Knowing Neurons -

How the Olfactory System Makes You Run Toward Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and Away From Rotting Flesh

May 30, 2023May 20, 2023 Ayushe Sharma 0 Comments Anosmia, AON, Glomerulus, Hippocampus, Olfactory Bulb, Olfactory Cortex, Olfactory Neurons, olfactory nucleus, Olfactory system, piriform cortex, Smell, Thalamus

By Ayushe Sharma and Brandon Mitchell As you walk down the street towards your favorite coffee shop, you experience countless odors. Trash. Stale fries. Wet dogs. Floral perfumes. Overbearing colognes.… Read more

Cartoon showing unhappy person with pause symbol versus happy people with fast forward symbol

Cognition Consciousness

How does understanding time perception help us advance cognitive science?

May 23, 2023May 21, 2023 Vincent A Medina 0 Comments animals, cognitive science, Consciousness, Disease, Perception, Time

by Vincent A. Medina We have all experienced time flying when we are happy and having fun. Conversely, everyone knows how slowly time can drag on when we feel bored… Read more

A Close Up Look Big Ideas Infographics Neuroscience Techniques Neuroscience Technologies

A Close Up Look 24 – Live Imaging

May 22, 2023May 19, 2023 Gil Torten 0 Comments cell culture, Confocal Microscopy, GFP, Imaging, Microscopy, Optics, Plasmid, Transfection

In this next Close Up Look, Gil Torten discusses improvements in imaging using confocal microscopy!… Read more

Mental Health

Workout your worries – how exercise can protect your mental health

May 16, 2023May 14, 2023 Johanna Popp Anxiety, BDNF, cortisol, depression, distraction hypothesis, Dopamine, Exercise, Hippocampus, Limbic system, mental health, neurochemicals, Norepinephrine, serotonin, Treatment

by Johanna Popp Stressed lately? Low in energy? Too exhausted to meet up with friends after a long workday? These feelings could indicate early signs of declining mental health. According… Read more

Did You Know? Infographics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Sleep

Knowing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

May 15, 2023May 14, 2023 Kayla Lim CFS, chronic fatigue syndrome, covid, covid-19, fatigue, Infographic, long COVID, ME, myalgic encephalomyelitis, neurological disease

In this infographic, Kayla Lim discusses the basics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and intricacies related to long COVID! Edited by Zoe Dobler, Vidya Saravanapandian, and Julia LaValley… Read more

Brain Development Cognition Did You Know? Psychedelics

What Nicotine Does to the Brain, and the Science of Smoking Cessation

May 11, 2023May 11, 2023 knowingneurons Cigarettes, Drugs, Nicotine, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, NRT, Smoking, Tobacco

By William Pollard According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, success rates for cessation remain low, with only 7.5% of smokers managing to quit smoking entirely. The need… Read more

Illustration showing food entering a intestine/brain hybrid

Mental Health

Gut Microbiota & Mental Health

May 2, 2023May 11, 2023 Courtney Kremler Anxiety, Bacteria, Diet, gut bacteria, Gut microbiota, Health, mental health, microbiome, mood, probiotics

By Courtney Kremler It’s a classic cycle that we have all been through before: craving pizza, sugar, or junk food of any kind, feeding that craving, promptly feeling worse, and… Read more

Did You Know? Neuro News Psychedelics

Taking a “trip” inside the cell: New research shows how psychedelics promote neuroplasticity

April 25, 2023May 11, 2023 Andrew Bontemps Antidepressant, Drugs, Plasticity, Psychedelics, Research

By Andrew Bontemps Original article: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf0435 “Perspectives” article: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg2989 Maxemiliano Vargas and colleagues from UC Davis and Medical College of Wisconsin recently released a paper describing some of the interesting… Read more

A Close Up Look A Close Up Look Big Ideas Infographics Neuro News Neuroscience Technologies

A Close Up Look 23 – Ocular Drug Delivery

April 24, 2023April 24, 2023 Gil Torten Eyes, Optic nerve, Pharmacology, Retina, therapeutics

In this next Close Up Look, Gil Torten discusses methods for drug delivery to the retina!… Read more

silhouettes of people in blue and yellow against a black and gray city background

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Neuroscience Technologies

What are genome-wide association studies?

