Three lecturers from the University of Glasgow, writing in Scientific American have suggested that when Chat GPT or similar AI programs provide false information – or in their words – ‘make stuff up’, this should be called ‘bullshit’ rather than ‘hallucinations’. I posted an item in November last year headed ‘Artificial Intelligence: Hallucinations, Delusions, Confabulations, Lies, or something else?’ I didn’t think of ‘bulllshit’. The authors – lecturers in moral and political philosophy, political theory and philosophy of science and…..

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There is evidence that new fathers’ brains change in the same areas as mothers – producing changes that are beneficial, fine-tuned and adaptive in caring for a child.

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The findings of a recent study, based on nationwide Danish health records found that cannabis use disorder (CUD) is associated with an increased risk of ‘unipolar depression and bipolar depression’. This risk of depression was highest just after diagnosis of cannabis use disorder but was still significantly high five to ten years after CUD diagnosis. Previous studies have found similar evidence of an association between depression and heavy marihuana use, but these have not been as convincing as this Danish…..

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Evidence is accumulating that breathing in very small particles (Fine particulate matter PM2.5) over a long time is associated with an increased risk of dementia. The association suggests that the particles may actually be a cause of dementia, perhaps especially if the particles are coated with neurotoxic chemicals. These particles come from traffic (diesel more than petrol-powered vehicles), coal-fired power plants, agricultural emissions, and bush fires (US ‘wildfires’). It’s thought that the particles can enter the brain via the olfactory…..

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A recent study* published in the ‘Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease’ found that a simple observer rating of ‘How much difficulty did the respondent have remembering things that you asked him/her about?’ was a strong predictor of dementia over a 15 year follow-up period. This study questioned 12,749 people (!) over age 50 and 944 of these developed dementia while being followed up. The observers made the rating after spending 1 to 3 hours interviewing the person face-to-face or by phone,…..

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The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has, from July 1 2023 approved prescription of psilocybin for treatment resistant depression and MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder. There are limited conditions under which these drugs can be used. Dr Steve Kisely (1) and others have raised many questions about this decision. They include: accessibility, cost (15 to 35 thousand dollars), strength of evidence for and against, and “dangers of psychological harm if these agents are given to unsuitable patients, or by psychiatrists…..

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 Is this a record of the dying experience? In the 30 seconds to two minutes after supported breathing ceased, two out of four comatose patients who had EEGs recorded after their respirators were turned off showed a surge in gamma waves, particularly at the temporo-parietal junction in their brains. What does this ‘mean’ or does it mean anything? Were these people ‘conscious’ for that brief time? There is no way of knowing, but some have suggested that these EEG recordings…..

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There are now four drug treatments, all monoclonal antibodies, which have been shown to reduce amyloid in the brain. Amyloid build-up in the brain is associated with the cognitive changes of Alzheimer’s Disease, although there are questions about the exact nature of this relationship between amyloid and cognitive deterioration. One of these drugs (lecanemab) has now been shown to halt or slow clinical deterioration in cognitive functions as well as reducing amyloid in the brain. There are however, a number…..

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