Rapid Cycling of Uncertain Rewards

 These two abstracts are particularly interesting, with  reference to the mechanisms for how rewards function in the brain and give rise to addiction- with obvious relationship to video gaming addiction.  Video game developers actually hire neuroscientists to exploit these mechanisms to make games more addictive, and brain scans of heavy gamers are exactly the same as brain scans of other addicts because of mechanisms like this.  I didn't know any of this when I saw my son go through withdrawal- but it goes a long way toward explaining it. 

REWARD, PREDICTIONS AND UNCERTAINTY. W. Schultz*,Dept. of Anatomy, Univ. Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, CB2 3DY.
Survival in uncertain environments requires individuals to maximize the intake of liquid and food rewards.This task involves decision-making and goal-directed behavior which is based on the detection of rewards and the use of predictions for obtaining advance information and manging uncertainty. Based on learning theory and economic utility theory, we investigated the activity of individual neurons in major reward structures including the dopamine system, striatum and orbitofrontal cortex. We found that dopamine neurons detect the extent to which rewards occur differently than predicted, thus coding an 'error' in the prediction of reward. Together with their anatomical organization and influence on postsynaptic structures, dopamine responses may thus serve as explicit teaching signals for learning. Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex discriminate well between different rewards irrespective of the positions and objects of the stimuli predicting them and may serve as a highly sensitive reward-discriminating system. Neurons in the striatum incorporate reward information into activity related to the preparation and execution of movements leading to the reward, thus reflecting a neural mechanism underlying goal-directed behavior. We then investigated how reward neurons in these structures code basic microeconomic decision variables and deal with uncertainty. Reward neurons are sensitive to the magnitude and probability of reward and their product (expected value). The neurons adapt their coding range and input-output gain to the uncertainty of rewards predicted by conditioned stimuli. In addition, dopamine neurons showa slower response that explicitly signals the uncertainty of reward, being maximal at a probability of 0.5 and covarying with the statistical variance. These data suggest that individual neurons process reward information in line with major theories of behavior and may be involved in managing the uncertainty involved in decision-making.

LEARNING AND PLASTICITY IN MOTIVATIONAL NETWORKS. A.E. Kelley*, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, Madison, WI 53719-1176.
An important conceptual advance in the past decade hasbeen the understanding that the process of drug addiction shares striking commonalities with neural plasticity associated with natural reward learning and memory. Basic cellular mechanisms involving dopamine, glutamate, and their intracellular and genomic targets have been the focus of attention in the research areas of reward-related learning and addiction. These two neurotransmitter systems, widely distributed in many regions of cortex, limbic system and basal ganglia, appear to play a key integrative role in motivation, learning and memory. Coordinated neural signaling of dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems is a critical event in the induction of intracellular transcriptional and translational cascades, leading to alterations in gene expression andsynaptic plasticity, reconfiguration of neural networks, and ultimately learning of novel behaviors. Normally the brain uses these plasticity mechanisms, which have evolved within specialized neural circuits over millions of years of evolution, to optimize responses in organisms that ultimately enhance survival. However, many drugs of abuse exert their primary effects precisely on these pathways, and are apparently able to induce very long-term, perhaps even permanent, homeostatic alterations in motivational networks, thus leading to maladaptive behaviors.
Our own work shows that during learning of an instrumental task for food reward, DA-glutamate interactions in many corticolimbic areas lead to a constellation of molecular events involving induction of transcription factors and effector genes. There is also a dynamic shift in the pattern of gene expression (from prefrontal cortex to striatum) as animals progress from early action-outcome learning to highly skilled performance of a motor task. Moreover, we show that cues associated with both drugs of abuse and natural rewards (highly palatable food) exert powerful stimulus control over these circuits. These findings may provide clues to neuromolecular mechanisms underlying acquired motivation for drugs and energy-rich foods.

The Neuroscience of Gaming and the Brain

In 29 minutes, Dr Paul Howard-Jones talks about the vast potential for video games for learning (and cognitive enhancement), as well as the considerable potential for threats to a child's health and wellness (sleep deprivation, addiction/dependence, damage to memory/learning, and increase in aggression.)  He talks about it intelligently, with balance, from a neuroscientist's point of view.

He stresses how important it is to actively work with children to make sure they receive the benefits of gaming without also being harmed by it.  He compares the power of video games to the power of nuclear reactions to help (energy) or hurt (bombs) and stresses that video games have very VERY powerful effects on the brain.

He talks about digital hygiene, and there is so much here for parents to be aware of and to work from.