April 18, 2023May 11, 2023 Rebeka Popovic Genetics, GWAS, Neuroscience, Psychiatry, SNPs

by Rebeka Popovic To operate properly, each cell relies on thousands of proteins performing their function at the right time and place within the boundaries of its membrane. The function… Read more

Infographics

Knowing Functional Neurological Disorders

April 13, 2023 Sneha Chaturvedi brain function, functional neurological disorder, Movement, movement disorder, Neurological Disorder, Seizure, Therapy

What is a Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)? For International Functional Neurological Disorder Awareness Day (April 13th), Sneha Chaturvedi explains the basics in Knowing Neurons’ new infographic. Click here to learn… Read more

Brain Basics Brain Development

Nature versus Nurture… Or Both?

April 11, 2023April 10, 2023 Anastasiia Gryshyna cancer, Childhood, DNA, Early Life Adversity, Epigenetics, gene expression, HPA axis, PTSD, stress

By Anastasiia Gryshyna Many of us have heard a common debate between the fields of biology and sociology. Are human traits, behavior, and personality influenced by nature, or by nurture?… Read more

Aging Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Science Policy

FDA Under Scrutiny: A Tale of Two Drugs

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023 Sarah Wade aducanumab, Alzeihmer's disease, amyloid-β plaques, clinical trials, CMS, Cognitive Decline, donanemab, FDA, lecanemab, Science Policy, Tau

By Sarah Wade Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating illness that gradually destroys the brain. This disease affects over 30 million people worldwide (Haque & Levey, 2019) and is the… Read more

Career Exploration

How to Strategize Your Requests for Letters of Recommendation

March 28, 2023 Amy Than Careers, Graduate School, jobs, letters of recommendation

By Amy Than One of the critical stages of applying to graduate programs, research positions, fellowships, and beyond is asking for letters of recommendation (LORs). LORs are used by hiring… Read more

A Close Up Look Infographics Neuroscience Technologies

A Close Up Look 22 – Visual Prostheses

March 27, 2023March 26, 2023 Gil Torten Argus II, blindness, electrode array, electrode implant, eye disease, macula, Orion, Retinal prosthesis, Visual cortex, Vivani

In this next Close Up Look, Gil Torten investigates the pros and cons of potential retinal prosthesis that can restore visual ability!… Read more

Bias

Statistical Hypothesis Testing in Neuroscience: One-Sample T-Test and Z-Test

March 21, 2023March 18, 2023 Ebrahim Feghhi code, coding, hypothesis testing, reproducibility, statistics, t-test, z-test

By Ebrahim Feghhi Starting in 2011, a group of 270 scientists attempted to replicate 100 psychological studies. They found that out of these 100 studies, only 39 could be successfully… Read more

Infographics

Knowing Children’s Brain Tumors

March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 Sumana Shrestha cancer therapy, Choroid plexus tumor, CNS tumor, Diffuse midline glioma, Embryonal tumor, Ependymomas

In Knowing Neuron’s March infographic, Sumana Shrestha goes over the types of Central Nervous System tumors. Click here to learn more!… Read more

Science Policy Sleep

The Cost of Daylight Savings

March 16, 2023March 17, 2023 Mary Cooper circadian clock, circadian rhythm, clock genes, Daylight Savings, Hypothalamus, jet lag, Science Policy, Sleep, suprachiasmatic nucleus

By Mary Bullock Cooper Spring forward an hour in March or fall back an hour in November… you know the drill. It’s once again that time of year when everyone… Read more

Career Exploration Culture Events

Brain Awareness Week: Joining Forces to Solve the Puzzle

March 14, 2023March 13, 2023 vidyasaravanapandian Brain Awareness Week, career exploration, Education, Events, Outreach

By Vidya Saravanapandian Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is an annual event celebrated across the world to increase public awareness of brain research and to inspire the younger generation to pursue… Read more

Cognition Learning and Memory

Have I Read this Before? The Brain Regions Involved in Déjà Vu

March 8, 2023March 8, 2023 Honoreé Brewton deja vu, Epilepsy, Experience, Memory, Psychology

By Honoreé Brewton There are conflicting sources regarding the first usage of the term déjà vu, a French term meaning “already seen” (Merriam-Webster), but it can be traced back to… Read more

Cognition Mental Health Movement

Can Rock Climbing Change Your Brain?

