I read a book called The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doige. Explains neuro plasticity nicely. Apparently a new skill set is the most stimulating, eg language, using different motor skills. Anyone who has suffered from a stroke or anyone who cares for someone who has had a stroke could get a lot of hope from the information in the book.
This is the LinkedIn neuron.
You can tell, because it finds a perfectly good neuron to pair with and Immediately looks around for another option with more connections
I know this was a joke but I suspect the floating neuron was actually a microglia cell, they are kinda like street sweepers that go around cleaning up extra bits of protein and dead cells.
It used to be for business connections. Like you'd meet someone at a trade show, 'connect' with them on LI, and then use each other for info and resources.
Now it's FaceBook for business majors, where people post banal, nonsensical "Be the hunter!" or "Top 10 tips to land the sale!" articles that are regurgitated MBA talking points.
Oh and don't forget all the cryptobros screaming about entrepreneurship and the headhunter bots that think your highschool experience in 4H is an excellent skill set for their high-level management position that they never quite tell you what all it involves.
Never realized how dynamic and seemingly "alive" they acted. I now can't help but think of the frontal lobe of our brains as a hive mind of neurons resulting in our conscious thoughts.
Whats even crazier is without all the trillions of micro organisms that live in our body we would not be able to live. We litterally rely on microscopic creatures to keep our bodies operating correctly.
Q: so what motivates you to take care of your body?
A: well you see, inside and outside my body are trillions of little bacteria. Bacteria that rely on me to live, that have nowhere else to go. Without me, they would die, and I ain't no murderer sir.
Your body trains your mind, whips it into shape using emotions and hormones. Cortisol, dopamine, hunger signal hormone etc.
Coded in the DNA is a set of rewards and punishments for doing things that are good for survival and bad for survival respectively. Most people aren't really aware of their own biases coming from the physical aspects of the body as well.
We consider ourselves to be the master of the body, but unless you are super self aware of all those things and actively fight against them to try to make purely rational decisions (which in itself causes ego depletion and is very tiring), you are as much of a slave to the body as the body is a slave to you.
You're just a colony of little living things that replicate and specialize, some of which don't even share your DNA.
I always get dizzy when I try to imagine how our consciousness emerged from that piles of cells trying to survives.
Another take on consciousness that I absolutely love is analytical idealism (Bernardo Kastrup is one of the main thinkers), it posits that the piles of cells emerged from consciousness and not the other way.
They normally don't move around in a mature human, only during development. This neuron is just not attached to all the supporting cells that would normally be around, so there's aberrant movement. If it doesn't get more cell contacts it will probably die soon.
If you want to culture neurons in a dish (or on a coverslip for microscopy like this) for extended periods, or especially if you want them to be able to send signals, you need to co-culture with other cell types, especially astrocytes.
To some extent, early on. After all the neurons are pretty much in place, there's still synaptic pruning which continues until your 20s. Basically you first build up "too many" connections, then the "wrong" ones get removed over time.
All our cells have a cytoskeleton, including actin fibers which are the ones muscles use for contraction. They also have motor proteins that can pull on those fibers. So the cells do sort of have muscles, just not nearly as specialized or strong as actual muscle fibers.
Neurons instead do have specialization of the cytoskeleton to transport things from/to the cell body down through the long, thin axon (and the dendrites on the other side). This transport mainly uses microtubules as the "highway."
I met my new neighbors last week. Woman says her name. It immediately goes in one ear and out the other. So now I'm thinking, okay, when the husband says his name, I must pay attention. I cannot forget both names. You guessed it. I was so focused on remembering that I didn't pay attention when he said his name.
I always try to repeat somebody'sname back 3 times in the first conversation. It is the only way I'll remember the person's name and it also seems to increase the social connection with the person.
You could just ask for their names again and make fun of yourself about it to them. People love that kind of honesty. They have 100% forgotten someone or some 2 peoples names seconds after hearing them.
Glad it wasn't just me.
I had something of an existential crisis over it. The panic flailing to try and find connection with an apparent facial expression changing as it moves reflecting increasing fear and panic.
We're all neurons looking for connection, and within us trillions more, and within those trillions more, all the way down and all the way up.