Brain Research Introduction

http://revoseek.com/entertainment/influence-video-games-human-brain-infographic/

I'm spending so much less time at the computer now- I don't have a lot of time to devote to creating content for this blog in the way I would normally like, but it's time to share some preliminary findings about screened media's effects on the developing brain.

It's not good.

What a large body of research points out is that frontal areas of the brain are inhibited when playing video games- and long daily usage can severely impact a child's ability to emotionally regulate.  I've seen this in my son and other children, and this is one of the major concerns I have about unchecked screen time for my 5 year old son.

It's not just this, however; there are cognitive issues I see with unchecked screen time, but also other serious issues.

One thing I've noticed is that commercial screened media "sucks my son in" making it very difficult for him to put the media down- but also, any regular length of exposure makes it difficult for him to enjoy simple natural experiences that he thoroughly enjoys when he's not regularly screening.  So it's not just the time he loses--  but it's that consuming screened media reduces his pleasure and joy in activities he normally loves, all the time- not just when he's screening.

Here are some of the researchers working on the cognitive impairment of video games:

Ryunta Kawashima (Tohoku University)-  "measured the level of brain activity in teenagers playing a Nintendo game and found that computer games stimulate only those parts of the brain associated with vision and movement. As the frontal areas of the brain are involved in controlling behavior and making rational decisions, the researchers speculate that children who spend several hours a day playing computer games may have issues with self-control."    


Big holes have been poked in his research- but I think the brain wave measurements are significant scientifically and more studies need to be done on this.  The holes can't discredit the findings- I looked closely at major arguments of critics and their methodology issues raised don't take into account that non gamers had normal frontal cortex activity using the same methodology.  Lit review is needed and new follow up studies need to be carried out, and should have been already since this was 11 years ago.    Video gaming is a 13+ billion dollar industry in the US- so I predict we're going to run into the same "no studies have been done" issues we see with vaccine studies that should have been done 20+ years ago but NEVER have been done.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2538  

 Links to the New Scientist article criticizing his research and pointing out he's received millions from the gaming industry to develop games for them, but he has used nearly all of the money to fund his labs- not profiting personally past a modest salary for the work he's done, and I just get the feeling he wouldn't sleep at night, knowing what he's learned, by profiting personally from video game money.


http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8449-violent-video-games-alter-brains-response-to-violence.html  

An interesting New Scientist article outlining some of the best research I've found so far linking gaming to violence- over and above typical entrenched pro-con research opinions on this.  And what's even more interesting to me is that the New Scientist  has an obvious pro gaming bias- but here they concede the link found.

Due to time constraints I can't write up other valid research I've found- so this is just a beginning look at video game impacts on the developing brain. 

When it comes to looking at video game addiction and cognitive impairment--- it's tricky nuanced stuff and you have to read a lot of studies and look carefully at the various factors at play in society influencing the research, the criticisms, and the interpretation.  It's as murky as vaccine research ever was- and it's such a lucrative part of our consumer driven economy--- you have got to be able to think for yourself and follow the money.

Child of Water has improved his ability to emotionally regulate since we began unscreening, by a really incredible amount.  He still melts down but much less frequently, with less severity, and  with a significantly faster recovery time.   He's one child- I can't draw conclusions about all children based on what I know to be true about him.  But I absolutely know large quantities of screened media were harming him - harming his emotional, psychological, and cognitive development.  He's now healing and thriving in so many ways.

Unscreening him is not a miracle overnight cure-all,  so I won't make that claim.  It is the single most profound step in improving his life and health  I could possibly have taken.  This blog serves to chart my exploration as we walk this path- but also to be a source of advocacy for other parents who are concerned about screened media and it's impact on the well being of their child(ren.)

After 2 days with his Dad, Child of Water and I had a busy morning cleaning the house.  He wanted to help with many of the jobs I was doing- helping to stir the pancake batter then flip the cakes, helping to vacuum the bedroom, etc.

When my son was younger I became very interested in the continuum concept, and connected with other like minded parents.  The notion is that children in indigenous/paleolithic cultures are hardwired to do whatever their parents/tribe are doing- and to not need a lot of special/specific focus/emphasis/entertainment in order to thrive.  It's a hugely interesting book, concept, and parenting movement- well translated for our times and culture by Scott Noelle, who I know personally and think is pretty terrific. 

But then I began moving into the whole life unschooling movement- and now I find myself wondering how these two parenting movements fit together-  because it seems to me they have some big inherent differences. I'd like to write that question down and let it simmer as I move forward on this path, because I honestly don't have any thought through answers or viewpoints, only the question. 

