Science and Sanity

All-new clinical studies. Unprecedented media coverage. Subjects treated in legal experimental psychedelic research sessions. More opportunities to connect with the psychedelic and medical marijuana research community than ever before. The evidence is clear: we are transforming medicine.

BRAIN Initiative Challenges Researchers to Unlock Mysteries of Human Mind | The White House This initiative may represent the smartest thing the human race has done so far, of far greater importanc...

Learn about MDMA assisted psychotherapy as a treatment option for PTSD...

(Medical Xpress)—Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), a category that includes autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, are characterized by difficulty with social interaction and communication, or repetitive behaviors.

"Studying extensive databases in Israel and Sweden, the researchers discovered that the two illnesses had a genetic link, representing a heightened risk within families. They found that people who have a schizophrenic sibling are 12 times more likely to have autism than those with no schizophrenia in the family. The presence of bipolar disorder in a sibling showed a similar pattern of association, but to a lesser degree. A scientific leap forward, this study sheds new light on the genetics of these disorders."

A new discovery is a significant advance in understanding the mechanisms involved in the development of the cerebral cortex.

"They found that in situations of visual deprivation, where the cerebral cortex does not receive electrical impulses from the retina, neurons in layer 4 only completed successfully the first phase of development: growth and increase of complexity. However, when it was time to start the second phase of development, the retraction of the apical dendrite, most neurons were unable to make that change and remained in a growth phase, maintaining their pyramidal shape. Therefore, sensory perception, and in this case visual perception, plays a fundamental role in the process of brain development because it determines the shape of many of the neurons of the cerebral cortex."

What do you get when you cross systems science with complexity and chaos (butterfly effect)? Complex adaptive systems.

“Relational Reality reveals the coherence among numerous surprising discoveries of the interrelated nature of reality. ... All our basic assumptions (built on the old idea that everything in the physical world is essentially separate and functions mechanistically) are being reconsidered. No longer a marginal perspective, the Relational Shift is based on the realization that all entities in this world, including humans, are thoroughly relational beings of great complexity who are both composed of and nested within networks of creative, dynamic interrelationships. Nothing exists outside of those relationships. As we try to grasp the interrelated nature of reality, emergent relational approaches are already transforming the way we educate our children, attend to our health, green our communities, and rethink economic activity. New analyses of the crises of modernity and abundant new solutions are the result.”

Founded in 1986, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of...

"MAPS envisions a world where psychedelics and marijuana are safely and legally available for beneficial uses, and where research is governed by rigorous scientific evaluation of their risks and benefits."

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) impacts a person's ability to focus on work or a project in order to get things done.

"The other month we looked at unsuccessful strategies for adults with ADHD.

"This month experts reveal fruitless tactics for kids with ADHD. Some of these approaches aren’t just ineffective; they can exacerbate symptoms or impede progress. Whether you’re a parent, loved one or teacher of a child with ADHD, here’s what doesn’t work — and a few tips that do."

So which professions (other than axe murderer) do psychopaths disproportionately gravitate towards -- or away from?

David Cronenberg’s “Dangerous Method” traces the shifting relationships among Carl Jung; his mentor, Sigmund Freud; and Jung’s patient, Sabina Spielrein.

S&S Comment: I'm late seeing this movie (released in 2011) but its by far the best flick I've watched this year. What I loved about it was the way that each of the chracters properly diagnosed the flaws of the other(s) but was resistant to or incapable of seeing their own flaws even when they were accurately pointed out.

Alas, the refractory nature of the human psyche,

bestowed by evolution upon  simpleton and genius alike!

~PR

Sites like Kickstarter have helped fund everything from motorized footwear to "Sedition Wars: Battle for Alabaster." But can the same model help illuminate the truth?

"The idea is simple. Say you hear someone make a bogus claim--for example, that Barack Obama was really born in Kazakhstan. You can go on the site and stake some money, challenging someone to prove the claim, asking others to join you. Once the amount raised reaches a pre-designated threshold, the challenge goes live. At which point, the person making the claim is asked to produce evidence in order to win the "bounty." The truth is decided by a "jury of neutral, professional, scientifically trained adjudicators" who assess the evidence, which must be verifiable."

S&S comment: we desperately need innovation in information quality control. IMO it should be 10% of our global R&D budget.

The company counting critical votes in Ohio and Colorado has extensive connections to the Mitt Romney camp.

S&S comment: off topic, but of extreme importance.