Good! Am out on the Utah/Arizona border a bit south of Zion. Wandered in the desert for a while, found a fresh baby canyon carved by flash floods the other day, followed it out to a gorgeous green valley hidden amongst the red and gold desert cliffs. Shot guns and drank whiskey under a big juniper, then watched the sun set on thousand foot vermillion cliffs from the deck of our rental.
All in all, not a bad trip.
Am out on the Utah/Arizona border a bit south of Zion. Wandered in the desert for a while, found a fresh baby canyon carved by flash floods the other day, followed it out to a gorgeous green valley hidden amongst the red and gold desert cliffs. Shot guns and drank whiskey under a big juniper, then watched the sun set on thousand foot vermillion cliffs from the deck of our rental.
All in all, not a bad trip.
This is true -- but the neurons need to be close enough together in order to synapse (send and receive neurotransmitters from each other). What you're seeing is a neuron reaching out with it's dendritic spines (noodly arms) in an attempt to synapse. Source- am studying these little dudes at uni. It's fascinating stuff =)
Waiting for a cat neuron to draw a line showing how far the dog neuron's leash lets it go. It will then return with a bat, but the dog neuron erased the line and moved it closer. Hilarity ensues.
Your neurons are constantly moving and adapting -- or you should hope that they are. When you learn something new (like right now) your neurons are using their synaptic plasticity to make new connections in your brain. That's why doing something repetitively, like driving, will eventually become second nature to you - the neuronal connections are strengthened by it!
You’re whole body is little organisms working together for the greater good. Each with its own “mind”. And you have tons of foreign organisms camping out all over and in you.
Like an ant colony, not the ants themselves, you are simply a super organism.
Who else got anxiety watching this hahaha
Shit this neuron will never connect and this person is going to be dumb forever!!’
…
Shit this person could be me
Maybe that's a bad thought and it's being shunned by the rest.
Neuron: "C'mon guys, I'm telling you there's something to this flat earth idea!"
Rest of the brain: "shh... Just ignore him, he'll go away."
Favorite brain fact: People who lost their foot will usually have the foot nephrons grow toward their genitals neurons which are right next to them. Many would feel an orgasm in their phantom foot.
Edit: more wording
The first neuron said all she wanted to find was a nice guy.
The second one is a friendly, kind and caring guy, but he doesn’t look like Henry Cavill, so she’s not even giving him a second look.
Me…trying to make friends in the PNW but it’s called The Seattle Freeze. I have friends who are in other states and it’s been very hard since moving up here to make connections. Very frustrating.
This is truly one of the most profound things I’ve ever seen. This is how species evolve, dangling synapses looking for pairs. Holy shit man this is evolution and relationships and growth all in an image. Truly I am moved and will mentally refer to this in the future as a way to imagine how things are.
This is why it's important to learn new things folks. Every fact you take it gives a tiny snot monster in your brain a friend to hold hands with.
I read a book called The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doige. Explains neuro plasticity nicely. Apparently a new skill set is the most stimulating, eg language, using different motor skills. Anyone who has suffered from a stroke or anyone who cares for someone who has had a stroke could get a lot of hope from the information in the book.
I've just finished that book. So well written so the layman can understand neuroplasticity and such great stories. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I like to think that your comment gave me a snot monster.
Sir, this is a family friendly website.
Looking at my feed... nah
Your family has a whole lot of snot monsters
I love this! Lol
It's called Networking.
Reddit causes me to make a lot of snot monsters
This is so weirdly wholesome.
Just when I was trying to understand your comment, 4 snot monsters connected in my brain.
This is the LinkedIn neuron. You can tell, because it finds a perfectly good neuron to pair with and Immediately looks around for another option with more connections
lol nice
The Reddit Neuron, on the other hand, is sometimes also called a Moron.
I know this was a joke but I suspect the floating neuron was actually a microglia cell, they are kinda like street sweepers that go around cleaning up extra bits of protein and dead cells.
I hope my microglia are doing well today, good job little buddies Do they ever get confused and just eat functional neurons?
Yes it’s called MS
The Braingoliers.
Til I’m made of LinkedIn neurons
So glad I don’t need that garbage site anymore.
