brain

They have studied the effect of long -term sweeteners on our brain. His conclusion is that he ages faster

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Little by little it is already becoming a daily gesture among many people: change sugar for a sweetener to avoid calorie consumption in excess. Whether in the morning coffee, in a yogurt or in a refreshing drink, sweeteners are attractive to respect the sweet taste and ‘be healthy’. However, a new and forceful study Posted in the prestigious medical magazine Neurology He puts this idea in check, suggesting that this substitution could have a long -term hidden cost for our cognitive health. A direct effect to thought. Research, which has established itself as one of the broadest and most prolonged to date on the subject, cooks that people with high consumption of sweeteners such as the aspartamosaccharin or sorbitol They experience a deterioration of their thinking and memory capabilities 62% faster than those people who consume. To put it in perspective, the researchers calculate that this accelerated decline is equivalent to aging 1.6 years suddenly. The details of the study. It is not a PSAJERA survey or a small -scale experiment. Scientists have been based on the Brazilian Longitudinal Health Study data of the adult (Elsa-Brazil), a mass and long-distance research project. They analyzed a cohort of 12,772 public officials with an average age of 52 years, which were followed for eight years, and with analysis at three different moments: 2008-2010, 2012-2014 and 2017-2019. Detailed questionnaires. Using food frequency questionnaires, the team quantified the combined and individual consumption of seven specific sweeteners: artificial ones such as aspartamo, saccharin and acesulfamo K, and sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol, in addition to the tagatose. In parallel, the cognitive performance of patients with a six -test battery that focused on memory, verbal fluidity and global cognition was measured. The results. The consumption of sweeteners, both individually and combined, was associated with accelerated cognitive loss. The ‘suspect’ list includes some of the most common names we find on the labels of ‘Light’ products or ‘zero’: aspartamo, saccharin, acesulfamo k, erythritol, sorbitol and xylitol. Interestingly, the trend was more pronounced and statistically significant in participants under 60 years. This suggests, according to the authors, that median age is a critical window where the products that are chosen consumer may have direct consequences in brain health decades later. The researchers They point that until now the sweeteners without calories often “are seen as a healthy alternative to sugar.” But now it has been seen that great consumption of these has “negative effects on brain health over time.” There are limitations. The researchers themselves suggest that dietary data are based on self -reports, which can be inaccurate, and that, despite statistical adjustments, the “residual confusion” cannot be completely ruled out where other nutritional behaviors that may be interfering are not measured. Correlation is not causality. As expected, this study can generate a great debate, and the industry and the scientific community have called for prudence, remembering that correlation does not imply causality. Gavin Partington, general director of the British refreshing drinks association, and the International Association of sweeteners (ISA) They have pointed out that this is an observational study. That is, it finds a statistical association between two variables (consumption of sweeteners and cognitive impairment), but cannot demonstrate that one is the direct cause of the other. In Spain, experts such as neurologist Guillermo García Ribas, from the Ramón y Cajal hospital, They are cautious. He criticizes that it is difficult to isolate the effect of the sweetener of the rest of the diet. Often, a high consumption of these products goes hand in hand with a diet rich in ultraprocessed foods, which have already been linked in numerous studies to a worse cognitive aging. The defense of researchers. Anticipating this criticism, the Suemoto team offers two solid arguments. First, they observed that the association was also maintained for individual sweeteners, those that a person adds on their own to coffee or yogurt, and not only for the compounds used by the industry in the ultra -processed. Second, and perhaps more important, there is what scientists call “biological plausibility.” Previous studies carried out in animal models (mainly mice) have already shown that artificial sweeteners can trigger neuroinflammation processes and alter the crucial intestine-cerebro axis, mechanisms that could negatively affect brain function. The global context. This study does not arise in a vacuum. It adds to a growing wave of skepticism on the long -term benefits of sweeteners. In fact, in 2023, The World Health Organization (WHO) itself advised the use of these products to control the weight or reduce the risk of chronic diseases, arguing the lack of evidence on its long -term benefits and the existence of possible unwanted effects that had not yet been completed. The underlying problem remains the same: excessive sugar consumption. In countries like Spain, the maximum daily amount recommended by WHO is tripling. The sweeteners emerged as an apparent solution, but studies like this force us to ask ourselves if we are simply changing one problem for another. As Suemoto himself summarizes, his work “adds solid evidence that these compounds may not be harmless, especially when consumed frequently from the median age.” The conclusion is not that we should return to sugar, but that we must examine much more critically with what we are replacing it Images | Towfiqui Barbhuiya In Xataka | 9 questions and answers about Estevia, the fashion sweetener

Breaking a bad habit is difficult, but not impossible. The key is to make your brain hate it

