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"Structural and functional correlates of smartphone addiction"

Abstract:

Addictive Behaviors
Volume 105, June 2020, 106334
Structural and functional correlates of smartphone addiction
Author links open overlay panelJulianeHorvathaRobertChristian WolfaShow more
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106334Get rights and content


We investigate brain function and structure in persons with “smartphone addiction” (SPA).•

Persons with SPA showed lower gray matter volume in insula and temporal cortex.•

Persons with SPA showed reduced resting-state activity of the anterior cingulate cortex.•

Anterior cingulate cortex volume and activity was associated with SPA-severity.•

The data suggest aberrant neural integrity of the salience network.



Abstract


Popularity and availability of smartphones have dramatically increased in the past years. This trend is accompanied by increased concerns regarding potentially adverse effects of excessive smartphone use, particularly with respect to physical and mental health. Recently, the term “smartphone addiction” (SPA) has been introduced to describe smartphone-related addictive behavior and associated physical and psychosocial impairment. Here, we used structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T to investigate gray matter volume (GMV) and intrinsic neural activity in individuals with SPA (n = 22) compared to a control group (n = 26). SPA was assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI), GMV was investigated by means of voxel-based morphometry, and intrinsic neural activity was measured by the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF). Compared to controls, individuals with SPA showed lower GMV in left anterior insula, inferior temporal and parahippocampal cortex (p < 0.001, uncorrected for height, followed by correction for spatial extent). Lower intrinsic activity in SPA was found in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). A significant negative association was found between SPAI and both ACC volume and activity. In addition, a significant negative association between SPAI scores and left orbitofrontal GMV was found. This study provides first evidence for distinct structural and functional correlates of behavioral addiction in individuals meeting psychometric criteria for SPA. Given their widespread use and increasing popularity, the present study questions the harmlessness of smartphones, at least in individuals that may be at increased risk for developing smartphone-related addictive behaviors.

Earth Day Live 2020

El evento más grande comienza hoy a las 9 (hora de Nueva York) y se extenderá hasta el viernes a la noche. Se trata del Earth Day Live 2020 

https://www.earthdaylive2020.org/es#local-livestreams:

“Desde el 22 de abril, que es el 50º del Día de la Tierra, hasta el 24 de abril, activistas, celebridades, líderes de pensamiento y artistas se juntarán para una movilización por transmisión en vivo que sea empoderadora, inspiradora y comunitaria durante tres días seguidos. Las luchas en contra del coronavirus y la crisis climática van de la mano y, de la misma manera en que trabajamos para aplanar la curva de esta pandemia, debemos esforzarnos para llegar a la meta de largo plazo de construir una sociedad basada en la sostenibilidad y la justicia”, aseguran sus organizadores en la convocatoria que puede seguirse en la cuenta de Twitter @EarthDayNetwork.

Habrá paralelamente diálogos virtuales con agrupaciones juveniles por el clima de Uganda, Argentina, Colombia y los Estados Unidos, entre otros.

Desde Estocolmo también se celebrará la Semana de la Tierra
https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/earthdayweek

Se trata de una iniciativa conjunta de Earth Day Network y We Don’t Have Time; emitirá un programa de conversaciones de una semana de duración. Los oradores incluyen a Christiana Figueres, Nigel Topping y Johan Rockström.

En la Argentina, la Alianza por el Clima Argentina y Jóvenes por el Clima Argentina convocan el viernes a todos los sectores de la sociedad a sumarse a la ​5ª Movilización Mundial contra la Crisis Climática y Ecológica​. “En consonancia con las medidas de prevención tomadas por el Gobierno nacional, en esta oportunidad el evento se realizará de manera digital a través de acciones e intervenciones que se transmitirán por la red social Instagram partir de las 17 y se extenderán hasta las 21”, explicaron los organizadores a Infobae.

