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Tag Archives: neuroscience
Erasing Cue-Associated Memories
By Neha Madugala, Cognitive Science, ‘22
Author’s Note: While working on a different paper, I became interested in treatment and therapy for drug addiction. Addiction continues to increase, yet there seem to be limited viable options to actually overcome this problem. One of the main issues in the recovery process is relapses. I found this study interesting and promising for drug therapy because it directly targets relapses, an important step in preventing and treating drug addiction more effectively.
“Gut Feeling”: How Does Modulation of Gut Microbiome Affect Depression Pathophysiology and Status?
By Raida Aldosari, Nutrition Science (Biology option) ’18
Author’s Note: I wrote this literature review as part of my UWP 104F class with Dr. Lisa Sperber. The assignment was to choose a clinically-relevant topic, review the existing body of literature on this topic, and choose a specific area to write on. My topic of interest was about the relationship between gut microbiome and the brain. I became interested in this topic after reading an article about the differences between the microbial composition of individuals with depression. By the end of the quarter, my research question evolved from “how does our diet affect our brain or mood?” to “how does modulation of gut microbiome affect depression pathophysiology?” I enjoyed the flexibility of the assignment, and I greatly benefited from the guidance provided by Dr. Sperber. I would recommend this class to anyone interested in health-related fields, especially in research!
Cause of Seizures in Individuals with Angelman Syndrome
By Neha Madugala, Cognitive Science, ‘22
Author’s Note
While browsing recent scientific achievements and breaking news in the scientific community, I came across an article declaring that the 125-year-old neuroscience mystery surrounding perineuronal nets (PNNs) is finally resolved. PNNs have stumped neuroscientists for decades, yet their importance is undeniable. To understand the extent of this discovery, I read more about PNNs and found that they have a key connection to Angelman syndrome, which causes severe epileptic seizures in children. The new findings from the Philpot Lab identifying the purpose of PNNs draw a connection between PNNs and seizures, and this information can lead to improved medications and therapeutic treatment methods.
Neural Mechanisms of Axon Degradation
By Timur Katsnelson, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, ‘19
Author’s Note
This topic was brought up during our discussion on the development of the nervous system in my neurobiology foundations class. I found it to be interesting because of its significance in the earliest stages of our lives. Further research into scientific literature discussing the role of pruning in neurodevelopment led me to learn more about its mechanism, distinctions from other forms of axon degrading, and its use in adult organisms.
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3D Organoids as Models for Human Brain Research
By Rachel Hull, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’19
Author’s Note
I first became interested in this topic when I read a news article about a team of scientists that had successfully integrated what the article called “mini human brains” into mice. Although the idea seemed novel to me, after a little digging, I found that the technology that generates such mini organs — or organoids — has existed for more than a decade. This technology is nevertheless constantly evolving, and I believe it will continue to do so for years to come.
Current discussion surrounding Dr. Canavero’s human head transplant proposal
By Carly Cheung, Microbiology, ’17
Author’s Note:
“The controversial topic of a human head transplant caught me by surprise when I read about it in the news. I was curious about the psychological, immunological, and technical complications of this procedure. After researching it, I became more knowledgeable and open-minded towards it.”
Critical Factors Involved in the Relationship Between Cannabis and Schizophrenia
By Carly Cheung, Microbiology, ’17
Author’s Note:
“I wrote this piece for my UWP 104F: ‘Writing in the Health Professions’ class with Professor Walsh in Winter 2016. Our assignment was to examine a health related research question and explore the subject in a quarter-long research and synthesis process. I decided to write about Schizophrenia because I realized that I knew close to nothing accurate about people with mental health illnesses. Lack of understanding of the disease can contribute to stigmatization of these patients and cause further psychological harm. On my way to demystifying Schizophrenia, one of the most researched relationship I found was that of Marijuana and Schizophrenia. Throughout this process, I not only gained valuable knowledge on this topic, but I also learned to appreciate the various methods scientists developed to study the mechanism of this multi-layered and abstract disease.”
Population Vector
By Jennifer Jahncke, Psychology ’14
Something we talk about a lot in neuroscience in terms of topics like visual perception and locomotion is population vectors. A population vector is the sum of each component vector. In this image, with the trees converging to a vanishing point, the population vector would be the vector in the center of the cluster (though not quite to scale; in reality it would have a larger magnitude).
Mapping neurons through online gaming
By: Jenny Cade, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology ‘15
One of the biggest challenges in neuroscience today is mapping the wiring of the nervous system. Looking at the spatial arrangement of neural networks can tell us a lot about how information is relayed, but accurate 3D mapping of neurons is an enormously challenging task, even with the aid of computer analysis. One group of researchers at MIT has harnessed the power of crowdsourcing to tackle this problem.
New Target For Alzheimer’s Treatment
By David Ivanov, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ’15
A group of researchers studying brain cells have found a new potential target for pharmacological therapies that may help treat Alzheimer’s disease. Beta amyloid plaque, which appears to be a toxic build up of fragments of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain, has long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and has been one of the major targets for Alzheimer’s treatment. Amyloid precursor protein plays an important role in the brain, and when this protein is broken down in nerve cells the toxic byproduct beta amyloid is formed. (more…)