When my son was screening--  he chose videos and video games over everything else--- he could not pull away.  And I often played and watched with him, but it felt as though we were in very separate spheres, relative to his first 4 or so years of life- when we were so very CC, with him as a baby connected to my body all day (co sleeping, breast feeding, baby wearing, etc.), then as a toddler and young preschooler- just being with me whatever I was doing throughout the day- standing in the sink playing with bubbles while I swept the kitchen floors/ for instance.  That changed so much when he became consumed with screening activities.

But today it was like old times again, only at 5 there's so much more he can do.  And we had a relatively peaceful day with me working hard on the house while he intermittently helped, asked for a bath, and read books to himself.  He read a whole book looking at the pictures and talking for the characters on each page based on their facial expressions- a literary skill the library mentioned in his summer reading challenge- and telling really elaborate stories while doing the voices of the various characters/etc.  He used the manual drill he got this spring and taught himself to twist screws into boards using hand tools--- and he was pretty content throughout the day alternating between working/playing along side me, and going off to do his own thing.  What's so much more lessened now are those awkward pauses of, "Mom, what should I do now?"  That I've been hearing since we began unscreening.  He just seems to be finding his flow and transitioning more naturally without voicing concerns about 'what next.'

We went for a boat ride together this afternoon, then he helped me shovel sand into the wheelbarrow then heave it and spread it in our community garden plot, while enjoying the late warm sun getting lower in the sky and breathing in the gorge summer air while we worked together for a couple of hours- totally content.   Next we kicked the ball to each other across the ball fields, on our walk home, a connected and magic memory for me.  He's not asking to be entertained passively anymore-  he's sitting with his thoughts and himself in the present moments more easily, more like himself, and he's choosing a wide variety of activities now over his game on the wii.  He's playing the wii less than 5 minutes per day, on average- though he actually did play for about 15-20 minutes today-  he chose a lot of other activities before it, and didn't get totally sucked into it.  What he did do- so interestingly, is have conversations, as Link, with other characters in the town- talking to them and explaining things to them- a very new and interesting way to play the game, and totally different than he ever has before- but similar to how he was reading the book earlier today. 

I'm convinced his cognition is most nurtured and his development most supported, right now-  largely without screens.  I know the world of technology offers so much to children- and it's a huge question how and when to go back to screened media- but for now-  I just see it before my eyes- so much- that the natural evolution and the primal ways of accessing experiences, of learning and developing-  that's the stuff Child of Water's healthy cognitive development is made of. 

You know when you are doing the right thing as a parent-  you can just see it and feel it and know it.  I'm still so uncertain of what we'll be doing a year from now or any distance out- but right now, the choices I'm making- they feel so right. 

Waterfall Wonderlust

Child of Water and I have accepted the Friends of the Columbia Gorge's 2012 Hiking Challenge:  Hike to 25 waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge between March 1 and October 31, 2012.

We've hiked 3 waterfalls so far- and child of water makes each discovery so much fun, a total adventure seeing all of this through his eyes.  We went out tonight in pj's to get an ice cream cone, and ended up chasing down a waterfall.  Note to self:  Do not go anywhere without the camera!!

We are making it a habit to explore all of the "brown sign" exits on I-84, with things like campgrounds, trailheads, etc to just see what is there to find.  We found a nifty campground with river access for non-motorized boats- but didn't have a permit to get out and discover whether the waterway was calm there (not on the open Columbia) but I suspect it would be the perfect place to camp with a kayak, as many others were.

I told him this amazing place was our home now, that we can be *out there* exploring it and it's one big marvelous adventure for us, in our own back yard.  I told him the secret of the weekday today--- yes it's Friday and the campgrounds are all full up- but come Mon/Tues--- they are all ours!!!

He seems to be connecting so deeply with the landscape-  appreciating things even I wouldn't notice.  I'm mapping out the hikes, the campgrounds, the possibilities...   More and more, unscreening doesn't seem to be about what we're giving up- it's what we're doing instead now with those vast acres of time we were previously spending glued to screens.  I want his mental landscape of early childhood to be filled with wild mosses, dirt, rocks, water, the sounds and smell of wind rustling through the forest--    In a few short years- those critical patterns in his mind will be set and he'll know what he wants to do with his time, but he's young enough now I can show him what's out there--- meet him in play out there and in the literary and artistic worlds we are diving into right now.   This week he laid in his pool just lazing in the sun, floating in his tube, so relaxed, so in the moment.  I want him to have a whole summer of those vibrant childhood moments- but I feel almost like I'm recreating a relic of a bygone era--- it's the middle of summer and on many beautiful days we find ourselves alone at the park.  Where are all of the kids?  Not in school, because it's SUMMER.  They are not playing in the parks so often during normal daytime hours, when we're there.  Where have they gone?  Maybe this is more of a phenomenon out in the gorge than in the city?  I just really wonder since there are loads of kids who live out here- all around.  ?