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Habits have a very important role in daily life. In fact, as indicated in the book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Good habits‘ Harvard Business Review, approximately half of our daily actions are based on habits that we repeat without just realizing. However, the same mechanism that anchors good habits, also explains why changing a bad habit may seem like a task almost impossible. It is not only willpower, but to understand how our brain works and how habits are anchored in it. Why do we adopt bad habits? We know that leading a sedentary life is not healthy, that navigating Tiktok video video until many in the morning Take takes the next day and that smoking seriously harms our health. However, such and As explained to Harvard Business Review Judson Brewer, neuroscientist and author of the book ‘Undo the anxiety‘, we cannot avoid falling into any of these negative habits, and eliminating them is very uphill. According to Brewer, the environment in which we live is designed to bombard us with stimuli that reinforce those habits, especially negatives. The rewards that our brain receives when performing certain behaviors alter our Reward -based learning systemso a pattern difficult to break is created. “Every time we try to disconnect from an exhausting task (with social networks), we reinforce the reward, to the point that harmful distractions can become habits.” However, although it is not a simple process, research carried out by Brewer demonstrate that it is possible to change the bad habits definitively. Understanding the response mechanism that articulates them gives us the tools to achieve it. Bad habits have their origin in the way our brain learns through an immediate rewards system (yes, as in Animal training). These behavioral patterns arise because they reinforce the feeling of pleasure or relief quickly. This rewards system implies a trigger (hunger sensation), followed by behavior (eating) and a reward (feel satiated). “These three components (trigger, behavior and reward) appear every time we smoke a cigarette or eat a cake,” says the neuroscientist. Detect the origin of bad habit Bad habits are not eliminated, they are only replaced by good habits. Therefore, one of the important steps of the process to get rid of them is to find the trigger that generates the action to seek the reward. “Once you know your triggers, try to identify the behaviors you make when these bad habits occur. Do you look at social networks instead of working? Do you eat sweets during difficult tasks? You should be able to identify the actions to which you resort to feel comfortable or quiet before you can evaluate your reward value.” For this reason, the neuroscientist ensures that knowing the scenario in which activation occurs and what action is carried out to obtain the reward is one of the key points so that it is easier to eliminate bad habits. For example, eating sweets would be the search for reward that is activated by a situation of stress or anxiety, and sugar rush reward. Avoid or learn to manage the stress situation It is the first step to subtract weight from sugar reward. The key: break the reward chain According to studies of the University of Utrecht (Netherlands), self -control alone is not enough to eliminate a habit, since the brain associates that behavior with a reward that temporarily cancels rational thinking. No smoker will tell you that tobacco It is beneficial for healthbut even so smokes. A fundamental step to break with a bad habit is to reduce or eliminate the reward that the brain receives. That implies not only changing the behavior itself, but also the context that activates it and the associated sensations. Modifying those three elements: detonating, behavior and reward, it is basic for the brain to stop finding satisfaction in that behavior and abandons the need to carry it out. Brewer’s investigations have revealed that an effective way to face bad habits is to replace them with behaviors that offer similar, but positive health or well -being rewards. One of the techniques that Brewer has used with his patients full care training to teach the brain that this behavior is not only benefits, but also represents something unpleasant or even harmfulcausing him to hate him and not look for him anymore. The neuroscientist said that, when someone joined his program to quit smoking, the first thing he asked is to pay attention while smokeing: to the smell, the environment, to the sensation when smoking, etc. The objective of this exercise is that patients become aware of the “value of the reward” and if this value, which probably had positive connotations (social acceptance, etc.), still remains. Studies From the University of Bethesda they have shown that if that reward is no longer appreciated as it used to be, it is less likely that the brain will claim it and, with it, it will be easier to get rid of that bad habit. This can be applied to any other habit that the past may have a positive connotation, but has already been diluted. According to Brewer, an important factor is in question what gives you that bad habit before consuming it and analyzing how you feel before, during and after the process from a critical point of view, instead of simply having a reactive behavior of repentance after having obtained the reward. “Your behaviors may not change immediately, but persevere. If you manage to control your mind with our methods, over time you can free yourself from unwanted habits and see how your cravings disappear with peace of mind,” said the neuroscientist. In Xataka | Creating new habits is difficult. The author of “atomic habits” believes that there is something even more complicated: keep them Image | Unspash (Oskar Kadaksoo, Lilartsy)

