Perhaps one of the most dramatic examples of the damaging effects of childhood stress can be seen in the estimated 100,000 orphaned children in Romania after the rule of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu’s regime. These children, many of them infants, were kept in state-run orphanages in very bleak conditions. They experienced deprivations of food, clothes, and […]
In my book I identify that one of the most important and influential risk factors that renders people vulnerable to addiction is childhood trauma. How and why this changes a child’s developing brain is still largely a mystery, but several lines of research show that these changes occur. This entry will be a two part […]
Can you be allergic to weed? According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the simple answer is yes. Cannabis is like many other plants in that it releases molecules that act as allergens for some people. In some cases, the reaction won’t occur unless there is actual contact with the plant. […]
When cannabis was legalized in Canada I and a colleague invited questions about cannabis from our students. Here are some of those questions. Is a second-hand high an actual thing? It depends on your definition of second-hand. It turns out this is more complex than you might think. It depends on the issue of people’s […]
In my last years of teaching at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta, I did something out of the ordinary at the start of the first class in a course. I teach psychology, so why would I start the course by showing pictures of rivers? After spending so many years teaching lots of […]
I never cease to be impressed by what neuroscientists are able to discover, and the range of methods and procedures that produce these discoveries. Researchers have recently reported that they have discovered the function of cells found in the skin of female mice. These cells have been known for a long time and they are […]
You might recall that in 2021 there was a horrific mass shooting in 3 massage parlours in Atlanta, Georgia in which 8 people, including 6 Asian women, were killed. While I in no way want to minimize the horrific and clear racial aspect of this slaughter, I thought it might be useful to offer some […]
Click the link at the top of the page for a description, the Table of Contents, and to order a copy.
Hello Everyone, My name is Tim Parker and I have just retired from 37 years of teaching at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta. I have two goals for this blog. The first is to introduce you to my book on what addiction is and how it changes the brain. I have spent […]