Procrastination, anesthesia and flooding: science news – Sciences et Avenir

The scientific news of October 14, 2022 is:

In Brain and Psy: We found the region of the brain responsible for procrastination.

• Procrastination is the tendency to put off a tedious task until tomorrow.
• Researchers have found the area of ​​the brain responsible for making the decision to procrastinate: the cerebral cingulate cortex.
• This area plays a role in a wide variety of cognitive functions such as reward anticipation, decision making, empathy and emotion.

In Brain and Psy: Why we don’t hear sounds under general anesthesia.

• During anesthesia, our brain does not switch off and continues to have neuronal activity, in particular the auditory cortex.
• Molecules administered during anesthesia “induce analgesia, that is to say a blockage of pain receptors as well as a loss of consciousness. (…) We will not remember the events. It is a different state from coma, which is much deeper and without awakening”, explain to Science and Future Brice Bathellier, researcher at the Institut de l’Audition (center of the Institut Pasteur) and author of this work.
• When a sound resounds, if one is in a state of consciousness or under anesthesia, it is not the same neurons of the cortex which are activated.

In Health: Floods in Australia: thousands of people called to evacuate.

• A sudden rise in water levels hit the state of Victoria (Australia) leading to the evacuation of the town of Maribyrnong, located in the suburbs of Melbourne.
• State Premier Daniel Andrews reports that more than 500 homes have been “flooded” and that rescuers can no longer access 500 properties surrounded by water.
• In March, the eastern coast of the mainland island was hit hard by severe flooding, which claimed 20 lives, following several extreme weather events.

In Seas and Oceans: Off Lisbon, a scientific expedition to better understand and protect the coast.

• A team of around 60 scientists concluded a 12-day maritime expedition this week to study the coastline off Lisbon.
• It’s a sea area is up there”quite unknown, explains Emanuel Gonçalves, scientific coordinator of this expedition.
• They had the opportunity to observe 50 species of fish, 30 species of macro-algae and 200 species of invertebrates, according to an initial assessment.

In Brain and Psy: Mindfulness meditation against dementia, a scientifically supported hope.

• A study concludes that mindfulness meditation helps to age better by improving emotional capacities and their regulation.
• The practice of meditation is linked to a stronger activation of a region of the brain: the cerebral cingulate cortex, which has a reduced activity during aging.
• The study of 137 healthy sexagenarians shows that after 18 months, the meditating sixty-somethings showed better attention and emotion regulation skills.