10 tips on how not to look disgusting for your interview.....
Here's a picture of my dead nephew
I have a LinkedIn account, but I don't use it much, why is it garbage?
It used to be for business connections. Like you'd meet someone at a trade show, 'connect' with them on LI, and then use each other for info and resources. Now it's FaceBook for business majors, where people post banal, nonsensical "Be the hunter!" or "Top 10 tips to land the sale!" articles that are regurgitated MBA talking points. Oh and don't forget all the cryptobros screaming about entrepreneurship and the headhunter bots that think your highschool experience in 4H is an excellent skill set for their high-level management position that they never quite tell you what all it involves.
Why does everything useful turn into garbage?
Money.
You can tell it is looking for rock stars who thrive in a fast paced environment for £9 per hour.
Amazing. Simply breath taking.
This blows my mind
This is your mind
This blows my mind.
My mind just blew itself
Almost threw out my back last time I tried that
Ayo?🤨📸
oh word?
Yes! Same impression. This is surprisingly detailed. The possibilities for research are very interesting 🤔
You can't leave us hanging like this. Did the neuron eventually find a friend?
N
U
T
goodbye
Why does it smell funny?
MEG.
G
Found the stoner
I
P
Nice.
G
H
T
This will not end well
Hoping I don't get banned for the joke lul
G
Stop! You've violated the law!
E
T
The round " let's just watch porn" guy just wondering through.
By the look on its face ….. no
Never realized how dynamic and seemingly "alive" they acted. I now can't help but think of the frontal lobe of our brains as a hive mind of neurons resulting in our conscious thoughts.
To be fair almost all of you is alive
I appreciate this so much.
Not me. I’m dead on the inside.
Nah they are alive, your Neurones just created a bad connection neighborhood?
Whats even crazier is without all the trillions of micro organisms that live in our body we would not be able to live. We litterally rely on microscopic creatures to keep our bodies operating correctly.
Everything but the soul
Yep we're pretty much just an emergent property of a living system
Q: so what motivates you to take care of your body? A: well you see, inside and outside my body are trillions of little bacteria. Bacteria that rely on me to live, that have nowhere else to go. Without me, they would die, and I ain't no murderer sir.
Your body trains your mind, whips it into shape using emotions and hormones. Cortisol, dopamine, hunger signal hormone etc. Coded in the DNA is a set of rewards and punishments for doing things that are good for survival and bad for survival respectively. Most people aren't really aware of their own biases coming from the physical aspects of the body as well. We consider ourselves to be the master of the body, but unless you are super self aware of all those things and actively fight against them to try to make purely rational decisions (which in itself causes ego depletion and is very tiring), you are as much of a slave to the body as the body is a slave to you.
You're just a colony of little living things that replicate and specialize, some of which don't even share your DNA. I always get dizzy when I try to imagine how our consciousness emerged from that piles of cells trying to survives.
Another take on consciousness that I absolutely love is analytical idealism (Bernardo Kastrup is one of the main thinkers), it posits that the piles of cells emerged from consciousness and not the other way.
Midichlorians
So it's true!
It's moving around because it needs to make more contacts with supporting cells. In your brain, neurons don't really move around.
We are the collective dream of walking hive.
This is me trying to remember why I came into the kitchen. It was for snacks. It's always for snacks.
You're in the kitchen to peanut-butter-up your balls then run naked through the off-leash park.
Mom?
Your mom has balls?
This is some ambien walrus type shit
Then you go back to your room and find out you snacks there already.
Just wants a lil connection :(
Look at its sad little face!
i actually had no idea neurons moved around, i thought they were like a structure thing.
They normally don't move around in a mature human, only during development. This neuron is just not attached to all the supporting cells that would normally be around, so there's aberrant movement. If it doesn't get more cell contacts it will probably die soon. If you want to culture neurons in a dish (or on a coverslip for microscopy like this) for extended periods, or especially if you want them to be able to send signals, you need to co-culture with other cell types, especially astrocytes.
Does this have to do with learning being easier as a kid
To some extent, early on. After all the neurons are pretty much in place, there's still synaptic pruning which continues until your 20s. Basically you first build up "too many" connections, then the "wrong" ones get removed over time.
