Category: 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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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, 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, 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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2024-25, Brain, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Ghrelin Recruits the Endocannabinoid system to modulate food reward 

Kang Lai, Class of 2026 Ghrelin, a hormone secreted by the stomach, increases appetite through the activation of growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHSR), primarily in the hypothalamus and ventral tegmental area (VTA). These are key regions of the brain responsible for reward and motivation due to an abundance of dopamine-releasing neurons. Another player in the food reward system is a family of lipid molecules called … Continue reading Ghrelin Recruits the Endocannabinoid system to modulate food reward 

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2024-25, Cognition, General Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience

Amyloid Burden in WTC Responders: Unraveling the Effects of Air Pollution

Tiffany Ang, Class of 2026 Amyloid-B (AB) proteins, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, have been linked to air pollution exposure, potentially contributing to neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Kritikos and colleagues at Stony Brook University investigated whether exposure to particulate matter (PM), particularly from the World Trade Center (WTC) site following the 9/11 attacks, was associated with increased cerebral amyloidosis, a condition characterized by the accumulation of … Continue reading Amyloid Burden in WTC Responders: Unraveling the Effects of Air Pollution

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2024-25, Degenerative Disease, Neuroscience, Psychology, Technology

The Joystick of the Mind: The Quest of Battling Dementia

Author: Sajia Athai, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Pictures on a map representing memories. People often fear the likelihood of their relatives and friends struggling to remember them as they age. From diseases such as Alzheimer’s to dementia, patients all over the world often struggle with the detrimental impacts of memory loss and the inability to form new ones.  Previous experiments unveil the impact of … Continue reading The Joystick of the Mind: The Quest of Battling Dementia

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