This paper came upon my attention today. Keep in mind that the insular cortex is where most of the Von Economo cells are found. These cells are related to consciousness orientation, energy directors, according the Cs. It is also where empathy seems to arise according to some studies. More below.
I wonder if there could be a relationship between Authoritarian followers and their non-smoking activism, pathology and/or anomalies that involves a different neural circuit in the brain. Von Economo cells are found in rich concentrations in the insular cortex:
It is interesting the comment about impaired smell, considering that psychopaths have poor sense of smell:
Psychopaths Have Poor Sense of Smell, Study Finds
http://www.sott.net/article/251469-Psychopaths-Have-Poor-Sense-of-Smell-Study-Finds
The insular cortex is also associated with processes related with empathy. Not surprising considering it has the Von Economo cells.
I wonder if this the smoking genetic make-up. A souled person who is distressed and in need to improve their breathing functions and pathologicals could not care less about relieving this distress. It is also interesting how many of us smoke AND do EE, while other breathing program practitioners just try to overcompensate by doing breathing exercises alone.
And it seems psychopaths don't have much von Economo cells:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20350784
Does insular stroke disrupt the self-medication effects of nicotine?
Schrand JR., Med Hypotheses. 2010 Sep;75(3):302-4.
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between insular stroke and the disruption of tobacco use.
A functional analysis of the role of the insula in maintaining homeostasis suggests that the insula monitors
hypoxia and applies dyspnea to motivate the individual to regulate breathing. From its’ early usage,
nicotine has been used to treat respiratory disorders. It increases respiratory drive, promoting better
breathing. Insular stroke likely interferes with this self-regulation. A new self-medication model is proposed
for tobacco use. The effect on public policy is discussed.
Background: the problem
Naqvi et al. [1] found that those who have had an insula lesion
have an increased risk for disruption of smoking activity (odds ratio
= 22.0) compared to lesions in other areas. [...]
Analysis
Homeostasis and the lowly insula
[...]
The purpose of the insula is to motivate behavior in order to
achieve homeostasis based on feedback from internal and external
senses. The end result of the normal insula is to insure survival of
the fittest. If it feels good, keep doing it. If it feels really good, do
even more of it. If it feels bad, this is something to be avoided.
Try something new to adapt to this changed environment. If it feels
really bad, such as periods of such as unresolved conflict (severe
stress), the system is in serious trouble. Try risky ventures to resolve
this problem.
Our social system places reasonable restrictions on the actions
of individuals when extreme risk taking is harmful, especially to
others. Our social regulatory systems attempt to strike a delicate
balance between unbridled individual freedom and stifling social
control. The problem is determining when these extreme actions
are truly harmful to society and what restrictions are reasonable.
One persons stress relief may be another’s stressor, . . ..a threat.
Stress and respiration
Stress occurs when a threat to physiological equilibrium is perceived.
It influences constructive behavior change in response to an
unbalanced dynamic environment. Mild, short-term stress has a
salutatory effect. However, chronic stress has a weakening effect
on the neuro-immune systems response to life’s traumatic events
and challenges respiration [5]. Recent studies document the particularly
devastating effects of severe stress from Adverse Childhood
Experiences (ACE’s) [6]. The system is out of balance during the
early development years. Childhood stress is related to asthma
[7,8] and depression in adulthood [9]. Those with asthma are at increased
risk for depression [10]. Those with stress related respiratory
disorders are in need of treatment. The insula responds to this
need and encourages medication seeking to achieve homeostasis.
Nicotine as self-medication
Functionally, the purpose of tobacco use is to deliver nicotine, a
CNS and respiratory stimulant [11]. The Native American population
has used tobacco for 2000 years. Tribal shamans used this
medicinal herb to treat respiratory disorders [12,13]. In the late
1800’s, physicians used tobacco products to treat asthma [14].
ACE’s have a graded effect on tobacco initiation and use [15],
especially in the current population [16]. Those with ACE’s are
more likely to be depressed in adulthood [17]. Adolescents with
prior or current asthma are 1.5 times as likely to smoke [18]. It
has been proposed that nicotine is being used as self-treatment
for sleep apnea [19]. It should not be surprising that many are
unknowingly using this medicinal herb to treat stress related respiratory
disorders. Yes, tobacco use has purpose. However, nicotine improves breathing only temporarily as long
as nicotine is in the system.
