Research Archives - Knowing Neurons

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

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

Did You Know?Neuro News Psychedelics

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

A Close Up Look A Close Up Look Infographics

Gil Torten September 26, 2022September 28, 2022 cell staining, CLEM, correlative light and electron microscopy, cyro-sim, electron, fib-sem, Harald Hess, Imaging, immunofluorescence, light microscopy, Protein, Research, tissue

A Close Up Look 18 – CLEM

Check out this “A Close Up Look” infographic to explore the equipment involved in, and the process of, CLEM – Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy!… Read More

Cognition Psychedelics Sensation and Perception

Sean Noah December 23, 2021January 13, 2022 Drug, Drug policy, Pharmacology, Psychedelics, Research

Psychedelic Journal Club: How Do Psychedelics Work?

A commentary on the article “REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics” by Robin Carhart-Harris and Karl Friston, published in Pharmacological Reviews.… Read More

Cognition Psychedelics Sensation and Perception

Sean Noah December 16, 2021January 13, 2022 Drug policy, Drugs, medicine, Pharmacology, Psychedelics, Research

Psychedelic Journal Club: Microdosing for Mental Wellbeing

A commentary on the article “Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers by Joseph M. Rootman et al., published… Read More

Studying Alzheimer’s Disease Using Open Data - Feature Image

Aging Big Ideas Learning and Memory Science Policy

Cally Xiao November 15, 2020December 15, 2021 Alzheimer’s disease, Analysis, Data, Data Sharing, Meta-analysis, Open Data, Research

Studying Alzheimer’s Disease Using Open Data

Open data sharing efforts can advance research by analyzing existing data for new trends and fostering collaborations across institutions and countries, which are especially useful for complex diseases such as… Read More

Interviews Joel's Pick

Joel Frohlich September 24, 2020October 31, 2020 claustrum, Consciousness, Interviews, Joel's Pick, Optogenetics, Research, Sleep, sleep waves

So that’s what the claustrum does!

Three years ago, I asked “What the heck is a claustrum?” In that piece, I described the mystery of this oddly shaped brain region, located just below the cerebral cortex.… 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

Brain Development Learning and Memory

Cameron McKay August 15, 2018September 7, 2018 Adult neurogenesis, Axon, Axons, Basic science, Brain, Cells, Connections, Cortex, Dendrite, Dendrites, Dendritic spine, Development, environment, Experience-dependent plasticity, Gray matter, Hippocampus, Human memory, Humans, Juggling, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Marian Diamond, Memories, Memory, MRI, MRI research, Neurodevelopment, Neurogenesis, Neurons, Neuroplasticity, Plasticity, Rats, Research, Science, Synapse, Synaptic pruning, Synaptogenesis, Taxi drivers, TBI, Traumatic brain injury, White matter

A Tale of Plasticities

You may have heard it repeated in the media and pop culture that humans’ brains don’t change at all after birth. However, the past several decades of neuroscience research have… Read More

Big Ideas Consciousness Philosophy

DanielToker August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 Brain, Claude Shannon, Communication, Consciousness, David Chalmers, Entropy, Giulio Tononi, Information, Information theory, Integrated Information Theory, Neuroscience, philosophy, Psychology, Research, Science, Sensory experience

Measuring Consciousness in Bits

Consciousness is an ambiguous concept. It can mean a lot of different things, depending on the context. For example, I can say that I am conscious of something, as in, “I am… Read More

Big Ideas Consciousness Interviews Neuro SciFi Philosophy Podcast

Alexa Erdogan July 19, 2018July 19, 2018 Alzheimer, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer’s disease, Brain, Calcium imaging, Cnidarians, connectome, Consciousness, Cortex, EEG, Epilepsy, Interview, Jurrasic Park, Knowing Neurons, LEGO, long term depression, Long-term potentiation, LTD, LTP, Microscopy, Neuron, Neuroscience, Neurotransmitters, Parkinson's, Parkinson's Disease, Research, Sci-fi, Science, Science Fiction, SOMA, Upload

[Podcast] Uploading the Human Brain

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a brand new episode of the Knowing Neurons podcast, we explore the concept of “mind uploading”. How would something like a mind upload really work?… Read More

Consciousness Sleep

Patrick McNamara July 5, 2018 Brain, Brain Disorders, Cognition, Cognitive neuroscience, Consciousness, Cortex, Dream, Dream state, Dreaming, dreams, EEG, Inception, Multiple personality disorder, Neuroscience, NREM sleep, REM sleep, Research, Science, Science of sleep, Sex differences, Sleep, Sleep disorders, sleep-wake cycle

Our Dreams Have Many Purposes, Changing Across the Lifespan

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]lthough radically different in terms of their content and feel, the range of dream states are just as complex as waking states. If we look across an individual’s lifetime, we… Read More

Big Ideas Culture Neuro News

Roland Imhoff May 29, 2018May 29, 2018 Behavior, conspiracy theories, Culture, Experiment, new world order, Psychology, reptilian, Research

Want to Feel Unique? Believe in the Reptile People

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he internet is full of wild-eyed insinuation. Seemingly accidental events are not actually accidental. A few powerful people have hatched plots to bring about certain outcomes, usually with the goal… Read More

Consciousness Learning and Memory Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Yaïr Pinto January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 Consciousness, Gazzaniga, Learning, Memory, Neuroscience, Perception, Prefrontal Cortex, Research, Sperry, Split brain

When You Split the Brain, Do You Split the Person?

