Month: March 2013
One Concussion Could Cause Permanent Brain Damage
Every year, 1.5 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which occur when sudden traumas damage the brain. TBI commonly occurs when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, as in… Read more
From Neurons to Astrocytes: The Shift of Focus in Stroke
If you think about it, blood vessels are the freeways of the body. The vast array of vasculature enables molecules to reach important destinations (organs) quickly. But, if a small… Read more
How does the brain locate sound sources?
The brain has an amazing ability to identify the source of sounds around you. When driving, you can tell where an approaching fire truck is coming from and pull over… Read more
The Auditory System: From Sound Waves to Brain Waves
Our human experience is enriched by our senses. The world would appear to be a dull place if the brain did not endow us with the ability to construct visual… Read more
Hearing is Believing: Cells that Enable Hearing after Birth
The sense of hearing is a critical part of how we experience life and the world around us. It is so important, in fact, that the ears are fully formed… Read more
The Hunger Games of The Second Brain
If you’ve sensed “butterflies” in your stomach before a stage performance, felt your “stomach churn” upon hearing a horrifying story, or simply made a decision based on your “gut feeling,”… Read more
Disruption of Circadian Cycles Linked to Weight Gain
Every night during finals week, I studied into the wee hours of the morning and caught only a few hours of sleep. It was exhausting! After finals were over, I… Read more
The Road to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Begins at the Intersection of DNA and Childhood Trauma
Shakespeare left out a crucial component for understanding human behavior when he wrote:
it is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.
Our genetic predispositions are… Read more