What is described as ‘‘craving” for nicotine may be no more
than chronic mild dyspnea or air hunger. It encourages re-administration
as necessary to insure a continuous level of nicotine. Anything
that improves breathing is likely to be compulsive to
maintain homeostasis.
Yes, ask a person to hold their breath for about a minute and see
if the insula does not motivate them to fix that serious problem. If
they follow that with corrective action such as deep breathing or
medication, this action will become compulsive. The potent motivational
aspect of the neuro-respiratory system continues to work.
Homeostasis is maintained. So, what if chronic (social, familial,
work related or battlefield) stress continues to damage the cardiovascular
system to the extent that insular feedback control loop is
compromised?
Insular stroke
A stroke in the right insular cortex reduces the sensitivity to the
perception of dyspnea [3]. These stroke patients would not be
aware of their hypoxic state, and not motivated to continue treatment
with nicotine. The apparently functional stroke patient will
get lots of positive feedback from health care workers. But, the human
system is still in serious trouble. Having no interest in those
choices that improve life is a sign of depression, common in stroke
patients.
The Naqvi study examined existing stroke patients who are part
of the human laboratory that is already in existence. Insular stroke
must be playing some role in the current cessation process, with
its’ dismal success rate. However, no study has evaluated how
much.
External homeostasis
While research efforts have focused on internal control systems,
the damaging effects of insular stroke are not specific to
interoceptive homeostasis. Depending on the extent of damage
to the insula, it may also effect the response to the external
senses of vision, hearing and smell, etc. It may increase or decrease
sensitivity to senses that are involved in the perceived
of external homeostasis.
As noted in Naqvi’s narrative [1], patient N enjoyed smoking for
many years. But, after the stroke, he not only lost his desire to
smoke, but was now ‘‘disgusted by the smell”, a condition similar
to hyperosmia. The entire frame of reference for perception of what
is pleasurable or painful has been shifted. The insula along with the
amygdala has been found to be responsible for prejudice against
groups that are considered outside the norm [20]. Because of this
pathological condition, sights, sounds and smells of individuals
that were once normal may now be perceived as something to
be avoided or controlled, . . ..a threat.
[...]
Conclusion
As compulsive as tobacco use is in many of those with respiratory
disorders, the complex and dynamic tobacco use system fits
into the self-medication model. The solution is a better analysis
of how the system works. This should lead to better treatments
for stress related respiratory disorders, especially in childhood,
military and Veteran populations. Further research is needed to
determine the role of insular stroke in lifestyle control programs
such as tobacco, obesity, alcohol, drug abuse and homelessness.
I wonder if there could be a relationship between Authoritarian followers and their non-smoking activism, pathology and/or anomalies that involves a different neural circuit in the brain. Von Economo cells are found in rich concentrations in the insular cortex:
[Von Economo neurons and insular cortex - the bridge between soma and psyche].
Neuropsychiatr. 2010;24(1):64-6.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20146921
New research suggests a pivotal role of the anterior insular cortex for the integration of somatic sensation and for intuitive decisions in complex social situations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has demonstrated a close coupling between the anterior insular cortex and the anterior cingulate gyrus, the only areas with von Economo-neurons. These large spindle cells are exclusively found in species with complex social lifes (apes, cetaceans). Observations in humans showed decreased numbers of von Economo neurons in patients with frontotemporal dementia, or agenesis of the corpus callosum, conditions with impaired theory of mind and interpersonal behaviour. It almost appears as if spindle cells would reach out from the realm of subconscious gut-feelings into the premises of conscious prefrontal planning.
It is interesting the comment about impaired smell, considering that psychopaths have poor sense of smell:
Psychopaths Have Poor Sense of Smell, Study Finds
http://www.sott.net/article/251469-Psychopaths-Have-Poor-Sense-of-Smell-Study-Finds
The insular cortex is also associated with processes related with empathy. Not surprising considering it has the Von Economo cells.
