Will President Obama and the House GOP ever agree? Science suggests no

[MrsSmith]

Will President Obama and the House GOP ever agree? Science suggests no

President Obama and House Republicans may have narrowly averted a government shutdown last weekend, but as the two sides prepare to engage in another round of intra-party feuding over budget proposals, a new study suggests that basic brain science might stand in the way of bipartisanship.

Using data from MRI scans, researchers at the University College London found that self-described liberals have a larger anterior cingulate cortex--a gray matter of the brain associated with understanding complexity. Meanwhile, self-described conservatives are more likely to have a larger amygdala, an almond-shaped area that is associated with fear and anxiety.

,,,

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110411/pl_yblog_theticket/will-president-obama-and-the-house-gop-ever-agree-science-suggests-no

You just have to love unbiased writing.  Seriously, you do, because it's so rare!!

In complex vertebrates, including humans, the amygdalae perform primary roles in the formation and storage of memories associated with emotional events.

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The amygdalae also are involved in the modulation of memory consolidation.

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Buddhist monks who do compassion meditation have been shown to modulate their amygdala, along with their temporoparietal junction and insula, during their practice.[14] In an fMRI study, more intensive insula activity was found in expert meditators than in novices.[15] Increased activity in the amygdala following compassion-oriented meditation may contribute to social connectedness.

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Monkey mothers who had amygdala damage showed a reduction in maternal behaviors towards their infants, often physically abusing or neglecting them.

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A 2003 study found that adult and adolescent bipolar patients tended to have considerably smaller amygdala volumes...

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Amygdala volume correlates positively with both the size (the number of contacts a person has) and the complexity (the number of different groups to which a person belongs) of social networks.[34][35] Individuals with larger amygdalae had larger and more complex social networks. It is hypothesized that a larger amygdala allows for greater emotional intelligence, enabling greater societal integration and cooperation with others.

,,,

The amygdala appears to play a role in binge drinking, being damaged by repeated episodes of intoxication and withdrawal.[38] Alcoholism is associated with dampened activation in brain networks responsible for emotional processing, including the amygdala.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala

It looks to as though a larger amygdala does NOT associate with fear, but rather intelligence, compassion, social integration, and accurate memory, while a small or damaged amygdala is associated with alcohol (and possibly other drug) abuse, and abuse of children (can anyone say abortion, talk about major abuse.)

 

[JohnnyReb]

What part of the brain determines lazy, DUmbass, tit sucking?

[Eupher]

Well, yahoo isn't noted for their conservative POV.....

It's okay for a free email addy, but after that?


pffffffft.

[CG6468]

The difference is much simpler. Oil and water don't mix.

Actually, they do mix, but the end result is useless. Just like obastard.

[true_blood]

The difference is much simpler. Oil and water don't mix.
Actually, they do mix, but the end result is useless. Just like obastard.

Sort of like freedom to communism.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Obama:

1.  Takes credit for all the spending;

2.  Refuses to accept any cuts in the entitlement programs, especially ones he added, that make up three quarters of the budget; and

3.  Refuses to accept responsibility for a deficit.

Now, who is engaging in illogic and magickal thinking...?