February 28, 2023February 28, 2023 Chris Gabriel brain function, Cerebellum, cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, Exercise, mental health, rock climbing

By Chris Gabriel Rock climbing is as much a puzzle as it is a sport. Anyone could guess that climbing requires a unique combination of athletic skills: muscular power to… Read more

Cognition

This Is Your Brain In Love

February 13, 2023 Mariella Careaga Amygdala, Emotion, Evolution, fMRI, Love, PET, Prefrontal Cortex, Reward, Reward pathway, Valentine’s Day

By Mariella Careaga Just like any other emotion, love has more to do with the brain than you might think. Among all emotions, love seems to have a special place… Read more

Neuro SciFi Neuroscience Technologies

The Neuroscience of Avatar – could we really download our brains into a new body?

February 7, 2023February 8, 2023 Lauren Wagner brainwave entrainment, Consciousness, electroencephalography, fNRIS, FUS, Genetics, hybrid, mind-body dualism, Motor cortex, neural transceivers, noninvasive imaging, sensory input, spatial resolution, TMS

By Lauren Wagner Thirteen years after the first Avatar movie came out in 2009, director James Cameron invites viewers to journey back to the faraway, lush exo-moon of Pandora with… Read more

Infographics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Knowing Eating Disorders

February 6, 2023 Sneha Chaturvedi Anorexia, Eating disorders, Illness

February is Eating Disorder Awareness Month. In this infographic, Sneha Chaturvedi explains the major risk factors, neurobiology, and treatment options for eating disorders.… Read more

Cognition Culture

Brainfluence: How the Digital World Shapes Our Brain

January 31, 2023 Carolin Fischer Cognition, Digital, Information, Neuroplasticity, Operant Conditioning, Social media

By Carolin Fischer When was the last time you looked at your smartphone? Or are you even reading this text on your smartphone right now? In any case, you are… Read more

A Close Up Look A Close Up Look Infographics

A Close Up Look 21 – Retinal Cell Atlas

January 30, 2023 Gil Torten cone opsins, Cones, Disease, fovea, gene expression, immuno-staining, macaque model, Retina, rhodopsin, rods, scRNA-seq

In this Close Up Look, our author Gil Torten shares new findings of the differences between the fovea and the periphery using a new model system!… Read more

Sensation and Perception

The Mystery of Chronic Pain: When your body goes past the “Ouch!”

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 Anastasiia Gryshyna Antibodies, Chronic Pain, Hyperalgesia, Hypersensitivity, Injury, LTP, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, Nociception, Pain, Perception

By Anastasiia Gryshyna Have you ever wondered why some of us have chronic pain while others do not? Most of us have experienced the awful sensation when you burn your… Read more

Career Exploration

Why Cover Letters Are More Than Just Fan-Fiction For Your Next Job

January 18, 2023January 18, 2023 Amy Than application, Career, cover letter, graduate education, Graduate School, guide, job preparation, laboratory, research assistant

By Amy Than The following tweet inspired this piece: To answer the question: you don’t need to, nor should you ever, write a cover letter like a fan fiction.… Read more

Infographics Mental Health

Knowing Mental Wellness

January 12, 2023February 6, 2023 Nadia PenkoffLidbeck coronavirus, covid, Health, Infographic, mental health

January is Mental Wellness Month. In this infographic, Nadia Penkofflidbeck breaks down steps we can take to improve our mental well-being.… Read more

Big Ideas Neuro SciFi Neuroscience Technologies Philosophy Sensation and Perception

A Full Dive

January 10, 2023January 10, 2023 John Zhou Brain-computer interface, decoder, Technology, virtual reality

An essay by John Zhou On an overcast afternoon in November, 2022, a teenage boy pages through a glossy video game manual in his bedroom in the Saitama prefecture of… Read more

Brain Development Did You Know?

