"Your Brain Works Like a Radio"

[MrAmsterdam]

Your Brain Works Like a Radio
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bra ... orks-radio

"Incredibly, when it comes to learning, the neuron behaves like a giant antenna, with different branches of dendrites tuned to different frequencies for maximal learning," Mehta said.
The researchers found that not only does each synapse have a preferred frequency for achieving optimal learning, but for the best effect, the frequency needs to be perfectly rhythmic—timed at exact intervals. Even at the optimal frequency, if the rhythm was thrown off, synaptic learning was substantially diminished.

Their research also showed that once a synapse learns, its optimal frequency changes. In other words, if the optimal frequency for a naïve synapse—one that has not learned anything yet—was 30 impulses per second, after learning, that very same synapse would learn optimally at a lower frequency, perhaps 24 per second. Thus, learning itself changes the optimal frequency for a synapse.

"Our work suggests that some problems with learning and memory are caused by synapses not being tuned to the right frequency," said Mehta. If that's true, the findings may lead to new therapies for treating learning disabilities. Perhaps drugs can be developed to "retune" the brain rhythms of people with learning or memory disorders. "We already know there are drugs and electrical stimuli that can alter brain rhythms," Mehta said. "Our findings suggest that we can use these tools to deliver the optimal brain rhythm to targeted connections to enhance learning."

So next to all other brain frequencies, the initial 30 hz frequency is the learning state of the brain....

[phyllotaxis]

Great information-

Perhaps this is related--

and from here

Exactly what happens in the brain during flow has been of particular interest, but it has been tricky to measure. Csikszentmihalyi took an early stab at it, using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure the brain waves of expert chess players during a game. He found that the most skilled players showed less activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is typically associated with higher cognitive processes such as working memory and verbalisation. That may seem counter-intuitive, but silencing self-critical thoughts might allow more automatic processes to take hold, which would in turn produce that effortless feeling of flow.

Later studies have confirmed these findings and revealed other neural signatures of flow. Chris Berka and her colleagues at Advanced Brain Monitoring in Carlsbad, California, for example, looked at the brain waves of Olympic archers and professional golfers. A few seconds before the archers fired off an arrow or the golfers hit the ball, the team spotted a small increase in what's known as the alpha band, one of the frequencies that arises from the electrical noise of all the brain's neurons (The International Journal of Sport and Society, vol 1, p 87). This surge in alpha waves, Berka says, is associated with reduced activation of the cortex, and is always more obvious in experts than in novices. "We think this represents focused attention on the target, while other sensory inputs are suppressed," says Berka. She found that these mental changes are accompanied by slower breathing and a lower pulse rate - as you might expect from relaxed concentration.

[reka]

Your Brain Works Like a Radio
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bra ... orks-radio

"Incredibly, when it comes to learning, the neuron behaves like a giant antenna, with different branches of dendrites tuned to different frequencies for maximal learning," Mehta said.
The researchers found that not only does each synapse have a preferred frequency for achieving optimal learning, but for the best effect, the frequency needs to be perfectly rhythmic—timed at exact intervals. Even at the optimal frequency, if the rhythm was thrown off, synaptic learning was substantially diminished.

Their research also showed that once a synapse learns, its optimal frequency changes. In other words, if the optimal frequency for a naïve synapse—one that has not learned anything yet—was 30 impulses per second, after learning, that very same synapse would learn optimally at a lower frequency, perhaps 24 per second. Thus, learning itself changes the optimal frequency for a synapse.

"Our work suggests that some problems with learning and memory are caused by synapses not being tuned to the right frequency," said Mehta. If that's true, the findings may lead to new therapies for treating learning disabilities. Perhaps drugs can be developed to "retune" the brain rhythms of people with learning or memory disorders. "We already know there are drugs and electrical stimuli that can alter brain rhythms," Mehta said. "Our findings suggest that we can use these tools to deliver the optimal brain rhythm to targeted connections to enhance learning."

So next to all other brain frequencies, the initial 30 hz frequency is the learning state of the brain....

This in my humble opinion is why repetition is so very important. Apparently repitition fine tunes the synapses.
But another thought, since the universe is filled with radio waves, I wonder just what and "who" are the senders???

