Category: Neurology

2023-24, 2023-24, Brain, Cellular and Molecular Science, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Neurology, Neuroscience, Year

Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism

By Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: A myelinating oligodendrocyte in a murine brain.  Oligodendrocytes are specialized glial cells in the central nervous system primarily responsible for myelination, the process of ensheathing the axons of neurons in a lipid-rich membrane known as myelin, which insulates the nerve fibers and speeds up the transmission of the action potentials they conduct. Oligodendrocytes are the products of … Continue reading Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2023-24, Cellular and Molecular Science, General Neuroscience, Genetics, Neurology, Neuroscience

Uncovering a Key Mechanism of Rett Syndrome Pathology

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurological disorder found primarily in females that causes impairment in essential functions including breathing, eating, and walking abilities. The disorder is characterized by slowed brain growth, which can lead to various mental and physical disabilities. Key markers and causes of RTT are mutations on a gene called MECP2. MECP2 is an X-linked gene … Continue reading Uncovering a Key Mechanism of Rett Syndrome Pathology

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
General Psychology, Neurology, Psychology

Quantifying Affectionate Touch in Romantic Relationships

Julia Chivu ’23 Across cultures and continents, affection serves as a universal bond that unites romantic partners. Researchers from various institutions worldwide collaborated on two studies to better understand and quantify the dynamic between love and touch. The first study sought to investigate the global association between love and touch-related behaviors. The second study examined the correlation between frequencies of affectionate touch and love amongst … Continue reading Quantifying Affectionate Touch in Romantic Relationships

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Health, Neurology, Neuroscience, Psychology

Where Do We Feel Love?

Julia Chivu ‘ 23 Figure 1  A person looking off to the side while clutching a neon red heart in a dimly lit environment.  Love has compelled psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and other scholars to try and understand its complexities and implications. Researchers from Aalto University sought to understand how 27 different types of love, including parental, romantic, sexual, and religious love, are perceived and experienced … Continue reading Where Do We Feel Love?

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Brain, General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

PD-Modeling Midbrain Dopamine Loss Diminishes Thalamocortical Signaling

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Figure 1: The substantia nigra (SN) nucleus in the midbrain. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an age-related, neurodegenerative movement disorder that causes a progressive loss of motor control. The disease is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), a midbrain nucleus that modulates movement and reward functions. The SN is one of five subcortical nuclei that make … Continue reading PD-Modeling Midbrain Dopamine Loss Diminishes Thalamocortical Signaling

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Neurology, Psychology

Maternal Empathetic Cortical Responses Synchronize with Neonatal Pain Perception

Vignesh Subramanian ‘ 24 Figure 1: The heel prick of an infant’s foot, which often induces momentary pain for the infant. The early psychophysical development of newborns relies heavily on having strong emotional bonds with caregivers. Compared to other animals, human infants are born highly dependent on their parents, undergoing a prolonged period of extensive neural organization and brain development that requires greater parental sensitivity … Continue reading Maternal Empathetic Cortical Responses Synchronize with Neonatal Pain Perception

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
Brain, Neurology

Understanding the Neurobiology of Love and Deception

Julia Chivu ’23 Figure 1  Couple holding hands walking towards a multi-colored sunset Recent scientific research has been increasingly focused on better understanding the complex relationship between deception and love. The study of deception within relationships and across genders is essential for interpreting the correlation between human behavior, neural mechanisms, and trust. A research team from Zhejiang Normal University investigated the neurological mechanisms of deception … Continue reading Understanding the Neurobiology of Love and Deception

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2022-23, Biology, Medicine and Physiology, Neurology

Development of Innovative Burn Assessment Technique Using Neural Network

Julia Chivu ’23 The current burn injury evaluation methods available for clinical use are ineffective and outdated. These circumstances are problematic as the initial injury assessment is necessary to ensure the best clinical treatment plan for the patient. Burns can lead to deep tissue damages, necrosis, and severe scarring. Without a proper course of action, the injury can negatively impact the patient’s quality of life, … Continue reading Development of Innovative Burn Assessment Technique Using Neural Network

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2022-23, Brain, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Selective Striatal Neuron Degeneration in HD Linked to Autophagy Impairment

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease that causes the progressive breakdown of neurons over time, resulting in the development of involuntary movements (chorea), psychiatric disorders, and cognitive decline. HD is caused by the dominant mutation of the HTT gene encoding huntingtin, a protein whose normal function is unknown but is linked to projection neuron death in the striatum of the … Continue reading Selective Striatal Neuron Degeneration in HD Linked to Autophagy Impairment

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2022-23, Artificial Intelligence, Neurology, Technology

AI-Assisted Readings May Greatly Improve Fracture Diagnosis

Sooraj Shah ’24 The detection of fractures via radiography is one of the most highly used practices in clinical settings such as the emergency room, urgent care, orthopedic and rheumatology offices. The missed fracture diagnosis rate is between 1-3%, accounting for almost 1,200 of every 100,000 patients. A major cause of missed fractures is erroneous initial readings by residents or non-radiologists, which are only corrected … Continue reading AI-Assisted Readings May Greatly Improve Fracture Diagnosis

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2022-23, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neurology, Neuroscience

Use of Retinoid Therapy May Restore Vision in Blind Adults

Sooraj Shah ’24 Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a family of retinal disorders, which result in severe vision loss from birth. LCA is one of the most common causes of childhood blindness, affecting approximately 2-3 infants for every 100,000 births. Currently, no direct cure for LCA exists, but recent developments in gene replacement therapy have shown promise in partially restoring retinal light-sensing ability with variability … Continue reading Use of Retinoid Therapy May Restore Vision in Blind Adults

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment
2022-23, Biology, Brain, Cellular and Molecular Science, General Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Neurology, Neuroscience

Lack of CLOCK Regulator Protein May Predict Focal Seizure Susceptibility

By Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Focal seizure activity originates at particular foci﹣those being lobes, regions or hemispheres – of abnormal brain tissue and may emanate outward.  Epilepsy is a chronic central nervous system disorder characterized by uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that triggers recurrent, spontaneous seizures. The majority of new epilepsy cases involve focal epilepsy, in which seizure activity originates in a particular “focus” or … Continue reading Lack of CLOCK Regulator Protein May Predict Focal Seizure Susceptibility

Young Investigators ReviewLeave a comment