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he brain is perhaps the most complex machine in the Universe. It consists of two cerebral hemispheres, each with many different modules. Fortunately, all these separate parts are not autonomous… Read More

Did You Know?Movement Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Kayleen Schreiber October 30, 2017October 29, 2017 Brain, Cortex, Dopamine, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Motor, Movement, Parkinson's Disease, Research, Science

Bite-size science: Cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

In Parkinson’s Disease, specific cells in the brain die. Over time, this makes basic movements like walking and reaching for a cup impossible. Researchers are racing to find effective treatments.… Read More

Did You Know?Movement Weird Animal Brain

Kayleen Schreiber October 2, 2017September 29, 2017 Brain, Brain Injury, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Nature, Neuroscience, Prefrontal Cortex, Research, Science, TBI, Traumatic brain injury

Weird Animal Brain: Woodpecker

Brain damage is a major concern for us humans – car accidents, football, falling backwards. It’s pretty easy to cause a concussion. Woodpeckers, however, pound away daily using much more… Read More

Did You Know?Learning and Memory Neuro News

Kayleen Schreiber August 21, 2017August 21, 2017 Brain, Fact, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Learning, Memory, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroscience, Research, Science

Bite-size science: The brain remembers without staying the same

A new paper published this month in the journal Cell describes an unexpected finding about memory. Researchers used to think that memory required specific activity from the same brain cells… Read More

Big Ideas Neuroscience Art Neuroscience Technologies Sensation and Perception

Alexa Erdogan August 2, 2017August 2, 2017 Brain, CLARITY, Cortex, EEG, Fact, fMRI, Greg Dunn, Interview, Knowing Neurons, MRI, Neuroimaging, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroscience, Perception, Prefrontal Cortex, Research, Science

How Neuroimaging Changes Our View of Science & Humanity

Magritte’s comments on our fascination with the unknown rings true not just in artistic surrealism, but also in many of our scientific research endeavors. The human mind is continually fascinated… Read More

Brain Basics Brain Development Did You Know?Learning and Memory Sensation and Perception

Gabrielle Torre July 26, 2017June 23, 2022 Brain, Cortex, Development, EEG, Fact, fMRI, Knowing Neurons, Learning, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroscience, Prefrontal Cortex, Reading, Research

Reading: The Brain’s Best Hijacker

What are you doing right now? I’m no psychic, but I can say for certain one thing that you’re doing: reading. You’re reading this sentence, word by word, and extracting… Read More

Did You Know?Sensation and Perception Weird Animal Brain

Kayleen Schreiber July 24, 2017July 23, 2017 Brain, Color, Fact, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Learning, Nature, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroscience, Perception, Research, Science, Vision

Weird Animal Brain: Brittle Star

Brittle stars are covered in protective outer plates, but they also have another structure of internal plates. A particular species of brittle star seems to be able to use these… Read More

Aging Did You Know?Learning and Memory Movement Neuro News

Kayleen Schreiber June 19, 2017June 30, 2017 Alzheimer’s disease, Brain, Cortex, DNA, Epigenetics, gene, Genetics, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Learning, Memory, Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Neuron, Neurons, Neuroscience, Prefrontal Cortex, Receptor, Research, Science

Bite-size Science: Epigenetics help protect the aging brain

Epigenetics change which genes are active and which are inactive. Research over the past few years has shown that these changes are important for protecting the brain from neurodegeneration and… Read More

Did You Know?Science Policy

Kayleen Schreiber May 10, 2017June 30, 2017 Bias, Fact, fake news, Infographic, Internet, Neuroscience, News, Reference, Research, SciComm, Science, Search, Source

Should you trust that article you’re reading?

It’s easy to find information on the internet — especially information that confirms what you already believe to be true. Through search engine bias, your Facebook newsfeed bubble, and confirmation… Read More

Brain Basics Brain Development Did You Know?Learning and Memory Neuro News Neuroscience Technologies Sensation and Perception

Kayleen Schreiber March 15, 2017June 30, 2017 2017, Alzheimer’s disease, Brain, Conference, Development, Fact, Florida, Infographic, Institute, Knowing Neurons, Learning, Max Planck, Memory, Neuron, Neuroscience, Perception, Receptor, Research, Science, Sunposium, Synapse

How does fundamental research help you?