[nubian]

Mind to mind communication should be possible then.

[tayga]

Mind to mind communication should be possible then.

Mind to mind communication is an every day occurrence. We're doing it now.

Do you mean telepathy?

Incidentally, one of my pet hates on this subject is the confusion of terms. Are brain and mind the same thing? Certainly when we talk about neurons we're talking about the brain and we see its association with mental activity. But are we watching mental activity or just something associated with it?

[MrAmsterdam]

Tayga,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schumann_resonances

Schumann resonances occur because the space between the surface of the Earth and the conductive ionosphere acts as a closed waveguide. The limited dimensions of the Earth cause this waveguide to act as a resonant cavity for electromagnetic waves in the ELF band.
The cavity is naturally excited by electric currents in lightning. Schumann resonances are the principal background in the electromagnetic spectrum[1] beginning at 3 Hz and extend to 60 Hz,[2] and appear as distinct peaks at extremely low frequencies (ELF) around 7.86 (fundamental),[3] 14.3, 20.8, 27.3 and 33.8 Hz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_wave

Beta wave, or beta rhythm, is the term used to designate the frequency range of human brain activity between 12 and 30 Hz (12 to 30 transitions or cycles per second). Beta waves are split into three sections: Low Beta Waves (12.5-16 Hz, "Beta 1 power"); Beta Waves (16.5–20 Hz, "Beta 2 power"); and High Beta Waves (20.5-28 Hz, "Beta 3 power").[1] Beta states are the states associated with normal waking consciousness.

Other brain waves
Delta wave – (0.1–4 Hz)
Theta wave – (4–7 Hz)
Alpha wave – (8–12 Hz)
Mu wave – (8–13 Hz)
Gamma wave – (25–100 Hz)

Now take a look at the empirical electromagnetic properties of water and you'll find that EM wave propagation in salt water is arround 1-1000 Hz (like seawater....just like our bodies...)

Oh well, just babbling out loud....

An interesting read would be about Michael Persinger and his interpretation of the electromagnetic characterizations of emotions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Persinger

[nubian]

Mind to mind communication should be possible then.

Mind to mind communication is an every day occurrence. We're doing it now.

Do you mean telepathy?

Yes i mean telepathy. I also think people confuse the mind with the brain. To me the brain is basically an electrical interpreter. It translates the mind's language to electrical impulses, that the body can respond to. But the mind is totally a different thing. Its probably closer to what we call consciousness, or maybe not.

[tayga]

Yes i mean telepathy. I also think people confuse the mind with the brain. To me the brain is basically an electrical interpreter. It translates the mind's language to electrical impulses, that the body can respond to. But the mind is totally a different thing. Its probably closer to what we call consciousness, or maybe not.

I agree with pretty much all of that. I'd characterize the brain as an interface and take the spiritual view that consciousness is superior to mind but that neither is physical. Still, that topic is pretty much outside study by science.

Now take a look at the empirical electromagnetic properties of water and you'll find that EM wave propagation in salt water is arround 1-1000 Hz (like seawater....just like our bodies...)

Oh well, just babbling out loud....

An interesting read would be about Michael Persinger and his interpretation of the electromagnetic characterizations of emotions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Persinger

Sounds plausible to me. I've seen discussion of emotions as wave behaviour too. Although emotions are associated with mental state they are definitely also manifested physiologically and it would make sense that the there would be an EM character to them.

[isabelwortman]

This is what happens to me when I removed my earphones after hours of sound trip. It's as if I still have them plugged.

[jtb]

"Incredibly, when it comes to learning, the neuron behaves like a giant antenna, with different branches of dendrites tuned to different frequencies for maximal learning," Mehta said.

I know this is a little off subject, but I think very interesting as relating to the amazing capabilities of the human brain. In the late 60s my brother's co-worker said that after some dental work he would occasionally hear a local AM radio station without a radio. Evidently, his dental work acted like an antenna and his brain demodulated the signal and activated the frequency receptors in his ears. Unfortunately, both are deceased so I can't get further details.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
jtb