Prescribing the right medication or therapy for anxiety and depression often consists of a trial and error approach. It is very difficult to tell who is going to respond to a specific treatment becaus ...
Russell Phillips
Dr. Russell Phillips joined Brain Resource following a 10 year career in Biotech and Pharmaceutical Development. Russell received his PhD from New York University, publishing in the field of emotional memory. His postdoctoral work at Stanford University focused on gene transfer for the prevention of neurodegeneration. He then moved on to work as a science writer and focused on consumer healthcare editorial work. Russell is engaged in producing editorial content for Brain Resource and identifying opportunities for future iSPOT studies, expanding the use of Brain Resource's standardized methodology. Russell is also working to push forward our Discovery Science opportunities in the U.S., working with academic institutions to expand the use of Brain Resource standardized methodology.
Stress changes your strategy for learning
Different brain regions are activated and different strategies for learning are used when subjects are stressed, say authors Schwabe and Wolf in an article published in the Journal of Neuroscience. S ...
What you gain by training your brain
Short-term mindfulness meditation can physically alter the connections in your brain. And according to the authors of a recent study, these results “…could provide a means for intervention to impr ...
Focus your attention
A recent article in the New York Times describes the “Risky Rise of the Good-Grade Pill.” Teenagers are taking (and in some cases snorting) Adderall, an amphetamine prescribed for the treatment of ...
The plastic brain: Behavior is modified by experience
Neuroscience has demonstrated that the brain changes, for better or worse, and that brain “plasticity” can be evaluated. Stress, for example, can physically alter not only the connections between ...
Mediterranean diet and brain health
We have all heard about the Mediterranean diet being heart-healthy, but it may also be good for your brain. Recently published research in the Archives of Neurology found that people who eat a Mediter ...
Omega-3s in walnuts may lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as fish, chicken and nuts, may be associated with lower blood levels of a protein called beta-amyloid, which is thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s dis ...
It Doesn’t Mean You’re Crazy -Talking To Yourself Has Cognitive Benefits
Most people talk to themselves at least every few days, and many report talking to themselves on an hourly basis. What purpose is served by this seemingly irrational behavior? Previous research has su ...
Creativity and reasoning during decision-making
Our ability to adapt to our environment often relies on considering multiple behavioral strategies and potentially creating a new strategy to succeed. The frontal lobes of our brains, which make execu ...
The heart’s content: Positive feelings may protect heart health
Let’s discuss the heart and brain connection. Numerous studies have shown that “negative” emotional states, such as anxiety, depression, and anger can affect cardiovascular health in a (you ...
Risk and reward under stress
Hold off on making those big decisions when you feel you have too much on your plate. Feeling stressed alters how you calculate risk and reward. It might be better to first focus on crossing the littl ...
Rosemary scent boosts brain performance
When most people think of rosemary, it typically brings to mind something delicious to eat, but not necessarily its mind altering effects. That just goes to show that we still have a lot to learn abou ...
Addicted to Love
Whether it’s falling in love or losing in love, your brain is addicted to the process. Falling in love is intense. At times we can feel excited and anxious, resulting in butterflies, sweaty palms, a ...
Eat less, think better, live longer
Eating less triggers activation of a molecule that helps keep the brain from aging. Italian scientists led by Giovambattista Pani at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart in Rome, found that calorie ...
Physical activity increases feelings of well-being
Have you ever experienced the feel-good reward after going to the gym, doing yoga, or running? While it may sound like common sense to some, others want to see some real data to support that claim. Yo ...
Keeping (Positive) New Year’s Resolutions
We are early in 2012, so our New Year’s resolutions must still be resolute, right? Are you standing strong? Resolutions are our time-honored tradition to try and do something no less than life-c ...
Resilience
How good are you at rolling with the punches? Do you take charge and move on, or dwell on issues that make you feel like a victim? Resilience often refers to the ability to deal with, or adapt to, the ...
Stress is a health risk
Stress is a normal emotional and physiological response to events that are perceived to be threatening. It’s the body’s way of protecting you, helping you stay focused and alert. Stress ty ...
Mindfulness, Meditation, and Focus
While we all may know that taking a deep breath and contemplating a response before acting is probably the best thing to do, it’s much easier said than done. Have you ever been able to pause for a m ...
What are Feelings?
Normally we associate feelings with emotions, and often think of the two as being synonymous. Neuroscience has now shown the chain of events that lead from our brain’s generating emotional reactions ...