New Year, New Neurons: The History of Neurogenesis

January 6, 2023January 5, 2023 Mary Cooper Adult neurogenesis, cell division, Hippocampus, Neural Stem Cells, Neurogenesis, Stem Cells

By Mary Cooper “New year, new me,” is a thought we may have had around the start of a new year. Maybe we want to be stronger, healthier, or smarter… Read more

Aging

Counteracting the Consequences of Aging- How the Gut Microbiome Can Turn Back the Clock on Getting Older

December 28, 2022January 7, 2023 Holly Korthas Bacteria, FMT, gut microbiome, Inflammation, intestinal wall, microbiota, Microglia, parabiosis, Photoreceptors, Physiology, Retina, rodent model, RPE65

By Holly Korthas You see it in commercials every day: creams and lotions to reduce wrinkles, dyes to eliminate gray hair, and remedies to reduce muscle and joint aches. Along… Read more

Big Ideas Did You Know?

No somos tan racionales como creemos: la filosofía política y la ciencia de la irracionalidad

December 24, 2022December 19, 2022 DanielToker Amígdala, elección presidencial, Elecciones presidenciales de 2004, filosofía política, George W. Bush, Insula, Irracionalidad, John Kerry, Neurociencias, Neuroimagen, Platón, política, razón, reyes filósofos

Artículo original: No Somos Tan Racionales Como Creemos: La Filosofía Política y La Ciencia de la Irracionalidad, Daniel Toker Los científicos cognitivos han sabido por décadas que los humanos son… Read more

Big Ideas Brain Books

Book Review: The Neuroscience of Emotion: A New Synthesis

December 20, 2022December 20, 2022 Martina Nonni animal models, Behavior, Book Review, brain states, Emotions, fMRI, Psychology

By Martina Nonni Emotions are important aspects of our lives and everyday experiences. While scientists agree that they do exist, they don’t seem to agree on much else. Researchers are… Read more

Did You Know? Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Spanish

¡La tripa está más cerca del cerebro de lo que parece!

December 17, 2022December 16, 2022 Amin Kamaleddin Aprendizaje, Bacteria, células inmunitarias, comunicación células, enfermedad autoinmune, esclerosis múltiple, Memoria, microbioma intestinal, mielina, MS, patología

Artículo original: Your gut is closer to your brain than it appears! , Amin Kamaleddin ¡Somos más de lo que pensamos! Sí, así es. Si aún pensamos que cada uno… Read more

Did You Know? Interviews Multilingual Neuroscience Art Sensation and Perception Spanish

Auto Reflejado: Lo Mejor de la Neurociencia y el Arte

December 17, 2022December 12, 2022 Kayleen Schreiber Aprendizaje, Arte, Cerebro, Ciencia, Color, Conciencia, Corteza, corteza prefrontal, Entrevista, Genética, Knowing Neurons, Neurociencia, Neuronas, Percepción

Artículo original: Auto Reflejado: Lo Mejor de la Neurociencie y el Arte, Kayleen Schreiber La frase «la belleza está en los ojos del que mira» parece ser especialmente cierta para los… Read more

Uncategorized

Knowing Neurons Celebrates 10 Years

December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 Lauren Wagner

This fall, Knowing Neurons celebrates our ten-year anniversary! We’ve come a long way since our organization was first founded in 2012 by a group of five neuroscience PhD students from… Read more

Big Ideas Neuro Primer Neuroscience Technologies

Neuro Primer: Gene Therapy

December 13, 2022December 15, 2022 Justin McMahon Cells, CRISPR, DNA, Gene therapy, genes, proteins, RNA, therapeutics, Treatment, virus

By: Justin McMahon Academic laboratories and biotech companies around the world are racing to develop next-generation therapeutics. At the forefront of this scientific innovation is gene therapy: a medical approach… Read more

A Close Up Look A Close Up Look Infographics

A Close Up Look 20 – EM

December 12, 2022December 10, 2022 Gil Torten Electron microscopy, electron-density, Imaging, resin, sectioning, staining

In this edition of a Close Up Look, read about the process of electron microscopy on a retina sample!… Read more

Infographics Mental Health Multilingual Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Spanish

Aprendiendo Sobre el Trastorno por Estrés Postraumático (TEPT)

December 11, 2022 Sarah Barron Amygdala, Anxiety, depression, Fight or flight, Hippocampus, Insomnia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma

Infografía original: Knowing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Sarah Barron… Read more

Brain Development Infographics Multilingual Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Spanish

El Síndrome del X Frágil

December 9, 2022December 11, 2022 Melis Cakar Attention, Fragile X, genes, Genetics, Hyperactivity, Learning Disability, mutation, Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Sensory Sensitivity, synaptic plasticity

