View Poll Results: Do you think you have the Stupidity `Virus ?
Yes, I do
3
42.86%
I might, but only on Fridays
0
0%
No I don't > I know I'm SMART, just ask me
1
14.29%
Maybe, I can't remember (?)
4
57.14%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 7. You may not vote on this poll
>Are you getting Stupid ?<
#1
11-13-2014, 09:10 AM
>Are you getting Stupid ?<
Hi `Member's,
Do you know anyone that caught the
Stupidity `Virus ?
I think some or many in D.C. got it & now many
are getting it ?' *(I think I got `it 4-Sure)
Member's Please Vote in the above Poll
Do you know anyone that caught the
Stupidity `Virus ?
I think some or many in D.C. got it & now many
are getting it ?' *(I think I got `it 4-Sure)
Member's Please Vote in the above Poll New 'Stupidity Virus' Discovered, Scientists Say
MCF Member's >Jim Carrey, left, and Jeff Daniels in a scene from "Dumb and Dumber *Good Friends of Space >
<LoLThe next time you lose your keys or bomb a test, try blaming it on a virus. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Nebraska have discovered a virus that makes you just a little bit dumber.
The scientists stumbled upon the previously unknown "stupidity virus" in the throat cultures of healthy subjects during a completely unrelated experiment. The 44 percent of people who tested positive for the virus performed 7 to 9 points lower on IQ tests that measured attention span and how fast and accurately people process visual information.
The scientists stumbled upon the previously unknown "stupidity virus" in the throat cultures of healthy subjects during a completely unrelated experiment. The 44 percent of people who tested positive for the virus performed 7 to 9 points lower on IQ tests that measured attention span and how fast and accurately people process visual information.
When the Nebraska researchers injected the virus into the digestive systems of mice, same thing. The rodents blundered around mazes, appeared flummoxed < (?) by new toys and seemed oblivious to new entry ways in and out of their cages. In short, they acted a tiny bit stupider than the average mouse (or space aliens).
.“This is a striking example showing that the ‘innocuous’ microorganisms we carry can affect behavior and cognition,” said lead investigator Dr. Robert Yolken, a virologist and pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Johns Hopkins Children’s
Center in Baltimore who led the study.
Yolken said this unintended study provides a good example of how behavior and psychology come down to more than the genes you inherit from your parents. Some of these traits may be shaped and influenced by the trillions of viruses, bacteria and fungi that colonize our bodies, he said.
Yolken said this unintended study provides a good example of how behavior and psychology come down to more than the genes you inherit from your parents. Some of these traits may be shaped and influenced by the trillions of viruses, bacteria and fungi that colonize our bodies, he said.
Viruses are infectious agents that invade cells and replicate themselves within those cells 
, said Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America. Once they enter a host, they range from completely benign or, as is the case of the Ebola virus, they can be deadly.
, said Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America. Once they enter a host, they range from completely benign or, as is the case of the Ebola virus, they can be deadly.Glatt said while he is skeptical of a virus can actually affect intelligence, he is keeping an open mind.
“We don’t completely understand the full implications of viruses yet but they, obviously, can impact the functioning of cells and entire organism with a myriad of outcomes,” he said.
Yolken said this particular virus may work by changing the way genes are expressed in an area of the brain responsible for memory and other higher brain functions. He also said he has suspected for some time that viruses have ways of messing with human intelligence.
“We don’t completely understand the full implications of viruses yet but they, obviously, can impact the functioning of cells and entire organism with a myriad of outcomes,” he said.
Yolken said this particular virus may work by changing the way genes are expressed in an area of the brain responsible for memory and other higher brain functions. He also said he has suspected for some time that viruses have ways of messing with human intelligence.
In previous studies, for example, his team found small but definite decreases in cognitive function after exposure to the common herpes simplex virus.
The new research appears in the latest issue of the online journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Check back 4 more infor `if you can remember ?
Last edited by Space; 11-14-2014 at 05:19 AM.
#2
11-13-2014, 12:21 PM
WoW > I didn't know that ?< >LOL<
appeared flummoxed
look it `up for the definition (?) Isn't it just amazing what you can see & learn on the MCF
flum·moxed
ˈfləməkst/
adjective
ˈfləməkst/
adjective
- bewildered or perplexed.
he became flummoxed and speechless"
I was flum-moxed 4-Sure I think I must have the New 'Stupidity Virus' Oh `No (I didn't think aliens could get `it) > LOL <
#4
11-14-2014, 06:11 AM
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 5,611
I've been "invading cells" with stuff the alters my thinkings for many years. I wouldn't call it a virus, but it enters thru my lungs. I thought it goodered up my thinkings - enhanced!