The one with the brain chips

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The Chinese government loves to plan. Since the fifties they use a system called “Quinquenal Plan” in which they establish their objectives and the steps to achieve them in a period of five years. They also have other long -term plans, such as “Made in China 2025” in which 13 strategic technologies set out to lead (With very good results, by the way). Now China has proposed to lead a new technology, BCI (Brain Computer Interface) devices. Five years. It is the margin that the Chinese government has been put to create a brain-routine interface industry that is internationally competitive. The road map states that by 2027 they get significant advances and that in 2030 they have a solid industrial ecosystem, with two or three leading companies worldwide. Government support. To promote the creation of this new industry, the Government will encourage investment in the sector and offer a favorable policy when approved key products such as medical implants. They also consider creating industrial parks specialized in BCI, so that companies work together and collaborate with each other. Competence. Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, is the best known company in this sector that has already achieved Place brain implants in humansalthough the Australian company Synchron takes advantage By achieving more brain implants with less invasive techniques. In the United States also highlight Blackrock Neurotech and Paradromics, more focused on research and medical applications respectively. Chinese companies. Although not as advanced as in other countries, China already has several companies dedicated to this industry. As They count on Wiredone of them is Neucyber Neurotech, a start-up that arises from the Chinese Institute for Brain Research and has already placed its Beinao-1 implant in five paralyzed patients. Participants are now able to move a cursor and navigate between different apps. They have also done it with a semi-invasive method that places the implant in the outer layer of the brain, greatly reducing the surgical risk. Neuroxess is another of the companies that is achieving significant advances. In their case they have placed their implant in six patients with paralysis; Three could control devices and with the other three they managed to accurately decode the Chinese language. And of course Brainco, one of the “Six Little Dragons” by Hangzhou which was founded in the United States, but moved to China after government incentives. In this case they are centered on prostheses such as This hand that is controlled with the brain And their advantage is that they are pioneers in mass production and offer products to the consumer market. A different approach. While the Neuralink approach is more radical, both for using invasive methods and for its idea of ​​implanting chips to everyone, China’s plan opts for a more specific bet for health applications. In addition, semi-invasive techniques such as Neucyber Neurotech want to focus and promote non-invasive BCI devices such as Brainco to conquer the mass market (not everyone will want to implant a chip in the head). Use cases. The document mentions “Wearable” BCI products such as helmets or glasses that could be used in different areas. A case of use would be the prevention of traffic accidents alerting in case of drowsiness or lack of attention. Also in industries where they work in conditions or with hazardous materials, alerting low levels of oxygen, preventing poisoning or fainting. In Xataka | China was the world’s landfill, today its problem is another: it does not have enough garbage to burn

The body warns of Alzheimer’s long before the brain. The track is in the intestine

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Keep ‘healthy’ The bacteria we have in the intestine It is more important than we can think. During the last decade there are many voices that have arisen pointing to the relationship between our microbiota and other parts of our body. Now, a study has given light on the amazing connection that exists between digestive and metabolic health and the risk of developing diseases neurodegenerative as Alzheimer’s either Parkinson. A study that has used data of all kinds. Research, published in Science Advances, Not only identifies specific disorders that increase the risk of these diseases, but also demonstrates that these signals can be detected up to 15 years before neurological diagnosis, opening a new and promising via for Early detection and prevention. The work, which analyzed the clinical, genetic and proteomic data of hundreds of thousands of biobancos such as the UK Biobank, Finngen and Sail, is the most extensive of its kind and reinforces the importance of called intestine-corebro axisthe complex communication network that connects our digestive system with the central nervous. Digestive disorders and Alzheimer’s. The researchers analyzed the association of 155 digestive, endocrine, metabolic and nutritional disorders with the future risk of Alzheimer and Parkinson. The results are revealing. For Alzheimer’s, it was found that previous diagnoses of the following conditions significantly increased the risk: Gastritis and duodenitis Esophageal reflux disease (esophagitis) Diabetes (all types) Vitamin D deficiency Electrolyte disorders and acid-base balance Functional intestinal disorders (such as irritable intestine syndrome) There are also warning signs for Parkinson. A disease that is also neurodegenerative and is iconicly characterized with a constant tremor, among many other signs. In this case, the pathologies that could be an alert sign to generate this disease were: Dyspepsia (indigestion) Diabetes (dependent and independent of insulin) Functional intestinal disorders The importance of being a stratified study. This means that the data were divided into windows from 1 to 5, 5 to 10 and 10 to 15 years before diagnosis. This is something really important, since researchers could confirm the theory that the increase in risk is not something that happens just after the appearance of the first neurological symptoms, but it is a process that is created over more than a decade. For example, a diagnosis of non -insulin -dependent diabetes between 10 and 15 years before was associated with a 71% greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The importance of an early diagnosis. And it is that diagnosing a neurodegenerative disease so in advance is the best asset we have to avoid its most unwanted effects. Right now Alzheimer is an incurable disease, but There are drugs that stop the disease. From here lies the importance of having an early diagnosis, since the sooner the timely treatment begins, the more difficult it will be to progress to the worst stages. It also has protection functions. Curiously, it has been seen that a hemorrhoid diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s. The authors speculate that this could be due to a survival bias: the serious conditions that are sometimes associated with hemorrhoids could have a higher mortality rate, which would reduce the probability that these patients live enough to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Genetics or lifestyle? One of the most counterintuitive findings in the study has to do with genetics. The researchers calculated the polygenic risk scores (PRS), which is a measure of genetic predisposition to a disease, and compared them. They discovered that patients who developed Alzheimer’s or Parkinson and also had one of these digestive or metabolic disorders, on average, had a lower genetic risk score than those who developed the neurological disease in isolation. Inheritance does not matter so much. These results can translate into that the person with intestinal comorbidity, environmental and lifestyle factors They play a much more decisive role in the development of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s than the genetic inheritance itself. It is the evidence that we needed to reinforce the idea that the disease is not only in our genetic material, but that the environment and our decisions can intervene in its development. Towards a multimodal predictive model. The true qualitative leap of the study is the creation of a multimodal prediction model. Instead of based on a single type of data, scientists combined four pillars of information: clinical, genetic, proteomic data (with the analysis of 1,463 biomarkers) and demographic. The result was a model with a predictive capacity much higher than that of any individual paradigm. For Alzheimer’s, the combined model reached a 0.90 precision (AUC), a very high level for this type of predictions. It is interesting to note that the model that excluded clinical data, but maintained genetics, proteomics and demography, obtained almost identical precision (0.89), which suggests that blood biomarkers already capture much of the biological information that underlies clinical diagnoses. A diagnosis based on an analytical. Among the most influential biomarkers were found GLIAL FIBRARRARARY ACID PREIIN (GFAP) and the light chain neurofilament (NFL), both known as indicators of neuronal damage, which validates the biological robustness of the model. This approach demonstrates that the integration of different “omics” (genomic, proteomic) with clinical data is the way to follow for truly early and personalized detection, long before cognitive symptoms or irreversible motors appear. The team has even developed an interactive web platform so that other researchers can explore the results, promoting transparency and reproducibility. Images | Weermeijer Robina Julien Tromeur In Xataka | We have a new “theory of all” to understand Alzheimer’s. Your key is in small granules

