Mental Health

The Fatal Relationship Between Firearm Policy and Brain Development

September 13, 2022September 14, 2022 Vincent Medina Emotions, gun reform, Limbic system, maturation, policy regulation, Prefrontal Cortex, school shooting, worldwide policy

By Vincent Medina Gun deaths in the United States far exceed those of every other developed country in the world (Sam & Rupp, 2022). This has prompted frequent discussions about… Read more

Learning and Memory Mental Health Neuro News

The Female Brain on Hormonal Birth Control

July 19, 2022July 22, 2022 Talia Oughourlian Amygdala, Basal ganglia, birth control, brain structure, contraceptives, fMRI, Gray matter, Hippocampus, Insula, Learning and Memory, MRI, Plasticity, putamen

By: Talia Oughourlian Hormonal contraceptives were introduced more than 60 years ago (OBOS Contributors, 2021) with some commending the contraceptive pill as one of the greatest scientific inventions of the… Read more

Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Science Policy

Criminalization is an outdated approach to the US addiction crisis

April 27, 2022April 26, 2022 Arielle Hogan Cognition, Decriminalization, Drugs, mental health, Opiates, Psychosocial, Science Policy

(And why now is the perfect time to change it) The first time I heard the word prohibition was in eighth grade. The 18th amendment banned alcohol in 1918 in… Read more

Brain Basics Brain Development Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Depression: The Role of Chronic Inflammation

July 5, 2021June 22, 2022 Arielle Hogan depression, Inflammation, mental health, Neuroinflammation, Psychiatric Disorders

Depression is a common mental disorder affecting around 4% of the world’s population. Evidence suggests that chronic inflammation plays an important role in the development of depression. Indeed, around one… Read more

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

Neuro Primer: Addiction Basics

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

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… Read more

Big Ideas Brain Basics Did You Know? Mental Health Neuro News Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Uncategorized

The Nocebo Effect

January 3, 2021June 3, 2021 Elizabeth Burnette Bias, Classical Conditioning, Drug, negative symptoms, Placebo effect, Treatment

Most of us have heard of the placebo effect – the phenomenon in which patients experience improvements in health simply due to their belief in the efficacy of a medical… Read more

Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

The Default Mode Network and Depression

December 20, 2020February 18, 2021 Stacey Neglia Anxiety, Default mode network, depression, fMRI, Meditation, PET, Psychedelics

The inner landscape of the mind can be a dark and gloomy place for people with depression and anxiety. It is often filled with negative self-talk and repetitions of bad… Read more

Big Ideas Mental Health Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

Could a computer game help to tackle intrusive memories from traumatic events?

August 31, 2020August 31, 2020 Mariella Careaga Computer Games, Gaming, Intrusive Memories, Memory, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, Tetris

Nowadays, experiencing shocking and dangerous situations in which you think yours or someone else’s life is in danger is not rare. People who are exposed to, or have witnessed life-threatening… Read more

Mental Health

COVID-19 and Mental Health: How Social Isolation Impacts Your Brain

July 27, 2020July 25, 2020 Sophia La Banca Anxiety, Brain, Communication, covid-19, depression, mental health, Oxytocin, social isolation, stress response

Currently, we are facing one of the worst pandemics in human history. Since our means to fight the virus are still limited, social distancing has been the best way to… Read more

Knowing Neurons