The Amelioration of Olfactory Acuity upon Sexual Maturation Might Affect Food Preferences

Upon sexual maturation, olfactory acuity in women ameliorates and starts oscillating across the cycle. During ovulation, mean olfactory threshold is 30 times lower than during bleeding. Interestingly, menstruated women undergo maleodorant trimethylaminuria. We argued that olfactory amelioration during ovulation might concur to a mating strategy, whereas olfactory impairment during bleeding might protect women against self-refusal. Testosterone and its 17β-estradiol derivative might be responsible for the synchronization of these menstrual events. Furthermore, we posed the question whether olfactory detection amelioration upon sexual maturation might provoke a change in food preferences, for instance a reduction in fish consumption. A preliminary survey in Italy provided encouraging results: 15-44 year-old women have lower fish consumption than 3-14 year-old girls. Surprisingly, men exhibited the same behaviour, so new olfactory tests as well as testosterone measurements are under way

I fondamenti del pensiero tra oriente ed Occidente

È possibile che l’atto cosciente cosiddetto “volontario”, con il quale noi eseguiamo azioni ed elaboriamo pensieri, sia davvero frutto di una libera scelta? Abstract Da millenni le principali filosofie orientali: Induismo, Taoismo e Buddismo Zen asseriscono di no, senza alcuna prova scientifica. Secondo loro il film della nostra vita è già stato scritto. Ne sono state sempre così convinte che non ci sollecitano tanto ad una discussione sui contenuti del film quanto, piuttosto, a volgere lo sguardo alla sorgente luminosa che ne illumina i fotogrammi. L’Occidente, di contro, ha le prove con gli esperimenti di Libet che l’atto “volontario” è preceduto per poche centinaia di millesimi di secondo da un’attività cerebrale inconscia. Eppure non ci crede e non vuole nemmeno pensarci seriamente. Infatti, per sopravvivere, il pensiero Occidentale deve riaffermare il Cogito ergo sum, sempre e a prescindere

Free Will is the illusionary by-product of Self-perception

Abstract: Unconsciuos neural events appear to anticipate voluntary actions by hundreds of msecs (Libet, 1999, 2004; Soon et al.,2008). The impact of such timing on Self-perception and Free Will (FW) is discussed. Libet's model accounts for a delayed conscious action in order to allow a possible voluntary veto. Although, no one veto was recorded, the role of FW still stands unchallenged in Libet's perspective. Up to us, the paradox is that even the veto should account for a neural event! Our feeling is that, in the West, the idea that FW was donated by God as a tool of self-control is a paradox. If we go East, with few exceptions, we can experience an opposite perspective. By meditating, our holy essence is realized as well as our FW illusion is disclosed. In Samkhya metaphor, all is moved by Prakriti (unconscious nature), however, Purusha (conscious mind) steals the role of and pretends to decide instead of Prakriti. According to this perspective, Bignetti's model (Bignetti 2001, 2003, 2004) is proposing that our unconscious mind first reacts against a stimulus by choosing some chaotic ideas within the memory store. Then, the events in their due course, draw the attention of our conscious mind, thus causing the arousal of Self-perception. Since we become aware of what's happening only when Self-perception is lightened, we miss the unconscious events occurred few msecs before. That's why we always deceive ourselves about FW existence. Consciousness can learn from the outcome of an action but cannot decide it

From Brain to Mind: A Plain Route from Neurobiology to Psychology

Mind sciences have not yet provided a de nitive answer to the dual nature of self and to the existence of Free-will (FW), so the mechanisms operating in cognitive processes such as action decision-making remain partially elusive. In this review, we address the question of a so-called “voluntary” action from the agent’s and the scientist’s points of view (respectively from 1st and 3rd person perspectives) and conclude that the “Bignetti Model” (TBM) may offer a solution to reconcile both; i.e. FW is an illusion in line with the agent’s belief in the soul- embodied self and, along with this belief, it may play a functional role in cognition. With TBM, we explain cognition in a bottom-up track from a molecular to a psychological level without the need of soul-body dualit

Occurrence and role of umami molecules in food

Glutamate is a multifunctional amino acid. It plays a key role in central neurotransmission, in intermediate metabolism of carbohydrate as well as in taste, representing the major ligand having the umami taste. Glutamate is one of the main constituents of dietary proteins and is also consumed in many prepared foods as a flavour enhancer in the form of glutamate salts. Umami perception is based on multiple receptor systems distributed in the oral cavity and in the gastrointestinal tract which activates a number of regions of the brain involved in different functions, from food identification to the formation of an affective value related to a particular food, which may influence appetitive behaviour. Future research on umami taste and umami compounds will be fundamental in gaining a better understanding of their physiological significance and to promote their status in a healthy and pleasant diet

The Psychoactive effects of aromatic amino acids

Abstract: Protein synthesis is considered the major pathway for the final utilization of amino acids, however amino acids also enter as key precursors in many other metabolic processes. For instance, the aromatic amino acids (AAA) tryptophan and tyrosine (or Phenylalanine) are precursors of serotonin and catecholamines, respectively. By using AAA-enriched or AAA-deprived diets, the key role of serotonin and catecholamines in modulating some aspects of mood, cognition, social interactions and perhaps eating behaviour was demonstrate