Infografía original: Fragile X Syndrome, Melis Cakar Julio fue el mes de conciencia para el síndrome del X frágil. Aprende más con esta nueva infografía por ilustradora Melis Cakar!… Read more

Infographics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Knowing HIV/AIDS

December 7, 2022December 7, 2022 Sneha Chaturvedi AIDS, HIV, Immune cells, Immune System, Infection, Nerves, neurological disease, Viral Infection

This month is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month! Sneha Chaturvedi shares information about the disease.… Read more

Learning and Memory Neuroscience Technologies Sensation and Perception

Binaural Beats for Behavior Modulation and Brainwave Entrainment

December 6, 2022December 15, 2022 Jasreen Singh Alpha waves, Binaural beats, brain waves, EEG rhythms, entrainment, Gamma waves, Perception, phase synchronization

By Jasreen Singh What are binaural beats? Have you ever heard something that wasn’t actually there? Perhaps you were listening to an auditory illusion known as binaural beats. A binaural… Read more

Aging Brain Basics Neuro Primer

Neuro Primer: Telomeres

November 29, 2022December 30, 2022 Marta Garo-Pascual Aging, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer’s disease, cell division, Chromosome, DNA, Enzyme, Genetics, Neurodegeneration, Parkinson's, Parkinson's Disease, replication, telomerase, telomeres, Therapy

By Marta Garo-Pascual Telomeres are the “shoelace caps” of linear chromosomes and, as shoelace caps protect shoelaces, telomeres serve a protective role for chromosomes. Barbara McClintock and Hermann Muller described… Read more

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

This is Your Brain on COVID

November 22, 2022November 20, 2022 Chris Gabriel covid-19, hazard rates, Infection, influenza, Nervous System, neurological disease, peripheral neurons, respiratory infection, SARS-CoV-2

By Chris Gabriel The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way we live our lives and has been a driving force behind global policy since its emergence in late 2019. Some… Read more

Multilingual Spanish

CLARITY

November 20, 2022November 19, 2022 Maia Jackson

Artículo original: CLARITY, Ryan Jones Traducido por Maia Jackson Vivimos en un mundo tridimensional. X, Y y Z son las coordenadas que definen el espacio el cual ocupamos y son… Read more

Multilingual Spanish Uncategorized

Un pequeño mapa para las moscas de la fruta, un gran salto para la neurociencia

November 20, 2022December 8, 2022 Samantha Arauz células de Kenyon, cuerpo de hongo, Drosophila, Microscopía electrónica, microscopía electrónica de transmisión, microscopio electrónico, neurona lateral pareada anterior, neurona olfativa, neuroplasticidad, plasticidad sináptica, protocerebro

Artículo original: One Small Map for Fruit Flies, One Giant Leap for Neuroscience, Alexa Erdogan Traducido por Samantha Arauz Nota: este artículo explora un trabajo reciente que ha sido revisado… Read more

Multilingual Spanish

El procedimiento de interfaz mioneural agonista-antagonista: portal a un futuro cíborg

November 20, 2022November 19, 2022 Justin Lai ciencia ficción, fronteras en los circuitos neuronales, inteligencia artificial, Interacción robot-humano, interfaz cerebro-computadora, red neuronal artificial

Artículo original: The AMI Procedure – Gateway to a Cyborg Future Arielle Hogan Traducido por Justin Lai Los avances en la bioingeniería y la robótica han generado dispositivos increíbles capaces de restaurar parcialmente la… Read more

Cognition Consciousness Learning and Memory

Have You Ever Thought: “How Did I Think That Thought?”

November 15, 2022November 12, 2022 Idha Sood Cognition, Consciousness, Creativity, Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex, Idea, Thought, Working memory

By Idha Sood “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.” -Albert Einstein Has an idea popped into your head while having your afternoon… Read more

Infographics

Knowing Alzheimer’s

November 7, 2022December 7, 2022 Federica Raguseo Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid plaque, Cell death, Cognitive Decline, Environmental, genetic, neurofibrillary tangles, Neuron signaling, Tau

For this month’s infographic, Federica Raguseo is sharing information on Alzheimer’s Disease.… Read more

← Previous