Sometimes it’s hard to understand why scientists do what they do. Why spend a career studying cells, fungus, or flies? Other than being nerdy and wanting to learn about our… Read More

Did You Know?Popular Articles

Kate Fehlhaber December 21, 2016June 30, 2017 2016, Neuroscience, Research, SciArt, SciComm

Our Year in Review

Knowing Neurons had an amazing year, and we are so thankful for all your support throughout our journey! Here are some highlights from 2016!… Read More

Interviews Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Anita November 8, 2016June 30, 2017 Anxiety, Conversation, depression, Global, Health, Interview, Mental, Neuroscience, Neuroscience 2016, Policy, Psychiatrist, PTSD, Research, Science, SfN, SfN16, Shekhar Saxena, Society for Neuroscience, WHO, World Health Organization

Mental Health is a Part of Health: A Conversation with Shekhar Saxena

In a recent presidential town hall, President Obama looked directly into the camera and made a powerful statement about mental health. “If something inside you feels like it’s wounded, it’s… Read More

Did You Know?Sensation and Perception Weird Animal Brain

Kayleen Schreiber October 31, 2016June 30, 2017 Brain, Electricity, Fact, Head, Infographic, Knowing Neurons, Lorenzini, Neuroscience, Organ, Perception, Receptor, Research, Science, Sense, Shark

Weird animal brain: Sharks

Everyone knows sharks are fierce predators. How exactly they hunt so well is in part due to their extra sixth sense: electroreception!… Read More

Neuroscience Technologies Sensation and Perception Videos

Kayleen Schreiber September 7, 2016June 30, 2017 Audition, auditory, Contribute, Cortex, EEG, Hear, Hearing, Kayleen Schreiber, Knowing Neurons, Neuroscience, Prefrontal Cortex, Research, Science, Speech perception, Team

Meet our newest team member Kayleen Schreiber

We have someone new joining our team! She is a neuroscience PhD student at the University of Iowa, and she studies speech perception – but let’s let the animation she created… Read More

52 Brain Facts

knowingneurons July 25, 2016June 5, 2019 52 Brain Facts, Brain, Cortex, Heart, Heartbeat, Research, RomCom

Myth or Fact? The Brain Doesn’t Listen to the Heart

Big Ideas

Joel Frohlich July 20, 2016June 30, 2017 Brain, Calcium, Carol Jung, Chaos, Chinese, Claude Shannon, Entropy, Experiments, Granule, Imaging, Information, Information theory, inhibitory, Komiyama, Mice, Mitral, Neurons, Neuroscience, Odor, Olfaction, Olfactory Bulb, paradox, Research, Seizure, Sleep, Sparse coding, theory, Videos, x, YouTube, z, Zebrafish

Learning from Disorder: The Paradox of Information in the Brain

In Dante’s Inferno, the fifth circle of Hell is a place where the wrathful fight each other for eternity. Similarly, I often consider YouTube comments to be an extracanonical circle… Read More

Science Policy

Jenn Tribble April 6, 2016March 5, 2017 Appropriation, Budget, Capitol Hill, Congress, Fiscal Year, Hill Day, House of Representation, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, NIH, NSF, Policy, President, Research, Senate, SfN, Society for Neuroscience

Translating Science to Policy: How to be a Science Advocate

Every year in our nation’s Capitol, there is a different kind of March Madness, otherwise known as appropriation season. … Read More

Interviews

Kate Fehlhaber October 16, 2015March 5, 2017 Anna Akana, Brad Gage, Conversation, ETTM, Expert, Interview, Kate Fehlhaber, Neuroscience, PhD, Podcast, Research, Science, Vision

Explain Things To Me: Neuroscientist Kate Fehlhaber

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Anna Akana and Brad Gage for their podcast called “Explain Things To Me,” a show that features conversations with experts in various fields,… Read More

Did You Know?Neuro News Science Policy

knowingneurons September 25, 2015March 5, 2017 Budget, Capitol, DC, Funding, Money, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Research, Science Advocacy, Science Policy, Washington

Science Advocacy on Capitol Hill: Bridging the Legislative Gap to Medical Research Funding

Last Thursday, September 17th I had the privilege of joining over 300 organizations including patients, physicians and fellow researchers in the Rally for Medical Research on Capitol Hill. Now in… Read More

Brain Basics Brain Development Interviews SfN 2014

Anita November 3, 2014March 5, 2017 Conversation, Excitation, GABA, glutamate, Gordon Fishell, Graduate School, Inhibition, Interneuron, Interview, NYU, Presidential Lecture, Research, SfN, SfN14

Science Fiction, Serendipity and Interneuron Specification: A Conversation with Dr. Gordon J. Fishell

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/175092412″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /] It is easy to assume that if a car has a gas pedal, it needs to have brakes, and similarly, if our brain… Read More

Brain Awareness Week 2014 Knowing Neurons

Brain Basics Neuro News

Kate Fehlhaber March 11, 2014March 5, 2017 2014, BAW, Brain, Brain Awareness Week, CrashCourse, Dana, Education, Fun, Global, Neuroscience, Physchology, Research

This Week is Brain Awareness Week

Every year, people all over the world get together to celebrate the brain! During Brain Awareness Week, scientists, families, schools, and communities work to raise public awareness about the progress… Read More