Category Archives: NeuWrite

June 19

Locked In Syndrome: Facing My Nightmare

posted by

You always hear about “medical student syndrome,” where first year med students start diagnosing themselves with all of the diseases they learn about, becoming temporary hypochondriacs.  They don’t tell you that the same fear can set in during graduate school.  Ever since I started my Ph.D, I’ve diagnosed myself with more than a few of […]

»»
March 28

Genetically programmed, but with options

posted by

This is a guest post by Adam Calhoun (@neuroecology), a very talented science writer and fellow member of UCSD Neurosciences.  Australia has been having a problem with discarded beer bottles. It turns out that the Australian Jewel Beetle finds these bottles so attractive that they will mate with them until they die from dehydration. The bottles, […]

»»
January 30

[title goes here]

posted by

Here’s a confession- I had absolutely no idea what I was going to write about when I signed up for today’s post.  I assumed that, as in the past, inspiration would come to me with time to spare. I was wrong. I wracked my brain.  I read weeks’ worth of Science and Nature emails searching […]

»»
January 16

Cannabis, Creativity, & The Cortex

posted by

I believe in a long, prolonged, derangement of the senses in order to obtain the unknown. – Jim Morrison The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world. – Carl […]

»»
December 24

Neuro-Gifting

posted by

‘Tis the season…for a lot of things. No matter what holiday you celebrate, December tends to be a month to get together with family, give each other gifts, and if you’re still feeling generous, give money to charity. The end of this month also tends to involve the consumption of a great deal of alcohol…stay […]

»»
November 28

Tuckered Out By Turkey’s Tryptophan?

posted by

The carcass lies half eaten in the middle of the room.  Its devourers are scattered about, full stomachs groaning as they sleep off their heavy meal.  A sense of quiet calm settles around their tired forms.  Yes, it has been a successful feast, one that is taking place across a joyful nation.  I’m talking, of […]

»»
November 21

The unsexy side of antidepressants

posted by

Do you suffer from sadness, loss of interest or anxiety? Talk to your doctor about NeuWriteSD.org. Ninety-five percent of depressed individuals report a more positive outlook and greater contentment after reading NeuWriteSD 1. Please, always consult your doctor before reading this or any other blog, as side effects may include decreased libido, impaired sexual function, or […]

»»
November 07

SFN 2013: Writers’ picks

posted by

This weekend, San Diego is the host city to the unbelievably huge Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. 30,000 neuroscientists from all over the world will flood downtown and the zoo (and maybe the conference center). If you’re one of those neuroscientists, we’ve all put together our recommendations for things to do at the conference, as […]

»»
October 29

The science non-fiction of a bodiless brain

posted by

The brain. Nestled cozily inside its skull and properly integrated with its body’s peripheral nervous and circulatory systems, the organ is revered as a sacred abode for our thoughts, emotions, and identity. But extracted from this natural habitat, its slimy cortex and gyrating gyri can make one squeamish. Don’t worry, we neuroscientists aren’t offended. It’s […]

»»
October 28

Zombies are real – I wish I was kidding.

posted by

Zombies terrify me. Maybe it’s their helter-skelter gait and bloody outstretched arms, or perhaps the fact that they eat brains, and I happen to like brains. That must be it. You know what’s also horrifying? Our contrived Hollywood concept of zombies is derived from the Haiti zombi, a real phenomenon that occurred in the context […]

»»