Category: General Neuroscience

Brain, Depression, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience

Contrasting Chronic and Nonchronic Depression with Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI

Author: Maegan Diep, Class of 2029 Depression varies in traits and characteristics among individuals, making its causes and mechanisms difficult to treat. Though depression can be categorized into chronic and nonchronic courses, the issue of reliable diagnoses persists, as there is a lack of evidence in distinguishing the etiology and physiological processes of the condition. Thus, researchers from the Klein lab at Stony Brook University … Continue reading Contrasting Chronic and Nonchronic Depression with Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI

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General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Clinical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Neurocardiology

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Neurocardiology is a new and emerging field that examines the heart-brain interaction in the context of health and disease. Conditions such as stroke and cardiac arrhythmia are connected by the heart-brain axis: a network of neural, vascular, and physiological signals. Early and accurate detection of abnormalities along this axis is essential for improving patient outcomes. Stony Brook Medicine researcher … Continue reading Clinical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Neurocardiology

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Cognition, General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Celestial Maps: A Newly Discovered Method of Navigation in Bogong Moths

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Clustering formation of bogong moths following migration Many different species of animals have been observed to perform migratory travels for a variety of reasons, including searching for food, being influenced by changes in climate, or finding a safe breeding ground. These animals do so using unique methods of navigation–some may learn from previous generations’ migration patterns. In … Continue reading Celestial Maps: A Newly Discovered Method of Navigation in Bogong Moths

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Brain, Cognition, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neurology

Hippocampal interneuron activity drives functional hyperemia leading to neurovascular disfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease

Author: Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Functional hyperemia, or the dilation of blood vessels in response to increased metabolic activity, is critical for regulating the levels of oxygen and glucose in the brain. Moreover, it facilitates the clearance of metabolic byproducts such as amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), an accumulation of which underlies Alzheimer’s disease. In Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), disruptions in vascular dynamics are significant but poorly … Continue reading Hippocampal interneuron activity drives functional hyperemia leading to neurovascular disfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease

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General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Dopamine, central in the brain’s reward system, plays a key role in addiction and reward processing. Studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) show reduced dopamine release and fewer receptors, even after prolonged periods of abstinence from their drug of choice. Neuromelanin-sensitivity magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) visualizes and quantifies the concentration of Neuromelanin (NM) in brain tissues. … Continue reading Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain

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Brain, Cognition, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE AND DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN

Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Dopamine, central in the brain’s reward system, plays a key role in addiction and reward processing. Studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) show reduced dopamine release and fewer receptors, even after prolonged periods of abstinence from their drug of choice. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) visualizes and quantifies the concentration of neuromelanin (NM) in brain tissues. … Continue reading ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE AND DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN

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2024-25, Depression, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Health, Health and Medicine, Neuroscience

Novel Implications of the Neuroimmune System in Major Depressive Disorder

Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Every year, three million people in the United States alone are diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). MDD is a serious form of mental illness that impacts countless facets of people’s lives, characterized by a persistently low mood and general impairment of daily routines. Interestingly, glial cells, generally known for their roles in regulation and support of neuronal networks in … Continue reading Novel Implications of the Neuroimmune System in Major Depressive Disorder

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2024-25, Cognition, Degenerative Disease, Disease, General Neuroscience, Health, Health and Medicine

Green Tea: Fighting Dementia One Cup at a Time

Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Dementia is a progressive neurological disease most prevalent in older adults that is associated with aging and significant declines in cognitive function and memory. It has been strongly correlated with general brain atrophy, including of the hippocampus, and the increased presence of lesions (areas of damage within brain tissue) in cerebral white matter. This corresponds to the symptoms observed in … Continue reading Green Tea: Fighting Dementia One Cup at a Time

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2024-25, Biology, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Neurogenesis and Repair Mechanisms Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Insights from Mouse Models

Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of cognitive defects affecting both physical and mental functions of the brain. Its implications span from cognitive defects to motor dysfunction to behavioral disorders–all of which permanently and severely diminish quality of life. TBI also greatly disrupts neurogenesis–the formation of new neurons– and neuronal stem cell regeneration. At the … Continue reading Neurogenesis and Repair Mechanisms Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Insights from Mouse Models

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2024-25, Degenerative Disease, Disease, Health, mental health, Psychology

Can a Change in Diet Improve Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Patients?

Asher Agarwal, Class of 2027 Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, is caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, a region important for the modulation of motor control. The classic triad of Parkinson’s symptoms is tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement). Recent research has been investigating the gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms associated with Parkinson’s. Evidence suggests the existence … Continue reading Can a Change in Diet Improve Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Patients?

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2024-25, Biology, Cellular and Molecular Science, General Neuroscience, Health, Health and Medicine, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience

Flavonoids to the Rescue: Combating Age-Related Neurodegeneration

Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Neurodegeneration, which is often associated with aging, leads to the development of serious diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, that afflict more than 50 million people worldwide. In addition to their devastating impact, neurodegenerative diseases are particularly problematic regarding their prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment. One of the primary factors underlying the development of neurodegenerative diseases is mitochondrial dysfunction. This … Continue reading Flavonoids to the Rescue: Combating Age-Related Neurodegeneration

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General Neuroscience, Health, Neuroscience

Do Signals in the Brain Control Our Taste Preferences?

Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Our perception of taste profoundly influences our calorie intake and food preferences, and even serves as a defense mechanism from harmful substances. The gustatory insular cortex, a key brain region associated with taste, is closely linked to eating patterns and disorders. While neuronal circuits in this region have been studied, its neurochemical signaling remains obscure.  The Maffei lab at Stony … Continue reading Do Signals in the Brain Control Our Taste Preferences?

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