#5
11-14-2014, 07:00 AM
Hi `Brent,
So that's the reason ? >
LOL >you've gained so much intelligence & insight in2 your world WoW Yes, it's so great 2 `be Enhanced & Advanced > WoW <
Thanks for your post/words/sharing 4-Sure
#8
11-15-2014, 05:26 AM
>So U will Know ? <>What ?<
How Marijuana Really Affects the Brain 
Laura TedescoNovember 14, 2014 (is it November already ?)
Clearing the air: New science reveals that toking up may be more addictive than previously thought.
Although there’s a lot of buzz about marijuana being nonaddictive, the evidence is stacking up that people can — and do — become dependent on the drug. A study released earlier this year, for example, found that 40 percent of marijuana users in an outpatient treatment program showed signs of withdrawal, a classic indicator of addiction. Now, new research in the journal PNAS sheds light on how lighting up changes the brain — and potentially primes people for withdrawal.
It’s long been known that exposure to THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in pot, can lead to changes in the brain. Problem is, different studies have shown different structural alterations, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly how the stuff affects people mentally. That’s why a group of researchers decided to use three different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to examine the brains of 48 chronic marijuana users and 62 nonusers, while also assessing IQ and negative life consequences of pot smoking.
The most obvious difference: The people who regularly toked up had less volume in the orbitofrontal gyri. This brain region is part of the orbitofrontal cortex, “one of the primary areas within the reward system, which is basically a network of brain regions implicated in the addiction process,” said study author Francesca Filbey, an addiction researcher at the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas.
“More specifically, the orbitofrontal cortex is important for decision-making. This is the area of the brain that would learn something is good for us or bad for us.”
So why does pot cause shrinkage in this area? Simple: The orbitofrontal cortex is highly concentrated with cannabinoid receptors, the places in your brain where THC binds. As a result, it’s much more vulnerable to the effects of a chronic flood of the substance. In animal studies, “the number of those receptors decreased as a result of THC exposure as a way to regain balance in that system,” Filbey told Yahoo Health. “So too much THC basically leads to lower numbers of those receptors in the brain.”
Related: 10 Ways Pot Can Make You Healthier
It’s this effect that gives credence to the “pot is addictive” camp. As Filbey explained, the fewer cannabinoid receptors a marijuana user has, the more THC he requires to achieve the desired high. “This really describes tolerance,” she said. “Around 10 percent of users, on average, report changes in tolerance and also increased craving and withdrawal.” The marijuana users in this study weren’t just casual smokers — they used the drug at least four times per week.
Although this study may help illuminate the addiction process, the findings are a little hazier when it comes to how these brain changes affect people’s behavior and intelligence, if at all. The researchers did find that marijuana users scored lower on an IQ test than non-users did. But as tempting as it is to link this to the changes in their brains, the researchers weren’t able to firmly establish that connection, suggesting there’s another factor behind the users’ lower IQs. One possibility: “If these individuals were using during their adolescent years, then they may have missed a lot of the verbal knowledge that IQ is testing for,” Filbey said.
Related: Pot-Smoking Mom Fights to Breastfeed. What Are the Risks? Oh `No
And, incredibly, the brain seems capable of compensating for the volume loss associated with consistent marijuana use: The pot smokers showed increased connectivity in the orbitofrontal cortex. What does that mean, exactly?
“Structural connectivity refers to the actual white matter tracks that connect the gray areas in our brain,” said Filbey. “Functional connectivity is how well brain regions coactivate — if they respond synchronously. This basically suggests there’s greater communication within the network.” The positive effects on connectivity were greatest in people who’d started using marijuana at a young age.
If this sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is — at least if you’ve been toking up for years. After about six years of chronic pot smoking, these compensatory increases in connectivity began to reverse. “[Connectivity] actually started to decline,” Filbey said. “[The brain] isn’t able to sustain itself past continued use of about six years.”
Your Next Read: The Truth About Your Drinking Habits
Read More
Laura TedescoNovember 14, 2014 (is it November already ?)