“Al igual que en oportunidades anteriores se abordarán diversidad de temas vinculados a la emergencia climática actual a partir de entrevistas en vivo con variedad de referentes sociales y ambientales: comunidad científica, recicladores urbanos, educadores y pueblos originarios, entre otros. El evento, además, contará con la participación de artistas invitados que tendrán su espacio musical a lo largo de toda la jornada. La difusión del cronograma de acciones se realizará a través de redes sociales en las cuentas de Jóvenes por el clima Argentina (@jovenesporelclimarg) y Alianza por el clima (@Alianzaxelclima)”, detallaron.

                                                                                                                                                      Infobae

Sweet addiction

Sugar has been in the spotlight for a while, it being the most likely culprit of the obesity epidemic of our time. As to how is that possible, many consider that it is because it leads to an addiction, with sugar acting as the sweet sweet drug driving our wants and needs.

A new study 1 used 7 mini pigs as a proxy to study the effects of sugar in the brain. For that purpose the researchers imaged their brains every day for 12 days after feeding them 2 liters of a sugary liquid.

What they found was that the pig’s reward system and the release of the “feel-good” neurotransmitters dopamine and opioids were stimulated similarly as drugs of abuse like cocaine, among others

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Air quality and COVID-19

Article Published 04 Apr 2020 Last modified 06 Apr 2020

Air pollution
The lockdown and related measures implemented by many European countries to stop the spread of COVID-19 have led to a sudden decrease in economic activities, including a drop in road transport in many cities. To assess how this has affected concentrations of air pollution, the EEA has developed a viewer that tracks the weekly average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).

Public art can be a part of the conversation. Here a man wearing protective mask walks past a statue also with masks on, following an outbreak of Covid-19 in Daegu, South Korea. Photo: Reuters (The Star)

Impacts on air pollution
Data from EEA member countries show how concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) — a pollutant mainly emitted by road transport — have decreased in many European cities where lockdown measures have been implemented.

Although a decrease in concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) may also be expected, a consistent reduction cannot yet be seen across European cities. This is likely due to the fact that the main sources of this pollutant are more varied, including at European level the combustion of fuel for the heating of residential, commercial and institutional buildings, industrial activities and road traffic. A significant fraction of particulate matter is also formed in the atmosphere from reactions of other air pollutants, including ammonia — a pollutant typically emitted from the application of agricultural fertilisers at this time of year.

Other factors, such as weather conditions, may also significantly contribute to the weekly reductions seen in pollutant concentrations. Conversely, changes in meteorology can also lead to increased air pollution, and coupled with the often non-linear relationships between changes in emissions and changes in concentrations, also explain why lower air pollution may not occur at all locations.

A mural by provocative Italian street artist TV Boy depicting the famous Hollywood film Roman Holiday (1953), starring with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn is seen holding a banner reading "Clear Air Now", which is displayed on a wall near the ancient Colosseum in central Rome. Photo: AFP (The Star)

Pruebas COVID

Covid Art Museum, Vecinos y Los errantes

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EcoSíMía

Ideas verdes

Ideas verdes-libros

Cada día somos mas los que nos acercamos a entender la vida de forma diferente, buscamos otra manera de entender el progreso y nuestro paso por el planeta, por ello aprender , conocimiento y practica hacen que entre todos podamos mejorar nuestra huella en la tierra, por eso nos alegra poner a disposición de todos vosotros y de todos los que quieran cambiar esta pequeña biblioteca digital con mas de 2000 títulos y manuales sobre diferentes temas, como puede ser jardinería, huerto, apicultura, reciclaje, agroecologia, permacultura, bioconstruccion o vida sustentable.

Ideasverdes

Mirada polisémica sobre "emergencia"

Playlist medioambiente

La música es uno de los medios más poderosos que tenemos para comunicarnos, para transmitir ideas y pensamientos, denunciar injusticias, sacudir conciencias. Un lenguaje universal que ni entiende de generaciones ni de idiomas. Y como The Beach Boys, muchísimos grupos y compositores más han hablado en sus letras de la defensa del medio ambiente y de la urgencia de cambiar las cosas: desde Johnny Cash a Michael Jackson, de Louis Armstrong a Cantajuegos.