A ‘short circuit’ in the brain

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We all take for granted that music is a universal source of pleasure. We use it to encourage, concentrate, celebrate or cope with a break. But, on the other hand, there is a small percentage of the population for which to listen to their ‘favorite’ song is as exciting as hearing the white noise of a signal without a sign. And it is not that they have bad taste or are weird, but that they suffer specific musical anhedonia. A recent review article Posted by researchers from the University of Barcelona and the University of McGill deepens why some people are immune to the charms of music. And the answer is not in his ears, but in a peculiar disconnection in the ‘circuits’ of his brain. The idea that someone does not like music may sound strange. However, researchers through tools such as Barcelona musical reward questionnaire (BMRQ) He has identified a group of people who, despite having a perfect audition and enjoying other pleasure sources such as food, money or sex, are completely indifferent to any song. This condition has been baptized as Specific Musical Anhedonia. These people can recognize whether a song is sad or cheerful, but they feel absolutely anything. They do not experience chills, their skin is not bristling or feeling the impulse to move to the rhythm of music. For them music is simply one more sound. With nothing more background. Studies have shown that these people have no problem feeling pleasure in general. By offering these patients rewards such as money, their brains and physiological responses such as sweating or heart rate, they responded as expected. And totally equal to the reaction presented by music lovers. But when listening to a song that this abysmal difference of emotion was presented. It is not an ear problem, it is a “wiring” problem The problem is in the reward system. We have all humans in our brain, and it is the responsible for feeling pleasure When eating chocolate, having sex or seeking security. This is where the classic animal experiment appears, where a mouse can have an electrode right in the area of this reward system and a button in front that by pressing it throws a download. Such is pleasure, that the mouse will not hesitate to be pressing it repeatedly to have that same feeling again and again, as if it were an orgasm. And this is where this investigation has been focused. Using one functional magnetic resonance (FMRI), the researchers observed what happened in these people’s brain while listening to music. With this test you can easily see the parts of the brain that are stimulated when receiving a stimulus. The results were revealing. When music sounded, its auditory bark (the part of the brain that processes the sound) They were activated normally. However, the Accumbens nucleus, a key region of the brain reward circuit, remained completely inactive. It is the center of pleasure, which lights up when we eat chocolate, we won a bet or fall in love. But in these patients, no stimulus appeared with music and remained dark. The problem, therefore, is not in the pieces, but in the wiring, which is what is known as brain tracks. The investigation specifically indicates a functional and structural disconnection between the auditory cortex (specifically in the upper right temporary turn) and the Accumbens nucleus. It is like having a plug and bulb that work perfectly, but the cable that UNE is damaged or directly does not exist. You can have a genetic component. A recent study with twins has thrown more firewood on the fire, demonstrating that sensitivity to musical reward has a genetic component of up to 54%. And most importantly: these genes are, for the most part, independent of those who regulate musical perception or the general ability to feel pleasure. This reinforces the idea that enjoying music is a different and specific biological capacity. Interestingly, there is also the opposite phenomenon: the Musicophilia. An exacerbated passion already obsessive for music. Different cases of people who, after a stroke or an operation have been documented, developed a compulsive desire to listen to music, something that was previously indifferent to them. This shows that specific brain circuits can both cancel and enhance our emotional connection with music. Images | Marcela Laskoski Weermeijer Robina Clem Onojaghuo In Xataka | The artificial skin that feels heat and cuts is already real. It is the first big step for robots to look more like us

Someone has printed in 3D its own brain to turn it into a lamp. The best thing is that you can do it too

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We have encountered a user who I commented In Reddit how he has turned his magnetic resonance in a unique lamp: an exact replica of his 3D -printed brain with a LED bulb inside. The project, which according to the user was born after medical exams by migraines, is something that you can also embark if you have a 3D printer and the necessary requirements for it. What he has done. Marc took advantage of the fact that he had a magnetic resonance for his migraines and asked his medical center for a copy of the digital files. With them created a 3D model of his brain At a real scale, he added a hole for an E14 bulb and mounted it on a base with the inscription “proof that Marc has brain.” The result is a lamp that can be disturbing at night, but that is still fascinating. A process within the reach of anyone. Obtaining the digital files of a resonance is relatively simple. The medical centers are legally obliged to provide these data when the patient requests them, normally through a medical data request form. The files are delivered in DICOM format, the standard for medical images, usually on a DVD or from a web portal where we can proceed with the download. Free software. The conversion of medical archives to an printable model requires three free programs: 3D SLICER To process medical images, Meshmixer To clean and sculpt the model, and Meshlab to reduce file size. The process includes segmenting the brain eliminating the skull and soft tissues, cleaning digital artifacts, softening surfaces and optimizing the print file. Marc A tutorial followed of YouTube that details each step of the procedure. Some challenges in between. The complete model would require more than 24 hours of continuous printing, so Marc divided it into three sections that are printed separately and then bind with adhesive. He also created internal cavities to reduce printing time from 14 to 9 hours per section and save material. The final finish includes sanding, filling of imperfections, paint and a layer of transparent varnish. A nice memory of his resonance. The project has impacted a good number of users. In addition, it is an initiative from which you can take advantage of, from unique decorative elements to educational tools. And it is that having an exact physical replica of your own brain raises unexpected creative uses. Although it requires a certain hand with the 3D printer and a lot of patience, it is not an extremely complex operation. So if you have nothing to do this weekend and you have a 3D printer, you know. Cover image | U/soosbrecht In Xataka | This is what I would have liked to know before I started in the 3D printing world

It grows and is able to ‘hack’ the brain

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The works Cyberpunk They are continuously human improved thanks to bioimplants. A decade ago It seemed somewhat distantbut recent years we have Taken leaps In that machine-corebro connection with Implants such as Neuralink. Make our brain feel as part of the body that are not an achievement, and precisely that is what Massachusetts researchers are experiencing with a very clear objective: ‘Hack’ our brain with dental implants that feel really teeth. Bioengineering. We carry more than a decade investigating how to make the teeth grow again. Different centers have been all this time experimenting with stem cells with the aim of filling that cavity resulting from the fall of a tooth with living fabric that restores the fallen piece. The reason is that it is always preferable to have a piece with real dental material because it offers something that an implant, at least for the moment, is unable to give: tooth-cerebro connection. Intelligent implant. Feeling a natural part of the body is the Great objective of bioengineering for both the teeth and limbs that are missing and in which We have placed a prosthesis. The Last advances They arrive from researchers at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tufts. Have developed what describe As an “intelligent implant”, an artificial tooth such as any common implant, but with an outer layer that is in what is that “bio” part of “engineering.” It is a coating that contains stem cells and a specific protein that allows those cells to mature to develop nervous tissue. Hacking The brain. Jake Jinkun Chen is a professor of periodontics at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the Center and comments that “the natural teeth connect to the jaw through a soft tissue rich in nerves. It is what helps perceive both pressure and texture and works as a guide in chewing and speech.” A point that “implants do not have that sensory feedback” because they are ceramic crowns on titanium post -shaped postanium posts that anchor the jaw and, although they are useful, they feel like a strange object in our mouth. Advances. To place one of these implants is also very invasive and, although it is a “chewed” process by surgeons due to the amount of operations that are carried out, there is always the risk of causing local or worse trauma: damage some nerve. Although everything comes out perfectly, as we say, we will not feel the piece as we do with a real tooth. The implant that they are developing in TUFTS, however, does not require that surgical procedure. The new piece is, initially, smaller than the tooth that replaces, and that layer of rubber nanofibers that expands is the one that fill the hole by joining the soft tissue of the jaw, not in the bone. And, little by little, he continues to reconnect with the nerves while the healing progresses, restoring communication between the mouth and the brain. The goal is to restore nerve connections between the lost piece and the brain to feel the tooth again Tests (keep taking care of your teeth). Everything seems promising and feeling the temperature and texture of a food again in a tooth that is not the biological sounds great, but as those responsible confirm, it is something that is in an early stage of development. That implies that it goes long and, for the moment, they have been successfully tested in rodents. They comment that the results point to a correct biocompatibility, functioning as a normal tooth only six weeks after surgery, and are currently analyzing the brain activity of animals to evaluate the sensory information they receive from that new tooth. Next steps? Test in other animals and, subsequently, climb the clinical trials with humans. Beyond mouth. “This new implant, and the minimally invasive technique should help reconnect the nerves, allowing the implant to ‘speak’ with the brain as a real tooth would do,” says Chen, and the big question is: if it works with teeth, Could it work with other parts of the body? TUFTS researchers have not entered into detail, but they have commented that, if everything goes well, this technology could “Transform other types of implants bone, such as those used in hip replacements or in fracture repair ”. Images | Ozkan Guner, Tufts University, Enis Can Ceyhan In Xataka | The world is obsessed with the “perfect teeth” and is curious because almost everyone who looks in cinema and television is false

It is more efficient to learn how your brain works

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The ability to be productive is not only in the ability to make the most The available time. You can also improve that capacity by understanding some cognitive biases and “psychological triggers” of the brain to use them in your favor. Such and as they point out in Fast Companyyou don’t need more hours in the day. You need to adapt your work to match the cognitive peaks of your brain and “deceive it” to Maintain motivation. These are some cognitive strategies to be more productive with less effort. 1- tune in with your ultradian rhythms Unlike Circadian cycleswhich last 24 hours delimiting rest periods, Ultradian cycles They are much shorter and repeated every 90 or 120 minutes. The brain is Designed to work in cycles of high concentration limited to those periods between 90 and 120 minutesfollowed by small laps of lower energy. Trying to give the maximum beyond those cycles is a waste of time. The brain needs to rest To recover energy. Ignoring that rest makes mental fatigue appears, worsens concentration and, with it, stress increases because tasks are extended more than expected. The key is in Organize the day in blocks of deep work 90 minutes with pauses of 10 to 20 minutes between them. Implementing three of these daily cycles usually translates into greater productivity and better quality of the tasks performed. 2- The most difficult first Would you run an Ironman just after a marathon had run? Not to be That you are Verdelissthe most likely answer is not, because the first test has already burned all your energy. In this case, the brain works in a similar way. The prefrontal cortexresponsible for complex executive functions, shows its greatest efficiency in the early hours of the day when we have rested well. The key is think about your brain as a battery. Which is 100% at the beginning of the day, but little by little it reduces its load (cognitive capacity). Use that energy strategically. Take advantage of the first two or three hours of your day to address demanding or very creative tasks that will consume “more energy” or that require greater concentration. Administrative, routine tasks or those meetings in which relevant decisions should not be made, they can wait for later. Doing it backwards would be to waste that valuable energy throughout the day, to get exhausted to the marathon. 3- Sorry, the brain is not multitasking Although everything points to doing several things at once is the best way to advance them all, scientific research They have demonstrated That is not so. In fact, trying to do several things at once is even 40% less efficient What to do them one after another. According to a Published study in Nature By scientists at Stanford University, he points out that those who perform multiple tasks at the same time, often They get worse results in tests of attention, memory and alternation of tasks that those who perform only. Therefore, instead of trying to move all the tasks at the same time, it is convenient to make groups of similar short tasks and reserve blocks of time to complete them (one after another). Thus, small distractions are reduced that interrupt your concentration With the excuse of “it’s just a minute.” 4- Concentration triggers Although sometimes it costs us to recognize it, the human being It is an animal of customsand our brain is able to detect signals from the environment to prepare to face certain tasks. An example is the “cognitive triggers” described by James Clear, author of the best seller ‘Atomic habits‘, as a method To create habits. To give you an example, the way back to your house at the end of the work prepares your brain to enter a “rest mode”, in the same way as preparing a bath with candles and aromatic salts predisposes to entering a mental state of relaxation. Create fixed signals or rituals to immerse yourself in deep work, such as order the table Before starting it, putting certain music or systematically opening your task app, can help you make the brain entered the right state. The research From the University of California they demonstrated that these actions, apparently small and symbolic, act as psychological switches that tell your brain: “It’s time to concentrate.” The repetition of these habits reinforces the approach and reduces the adaptation time that the brain needs between one task and another. 5- The brain is not to remember A joint study of the University of Waterloo (Canada) and the University College London, says the Human working memoryIt can only handle between four and seven simultaneous elements. The research demonstrates that by downloading information, either In writing in a notebook or digitally In an apptension in the cognitive system is reduced and bandwidth for problem solving and creativity is released. To the free the brain from the burden of having to remember thingsthe Zeigarnik effect is avoided, a phenomenon that puts a name to the brain obsession to end The tasks that you have already started. If you have to remember, for example, that you have to go looking for a laundry jacket, your brain will be constantly recovering that information until you complete it, interrupting your concentration in that process. 6- A carrot for your brain Maintain motivationin addition to physical factors, it is also very conditioned by the brain. Again, our animal instinct responds to positive stimuli. As an ass that needs to follow an unattainable carrot to continue walking. The human brain reacts to immediate and visible rewardsso marking an objective as completed activates the Dopamine system that provides well -being and happiness. Taking that into account, Do not plan your tasks as long -term achievementsbut as small frequent achievements that activate the brain reward system. These frequent awards reinforce behavior and generate the impulse to continue with the project and avoid falling into boredom and loss of motivation. In Xataka | If the question is where to … Read more

