Category Archives: Neuroscience

April 05

Feeling Pooped? Gut Microbiome Interventions for Depression

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We often think of depression as a disorder rooted in the brain—a chemical imbalance or faulty wiring. But what if the roots of depression extend far beyond and below the skull, into an unexpected place? Scientists are increasingly finding that the gut microbiome—a vast ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in your gut—could play […]

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March 13

Into the Mind of the Manatee

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The Lazy Life of the Sea Cow Manatees are the gentle giants of the ocean. Reaching 13 feet long and weighing more than a ton, these mammals should give off a dominating presence, but in reality, the opposite is true [1]. Manatees tend to get along well with most aquatic species. They have no natural […]

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February 14

Your Love Is My Drug

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“Maybe just need some rehab, or maybe just need some sleep…” Kesha wasn’t wrong in comparing love to a drug. No matter what you define as a drug, intense romantic love has intoxicating effects. Studies have shown that the brain responds to love through mechanisms similar to those of addictive substances1,2. Whether it’s the rush […]

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February 13

A Sweet Treat for the Brain

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We all need a little treat sometimes – maybe on a special occasion, maybe after a long day, or maybe just as a pick-me-up in the afternoons. If you’re a chocolate lover like me, this treat might be a lindor truffle or a mocha latte. Many research studies have found that people show improvements in […]

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February 06

Déjà Vu: Have We Been Here Before?

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SEEING THE FUTURE Remember that time you were sitting in the lunch hall with your friend and they were telling you a story that you thought you’d heard before? Not only that, but you also felt like the exact experience you were having had already happened. The scene was so familiar –the room you were […]

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November 21

Paresthesia: more than just pins & needles

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It happens to us all – you doze off in a less-than-ideal position, and when you awaken, there’s a part of your body that has gone numb. It’s certainly aggravating – your limb is unusable and unresponsive for several moments, flopping about with uncomfortable tingles. Commonly, we complain that our feet, legs, fingers, or arms […]

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November 15

When Dreams Become Reality

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Dream-Reality Confusion in Borderline Personality Disorder Introduction When you look back at today, will you know if the day you lived was real or if it was all a dream? Think about major events in your life: a promotion, the birth of a child, a tragic accident, or the loss of a loved one. What […]

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October 31

The Double-Edged Sword of Cellular Senescence

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Why do some cells age gracefully and others lead to disease? Cellular senescence is a hot topic in aging and disease research, but it is a bit of a double-edged sword. This fascinating process can be both a friend and a foe to our health, playing both benefitial and detrimental roles.

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October 30

What Dreams Are Made Of

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Introduction Dreaming is a mystical phenomenon. Dreams can take you on magical adventures, allowing you to soar through the sky and discover new worlds. They can also be more earnest, allowing you to relive experiences with loved ones, or imagine how a situation in waking life may have gone if different decisions were made. As […]

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September 19

Solving the Puzzle of Addiction

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According to the United Nations’s World Drug Report of 2024, the number of people who use drugs worldwide had risen to 292 million in 2022, a 20 percent increase over the past 10 years (1). Further more, an estimated 64 million of those people suffer from a substance use disorder (addiction). The study of addiction […]

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