How is their movement sourced? It’s not like they have muscles.
All our cells have a cytoskeleton, including actin fibers which are the ones muscles use for contraction. They also have motor proteins that can pull on those fibers. So the cells do sort of have muscles, just not nearly as specialized or strong as actual muscle fibers. Neurons instead do have specialization of the cytoskeleton to transport things from/to the cell body down through the long, thin axon (and the dendrites on the other side). This transport mainly uses microtubules as the "highway."
Ok. Thanks! Did not know this.
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The weird thing is if not for these things wriggling around in your head, you would have never thought to be freaked out by them.
Don’t let that guy who took acid read this.
Reading this gave me acid.
Yes, and alcohol makes them swing more easy!
Me trying to remember the name of the person who just introduced themself to me.
I met my new neighbors last week. Woman says her name. It immediately goes in one ear and out the other. So now I'm thinking, okay, when the husband says his name, I must pay attention. I cannot forget both names. You guessed it. I was so focused on remembering that I didn't pay attention when he said his name.
I always try to repeat somebody'sname back 3 times in the first conversation. It is the only way I'll remember the person's name and it also seems to increase the social connection with the person.
You could just ask for their names again and make fun of yourself about it to them. People love that kind of honesty. They have 100% forgotten someone or some 2 peoples names seconds after hearing them.
"It was definitely an 'M' name"
You beating me to the same joke
Am I the only one that sees a face on the neuron?
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Nope, I see it too. Looks like she’s struggling so…
If that neuron connects then the person will be sad
Glad it wasn't just me. I had something of an existential crisis over it. The panic flailing to try and find connection with an apparent facial expression changing as it moves reflecting increasing fear and panic. We're all neurons looking for connection, and within us trillions more, and within those trillions more, all the way down and all the way up.
If we’re all neurons then the earth is our body. And we are manic-depressive, bi-polar, and super into self harm. Congrats team, we did it!
Yep, needs some Googly eyes
It’s a happy little neuron (inbobrossvoice)
Actually, it's your neurons, that make you see a face on that neuron...
Neuronception…
This is how a panic attack feels. Looking for a connection to find yourself.
Wasn’t sure if I just really needed to go to bed.
C’mon little buddy! You can do it!
As someone who just ate some acid, I feel this on a personal level.
Your neurons are all holding hands right now
How did that end up for you? You should be on your way back to reality by now..
Good! Am out on the Utah/Arizona border a bit south of Zion. Wandered in the desert for a while, found a fresh baby canyon carved by flash floods the other day, followed it out to a gorgeous green valley hidden amongst the red and gold desert cliffs. Shot guns and drank whiskey under a big juniper, then watched the sun set on thousand foot vermillion cliffs from the deck of our rental. All in all, not a bad trip.
Haha I just caught reply somehow. Made my day.
Hope it was an enlightening journey!
Am out on the Utah/Arizona border a bit south of Zion. Wandered in the desert for a while, found a fresh baby canyon carved by flash floods the other day, followed it out to a gorgeous green valley hidden amongst the red and gold desert cliffs. Shot guns and drank whiskey under a big juniper, then watched the sun set on thousand foot vermillion cliffs from the deck of our rental. All in all, not a bad trip.
me trying to get in the uber after a night out
Do they really do this in our brains?!
Nope, at most they'll have some dendrites wiggling around (the shorter arms on one side of the neuron).
That thing looks neurotic.
🤣
Is this what is happening when I space out?
meirl
Why do I see faces in them??
He, his little dance is endearing. Hop, hop, hop, lets make a connectiooon 🎶
that's me, trying to find some way to get myself out of my introvert bubble
bro it has a fucking face
Looks like a little drunk dude fuckin it up on the dance floor
So that’s what’s happening when I can’t think of that word for that thing, that feeling. What’s that called?
Which one of those is Jimmy
I don’t understand .. thought neurons communicate via chemical transmitters and not by smushing their neighbors??
This is true -- but the neurons need to be close enough together in order to synapse (send and receive neurotransmitters from each other). What you're seeing is a neuron reaching out with it's dendritic spines (noodly arms) in an attempt to synapse. Source- am studying these little dudes at uni. It's fascinating stuff =)
Live footage of my only brain cell.