Creatine is the Queen of Gym. Now science investigates if you can also wake up your brain when you don’t sleep

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Creatine is, together with Powder proteins Already the Ashwagandha, one of the star supplements if we do physical activity Intense. It is one of the most studied supplements and evidence on improvements in physical function are clear. However, in recent years he is calling attention to areas far from the gym thanks to its potential benefits for cognitive function. And now there are those who are studying the effects of creatine in People with lack of sleep. Creatine and brain. The operation of creatine is simple. It is a compound that we produce naturally, mainly in the liver, but that we can also obtain thanks to certain meats and fish. The problem is that in vegan lifestyles or within the framework of intense training, supplementation becomes very interesting To increase those immediate reserves of energy Recently, the Texas A&M University He discovered that creatine is not only useful in the muscles, but also in the brain, with studies pointing to positive effects on the Recovery of brain injuriesin reducing the sensation of fatigue and as a neuroprotective agent by showing potential to reduce mitochondrial dysfunction, being a key factor in the neurodegenerative diseases. Neurogenesis. Creatine plays a very relevant role in the formation of New cells and brain tissuesalso in the creation of neurons in the embryonic phase. And that prominence is what encouraged research on creatine functions in the brain. As we read in BBCwithin the tests that are being done, one is that of Ali Gordjinejad, researcher at the Forschungszentrum Jolich Center in Germany. As we discussed before, they have been carried out, and they are still doing, studies that relate the role of creatine in the brain beyond that embryonic phase, and something that disrupts the usual functioning of the brain is the sleep deprivation. That is where Gordjinejad wondered if creatine can have a role in the short -term memory and brain recovery in People with sleep deprivation. This would be interesting for people who must travel at night, emergency service workers or students who hurry before exams. The analysis. To do this, his team recruited 15 people and divided them into groups. One was given a creatine supplement and another placebo. The shot was at 6:00 p.m. and, until 9:00 in the next morning, he tested the cognitive performance of those people every two and a half hours. He analyzed his reaction times or short -term memories and discovered that the processing speed was higher in the group that took creatine. Gordjinejad Consider That, in that stress situation for the body and, above all, the brain, the organ needs energy available quickly, taking it from phosphocreatine deposits that have been filled just before exercise. Would act exactly as it does when we are doing a Intense exercise To endure, for example, one more repetition. Controversial. The researcher believes that his findings show the potential of creatine to help overErebro starts its repair mechanisms. Now, although there are very forceful studies, this is somewhat less due to an important detail: the participants in the study took 10 times the recommended daily dose of creatine. Gordjinejad himself points out that it is such a high dose that it should not be taken by people with kidney problems, but even if you are perfectly healthy, that dose can cause stomach pains or problems in the following deposits. You have to continue studying. What the researcher is clear is that we must continue to investigate until finding evidence that supports his theory or, on the contrary, help to leave it aside (that is also the scientific purpose, in short). In following trials, he will try with smaller doses, and is something that will allow creatine to relate more evidently to cognitive function. Because, as we said, Its muscle benefits in exercise They are evident and well supported by science, but when we talk about the performance of this supplementation in the brain, various researchers have agreed that you have to standardize amounts of creatine in the analysis and, above all, update those studies. A clear example is that of researcher Terry McMorris, which in 2024 and after reviewing 15 studies, concluded that there is no clear evidence that supports that creatine improves cognitive function, being the main problem that many of these studies were carried out almost a century ago and in unstricted situations. In what McMorris and Gordjinejad shake hands is in the belief that it is an area in which it is worth continuing. Images | l ch In Xataka | If the question is how to increase protein intake every morning, the answer is “proffee”: throwing it into coffee

