Knowing Neurons -

image of republican and democrat logos on ocean waves with the white house in the background

Shiri Spitz Siddiqi November 16, 2023November 6, 2023 affective polarization, bipartisan, bipartisanship, democrats, partisan, partisan violence, partisanship, political polarization, Politics, republicans

Curbing the Tide of Political Polarization

By Shiri Spitz Siddiqi On January 6, 2021, thousands of armed Americans stormed the United States Capitol Building in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Donald Trump… Read More

Discusses what epilepsy is, causes of epilepsy, different types of seizures, and first aid for seizures as there is no cure for epilepsy

Infographics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Yang-Sun Hwang November 10, 2023November 9, 2023 Epilepsy, epilepsy awareness, epilepsy awareness month, Seizure, Seizures

Knowing Epilepsy

Written and Illustrated by Yang Sun-Hwang Edited by Gil Torten, Federica Raguseo, and Zoe Dobler… Read More

Did You Know?Evolution of Cognition

Lupita Valencia November 7, 2023November 6, 2023 Face-recognition, FFA, Fusiform face area, Occipital face area, OFA, pareidolia, Prosopagnosia, Uncanny valley

Facing the Uncanny Valley: Pareidolia and Face Recognition

By Lupita Valencia Evolution has made us experts at recognizing faces. We are innately social creatures and are hard-wired to detect faces in the environment. From the moment we are… Read More

a woman in a lab coat looking at an image of the brain on a computer

Did You Know?

Caitlin Goodpaster October 30, 2023November 11, 2023 Halloween, Zombie

The Neuroscience of Zombies: Unmasking the Zombie Mind

By Caitlin Goodpaster As spooky season descends upon us, it’s intriguing to explore the connections between neuroscience and a Halloween classic: the zombie. While the introduction of zombism to fiction… Read More

Brain Development Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Neuroscience Technologies

Suhanee Mitragotri October 17, 2023October 16, 2023 Epilepsy, febrile seizures, Genetics, Genome, infantile epilepsy, Seizures

Cracking the Genetic Code: A New Way to Diagnose Infantile Epilepsy

By Suhanee Mitragotri When your infant wakes up from a nap, all you want is to be able to hold them close and give them all of your love. While… Read More

Information about mental health, including common types of mental illness, for awareness

Infographics Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Johanna Mayer October 10, 2023October 9, 2023 ADHD, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, developmental disorder, mental health, world mental health day

Knowing Mental Health

Evolution of Cognition Cognition Culture

Lupita Valencia October 4, 2023 ACC, Anterior cingulate, exclusion, rejection, Social Neuroscience, social support

The Sting of Social Rejection

By Lupita Valencia Why have poets written about the pain of heartbreak for centuries? Heartbreak, as well as other kinds of social rejection, is largely a universal feeling: we have… Read More

Brain Books

Keionna Newton September 20, 2023September 18, 2023 neural ensembles, neural networks, Neuroscience

Book Review: Lectures in Neuroscience

By Keionna Newton The brain is an endlessly fascinating organ, but let’s face it – it is also a complete enigma. One quick look into any introductory neuroscience textbook and… Read More

Infographics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Gil Torten September 13, 2023September 11, 2023 Genetics, lifestyle, migraine, pharmacologics, Sex differences, trigeminal ganglion

Knowing Migraines

Written and Illustrated by Gil Torten Edited by Kayla Lim and Keionna Newton… Read More

Mental Health Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

Manaswini Kar September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 Cognitive neuroscience, Diplomacy, global health, mental health, Policy

Establishing a Framework for Global Mental Health Diplomacy

FIRST PLACE WINNER! Policy Brief by Manaswini Kar, Keerthana Manikandan, and Jonathan Klonowski With at least one-eighth of the entire global population living with mental illness, the world stands at… Read More

Science Policy Mental Health Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023

Elissavet Chartampila September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 Climate Change, Healthcare, mental health, Science Policy

Mental Health: The Forgotten Casualty of Climate Change Policy

Op-Ed by Elissavet Chartampila Climate change presents a formidable and urgent threat to human health. From the loss of life and illness caused by more frequent and severe extreme weather… Read More

Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

Katie Cooke September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 androgen receptor gene, CYP17, Estrogen, GD, gender dysphoria, gender-affirming care, gender-affirming hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, mental health, testosterone, transgender

Gender Dysphoria: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

Policy Brief by Katie Cooke Introduction The DSM-5 defines gender dysphoria (GD) as a prolonged incongruence between one’s assigned sex at birth and one’s gender identity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).… Read More

Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

Rachel Falleur September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 AAC, Accommodation, Augmentative and alternative communication, Autism, dyspraxia, dysregulation, inclusivity, Research

Participation of Nonspeaking Students with Autism in Research in Neuroscience

Short Essay by Rachel Falleur As an undergraduate student majoring in neuroscience, performing and participating in research is a key part of completion of the program. Participation in research and… Read More

Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

Kathleen Carmichael September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 Law, legal, Neuroethics, Neurolaw, neuropolicy, Science Policy

Revealing Injured Minds: Harnessing Cutting-Edge Neuroimaging for Enhanced Brain Injury Claim Validity

Policy Brief by Kathleen Carmichael Executive summary Advances in neuroscience have the power to inform and improve many aspects of our legal system (Chorvat & McCabe, 2004). In the context… Read More

Science Policy Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Neuroscience Technologies

Erin Morrow September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 eye-tracking, Neuroethics, neuropolicy, pupil, Science Policy

The Truth is in Your Eyes: Regulating the Covert Use of Pupil Biofeedback

SECOND PLACE WINNER! Policy Memo by Erin Morrow INTRODUCTION Within the last decade, consumer technologies have become increasingly capable at recording and analyzing physiological data. For instance, smartwatches can now… Read More

Brain Development Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Neuropolicy Paper Competition 2023 Science Policy

Yug Yadava September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 Genetics, pediatrics, Policy, United States

The National Expansion of Newborn Screening Tests for Leukodystrophies

Policy Memo by Yug Yadava Executive Summary When a child is born at a hospital in the United States, he or she is tested for genetic, inherited, heart, and hearing… Read More

Career Exploration Collaborations Interviews

Bar Yosef August 29, 2023August 27, 2023 equity, High School, Research

Cultivating Early Laboratory Learning at UCLA

By Bar Yosef Megan Chappell was in high school when her uncle was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She set out to learn more about the disease but had trouble… Read More

Infographics Mental Health Science Policy

Gil Torten August 28, 2023August 20, 2023 Genetics, GWAS, LGBTQ, mental health, queer

Queer Science

Written and Illustrated by Gil Torten Edited by Lauren Wagner and Justin McMahon… Read More

Neuroscience Technologies Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Neuroscience Techniques

Justin McMahon August 24, 2023August 23, 2023 Gene therapy, Genetics, Novel Treatment, therapeutics

Gene Therapy: Cutting Edge Neuroscience in Medicine

By Justin McMahon Around 1 in 4 people will be affected by a mental illness at some point throughout their lives (World Health Organization, 2022), and unfortunately up to 60% of… Read More

modern nurse taking a medical tool from someone in 2000 BC

Neuroscience Techniques Did You Know?

Julia LaValley August 18, 2023August 17, 2023 craniotomy, Neuroscience history, trepanation, trephination

Need it like I need a Hole in the Head: A History of the World’s Earliest Neurosurgery

By J. LaValley Often, when we discuss medical practices of the past, we do so with a certain level of scorn, horror, and disgust. These aren’t unreasonable reactions when thinking… Read More

Infographics

Kayla Lim August 10, 2023August 14, 2023 Brain Tumor, medicine, neurological conditions, neurosurgery, Spinal cord injury, TBI

Knowing Neurosurgery

a scientist is looking at a cartoon bee through a lens with an image of the brain on it

Learning and Memory

Randall Eck August 1, 2023July 30, 2023 Bee, gut microbiome, Honeybee, microbiome

Honeybees show us how the bacteria in our gut can transform our minds

By Randall Eck Every human has a unique collection of bacteria living in their gut, like a fingerprint. Collectively, these bacteria are called the gut microbiome. The exact number and… Read More

image of a computer smiling saying "hi my name is ChatGPT and I am a text-based AI model"

Artificial Intelligence Learning and Memory Sensation and Perception

Carolyn Amir July 27, 2023July 26, 2023 AI, Artifical Intelligence, ChatGPT, Large Language Model, LLM, neural network

Does ChatGPT think like a human?

