Facebook can make autistic adults happy

Social media has often been in the line of fire when it comes to mental health for both children and adults, however, a study has found that Facebook – if used in moderation – can boost happiness in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Facebook – one of the most widely used social platforms – has often been subjected to heated debates with numerous studies associating it with depression, anxiety, stress and other conditions.

However, researchers found that while happiness and Facebook use increased together up to a certain point, the beneficial effect of social media use then waned.

The finding could not be generalized to overall use of social media, however, because the same was not true of those who used Twitter, researchers said.

The researchers propose that that ability to interact with others on Facebook, instead of in a more challenging face-to-face interactions may help protect these individuals against mental health issues associated with ASD such as depression.

"Some studies report that up to 50 percent of adults with ASD have a co-occurring social anxiety disorder. Facebook may provide a safe starting point for training and refinement of conversational skills," said the researchers.

"Increased self-confidence in one's abilities may lead to eventual translation of these new skill sets into improved face-to-face interactions," said a researcher.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                               https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/   

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                              

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                           https://my crochet creations.blogspot.com/

How Our Immune Systems Are Directly Tied To Our Personalities

The human immune system has long been thought to be connected in some way, shape or form to the neurological system, but a recent study has now determined that the immune system has more to do with the brain and its processes than previously thought.

The immune system research that was done at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Virginia has discovered that the immune system has a direct effect on the social behaviors of animals like mice. This discovery could now have important ramifications for human that battle conditions like schizophrenia and autism-spectrum disorders.

As part of the research conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Virginia, scientists keyed in on an immune system molecule called interferon gamma. This particular immune system molecule is activated in certain animals – including humans – when they want to be social. Scientists conducting the immune system experiments blocked the interferon gamma molecule, inhibiting from activating, and the results were eye-opening. When the immune system molecule was blocked, the brains of the mice became ‘hyperactive,’ and that the mice no longer tended towards socialization with their cage mates, something that mice – being incredibly social creatures – are usually prone to do. The conclusions were quickly assessed: manipulation of the immune system had a direct effect on behavior.

  Conversely, when the scientists discontinued their blockage of the immune system molecule, allowing it to once again operate freely in the brain, the mice calmed down and returned to their normal, social behavior.

One of the study’s authors, Johathan Kipnis, chair of the University of Virginia’s Department of Neuroscience, commented on the findings.

“It’s like a little airport in a small city suddenly becomes a major hub and so there’s a mess of traffic congestion in the air. ‘Same thing happens with the brain, so the brain cannot function properly.”

The question of why our immune systems and our personalities are so interconnected was also broached by the authors of the study. They have postulated that the connection may actually be an evolutionary mechanism built in to help a species survive. The linkage exists, encouraging social creatures to interact and yet boosting our immune systems at the same time to protect both the individual and the group.

As of now, the immune system experiment has only been conducted on mice, but there is a belief that the immune system – personality connection also exists in humans. This linkage is now leading scientists to believe that they may be on the verge of breakthroughs in how to best treat people with neurological disorders like schizophrenia and autism.

Further study will examine how directly the correlation between the immune system and behaviors reacts in both directions. That is, the recent study from the University of Virginia suggested that manipulating the immune system directly effects behavior. But, does changing one’s behavior – as has long been postulated by scientists – actually alter the immune system? The correlation between so-called “happy” individuals and stronger immune systems, and “sad” or “depressed” individuals and weaker immune systems has been supposed for years… and it now appears that the immune system molecule isolated by the authors of this study – published in Nature – could be the smoking gun in that supposition.

Dr. Kipnis also spoke about the possible, future implications of the experiments.

“Immune molecules are actually defining how the brain is functioning. So, what is the overall impact of the immune system on our brain development and function? I think the philosophical aspects of this work are very interesting, but it also has potentially very important clinical implications.”

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Indian-origin scientist paves way for improved epilepsy treatments

Researchers at the University of Toronto, including one of Indian-origin, have now discovered a complex network of proteins that could help in the treatment of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.

“Our study pertains to the discovery of the ying-yang for neuronal cross-talk that is essential for normal healthy brain function,” Chennai born Vivek Mahadevan, a Ph.D student at the University of Toronto in Canada, was quoted as saying to IANS.

Neurons in the brain communicate with other neurons through synapses, communication that can either excite or inhibit other neuron.

According to lead investigator of the study, professor Melanie Woodin, “an imbalance among the levels of excitation and inhibition - a tip towards excitation, for example, causes improper brain function and can produce seizures.”

This complex brings together three key proteins - KCC2, Neto2 and GluK2 - required for inhibitory and excitatory synaptic communication.

KCC2 is required for inhibitory impulses, GluK2 is a receptor for the main excitatory transmitter glutamate, and Neto2 is an auxiliary protein that interacts with both KCC2 and GluK2.

The discovery of the complex of three proteins is path breaking as it was previously believed that KCC2 and GluK2 were in separate compartments of the cell and acted independently of each other.
“Finding that they are all directly interacting and can co-regulate each other's function reveals for the first time a system that can mediate excitation-inhibition balance among neurons themselves,” Mahadevan added.

As there is no cure for epilepsy and the treatments which are available can only curb its effects such as convulsions and seizures, the main focus should be on its prevention.

Mahadevan, along with other biologists carried out the study on mice brain via biochemistry, fluorescence imaging and electrophysiology experiments.

The findings appeared in the journal Cell Reports.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS

HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM