Scientists Afflict Computers With Schizophrenia

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (May 5, 2011) — Computer networks that can't forget fast enough can show symptoms of a kind of virtual schizophrenia, giving researchers further clues to the inner workings of schizophrenic brains, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Yale University have found.

The researchers used a virtual computer model, or "neural network," to simulate the excessive release of dopamine in the brain. They found that the network recalled memories in a distinctly schizophrenic-like fashion.

Their results were published in April in Biological Psychiatry.

"The hypothesis is that dopamine encodes the importance-the salience-of experience," says Uli Grasemann, a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin. "When there's too much dopamine, it leads to exaggerated salience, and the brain ends up learning from things that it shouldn't be learning from."

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505124002.htm

[ananda]

1. I didn't know that.

That was interesting.

[nebenaube]

2. If there is any truth to this statement, then

one would have to conclude that all linkages to marijuana as a cause are bogus... suggesting indeed, that marijuana use may be indicated as a viable treatment.

[zazen]

3. aka Windows

[sakabatou]

5. ME edition specifically.

[hootinholler]

6. Damn and all this time I thought windows

Was a virus.

-Hoot

[kestrel91316]

4. Years of dealing with a schizophrenic mother, who had a near-photographic memory,

leads me to believe they are really onto something here.

"Learning" from things that should be overlooked or ignored: white noise. Fantastic explanation for what is going on.