc. (CRX:TSX.V), announced to...hcare education administration products., , ,Compl...
(Date:8/20/2008)... NEWTON, Mass., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Questex M...o-business media company and owner of,American Spa... and the,International Beauty Shows, the Internati...) and the SPATEC appointment events today announce...stry portals SpaTrade (, http://www.SpaTrade.com ...
(Date:8/20/2008)... Survey Report Is Available at http://ww...Newswire/ -- A new survey released today,documents...re leveraging,health information technology (HIT) ...The survey results highlight the need for many HIT...dization and,interoperability to optimize clinical...
(Date:8/20/2008)...use postponed reproductive onset in teen, adult fe...EDNESDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Alcoholism i...ccording to a study that compared women,s and men,... age when they had their first child. , The re...ian twins born between 1893-1964 (3,634 female and...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Cytiva's one45 Software Rebrands Healthcare Education Administration Products 2Health News:Cytiva's one45 Software Rebrands Healthcare Education Administration Products 3Health News:Cytiva's one45 Software Rebrands Healthcare Education Administration Products 4Health News:Questex Acquires Leading Spa Industry Portal and Spa Executive Business Networking Site and Events 2Health News:Questex Acquires Leading Spa Industry Portal and Spa Executive Business Networking Site and Events 3Health News:New Health IT Survey for Care Management Services Shows Opportunities for Integration, Standardization and Innovation 2Health News:New Health IT Survey for Care Management Services Shows Opportunities for Integration, Standardization and Innovation 3Health News:Women's Alcohol Use Tied to Delayed Childbearing 2
...eumonia, bronchitis and other acute respiratory in...ord cold temperatures there, the United Nations he...f people and putting in place a system to protect ... “Early recognition and prompt treatment are essen...
...inhibit joint damage when used in the early phase ... of evidence.// High-quality evidence supports c...e first two years after diagnosis. “Such treatment...atients,” say review authors led by John Kirwan of...
...cer face a significantly high risk of getting canc... than 10 percent of these men ultimately developed... breast, stomach and skin. Hence the researchers r...ing is necessary for spotting any possible second ...
...TEMPE, a topical anesthetic spray has the potentia...ith premature ejaculation and might be useful// as...udy is published in the February issue of the urol...chers from the UK and Netherlands studied 54 men w...
Other Medicine News:Health News:UN Sends Medicine to Afghanistan 2Health News:Low-Dose Steroids Reduce Joint Damage From Rheumatoid Arthritis 2Health News:Low-Dose Steroids Reduce Joint Damage From Rheumatoid Arthritis 3Health News:Breast Cancer in Men Lead to Second Primary Cancers 2Health News:TEMPE Spray Delays Ejaculation 2
(Date:8/19/2008)...be used to identify molecular,signature of motor n...ire-USNewswire/ -- ALS Therapy,Development Institu...n ALS,biomarker effort using blood samples collect...ships. These ongoing projects are part of the,Inst...expression of genes,and proteins, at the onset of,...
(Date:8/19/2008)...tCall/ -- Vical Incorporated,(Nasdaq: VICL ) toda...linska,Institute, a leading European medical unive...sease Control (SMI), a governmental expert agency,...e Biojector(R) 2000,needle-free injection system (... a multivalent preventive DNA vaccine against HIV....
(Date:8/18/2008)...The next time you consider popping a,pill when you...ing sheep,instead. A senior psychiatrist at the Sc... found evidence that taking sleeping pills regular...F. Kripke, M.D.,s article, based on a compilation ...s just been published in the Journal,of Sleep Rese...
(Date:8/18/2008)...ased life expectancy for people with,Down syndrome...In the world of Down,syndrome, ,Mr. C, is a rarity...r the past 16 years, at seventy, ,Mr. C, has well ...with Down syndrome, currently in the,late fifties,...,Mr. C, does,not exhibit clinical symptoms of Alzh...
Breaking Medicine Technology:ALS Therapy Development Institute Partners with Clinical Centers to Establish Pathological Mechanisms of Lou Gehrig's Disease 2ALS Therapy Development Institute Partners with Clinical Centers to Establish Pathological Mechanisms of Lou Gehrig's Disease 3Karolinska Institute to Test Vical's Vaxfectin(R) Adjuvant with Preventive Vaccine against HIV Under Sponsorship of Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control 2Karolinska Institute to Test Vical's Vaxfectin(R) Adjuvant with Preventive Vaccine against HIV Under Sponsorship of Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control 3Karolinska Institute to Test Vical's Vaxfectin(R) Adjuvant with Preventive Vaccine against HIV Under Sponsorship of Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control 4Karolinska Institute to Test Vical's Vaxfectin(R) Adjuvant with Preventive Vaccine against HIV Under Sponsorship of Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control 5Prescription Sleeping Pill Use Tied to Cancer 2Seventy Years Old and Going Strong With Down Syndrome and No Dementia: The Case of 'Mr. C' Causes Major Interest in the Scientific Community 2Seventy Years Old and Going Strong With Down Syndrome and No Dementia: The Case of 'Mr. C' Causes Major Interest in the Scientific Community 3American College of Rheumatology presents recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis therapy 20979 1American College of Rheumatology presents recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis therapy 20979 2American College of Rheumatology presents recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis therapy 20979 3The Hanover Extends Schools Program Making the Grade in GA KS MD and VA 20974 1The Hanover Extends Schools Program Making the Grade in GA KS MD and VA 20974 2The Hanover Extends Schools Program Making the Grade in GA KS MD and VA 20974 3Angiotech announces completion of Bio Seal 28TM 29 clinical trial enrolment 5778 1Angiotech announces completion of Bio Seal 28TM 29 clinical trial enrolment 5778 2Angiotech announces completion of Bio Seal 28TM 29 clinical trial enrolment 5778 3Angiotech announces completion of Bio Seal 28TM 29 clinical trial enrolment 5778 4Sherwood Oregon Sailor 78 Goes on Final Voyage 20968 1Sherwood Oregon Sailor 78 Goes on Final Voyage 20968 2
...-hoc analysis shows nearly nine out of ten patient...t the end of 12 months, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 22, ...II, open-label 12-14 month extension study (303),p...y (BSG) meeting,in Glasgow, Scotland in March 2007...erated in mild to moderate UC,patients. Today, sec...
...ia Maintained Long-term Response at Stable Doses, ...se Week (DDW), ATLANTA, May 22, 2007 /PRNewswire/ ...Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW),demonstrated lon...atients treated with Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), .... , The study, called PRECiSE 3 (P3), is a long-te...
Other Medicine Technology:Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 2Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 3Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 4Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 5Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 6Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 7Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Remission Rates from Long-term,Safety Study of Lialda (mesalamine) Presented at DDW 8UCB Presents Long-Term CImzia Data in Crohn's Disease 2UCB Presents Long-Term CImzia Data in Crohn's Disease 3UCB Presents Long-Term CImzia Data in Crohn's Disease 4UCB Presents Long-Term CImzia Data in Crohn's Disease 5
1000 L, Racked, Filtered, Pre-sterilized, 100 tips/rack Recommended for 500 and 1000 L pipettes.
Inquire
Finntip Filters are ideal for PCR and other amplification methods, or for any work where aerosol contamination might occur. They are designed for pipetting DNA/RNA solutions, infectious materials, la
Diamond Filter Tips play a critical role in preventing aerosol-borne contamination. Also available sterilized (no need to autoclave) and certified free of detectable RNase, DNase, DNA, RNA, and prote
Medicine Products: