Nick Adams

Emotional Response Therapy (ERT). A psychotherapy for the treatment of trauma and distress. Interested in biological sciences.

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

DEEP SLEEP CLEANS BRAIN WASTE PRODUCTS.

During deep sleep, the brain increases glymphatic flow, clearing metabolic waste including amyloid-beta.

Sleep disruption is associated with increased accumulation of neurotoxic proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Deep sleep is typically defined as slow-wave sleep, concentrated in the first half of the night.

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

Emotions are fundamental to human life, but when dysregulated, they can contribute to anxiety and trauma-related mood disorders.

In a new #SciencePerspective, researchers dive into new approaches to understand emotions across species and how these insights could be used to advance treatments for psychiatric disorders.

Learn more: https://t.co/3RRhdCBNOq

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

Prolonged dopamine activity strengthened learning by increasing the brain's learning rate (the speed at which new information is incorporated into behaviour) — A recent study found that when mice received larger rewards, dopamine neurons remained active for longer periods during reward consumption.

To confirm dopamine's role in learning, researchers artificially increased dopamine activity using optogenetics and noted that it enhanced learning efficiency even when reward sizes remained small, demonstrating that sustained dopamine signalling was a key mechanism underlying the observed effects.

The study also highlighted dopamine's central role in motivation and persistence, suggesting that disruptions to dopamine function could contribute to difficulties with learning, attention, and goal-directed behaviour.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb0813

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

I recently sat down with Harry Japp to discuss all things EMDR and ERT , on his YouTube channel ‘on becoming a therapist.

It was wonderful to talk about therapy with Harry.

Fundamentals of EMDR: History, Theory & Practice | Nick Adams https://t.co/tRqXLAnniR via @YouTube

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

Nick Adams speaking about ERT
Visit the website for more information
https://t.co/CTxnFr4h67

[Interesting STEM @InterestingSTEM]

Two neurons having a chat

[Martin Picard @MitoPsychoBio]

Chronic stress and serious mental illnesses age us quickly likely because of energy constraints.

It costs energy to stress out: Faster heart rate, cortisol, neural activity, cellular stress response programs, sweating, etc.

Nothing is free in biology. And negative states of mind activate costly stress response pathways that cost energy.

Because we have a finite energy budget, that means that stress must steal energy from the things that sustain our health and keep us from aging too quickly.

https://t.co/DxPEWTRqKW

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

Exercise can improve memory and reverse cognitive decline — A recent study found that increases in a protein made by the liver during exercise called GPLD1 improved memory and reversed cognitive decline linked to aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers noted that GPLD1 did not act directly on neurons, but instead it targeted the brain’s blood vessels, which play a key role in controlling what enters and leaves the brain.

GPLD1 works by breaking down certain proteins that increase with age, and harm brain function and memory.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.01.024

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

Fascinating

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

The thickness of your cortex plays a causal role in shaping your cognitive abilities and vulnerability to certain psychiatric conditions — The cortex is the outer layer of the brain involved in thinking, memory, and behaviour.

Two key features of the cortex are its surface area and its thickness, which are strongly influenced by genetics and can vary between individuals.

A recent study found that a thicker cortex was associated with reduced risk of schizophrenia.

Cortical thickness reflects the density of neurons, synapses, and supporting cells in the cortex.

Greater thickness may indicate stronger neural networks and healthier brain circuits that help regulate perception, thought, and emotional processing.

Interestingly, researchers also found a two-way relationship between cortical thickness and smoking initiation, meaning brain structure may influence smoking behaviour while smoking may also affect cortical development.

DOI: 110.1038/s44220-025-00397-4

[Anish Moonka @anishmoonka]

That one neuron connects to about 7,000 others. Your brain has 86 billion of them. Do the math and you get somewhere around 100 trillion connections inside your head. More connections than stars in 1,500 galaxies.

And each connection point is way more complicated than anyone expected. A Stanford lab found that every single connection contains about 1,000 tiny switches that can store memories and process information at the same time. So your brain is running roughly 100 quadrillion switches right now, while you read this sentence.

The wild part is the power bill. Your brain runs on 20 watts. That’s less energy than the light in your fridge. The world’s fastest supercomputer needs 20 million watts to do the same amount of raw calculation. A million times more power for the same output.

We’re still nowhere close to understanding how any of this works. In October 2024, a team of hundreds of scientists finished mapping every single connection in a fruit fly’s brain. Took six years and heavy AI help. That fly brain had 140,000 neurons. Yours has 86 billion. Google and Harvard also mapped a piece of human brain last year, a speck smaller than a grain of rice. That speck alone contained 150 million connections and took 1,400 terabytes to store. The lead scientist said mapping a full human brain at that detail would produce as much data as the entire world generates in a year.

A tiny worm had its 302 brain cells mapped back in 1986. Almost 40 years later, scientists still can’t fully explain how that worm’s brain keeps it alive. Your brain has 86 billion of those cells, each one wired to thousands of others, each wire packed with a thousand switches, all of it humming along on less power than a lightbulb.

