Who Burns out More? Comparison of Burnout Levels Between Teachers and Physicians in the Czech Republic Abstract Despite burnout being considered primarily a syndrome related to medical professionals, it is now known that it affects a wider range of professions as well. It is seen as a state of complete physical, emotional, and cognitive depletion. In physicians, not only can burnout lead to work-related absenteeism but also it may affect their patients while teachers’ burnout may affect the mental well-being of their students. This study explored whether teachers have higher or comparable rates of burnout with the burnout rates of physicians. Furthermore, we compared them to the norms we established in the Czech Republic in the previous year. Cross-sectional data collection was utilized through a combination of multiple questionnaires. The questionnaires analyzed for the purpose of this study were the SMBM and BDI-II. Regardless of gender, physicians suffer from significantly higher burnout symptomatology when compared with teachers. These differences were found to be statistically significant. Furthermore, significant differences were also found between males with depressive symptomatology. We did not observe this difference in females. Our results suggest that, although burnout is a syndrome that appears regardless of profession, its manifestation can be quite different depending on the type of job. Overall, higher levels of burnout were found among female teachers compared with their male counterparts; between physicians, the situation was reversed; burnout affected more males than females. In all categories, more females were within the norm of Czech population. Nonetheless, the risk of burnout should not be underestimated in either of these professions.

Chalmers’ Principle of Organizational Invariance Makes Consciousness Fundamental but Meaningless Spectator of Its Own Drama Abstract The principles of classical physics, including deterministic dynamics and observability of physical states, are incompatible with the existence of unobservable conscious minds that possess free will. Attempts to directly accommodate consciousness in a classical world lead to philosophical paradoxes such as causally ineffective consciousness and possibility of alternate worlds in which functional brain isomorphs behave identically but lack conscious experiences. Here, we show that because Chalmers’ principle of organizational invariance is based on a deficient nineteenth century classical physics, it is inherently flawed and implies evolutionary inexplicable epiphenomenal consciousness. Consequently, if consciousness is a fundamental ingredient of physical reality, no psychophysical laws such as Chalmers’ principle of organizational invariance are needed to establish correspondence between conscious experiences and brain function. Quantum mechanics is the most successful and only modern physical theory capable of naturally accommodating consciousness without violation of physical laws.

Twin Loss in the Uterus: Neurodevelopmental Impairment and Reduced Resilience? Abstract Spontaneous loss of a twin most often occurs in the first trimester. This phenomenon is called vanishing twin. Foetuses are especially vulnerable to various stress-related factors. As a result, twin loss in the uterus can produce deep and long-lasting consequences on mental health and may increase the risk of a variety of disease states in the surviving twin. In addition, twin loss may generate strong non-conscious stress that creates epigenetic alterations that impair the brain’s development endocrine and inflammatory substances produced by perturbed signalling pathways. These altered signalling pathways may generate lasting dysfunctions in various areas of the limbic system, predisposing the surviving twin to psychological and emotional problems later in life. We also hypothesise that specific cfDNA and other substances from the dead twin during its reabsorption may affect the surviving twin’s neurodevelopmental and emotional (e.g. resilience) development.

5-Methoxy- N,N -dimethyltryptamine: An Ego-Dissolving Endogenous Neurochemical Catalyst of Creativity Abstract 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (acronymized as 5-MeO-DMT) is sui generis among the numerous naturally occurring psychoactive substances due to its unparalleled ego-dissolving effects which can culminate in a state of nondual consciousness that is phenomenologically similar to transformative peak experiences described in various ancient contemplative traditions (e.g., Advaita Vedānta, Mahāyāna Buddhism, inter alia). The enigmatic molecule is endogenous to the human brain and has profound psychological effects which are hitherto only very poorly understood due to the absence of scientifically controlled human experimental trials. Its exact neuronal receptor binding profile is a matter of ongoing research; however, empirical evidence indicates that its remarkable psychoactivity is partially mediated via agonism of the 5-HT1A/2A (serotonin) receptor subtypes. Anthropological/ethnopharmacological evidence indicates that various cultures utilized 5-MeO-DMT containing plants for medicinal, psychological, and spiritual purposes for millennia. We propose that this naturally occurring serotonergic compound could be fruitfully utilized as a neurochemical research tool with the potential to significantly advance our understanding of the psychological and neuronal processes which underpin cognition and creativity (e.g., downregulation of the default mode network, increased global functional connectivity, neuroplasticity, σ1 receptor interactions, etc.). An eclectic interdisciplinary perspective is adopted, and we present converging evidence from a plurality of sources in support of our conjecture. Specifically, we argue that 5-MeO-DMT has significant neuropsychopharmacological potential due to its incommensurable capacity to completely disintegrate self-referential cognitive/neuronal processes (viz., ego death). The importance of unbiased systematic scientific research on naturally occurring endogenous psychoactive compounds is discussed from a Jamesian radical empiricism perspective, and potential scenarios of abuse are addressed, particularly in the context of neuroethics, cybernetic manipulation, and military research on torture.