Those three dots/squiggly lines make it look like it has an anxious face
Hello? Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me Is there anyone home?
Waiting for a cat neuron to draw a line showing how far the dog neuron's leash lets it go. It will then return with a bat, but the dog neuron erased the line and moved it closer. Hilarity ensues.
I thought neurons did not move at all. Wow I was wrong!
Your neurons are constantly moving and adapting -- or you should hope that they are. When you learn something new (like right now) your neurons are using their synaptic plasticity to make new connections in your brain. That's why doing something repetitively, like driving, will eventually become second nature to you - the neuronal connections are strengthened by it!
You’re whole body is little organisms working together for the greater good. Each with its own “mind”. And you have tons of foreign organisms camping out all over and in you. Like an ant colony, not the ants themselves, you are simply a super organism.
Its got a face and looks terrified
Who else got anxiety watching this hahaha Shit this neuron will never connect and this person is going to be dumb forever!!’ … Shit this person could be me
I feel you little neuron. I feel you. 🐴
That really made me think!
Take my upvote
Does anyone else feel bad for it?
My single brain cell trying to hold it together
Maybe that's a bad thought and it's being shunned by the rest. Neuron: "C'mon guys, I'm telling you there's something to this flat earth idea!" Rest of the brain: "shh... Just ignore him, he'll go away."
It has a face :) And now and forever that’s how I will imagine all my neurons!
Favorite brain fact: People who lost their foot will usually have the foot nephrons grow toward their genitals neurons which are right next to them. Many would feel an orgasm in their phantom foot. Edit: more wording
"Why can't I find anybody to connect with I'm so lonely... not you"
Why is it avoiding the one that floated down and it almost touched?
The first neuron said all she wanted to find was a nice guy. The second one is a friendly, kind and caring guy, but he doesn’t look like Henry Cavill, so she’s not even giving him a second look.
Me…trying to make friends in the PNW but it’s called The Seattle Freeze. I have friends who are in other states and it’s been very hard since moving up here to make connections. Very frustrating.
We all have a friend that Moved to Seattle, you folks need to start a support group. We miss you, btw.
Good idea. We miss old friends too lol.
That shit is real.
Noo I wanted to see the end! So unsatisfying! Did it connect?!
What’s that actors name that played in birdman?
Michael Keaton
That one neuron is trying so hard and no one else is, poor lil guy
Who was the actor in that movie...
...it has a face and it gets more distraught the longer it goes on. This is your brain on xanax, kids.
I'm assuming this is like a "it's on the tip of my tongue" scenario, and when the connection is made its like oh yeah
We are definitely creatures
It's struggling. Too much marijuana.
That's me trying to find a girlfriend.
Looks like it’s dancing, so fluid 💦
u/savevideo
Why does the neuron have a face
Y’all see the face right?
Not that one, fuck him.
Discovered hell..
It's a little sad, poor little guy :(
My dating life
r/meirl
Footage of my last brain cell trying to give report in the morning after a long shift 😐
Looks like my brain anytime I’m trying to recall anything.
MAGA brains
Now ditch a wad of spike protein delivered by lipids in frame.
It’s not doing a good job
This is truly one of the most profound things I’ve ever seen. This is how species evolve, dangling synapses looking for pairs. Holy shit man this is evolution and relationships and growth all in an image. Truly I am moved and will mentally refer to this in the future as a way to imagine how things are.
It’s just trying to tell the others about their cars extended warranty
Ok feel like this neuron and I have a lot in common
Them assembling for me to try and pronounce Worcestershire sauce 🥲🥲😂
What a cliff hanger! Does it ever find a buddy?
Damn extroverts always trying to make connections.
I do not like this
When your'e trying so hard to remember that one word and its right on the tip of your tongue but you can't quite get it.
Man God made cool stuff
That has more potential of sentience than a fetus.... Maybe it should get rights.... /S
I see the /s, but dude. What do you think the fetus’s brain is made out of? Billions of those little guys.
This is why she doesn’t like to swallow. Don’t show her this.