(photo credit: Kristopher Roller on Unsplash)
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Hello, and welcome to the first official newsletter for Mental Health on the Rise.
I encourage you to check out the Welcome Post for this newsletter if you're new!
I am so excited to be sharing this newsletter with you all! Thank you so much to everyone that has signed up for this newsletter! Know that I appreciate every one of you.
Spring is just around the corner and I am anxiously counting down the hours until warmer weather. We haven’t got much snow in the desert this year, but hopefully, that means a big snowfall next winter!
But I am ready for the warm sunny mornings and for the temperature to be higher to start growing my plants. I have always been into gardening, and I have discovered a new love for it over this past year. Gardening motivates me and helps me stay patient and connected to my daily routine.
Motivation can be hard to come by for some living with depression or mental illness in general. It’s essential to have things in our life that motivate us. So that’s why this month’s research spotlight is focused on motivation.
Kicking off the first research spotlight, we will explore the study, Fine-tuning motivation in the brain by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory conducted by Professor Bo Li and Professor Z. Josh Huang.
Researchers in the study specifically targeted motivation in the brains of mice.
In the brain lies the anterior insular cortex, which is vital in stimulating motivation. Researchers narrowed their focus onto the specific genes and neurons that correlate to motivation. There were neurons found in the brain that activate a specific gene Fezf2—this area activates during physical and cognitive tasks in mice.
So, how can cognitive abilities be tested in mice? Well, cognitive abilities are tasks that we have to complete. Much like how you can train your dog to ring a bell to go outside, you can also train mice—and other creatures—for specific tasks.
The researchers trained the mice to lick the spout of a water bottle to receive a sugar reward. While the mice were licking the spout of the water bottle, researchers increased/decreased the neuron activity of Fezf2, which caused the mice to lick more slowly or quickly.
increase in Fezf2 neurons = increase in speed of task
decrease in Fezf2neurons = decrease in speed of task
Researchers discovered the same effect occurred among other various tasks, such as running on a wheel for a reward. But there was a vital feature of the Fezf2 neuron: the subject cannot become addicted to a specific task. When the mice return to that particular task, they will not express the need to drink or run faster. This evidence supports the possibility of working on mental health by targeting motivation for those with depression.
Professor Li stated, "We want to selectively increase the motivation of the person so that they can do the things that they need to do, but we don't want to create addictive drugs."
So what does this mean?
Well, it doesn’t mean too much for the present. But this research will add to a larger body of research looking at manipulating motivation in the human brain.
This research will push forward towards more research to discover new potential treatments for mental health disorders. So this is a bright possibility for mental health treatment in the future.
With life being so busy, sometimes it can be hard to be in the moment. With our to-do list piling up, the work feels never-ending. Mindfulness for February is aimed at tackling that endless to-do list.
The mindfulness task for February is single-tasking. Single-tasking is the art of focusing on one single task. That sounds too easy, though? Well, it is!—sort of.
Finding stillness within our day and in each task can help us stay grounded in the present. We all tend to think of other tasks while completing the current one. Or doing so many things at once that you feel as if you are working on overdrive.
It’s time to cut that out and replace our stressed moments of hurried work with a single-task approach.
So, as you go through February, make an effort to focus on only one task at a time. It will allow you to be more grounded and present in your day.
Below are the highlighted readings from January. There are no paywalls behind any of the content—it’s free to read!
Proactive Mental Health Steps for 2022
Narcissism and Manipulation: How Does it Work?
Understanding the Signs of Emotional Abuse
Breaking Down Exposure Therapy: Treatment for OCD
Thank you so much for reading the first Newsletter for Mental Health on the Rise! I appreciate all of the support! See you again on March 1st! Happy reading!
Find the companion Medium Publication: here
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