LOW THROTTLE BRAINH I G H O C T A N E L I F E

Saravanan Balakrishnanblog.saravanan.org

Presented at TEDx Trichy, 2010

N e u r o t r a n s m i t t e r sDopamine, Norepinephrine, Serotonin…

Dopamine rush• When you learn something new• In you’re a-ha moments• When you win

What do you feel• Focuses the brain• Feels good

• Cocaine • Love• Success• Flow

Norepinephrine rush• When you are in danger• When you are stressed

What do you feel• Focuses the brain• Makes you alert

Less norepinephrine• Hungry for norep• Do things that increase norep

So you…• Do dangerous stuff

• Extreme sports• Fire man, soldier, criminal• Gambling, day trading

• Procrastinate• Pushing things to last minute increase

norep and focuses brain• Become an adrenaline (stress) junkie

Less dopamine• Hungry for Dopamine• Do things that increase Dopamine

So you… • Crave novelty, get bored with routine• Loves solving problems, hyper-focus on what you

like• Less dopamine in Striatum

• Move a lot; can’t sit still• Extroverts

• Less dopamine in Cerebellum• Introverts• Dreamers

Anterior cingulate gyrus• Gear shift of the brain• Error Detection Centre

Less serotonin in ACG• Gear doesn’t shift:

• Stay with same thought• Minor levels: Persistence• Severe levels: Worry

• Error/Conflict detection• Critical• Perfection

Some people combine…• Less Dopamine

• Dreamer• Needs novelty• Loves to learn/problem-solve• Can hyper-focus for hours

• Less Norepinephrine• Needs stress to feel alive• Loves (craves) risk

• Less Serotonin in ACG• Great staying power• Perfectionist

Can you imagine what they will do for a living…

These brains are wired differently

specialization of brain• Brain starts out like an fresh hard disk, yet to

be formatted

• As learning happens, each parts of the brain starts to specialize in an unique function

• This acquisition of structure is called specialization

• Specialization starts in mother’s womb and continues into child-hood

• After a brain is sufficiently specialized, BDNF secretes and freezes the brain state

partial specialization• In a normal brain with adequate

specialization,

• Inside the auditory cortex (■), musical note “C” is processed in a different location than note “D”

• Inside the visual cortex (●), horizontal lines is processed in a different location than vertical lines

• In our special brain type, BDNF “burning” happens when specialization is half way through

and can result in…• In auditory cortex

• Sensitive hearing; can pickup sound that normal people can’t hear

• Processing speed suffers• Difficulty in hearing <40ms sound• Ear can’t differentiate b & d, m & n, etc.• Leads to spelling errors

• In visual cortex• Visual thinkers• Many can see the tube light flicker

• In parietal lobe• Very sensitive to touch

• Wear soft/worn-out cloths• Kinesthetic thinkers

more traits…• Heightened sense of smell

• Nose leads• Sometimes, becomes a nuisance

• Creative • Can combine distant ideas

• Massively intuitive• Grasp the big picture even before the conscious

brain becomes aware of it• Many can’t verbalize the intuition

A D DAttention Deficit Disorder

They come in three flavors

1: hyperactive extroverts• Extroverts, Spontaneous• Multitasking• Risk taker• Wide mood, Quick to change• Reacts to external pressure• Highly demonstrative• Prefers to break large tasks into segments

• Easily bored, Short attention span• Dislikes long term project, repetition• Becomes reactive, Expresses temper outwardly• Blames other when frustrated

2: dreaming introverts• Very empathetic, sensitive• Good problem solver• Visionary/dreamer, Often highly creative• Sticks to jobs liked, Slow to change• Prefers freedom to explore, Restless

• Tends to blame self, Can get depressed• Distractible when bored, Vacillates• Tries too hard, Burns out

• Type 2 have some traits of 1 & 3

3: habitual controllers

• Very organized, Likes structure• Systematic problem solver• Dislikes interruptions• Highly focused, Perfectionist• Takes charge in a crisis• Mentally restless

• Demanding, Rigid, Judgmental• Controlling • Obsessively worries• Loses temper

Are hunters in farming societies?

farmers hunters

• Distraction is bad

• Must till the soil and water the plants when the time is right; not when you want

• Helps in our education system and offices

• Pays attention to everything, not “pays attention to nothing”

• Helps in being always aware of danger and opportunities

• Liability in our class room and offices

• No room for impulsivity; high incentive for abiding rules

• Instant decision is needed when opportunity arrives

farmers hunters

• Risk taking is extremely bad

• Brains must be wired to avoid risk

• Always searches for high stimulation

• Risk craving; not just risk-taking

• Put in a hunter situation, farmers get distracted, become restless and lose focus

• Do well in structured environment

• In a farmer’s setting, hunters get distracted, become restless and lose focus

• Play a key role in the continue growth and survival of our species

hunters at two extremes• More than 55% of the ENTREPRENEURS

• Find their strengths and use them• Find their weaknesses and

get a farmer to do them

• More than 65% of the PRISONERS• Hunter trait is a double edge sword• When all else fails, seek medical support

• When hunting and farming societies met, the hunters were obliterated

• Today, hunters are a minority

• Our society is by the farmers, for the farmers

is there a hunter in you?

If someone tells you that something is wrong with you, they may have a case of

C D DCommon-sense Deficit Disorder

You’re God’s gift to man kind!

Live up to your potential and make him proud!!

T H A N K Y O U

An interpretation of works done by Dr. Daniel Amen (Serotonin in ACG)

Dr. Michel Merzenich (Partial Specializzation)Dr. Lynn Weiss (Three Flavours)

Mr. Thomas Hartman (Hunter vs Farmer)and Others