"In nature, a child finds freedom, fantasy, and privacy:  a place distant from the adult world, a separate peace."   -Richard Louv

10 days into our unscreening adventure I'm encouraged, grateful, and a bit daunted.  10 days ago child of water was not able to eat or go to sleep without watching a video online, most often youtube video walkthroughs of his favorite video games.  He showed signs of hyperactivity for the first time in his life and had difficulty spending time without screens.  Inhabiting his own thoughts had become uncomfortable for him.  He nearly completely lost interest in activities he previously enjoyed, very suddenly- like riding his bike, reading books, painting, playing with his toys and going for nature walks.  Emotionally he was very unregulated with a low frustration tolerance, and he was having increasing troubles sleeping- staying up later and later to watch videos and play video games.

On a recent vacation to the San Juan Islands, I became aware of how far his media dependence had progressed.  I realized that since giving him his own laptop and buying him a wii and allowing him unlimited access to those, screened media consumption had no longer become a choice for him- he was increasingly unable to function without it.  We are (were?) part of a close knit group of whole life unschooling families who generally do not limit access to media, food, etc. or limit our children's choices and lives unless doing so is critical to our child's health or well being.

Coming back from 5 days away from screens, I needed to act very quickly to take advantage of our head start greatly reducing screened media from our lives.  I asked child of water's father for support and he quickly agreed to eliminate screened media while our son was with him, for which I am very grateful.

Once child of water returned from his dad's, we began unscreening in earnest.  Our first day we spent at the beach where I observed child of water return to his source in profound ways-  and a lovely day at mother ocean gave our transition safe harbor.

In the following days we connected with nature, we began partially living outside and we met with friends who lived closer to us in the Gorge, and I watched my son go from asking for videos every time he sat to eat or transition or sleep, to not at all by day 3 with me.  I watched him go from very unfocused, shifting, screen seeking behaviors to rediscovering the pieces of his life that he once long enjoyed.  I watched his art advance as we created a mobile art table and I watched him want to be outside all hours of the day and evening.  We began virtually living outside - eating outside, playing and reading outside, walking and bike riding to the park, meeting new friends and neighbors, and the screened world became less and less relevant.

I realized that these last months while my son became more and more engrossed in screens, so had I.  I was on facebook trying to connect and keep up with the whirlwind of lives and groups and folk that matter so much to me. 

I didn't disconnect the wii.  I moved the sofa back where it used to be, instead of right in front of the wii--- opening up the livingroom to creative play.  I sat books in various places around the house and set up art stations.  I walked with my son to the library and enrolled him in a reading challenge designed for his stage of development- and he seemed to blossom when we did the activities suggested to us.

By the end of the week my son was painting and drawing multiple times daily, singing songs and asking me to play his favorite music, and he was going off to play or read by himself- totally in his own head.  He became so much calmer when we put the laptop away and de-emphasized the wii.  He became more emotionally reslilient and seemed more joyful and engaged.  When he turned on the wii, I just went about setting up activities for him and invited him to join me in our outside livingroom.  I made an effort to turn off the tv each time he finished with the wii and to close the cabinet.   He was also, for the first time, interested in having me read aloud chapter books to him.  He is so enthralled right now with Jigsaw Jones and I can't wait to get loads of read aloud chapter adventures to share with him.  He also went to bed earlier and fell asleep more easily and slept longer than before.

It seems to me an influx of screened media caused him to rely upon it to regulate himself emotionally- but ironically the more he relied upon it, the less emotionally regulated he was.  Screened media dulled child of water by sucking him into a passive space of media "consumption" --- and I believe this was cognitively injurious to him, and is something we are now in the process of healing from.

I don't use the computer during his awake hours now, either- and I'm sleeping better and reading a lot more and finding so much more presence in the moment with my son.  This blog will be my very part time effort to track our progress and share our joys in unscreening our lives. 

This is a new journey for us- with lots to figure out, but here are a few things that are true for me right now:

• Some young children are sensitive to screened media and can become screen dependent.
• Child of water is one of these children.
• I am the most qualified person to assess my son's needs and even without validation from my community, I can act in my son's best interest and hope to engage my community later, and this is okay.  
• Child of water is thriving emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually since we began unscreening- and he is healing.  
• Right now I'm choosing to meet friends in spaces where screens are not prevalent- but can foresee a time in the future when this won't be necessary to the extent that it is now.
• Some children are best served with screened media prevalent in their lives--- and we support families to make decisions about what level of screened media is healthy- choosing what works best for us as well.