Remembering beautiful minds: Animal intelligence, Tourette's and physiology

Tourette Syndrome is a condition that affects about 1 in 100 people, and its most well-known symptom is tics—sudden, involuntary movements or sounds. Currently, treatments for Tourette Syndrome include medications, like antipsychotics and anti-epileptic drugs, which can have unpleasant side effects, or behavioural therapies, which can be hard to access and don’t always work for everyone. However, a new, non-invasive treatment has shown promise in reducing tics without any side effects. It involves applying gentle electrical pulses to the wrist, and a recent clinical trial has demonstrated that this treatment can significantly reduce the frequency of tics in people with Tourette Syndrome. In this talk, we’ll explore how this treatment works and whether it holds promise for the treatment of other disorders.

Extreme or irregular cardiovascular responses to psychological stress pose significant health risks, with both exaggerated and blunted reactivity linked to adverse outcomes like cardiovascular disease, poor mental health, and maladaptive behaviours. Research has suggested psychological factors are crucial in influencing cardiovascular stress reactivity and may offer valuable insights into individual differences that influence these responses.

In the 3rd century AD, Claudius Aelianus, a Roman author wrote of Octopi 'Mischief and craft are plainly seen to be characteristics of this creature.' What was true then is still true now and there have been a series of extraordinary observations in recent times about just how bright octopus are. Their natural behaviour included organising hunting parties including other species, picking up rubbish to use as armour, pretending to be other animals when it suits them and learning how to steal food from fishermen. That is as nothing compared to what they get up to in aquaria and labs. Aquarium owners now have to install octopus proof locks to stop them wandering about as they please. Woe betides anyone who upsets them: you are marked for life. In this talk we will explore the amazing behaviour of octopi and ask the question. ‘Is this a bit like a first contact situation with meeting an alien lifeform?’