Assessment of Theory of Mind in Adults: Beyond False Belief Tasks Abstract Theory of Mind, or the ability to attribute mental states to the self and others, forms the foundation of social cognitive processes or social cognition. Since its conception in 1978, the construct has been enjoying increasing attention from researchers and it has been widely studied in the context of autism spectrum disorder. This paper tries to review the issues surrounding the assessment of the construct. Theory of Mind (ToM) assessment goes almost synonymously with false belief tests. And assessing ToM with false belief tasks did not pose a problem because the construct had traditionally been studied mostly, if not exclusively on children. This paper discusses the danger of testing theory of mind with false belief tasks only and the serious necessity to study the construct in the adult population. The paper also discusses why the construct needs to be assessed in a culture-specific manner, the problems with the existing recent tools that have been developed to measure the construct, the complexity of simulating real social stimuli, and the subtleties around the construct that is to be taken care of while developing assessment measures.

Isomorphism: Abstract and Concrete Representations Abstract Looking at concrete representations of mathematical problems from an isomorphic perspective, this article suggests that every concrete representation of a mathematical concept is understood by reference to an underlying abstract representation in the mind of the comprehender. The complex form of every abstract representation of a problem is created by the gradual development of its elementary form. Throughout the process of cognitive development, new features are added to the elementary form of abstract representation, which leads to gradual formation of a fully developed abstract representation in the mind. Every developed abstract representation of a problem is the underlying source for understanding an infinite number of concrete isomorphic representations. Deep or abstract representations of a problem are shared by the concrete realizations or concrete forms of that problem. In other words, concrete representations of a problem are the realizations of a single abstract representation. This discussion is extended to mind-brain relationship and the possible isomorphism that could exist between mind and brain.

The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex, the Apathetic Syndrome, and Free Will Abstract The prefrontal cortex is deputed to higher functions, such as behavior and personality. It includes three regions: ventromedial, orbitofrontal, and dorsolateral. Each of them has a function. Devising, programming, and planning are all conditions related to the dorsolateral cortex, also responsible for rational content and decision. Damage to this region results in apathetic syndrome, a condition that causes loss of interest, initiative, and attention, and in the most severe cases leads to a lethargic state. It is also known as a form of secondary depression, the so-called pseudo-depression syndrome, according to Karl Kleist or apathetic-abulic-akinetic syndrome, according to Alexander Luria. The prefrontal dorsolateral syndrome is responsible for the reduction or abolition of free will. Free will is an expression of individual freedom. It allows the human being to have and express own opinions as well as to respect those of others. Free will is related to moral sense, a binomial which directs the individual towards a proper social conduct. In this review, we describe the effects of the pseudo-depression syndrome on free will, of which we treat both the anatomical site and the social aspect.

ADHD and Time Perception: Findings and Treatments Abstract This mini review aims to explore the intricate connection between ADHD and time perception along with some new findings on new treatments to manage ADHD symptoms. The topic of time perception is addressed from a variety of perspectives and with an understanding that although differences in time perception are not listed among the primary symptoms of the disorder, they are of the utmost importance to understand the condition and possibly new treatment plans. We also review some of the new findings on ADHD and time perception, and look at the usefulness of certain psychometric tools like the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory recent research into educational video games and apps for managing the disorder.

Analysis of Differential Expression of Neurotransmitter Receptors with TNF-a Treatment in Rat Primary Hypothalamic Cell Abstract In this study, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was incubated to primary hypothalamic cell culture of rat as an important inflammatory cytokine and the effect of TNF-α to neurotransmitter receptors of the hypothalamus in vitro by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR with PCR array for researching the effect of TNF-α to neuroendocrine system was analyzed. The result showed that the expression level of Avpr1a, Gabrr1, Grin1, Htr4, and Tspo 5 genes was obviously up and the other Adrb2, Cckbr, Chrm5, Chrna6, Gabra5, Gabra6, Grm8, Htr2c, Htr3a, Sstr1, and Tacr1 11 genes were down. Especially, Grin1 and Tacr1 were affected obviously, increased 3.12 and decreased 2.76, respectively. So, TNF-α can modulate the expression of many receptors of neurotransmitters of the hypothalamus by the special cell signal transduction pathways and alter the responsibility and exciting of these neurons to neurotransmitters corresponding. Furthermore, these changes can affect many hormone secretion of the hypothalamus and affect neuroendocrine function of rat.

On Minds that Interpret Quantum Mechanics: a Tribute to Henry Stapp Abstract This essay describes what an anthropologist has learned from his ethnographic research with physicists who are engaged in quantum physics interpretation, including Henry Stapp. I argue that meta-physical considerations about “mind” among physicists often obscure the possibility of empirical research on concrete and individual minds and the role they play in quantum interpretation. Therefore, the philosophical rigor of quantum interpretation could benefit if individual interpreters could find an interest in discovering a manner of analyzing their own style of interpretation such that their own style would be communicable with others as a topic of conversation, rather than simply repeated dogmatically and argumentatively. Such considerations would require greater empirical attention to human thought itself, such that “mind” becomes less abstract and mystified, and thus more knowable and self-conscious.