Area of the Brain That Processes Empathy Identified
_http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121024175240.htm
An international team led by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York has for the first time shown that one area of the brain, called the anterior insular cortex, is the activity center of human empathy, whereas other areas of the brain are not. The study is published in the September 2012 issue of the journal Brain.
Empathy, the ability to perceive and share another person's emotional state, has been described by philosophers and psychologists for centuries. In the past decade, however, scientists have used powerful functional MRI imaging to identify several regions in the brain that are associated with empathy for pain. This most recent study, however, firmly establishes that the anterior insular cortex is where the feeling of empathy originates.
"Now that we know the specific brain mechanisms associated with empathy, we can translate these findings into disease categories and learn why these empathic responses are deficient in neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as autism," said Patrick R. Hof, MD, Regenstreif Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai, a co-author of the study. "This will help direct neuropathologic investigations aiming to define the specific abnormalities in identifiable neuronal circuits in these conditions, bringing us one step closer to developing better models and eventually preventive or protective strategies."
Xiaosi Gu, PhD, who conducted the research in the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai, worked with researchers from the United States and China, to evaluate Chinese patients, at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, who were shown color photographs of people in pain. Three patients had lesions caused by removing brain tumors in the anterior insular cortex; nine patients had lesions in other parts of the brain and 14 patients (the controls) had neurologically intact brains. The research team found that patients with damage restricted to the anterior insular cortex had deficits in explicit and implicit empathetic pain processing.
"In other words, patients with anterior insular lesions had a hard time evaluating the emotional state of people in pain and feeling empathy for them, compared to the controls and the patients with anterior cingulate cortex lesions." said Dr. Jin Fan, corresponding author of this study and an assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai.
According to Dr. Gu, this study provides the first evidence suggesting that the empathy deficits in patients with brain damage to the anterior insular cortex are surprisingly similar to the empathy deficits found in several psychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorders, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and conduct disorders, suggesting potentially common neural deficits in those psychiatric populations.
"Our findings provide strong evidence that empathy is mediated in a specific area of the brain," said Dr. Gu, who now works at University College London. "The findings have implications for a wide range of neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as autism and some forms of dementia, which are characterized by prominent deficits in higher-level social functioning."
This study suggests that behavioral and cognitive therapies can be developed to compensate for deficits in the anterior insular cortex and its related functions such as empathy in patients. These findings can also inform future research evaluating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying complex social functions in the anterior insular cortex and develop possible pharmacological treatments for patients.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Health, the James S. McDonnell Foundation and a Brain and Behavior Research Foundation NARSAD young investigator award.
I wonder if this the smoking genetic make-up. A souled person who is distressed and in need to improve their breathing functions and pathologicals could not care less about relieving this distress. It is also interesting how many of us smoke AND do EE, while other breathing program practitioners just try to overcompensate by doing breathing exercises alone.
And it seems psychopaths don't have much von Economo cells:
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,15927.0.html
(Psyche) I have a question. When we were discussing with I**** some type of cells that are located mainly in the frontal lobe of the brain, it seems that nobody knows what they are for. They are called spindle cells or "von Economo neurons" if I remember the name correctly. What are their function?
A: Consciousness orientation.
Q: (Ailén) Hmm.
(Andromeda) So I guess having a lot of those would be good?
(Burma Jones) So, is that like a registration bin for consciousness to figure out how to keep itself...
A: Energy directors.
Q: (Joe) Can you get more of them?
A: You may.
Q: (Joe) I wonder if those cells have anything to do with the third eye, like when you do the breathing and you look up...
A: Close, more like a "homing device".
Q: (Joe) A homing device for aliens?
A: Wave reader. {Cs refer to souled humans as “Wave Reading Consciousness Units.}
Q: (Ailén) I**** was saying that they're huge cells. Right? (Psyche) Yeah. She was wondering if they could be related to psychopathy, like the lack of those cells...
A: Oh yes.
Q: (Andromeda) Hmm...
(Ailén) She said there were some studies about schizophrenics not having so many of them also.
;D
:P
(thx to forumhood here). I smoke handmade (of my own) ciggies with Sauvage tobacco (? additive free-it's written on cover) and also Moods cigarillos occasionally. So Domagoj welcomw to the club and happy anniversary to me-self!