Figure 02 has worked only for an hour. The disturbing thing is that your brain already remembers and your hands “feel”

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You can disagree. You may think that a lot is still missing. But it is difficult to ignore the direction in which we advance: one in which Humanoid robots They will be part of our daily lives. When technology is mature, when costs cease to be an obstacle, the decision will no longer be technical. It will be ethical. How far can the robots arrive? And who will put the limits? Imagine the scenarios. Robots turned into soldiers, deployed in conflicts, alone or next to human troops. Robots as emotional companions, not only for older people, but for anyone who lives alone. Robots that clean, cook, organize. Robots in factories, tireless, constant, replacing tasks that we did before. The surprising thing is that all this is already beginning to happen. Today, the robot Figure 02, that since last year he works in a BMW factorycan operate autonomously, classify objects and do it with precision thanks to what Its developers call “Touch” and “short -term memory”. In 2018, ‘Detroit: Become Human‘We thought about science fiction. Even then, not its creator, David CageI would have opted that in 2025 we would be seeing something like that in the real world. But it has happened. And the most fascinating thing is that Figure does not walk alone. Behind his gestures, there is something else. A neuronal network that, as we will see soon, is the true protagonist. Helix, the ‘brain’ behind Figure 02 That neuronal network has its own name: Helix. It is the brain behind the robot. The person responsible for their movements look more and more natural. And what has achieved In just three months In a logistics environment it is difficult to ignore. Helix has not only learned to manipulate objects with skill. Has learned to Understand the context. To adapt. To act as if remembered what he did before. And the most surprising: to make it better and better, faster and less mistakes. At first, Helix faced a simpler catalog. But little by little he has learned to work with a greater variety of packages: From rigid boxes to Soft envelopes or deformable plastic bags, which are much more difficult to hold and position. Some wrinkle, others bend, others slide easily. For a robot, that is a real challenge. And yet, Helix adapts. Adjust the way in which each object grabs, changes its strategy if the package is flatter or softer, even knows when it is convenient to take a small turn or use a more precise type of clamp. He does everything on the flight, without anyone telling him what kind of package he has in front. The robot knows when it is convenient to take a small turn or use a more precise type of clamp That behavior has not been programmed line per line. Has learned it by observing. In total, he was trained with 60 hours of human demonstrations. And with each new example, it was better understood what to do in each case. Thanks to that, the average time it takes to process a package has been down significantly. But Helix is ​​not just fast. It is also necessary. The labels, which were previously oriented before, now 94.4 % of the time are correctly positioned. As? Because the robot has learned, among other things, Small wrinkled envelopes Before trying to scan. A slight pressure on the plastic is enough for the barcode to be visible. It is a minimum gesture, but very revealing. That learning relies on something fundamental: memory. Helix has a vision system that not only analyzes what he sees at the time, but remembers what he saw a few seconds ago. It is as if I had a Short -term visual memory. Thanks to her, you can make smarter decisions. For example, if it detects that a package was already rotated at a certain angle, it does not turn it again. If you did not find the label at first, remember where it could be and prove in that direction. Another key change has been to incorporate the history of its own movements. Before, each action was an isolated fragment: see, act, see again. Now, Helix Remember in what position your arms werehis torso or his head makes a moment, which allows him to move more fluidly. If something leaves the plan, if the package slides or the grip is not perfect, it can correct in real time without starting from scratch. And the most recent: The sense of touch. Not a human touch, of course, but a way to detect how much pressure is exerting on an object. That strength feedback allows Helix Pause to feel resistance, or adjust it if the object weighs less than expected. Thanks to this, you can manipulate more carefully and adapt to differences in weight or rigidity. And this is not theory. Figure 02 has already been put to the test in real conditions. During an hour session, The robot operated without interruptions In a logistics environment, classifying packages autonomously while using all its new capacities: its sense of touch, its short -term visual memory, its ability to correct errors on the march. A continuous demonstration of fluid work, precise, without direct intervention. The images of that session, which we have included in the video that accompanies this article, show more than a robot running. They show a neuronal network facing the chaos of the physical world and leaving airy. They show Figure 02 making decisions, adapting, acting with a level of autonomy that until very recently would have seemed science fiction. Tesla has a OptimusBoston Dynamics to AtlasAgility Robotics A Digit. All compete to lead the career of the Humanoid robots. But in parallel, Figure 02 advances through a lane without events, without background music, but with results. With the passage of time we will see how all this evolves. Images | Figure ai In Xataka | Google does not want AI to stay on the screen: Gemini Robotics is its plan … Read more

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