Clearing the air: New science reveals that toking up may be more addictive than previously thought.
Although there’s a lot of buzz about marijuana being nonaddictive, the evidence is stacking up that people can — and do — become dependent on the drug. A study released earlier this year, for example, found that 40 percent of marijuana users in an outpatient treatment program showed signs of withdrawal, a classic indicator of addiction. Now, new research in the journal PNAS sheds light on how lighting up changes the brain — and potentially primes people for withdrawal.
It’s long been known that exposure to THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in pot, can lead to changes in the brain. Problem is, different studies have shown different structural alterations, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly how the stuff affects people mentally. That’s why a group of researchers decided to use three different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to examine the brains of 48 chronic marijuana users and 62 nonusers, while also assessing IQ and negative life consequences of pot smoking.
The most obvious difference: The people who regularly toked up had less volume in the orbitofrontal gyri. This brain region is part of the orbitofrontal cortex, “one of the primary areas within the reward system, which is basically a network of brain regions implicated in the addiction process,” said study author Francesca Filbey, an addiction researcher at the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas.
“More specifically, the orbitofrontal cortex is important for decision-making. This is the area of the brain that would learn something is good for us or bad for us.”
So why does pot cause shrinkage in this area? Simple: The orbitofrontal cortex is highly concentrated with cannabinoid receptors, the places in your brain where THC binds. As a result, it’s much more vulnerable to the effects of a chronic flood of the substance. In animal studies, “the number of those receptors decreased as a result of THC exposure as a way to regain balance in that system,” Filbey told Yahoo Health. “So too much THC basically leads to lower numbers of those receptors in the brain.”
Related: 10 Ways Pot Can Make You Healthier
It’s this effect that gives credence to the “pot is addictive” camp. As Filbey explained, the fewer cannabinoid receptors a marijuana user has, the more THC he requires to achieve the desired high. “This really describes tolerance,” she said. “Around 10 percent of users, on average, report changes in tolerance and also increased craving and withdrawal.” The marijuana users in this study weren’t just casual smokers — they used the drug at least four times per week.
Although this study may help illuminate the addiction process, the findings are a little hazier when it comes to how these brain changes affect people’s behavior and intelligence, if at all. The researchers did find that marijuana users scored lower on an IQ test than non-users did. But as tempting as it is to link this to the changes in their brains, the researchers weren’t able to firmly establish that connection, suggesting there’s another factor behind the users’ lower IQs. One possibility: “If these individuals were using during their adolescent years, then they may have missed a lot of the verbal knowledge that IQ is testing for,” Filbey said.
Related: Pot-Smoking Mom Fights to Breastfeed. What Are the Risks? Oh `No
And, incredibly, the brain seems capable of compensating for the volume loss associated with consistent marijuana use: The pot smokers showed increased connectivity in the orbitofrontal cortex. What does that mean, exactly?
“Structural connectivity refers to the actual white matter tracks that connect the gray areas in our brain,” said Filbey. “Functional connectivity is how well brain regions coactivate — if they respond synchronously. This basically suggests there’s greater communication within the network.” The positive effects on connectivity were greatest in people who’d started using marijuana at a young age.
If this sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is — at least if you’ve been toking up for years. After about six years of chronic pot smoking, these compensatory increases in connectivity began to reverse. “[Connectivity] actually started to decline,” Filbey said. “[The brain] isn’t able to sustain itself past continued use of about six years.”
Your Next Read: The Truth About Your Drinking Habits
Read More
#9
11-15-2014, 06:27 AM
I find that my programming skills have declined, but I think that is because I am looking forward to retirement maybe.
Wife say I don't remember what she tells me, but that may be selective hearing.
What where we talking about?
Wife say I don't remember what she tells me, but that may be selective hearing.
What where we talking about?
#10
11-15-2014, 06:34 AM
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 5,611
Sort of an interesting read 'Space, but I'd call that research non-conclusive or un-scientific because test between user and non-user could be different with or without pot use. It seems to me that the brain condition the article refers to could have been a pre-exiting condition. There is no evidence indicated that having "less volume in the orbitofrontal gyri" doesn't lead to becoming a user - as opposed to resulting from it as the article suggests. Or having more volume in the orbitofrontal gyri may make you less inclined to use pot.
Anyways, don't smoke pot!
Anyways, don't smoke pot!