The Evidence
In a footnote for page 110-111, Shenk cites Mr. Bannister's "Muscular Effort" in a statement that "psychological and other factors beyond physiology set the razor's edge of defeat or victory and determine how closely the athlete approaches the absolute limits of performance." (314-315). However, brain structure is also determined in a large way by genetics - and the epigenome is what determines major characteristics of the organism. The epigenome is affected by the environment; however, it can be passed on. (p. 158-159) Given all this information, is it really accurate to call these limits "psychological"? After all, if the brain is genetically affected by the epigenome, is it possible that all "psychological trauma" is really the changing epigenome affecting the brain? This is not to suggest a deterministic view of the brain - the environmental affects on the epigenome and on the brain are not deterministic at all. However, could even learning be considered an epigenomatic effect of experience?
-Ari Bakke
Aribakke@gmail.com
Pyschological boundries are due to the brains inability to ignore the bod'ys signals for pain. There is some aspect of pysiological boundries, but those are temporary, atleast until you reach the "ultimate limits of performance" (Shenk 110). During intense workouts, there is a huge psycological aspect. Once the body is pushed closer to its current its curreent limit, the body's muscle cells sendsignlas to the brain saying that they need rest. In order to push past these signlas, which then pushes the cells into a new environment allowing for changes in the epigenome. By ignoring the pain, the extracellular environment is becoming more acidic and building up of lactic acid. After being exposed multiple times to these environments, the muscle cells become able to work under these conditions more efficiently. Also increasing the efficiency of muscles is the presence of myoglobin. Myoglobin "binds oxygen more tightly than does hemoglobin" (Campbell 1111), and pulls the oxygen from the blood into the muscle cells, allowing for aerobic cellular respiration to occur for a longer time, creating 36 ATP instead of the 2 created from anaerbic respiration, allowing myofibrils to do more work before making lactic acid. Yes the brain is effected by the epigenome, but the brain is making the decisions to push the body farther allowing the body to break through its limits.
ReplyDeletePsycologigal Trauma is not caused because of changes in the epigenome, but because of physical damage to the brain, such as a blow to the head.
Yes I think that it would be logical to consider learning the epigenetic effect of experience. As you are exposed to new experiences, new proteins and transciption factors are connected to the DNA, resulting in a different amount or different protein being sythisized.
However, memory is more a part of the neurons in the brain making new links between cells. The more often you partake in an activity, the more connections are made. Consider this analogy by Dennis Staufer. Think of a piece of knowledge as a fish in a pond, and everytime you revisit that knowledge another fishing pole is added to the pond. The more and more fishing poles, the more likely the fish will be caught. The same is true with learning. The more you practice, the more connections are made, and the easier it is to remember that information. (http://blog.innovatormindset.com/2012/02/13/innovation-essentials-a-fishing-analogy/)
Joshua Gerber (grbr_jsh@yahoo.com)