By Carolyn Amir ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to interface with humans, is the ultimate search engine and virtual conversation partner. The AI can improve your computer code,… Read More

microglia in purple against a black background, pink microglia pictured around the M, in the O, and as part of the A in the word microglia

Neuro Primer Aging Cognition

Keionna Newton July 18, 2023July 11, 2023 Alzheimer’s disease, Microglia, Neurodegeneration, Neurodevelopment, Parkinson's Disease, synaptic plasticity

Neuro Primer: Microglia

By Keionna Newton Microglia structure and function As you go about each and every day, there are billions – yes, billions – of tiny little cells in your brain moving… Read More

Infographics

Melis Cakar July 12, 2023July 17, 2023 disability, disability pride, disabled

Knowing Disability Pride Month

In this infographic, KN Illustrator Melis Cakar discusses different disabilities people experience in the US. Check it out in celebration of Disability Pride Month! Illustrated by Melis Cakar Edited by… Read More

a blue clock against a silhouette of a brain with a purple background

Sleep Aging Cognition Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Mary Cooper July 11, 2023August 21, 2023 AD, Alzheimer’s disease, circadian rhythm, Sleep

Alzheimer’s Disease: When Brains Stay Up Past Bedtime

By Mary Bullock Cooper Do you have a bedtime? If you answered no… I’m sorry, but everyone has a bedtime! This bedtime is unlike the one in childhood that is… Read More

Brain Books Culture

Paige Nicklas July 4, 2023June 28, 2023 Book Review, entertainment, media

Book Review: Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep?

By Paige Nicklas As I sit watching a medical TV show with my sister, an imaging technologist, she critiques the accuracy of the procedures the characters are claiming to perform.… Read More

An abstract image of a person and ribbons in the area where their brain would be located

Big Ideas Cognition

Shiri Spitz Siddiqi June 27, 2023June 26, 2023 cognitive psychology, deontology, dual-process theory, ethics, Neuroethics, the trolley problem, utilitarianism

What can the trolley problem tell us about the brain?

By Shiri Spitz Siddiqi You’re standing at a railroad switch as a runaway trolley hurtles toward five innocent people lying trapped in its path. Out of harm’s way lies one… Read More

A Close Up Look Big Ideas Infographics

Gil Torten June 21, 2023June 19, 2023 actin, Eye, phagocytosis, retinal pigment epithelium, rods, trogocytosis

A Close Up Look 25 – Ingestion

In this next Close Up Look, Gil Torten discusses the process of trogocytosis!… Read More

Science Policy Brain Development Cognition Sleep

Caitlin Goodpaster June 20, 2023May 24, 2023 Brain development, Data Privacy, Data Security, Instant Gratification, Reward, Sleep, Social media, TikTok

How TikTok Hijacks Your Brain

By Caitlin Goodpaster TikTok, a video-sharing app that has taken the world by storm, was first introduced as Douyin in 2016 in China, where it gained 100 million users in… Read More

Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Chris Gabriel June 13, 2023June 12, 2023 anterior temporal cortex, Anxiety, Brain Injury, Face Blindness, lesion, occipito-fusiform cortex, occipito-temporal cortex, Prosopagnosia

What is Prosopagnosia?

By Chris Gabriel When you think of the person you love most in the world, you might imagine their face, their voice, and the memories you’ve shared together. Now, imagine… Read More

Infographics Cognition

Sneha Chaturvedi June 12, 2023June 12, 2023 Aphasia, Brain Injury, Broca's area, Communication, Conduction aphasia, language, stroke, Temporal Lobe, Wernicke's area

Knowing Aphasia

June is Aphasia Awareness Month! For this infographic, Sneha Chaturvedi explains the basics of aphasia, which is a neurological condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate or understand… Read More

Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Elissavet Chartampila June 6, 2023June 5, 2023 Climate, Climate Change, mental health, Public Health, Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia and the Unseen Toll of Climate Change

By Elissavet Chartampila June 29th, 2021, was the hottest day in history for British Columbia, Canada. As a heat wave swept across western Canada, temperatures soared to unprecedented heights, with… Read More

Brain Basics Sensation and Perception

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

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

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

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

How does understanding time perception help us advance cognitive science?

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

Infographics A Close Up Look Big Ideas Neuroscience Techniques Neuroscience Technologies

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

A Close Up Look 24 – Live Imaging

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

Mental Health

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

Workout your worries – how exercise can protect your mental health

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

knowing myalgic encephalomyelitis infographic

Infographics Did You Know?Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Sleep

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

Knowing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

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

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

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

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

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

Gut Microbiota & Mental Health

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

Psychedelics Did You Know?Neuro News

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

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

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

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

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

A Close Up Look 23 – Ocular Drug Delivery

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

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

What are genome-wide association studies?

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

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

Knowing Functional Neurological Disorders

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

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

Nature Versus Nurture… Or Both?

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

Science Policy Aging Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

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

FDA Under Scrutiny: A Tale of Two Drugs

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

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

How to Strategize Your Requests for 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

Infographics A Close Up Look Neuroscience Technologies

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

A Close Up Look 22 – Visual Prostheses

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

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

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