[Podcast] Uploading the Human Brain
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
Parkinson’s Disease
The Law of Attraction, the Placebo Effect, and the Immune-Brain Connection
iomedical researchers call it “the most replicated experiment in the history of science.” Simply put, the placebo effect is a phenomenon where people who believe they are being treated for… Read more
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
Lighting Up The Brain With Optogenetics
Scientists studying pond scum discovered its peculiar ability to sense light, even without eyes. This discovery would eventually lead to a technique called optogenetics, one of the most powerful techniques… Read more
The Past and Promise of Deep Brain Stimulation
In the early 1980s, a few batches of contaminated synthetic heroin triggered severe Parkinson’s disease symptoms among the drug addicts who used it. The tragedy would lead to a new… Read more
Stimulating Neural Circuits with Magnetism
Brain stimulation might sound like some Frankensteinian demonstration from a Victorian science fair. But in reality, it is a contemporary technique making a huge impact in neuroscience by addressing a… Read more
The Strange Relationship between Nicotine and Parkinson’s Disease
According to the World Health Organization, smoking is responsible for approximately 6 million deaths in the world every year or one fatality every six seconds. 71% of all lung cancers… Read more
Why Dopamine Makes People More Impulsive
Over the past few decades, the neurochemical dopamine has earned the reputation of being the brain’s reward molecule. This image is built on observations that when animals and humans experience… Read more
Tangerines, Tomatoes, and Neuroinflammation! Oh My!
While we are still in the midst of the flu season, we all try to stay as healthy as possible by consuming large quantities of Vitamin C. Whether it’s chewable… Read more
Repaving Old Roads After Spinal Cord Injury
The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 500,000 people will experience spinal cord injuries (SCI) every year. Researchers at the Center for Neuroprosthetics and Brain Mind Institute in… Read more
Mitochondria: More Than Just a Powerhouse
Mitochondria are frequently implicated in several human disease states. From neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder, to metabolic conditions like diabetes and obesity, energy abnormalities are seen… Read more
Bringing Statues to Life
It’s 1920, and an epidemic is in full effect. Encephalitis lethargica (also known as sleepy sickness) has spread across the globe, leaving some of its victims as still as statues,… Read more