Category: Neuroscience/Mental Health
AI Therapists – Not Ready for Prime Time
Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are being rolled out at a furious pace. There is no doubt they are potentially powerful tools, although with flaws and limitations. But one thing that large language models do well is mimic conversational speech. They are great chatbots. For this reason one of the early uses of these chatbots is as AI therapists. There are no hard...
Standards in Behavioral Science
How can we decrease the amount of shoddy science and improve the rigor of research in the behavioral sciences?
Real Time Computer Communication
For those with advanced ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or certain brainstem strokes, they can be what is referred to as “locked in”. They are mostly paralyzed. A tip of the basilar artery brainstem stroke, for example, can leave one only able to move their eyes. Many with ALS, long before they get to this point, lose the ability to speak because of...
Brainspotting is Classic Pseudoscience
Have you heard of brainspotting? It’s been around since 2003 when it was invented out of whole cloth (not “discovered”) by psychotherapist David Grand. It seems to be gaining in popularity recently, so it is worth the SBM treatment. Here is how proponents describe the alleged phenomenon: “Brainspotting makes use of this natural phenomenon through its use of relevant eye positions. This...
Mapping the Brain
I think it’s important to recognize not only how fake science can degrade medicine and exploit health care consumers, but also how real science can benefit medicine and consumers. It’s also important to separate hype from reality, because there often is science-based snake oil, meaning that there are fake treatments based on the hype of real science. We are near the beginning...
Redefining Dyslexia
What, exactly, is dyslexia? What causes it, how should it be diagnosed, and stemming from that, how should it be treated? We can even ask a more fundamental question – does it actually exist as a discrete clinical entity? These questions have existed since dyslexia was first described and named in 1887, by German Opthalmologist, Rudolf Berlin. Not surprisingly, he thought the...
The Telepathy Tapes – More FC Pseudoscience
Documentaries can be powerful. They can use the mature art-form of cinema in order to convey a specific narrative. The viewer can get drawn into that narrative, unaware they are being exposed to a very one-sided or limited take on a complex topic. I recently, for example, participated in a fun review of the Earthing Movie which was basically propaganda for the...
Your Brain In Space
Amid all the shocking and depressing news regarding the future of American healthcare and medicine, at least over the next four years, I thought I would tackle something a bit lighter today. What happens to the brains of astronauts aboard the ISS? Space medicine is a field of study, if fairly niche, and will likely have increasing implications as humanity increases its...
EMDR Is Still Dubious
A recent meta-analysis of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy concludes that the evidence “confirms” EMDR is effective in treating depression. It is a great example of the limitations of meta-analysis, and how easy it is to create essentially a false narrative using poor quality research. EMDR was “developed” by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987. It is the notion that bilateral...
Why Is ADHD On The Rise
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopment disorders and seems to be on the rise, in both children and adults. The diagnosis in children requires having various symptoms of attention deficit or hyperactivity which is functionally impairing with onset by age 12. Recognition of the disorder actually goes back farther than you might think – the observation that...