Neuro Primer Archives - Knowing Neurons

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

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

Big Ideas Neuro Primer Neuroscience Technologies

Justin McMahon December 13, 2022December 15, 2022 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

Aging Brain Basics Neuro Primer

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

Neuro Primer: Telomeres

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

Learning and Memory Neuro Primer

Anne-Laure Le Cunff June 8, 2022March 23, 2023 Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive performance, Education, Learning, Memory, Working memory

Neuro Primer: Working Memory Capacity

The brain has three broad types of memory: sensory memory, working memory, and long-term memory. Sensory memory briefly holds unprocessed information retained in the sensory system; working memory temporarily stores… Read More

Did You Know?Mental Health Neuro Primer Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Elizabeth Burnette March 22, 2021May 31, 2021 Addiction, Alcohol, Behavioral Neuroscience, Hippocampus, Nucleus accumbens, Tolerance, Withdrawal

Neuro Primer: Addiction Basics

Spanish Translation also available here: Neuro Cartilla: Los principios básicos de la adicción ~~~ From alcohol to opioids to cocaine, most of us are familiar with addictive substances. But how does… Read More

Feature image of a labryinth next to an ear (as a play on the inner labryinth of the ear). Illustrated by McCall Sarrett.

Neuro Primer Brain Basics Movement Sensation and Perception Space Neuroscience

Alexa Erdogan June 26, 2019May 31, 2021 balance, BPPV, Cupula, Endolymph, Gravity, Microgravity, Movement, Orientation, Otolithic Organs, Otoliths, Saccule, Semicircular Canals, Sensation, Space neuroscience, Utricle, Vertigo, Vestibular Ocular Reflex, Vestibular system, VOR

Neuro Primer: Vestibular System

Spanish Translation also available here: Neuro Cartilla: Sistema Vestibular ~~~ Have you ever watched shaky camera footage taken by someone running frantically through the forest? The camera shot shakes and… Read More

Neuro Primer Brain Basics Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Joel Frohlich March 20, 2019May 31, 2021 Adenosine, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer’s disease, ascending activating system, atonia, Brainstem, Caffeine, Coffee, Dreaming, dreams, general anesthesia, Hypnogram, Hypothalamus, locus coeruleus, NREM, Optic Chiasm, parasomnia, Raphe Nucleus, rapid eye movement sleep, REM, REM sleep behavior disorder, Sleep, Sleep paralysis, suprachiasmatic nucleus, synchronization, tuberomammillary nucleus

Neuro Primer: Sleep

Spanish Translation also available here: Neuro Cartilla: El Sueño ~~~ It’s easy to ask: “Why sleep?” But we can also turn the question on its head: “Why wake?” We need… Read More

Neuro Primer: Hormones and Body Weight Feature Image

Neuro Primer Brain Basics

Daniela McVicker January 16, 2019June 3, 2021 cortisol, Estrogen, Hormones, insulin, Leptin, Neuro Primer, obesity, Stress hormone, Thyroid, Weight

Neuro Primer: Hormones and Body Weight

People all over the globe have the perception that being overweight or obese is caused by eating too much junk food, drinking sugary drinks, or not exercising enough. People with… Read More

Knowing Neurons - Artistic illustration of three different types of glial cells (astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes)

Neuro Primer Aging Brain Basics Brain Development Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Alexa Erdogan October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 Alzheimer’s disease, Astrocyte, Ependymal cells, glia, homeostasis, Immune cells, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Microglia, Neuro Primer, Neurodegenerative disease, Neurodevelopment, Neuroglia, Neuroscience history, Neurotransmitters, Oligodendrocyte, Rene Dutrochet, Rudolf Virchow, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, Synapse, synaptic plasticity, Synaptogenesis

Neuro Primer: Glia

Every single day, a group of cells work tirelessly to monitor and protect the neural architecture of your brain. Some of them even move around, scanning neural networks like recon… Read More

Aging Brain Basics Neuro Primer Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Gabrielle Torre October 10, 2018October 8, 2018 AD, Age-related cognitive decline, Aging, ALS, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer’s disease, Amyloid, amyloid plaques, Baby Boomers, beta-amyloid, Brain activation, Brain cells, Cardiovascular health, Childhood, Cognition, Cognitive performance, Cortex, dementia, Disease, Executive function, Exercise, Genetics, glutamate, Hippocampus, Longevity, Memory, Memory decline, myelin, Nervous System, Neurogenesis, Neuroimaging, Neurons, Neuroplasticity, Neuroscience, Neurotransmitters, Normal aging, Parkinson's, Parkinson's Disease, Plasticity, Quality of life, Research, Science, Sleep, Sleep habits, Ventricles, Working memory

Neuro Primer: Aging

What happens to the brain in aging? Normal aging comes with many changes in brain structure and function. As individuals approach the age of 65 years and above, they experience… Read More

Neuro Primer Brain Basics

Gabrielle Torre July 13, 2018May 31, 2021 Apoptosis, Axons, Biology, Brain, Brain development, Brain growth, Cell death, Cells, Cortex, Dendrites, Development, Infancy, Knowing Neurons, Learning, neurobiology, Neurodevelopment, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroplasticity, Neuroscience, Plasticity, Science, Synapse, Synapses

Neuro Primer: Neurodevelopment

Spanish Translation also available here: Neuro Cartilla: Neurodesarrollo ~~~ How does your brain become a brain? Neurodevelopment is the crucial process through which every brain is formed.… Read More

Neuro Primer Brain Basics

Caitlin Aamodt June 27, 2018June 3, 2021 Biology, Brains in a dish, Cell, Cell cultures, Cell signaling, Cells, Chimeras, Microcephaly, Nature, Neuroscience, Organoids, Rodent, Rodents, Sentience, Zika, Zika virus

Neuro Primer: Cerebral Organoids

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t may sound like something Dr. Frankenstein himself would be envious of, but scientists can now create miniature “brain” organoids in a dish.… Read More

Neuro Primer Brain Basics Consciousness

Sean Noah May 31, 2018March 3, 2019 Attention, Brain, Brain Basics, Consciousness, Focus, Perception, Vision

Neuro Primer: Attention

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]magine suffering through a 2pm class on a sweltering day in early June. Summer’s almost arrived, and it’s hard not to let your mind wander away from the dull information… Read More