Sci-Ed Update 317

Sensation resets the mind, more aphantasia, myths of science of learning, light affects learning, creating connections in science, bunions, first 6 wks of pregnancy explained

May 10, 2024

By the time a woman is considered six weeks pregnant, she would have had two weeks, at most, to realize it.
That’s because the gestational age of a fetus is counted not from the moment that sperm fertilizes an egg or from the moment you have a positive pregnancy test, but weeks earlier, on the first day of the previous menstrual cycle. This means that just two weeks after a missed period, a woman is six weeks pregnant, said Dr. Dawnette Lewis, director of Northwell Health’s Center for Maternal Health in New York and a maternal fetal medicine specialist.
The question of how soon it’s possible to detect and confirm a pregnancy has come into focus as new abortion restrictions have been enacted in 21 states, including in Florida, where a ban on most abortions after six weeks took effect May 1. Florida is the third state to ban abortions at this point in pregnancy.
We asked experts to explain how the first six weeks of pregnancy unfold, and what factors might make a pregnancy hard to detect.

Why writing by hand is better for remembering things

Want to remember something? Don’t type it out—write it down.
At least that’s what a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests, concluding that “whenever handwriting movements are included as a learning strategy, more of the brain gets stimulated, resulting in the formation of more complex neural network connectivity.” In other words: Writing by hand, as opposed to with a keyboard, helps you remember things.

Creating connections when we talk about science

For Cell’s 50^th anniversary Focus on Immunology, scientific editor Cheri Sirois asked science communicator Liz Neeley, founding partner of Liminal and cofounder of Solving for Science, to discuss strategies for tackling technical complexity and for engaging effectively with broad audiences. A lightly edited transcript of their conversation is shared here.

Bright Light, Sharper Mind: Lighting Affects Cognition

They found that, during both tasks, higher levels of light triggered an increase in activity over the posterior hypothalamus. In contrast, the inferior and anterior hypothalamus followed a seemingly opposite pattern, exhibiting decreased activity under higher levels of light. Credit: Neuroscience News

A new study explores how different light levels impact cognitive function by influencing hypothalamic activity in the brain. The study utilized advanced 7 Tesla fMRI to show that higher levels of light improve cognitive performance during complex tasks.
This link between light exposure and brain function suggests potential for light-based therapies to enhance alertness and cognitive abilities throughout the day. The findings pave the way for further investigation into how light affects various brain structures and could inform the development of non-invasive treatments for cognitive fatigue and sleep disorders.
Key Facts:
Higher levels of light exposure were correlated with increased activity in the posterior hypothalamus and improved performance on cognitive tasks.
The study used 7 Tesla fMRI, providing high-resolution insights into how light influences hypothalamic activity.
While increased light levels boosted cognitive performance, the exact neural mechanisms and involved brain regions require further exploration.

Why you’re probably wrong about the science of learning

Most novel ideas follow a trend known as the Gartner Hype Cycle. This cycle begins with a period of overblown predictions, morphs into a period of active rebellion, then settles into an acceptable reality where the idea finds a functional slot within society.
About 10 years ago, the science of learning (SoL) was introduced in earnest across global education. The past decade has certainly seen a steady uptick in the discussion of this idea, especially among educators dubbed “traditional” in their thinking. Unfortunately, this excitement has begun to veer into exaggeration, with some pundits arguing that SoL will “transform education” and is “key to lifting student outcomes”.
As predicted by the hype cycle, a phase of active rebellion has begun, especially among educators dubbed “progressive” in their thinking. Over the past year, pundits have begun un-ironically arguing that “there is no such thing as the Science of Learning”, and that it “is a deliberate falsification”.

Exploring Aphantasia: The Mind Without a Mental Picture

Researchers reviewed 50 studies to deepen our understanding of aphantasia, a phenomenon where individuals can’t visualize mentally. The research reveals aphantasia’s diverse impact, from reduced autobiographical memory and face recognition to broader implications in music imagination and occupation choices, suggesting a spectrum rather than a binary condition.
Additionally, the review highlights genetic predispositions and familial patterns, offering a glimpse into the physiological and neural underpinnings of both aphantasia and its opposite, hyperphantasia. This exploration not only clarifies the range of human cognitive experience but also challenges misconceptions about imagination and visual thinking.
Key Facts:
Broad Spectrum of Impact: Aphantasia affects more than just visual imagination, influencing memory, face recognition, and even occupation tendencies, with some individuals experiencing less ability to imagine music.
Genetic and Familial Patterns: Both aphantasia and hyperphantasia often run in families, hinting at genetic factors and suggesting a wider, nuanced spectrum of cognitive experiences.
Physiological and Neural Underpinnings: Variations in physiology and brain connectivity are linked to the vividness of mental imagery, with implications for understanding different cognitive styles and their impacts on daily life.

Mindi Fried on Teaching & Learning with Aphantasia

In Episode 133, Dr. Mindi Fried joins us to discuss her experience of aphantasia, the inability to picture thoughts and memories in the mind’s eye, and how that affects how she teaches and learns anatomy and physiology. This is a chat that will increase our awareness of the huge and sometimes invisible diversity that exists among our students.

00:00 | Introduction
01:01 | What is Aphantasia?
05:45 | Sponsored by AAA
07:07 | Introducing Mindi Fried
09:03 | Sponsored by HAPI
09:48 | Mindi Fried on Aphantasia
29:25 | Sponsored by HAPS
30:20 | More with Mindi Fried
46:19 | Staying Connected

To listen to this episode, click on the play button above ⏵ (if present) or this link→ theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-133.html

Paying Attention to Sensations Can Help Reset the Mind

We found that sensory shutdown was associated with an eightfold increase in risk for a new episode of depression. These findings aligned with our earlier research involving a group of people who did not have depression, which linked stress-related sensory shutdown with higher levels of depressive symptoms. In that work, people who were under emotional stress and consequently showed dampened activity in the brain’s sensory areas reported more feelings tied to depression.
Our studies further suggest that not all sensation is created equal. Different brain regions support different kinds of sensory processing. Specifically, a decline in activity in the regions involved in body awareness—as opposed to, say, the brain regions linked to external senses, such as hearing and vision—was the biggest predictor of risk.

The A&P Professor Science & Education Updates

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