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

When Neanderthals and ancient modern humans interbred, the pairings were mostly between male Neanderthals and female humans, according to a new Science study.

This finding helps explain why Neanderthal ancestry present in most humans is unevenly distributed. https://t.co/yd0A66qEqF

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

I continue to be amazed by nature.

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

Bumble bees may look clumsy and goofy hovering above a flower, but don’t be deceived: They’re among the hot rods of the insect world and able to fly 22 kilometers per hour. Even while hovering, their powerful wing muscles generate a lot of heat. Like any high-performance vehicle, the bees have ways to keep their motors cool—and a new study shows just how effective one of these methods can be.

As a bumble bee hovers in place, the breeze it generates can lower the insect’s body temperature by 5°C, researchers report.

Learn more: https://t.co/kA7fSVFdD7

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

Chronic cognitive and emotional problems after brain infections may be caused by lasting changes to brain genes — Infections and autoimmune diseases of the brain can cause the immune system to attack neurons.

Even after the infection is cleared, many patients continue to have long-term problems with memory, thinking, or mood.

A recent study found that immune signals can reprogram neurons through epigenetic changes, leading to persistent synaptic dysfunction, and ultimately affecting communication between neurons.

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.11.006

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

Looking forward to speaking at the EMDR conference in a few weeks time.

[Quanta Magazine @QuantaMagazine]

As we age, the delicate equilibrium of our billions of neurons can teeter — sometimes with serious cognitive consequences. But new research into neuronal regulators is helping us better understand how to re-level things once the scale has been tipped. https://t.co/whgQm5eFwx

[Nick Adams @ERTtherapy]

Fascinating research

[Shining Science @ShiningScience]

🚨 New research reveals that birdwatching can literally rewire the human brain.

For years, enthusiasts have touted the peaceful nature of birdwatching, but new neuroscientific evidence suggests the hobby offers far more than just relaxation. Researchers have discovered that expert birders possess significant structural differences in their brains compared to novices. These specialized neural pathways allow them to identify even unfamiliar species with remarkable speed and accuracy. Much like the cognitive shifts seen in polyglots or professional pianists, the act of birding appears to fine-tune the brain's visual and auditory processing centers, turning a casual interest into a powerful exercise in neuroplasticity.

This discovery highlights the brain's incredible ability to adapt and specialize based on our environment and interests. By consistently distinguishing subtle variations in plumage, song, and flight patterns, birdwatchers effectively rewire their minds to perceive details that others might miss. The study suggests that such expertise is not an innate talent but rather a result of prolonged practice that reshapes the cortex. Whether you are a seasoned field guide or a backyard enthusiast, this research reinforces the idea that engaging deeply with the natural world is not just a pastime—it is a cognitive investment that sharpens the mind for a lifetime.

source: University of Zurich. Birdwatching reshapes the brain in a similar way to learning a language or instrument. ScienceDaily.

[The Sapolsky @thesapolsky]

Aging related brain changes can improve emotional regulation — Many older adults report better control over their emotions, even though some cognitive abilities decline with age.

This pattern may seem surprising, but several neurobiological mechanisms help explain it.

Emotional regulation depends heavily on interactions between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala.

In many older adults, although overall brain volume declines, functional connectivity between the PFC and amygdala during emotion regulation tasks can remain stable or even become more efficient.

The PFC exerts top-down inhibitory control over the amygdala, which can result in dampened amygdala reactivity to negative stimuli.

DOI: 10.1038/s41386-026-02321-5

[Science News @SciencNews]

Handwritten notes are more useful for studying and committing to memory than typed notes, ultimately contributing to higher achievement for college students.

https://t.co/pYuE7QpTzm

[William A. Wallace, Ph.D. @WilliamWallace]

This is how neurons talk. And once you understand this, a lot of human behavior suddenly makes more sense.

GABA
Your brain’s main calming signal. Helps keep neurons from firing out of control. The reason relaxation is even possible.

Glutamate
The primary excitatory signal. Essential for learning, memory, and plasticity. Too little and you can’t think; too much becomes toxic.
Acetylcholine
Attention, learning, and muscle activation. This is the neurotransmitter that connects your brain to every voluntary movement your body makes.

Dopamine
Motivation, drive, reinforcement. It’s less about “pleasure” and more about assigning value to actions and outcomes.
Serotonin
Mood stability, appetite, sleep, emotional regulation. It’s involved in far more than most people realize.

Noradrenaline
Focus and alertness. Helps your brain tune out noise and lock onto what matters.
Adrenaline
The full-body alarm system—heart rate up, energy mobilized, senses sharpened. Classic fight-or-flight chemistry.

Endorphins
Your own built-in painkillers. Euphoria, relief, the “runner’s high.”
All of these are being released, absorbed, broken down, or recycled in fractions of a second—constantly.
When the balance shifts (because of sleep, stress, diet, trauma, exercise, or even a single thought), your internal experience shifts with it.

Understanding this tiny space between neurons is as close as you can get to understanding why you feel the way you feel.

[Martin Picard @MitoPsychoBio]

Biology exploring its environment. How much energy does it cost to be curious?