Complex brain control - read?

There are certainly functions that can be controlled by thinking about them. Breathing is easy to slow down or speed up. I've slow my heart rate by concentrating, probably because I put myself in a more restful state. There are people that can hold their breath for 5+ minutes. I haven't heard about white cell count, but I remember hearing about changing body heat by concentration. The brain is a marvelous place that controls all systems of the body unconsciously, the fact that we also use it to think indicates that the brain can be trained to control body systems consciously.

Only to a degree. Some of these events are governed by your autonomic nervouse system. Heartbeat and heat production in particular. This is not necessarily controlled at the brain.

Another good example are your reflexes. You cannot control these with "deep thought." In fact I had a neuro prof test this on me because I believed you could. He had me concentrate to prevent a reflex action from my knee. What resulted was that I nearly took his hand off. It actually heightened the reflex response. The issue is that some of those things are controlled at the spine and not at the brain.

Some people can control heart beat and respiration but, when you pass out, your body takes over. We can control it but only to the point that our body takes over.

Doing drugs is another good example. You get a rebound in the opposite direction when you come off of most drugs. Stimulants will make you very hyper, you can make yourself that way. At some point your body begins to shut down and you become depressed and lethargic.

Hope this is helpful.

Monks have done some amazing stuff with their body functions while in a meditative trance:

http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-t...

I saw this on TV once. Monks stayed warm in feezing temperatures simply by willing their bodies to a warmer temperature.

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