Category: General Neuroscience

2016-17, Health, Neuroscience

Efficacy of Quetiapine Monotherapy in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

          Ericka Berman Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating illness affecting approximately 7.8% of people in the U.S. over the course of their lifetime. As of now, two medications are approved in the U.S. to treat PTSD, but both treatments have limited success. Characteristics of the antipsychotic medication quetiapine suggest it may be helpful in treating PTSD symptoms of re-experiencing … Continue reading Efficacy of Quetiapine Monotherapy in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

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2016-17, Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience

NeuroGrids for Minimally Invasive Diagnosis

    By Richard Liang Monitoring the electrophysiological signals in the brain is critical for diagnosing and treating neurological diseases. The closer a sensor is to the neurons, the more accurate and precise the readings of neuronal activity can be. While sub-dural electrodes can be placed on the surface of brain tissue, issues like local tissue damage, hemorrhages, and infections can be detrimental to patient … Continue reading NeuroGrids for Minimally Invasive Diagnosis

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2016-17, Genetics, Neuroscience

Genetic Vulnerability in Alzheimer’s Disease

by Richard Liang ’18   Alzheimer’s disease is a major neurodegenerative condition, with individuals usually developing symptoms at ages above 65. Symptoms include impaired memory, speech, and other mental functions. Alzheimer’s has shown a correlation with increasing aggregates of Amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). However, it is difficult to predict whether and at what time these plaques and tangles will be expressed in an individual. … Continue reading Genetic Vulnerability in Alzheimer’s Disease

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2016-17, Neuroscience

Self-Control Beyond the Prefrontal Cortex

by Richard Liang ’18   The human brain affects almost everything aspect of existence, from locomotion and speech to feeling. Decision making and self-control are also affected by parts of the brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex. However, a recent study led by Alexander Soutscheck in the Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research of the University of Zurich has shown that there could also be another … Continue reading Self-Control Beyond the Prefrontal Cortex

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2016-17, Neuroscience

Scientists Discover Postnatal Migratory Neurons

by Patrick Yang   The cerebral cortex is the outermost layer of the brain and is responsible for advanced processes, such as complex emotion, that distinguish humans from other animals. A key component in cortex development is prenatal neural migration, the movement of neurons before birth, which begins early on in the embryo. These migratory neurons, or Arc neurons, originate near areas of initial development … Continue reading Scientists Discover Postnatal Migratory Neurons

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2016-17, Biology, Genetics, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

Memory and the Stages of a Women’s Menstrual Cycle

    by Rideeta Raquib Previous psychological studies have suggested that women have a good memory, but a new study implies that this may be due to the impact of hormones. Other studies that tested rodents showed that there was a correlation between low estradiol (E2) levels and an increase in striatal mediated response strategies. The striatum is a region of the forebrain associated with … Continue reading Memory and the Stages of a Women’s Menstrual Cycle

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience, Psychology

‘Super-agers’ Retain Youthful Memories

  By Jalwa Alfroz As humans age, it is normal for cognitive skills, such as memory, to decline. However, some people seem to escape this fate, and are subsequently categorized as super-agers. Investigators at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, led by Dr. Bradford Dickerson, revealed that certain areas of the brains of older adults with extraordinary memory performance looked similar to those of young adults. Previously, … Continue reading ‘Super-agers’ Retain Youthful Memories

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Degenerative Disease, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

A Promising Therapeutic Compound for Huntington’s Disease

By Jalwa Alfroz There is currently no available treatment that can promisingly cure the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington’s disease (HD). HD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by an inherited defect in a single gene encoding the highly conserved protein, Huntington. It is also an autosomal dominant defect, which means that a person only needs one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder. The … Continue reading A Promising Therapeutic Compound for Huntington’s Disease

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2016-17, Neuroscience

October Feature: Neuroscience Axis

This past week, one of our Cabinet Members, Benjamin Kerner, sat down with the President and Vice President of Neuroscience Axis, Joseph Arena and Katherine Maiorisi, in order to shine light on their endeavors and mission at Stony Brook. Neuroscience Axis works to facilitate the interactions between undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty in the field of Neuroscience. B: What is your role in the … Continue reading October Feature: Neuroscience Axis

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2016-17, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

Antibody-Based Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Jalwa Afroz The antibody aducanumab reduces amyloid-β plaques, helping to prevent the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic type of dementia that affects a person’s memory and behavior. Ultimately, cognitive decline and behavioral disturbances lead to a person’s inability to perform daily activity. Through pathophysiological evidence, researchers have shown that amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque buildup in the brain causes neurotoxicity. … Continue reading Antibody-Based Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

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2016-17, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

A New Method For Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease

by Sahil Rawal (’19) Parkinson’s disease is a condition that causes lower levels of dopamine in the brain, leading to neurodegeneration. Parkinson’s is commonly seen in older patients, and causes a loss of muscle control. Till now, there was no test for Parkinson’s that would guarantee its diagnosis; rather, physicians analyzed medical histories and conducted neurological tests to look for signs of Parkinson’s. However, Dr. … Continue reading A New Method For Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease

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2016-17, Neuroscience

A Step Forward in Parkinson’s Disease

by Sahil Rawal (’19) Parkinson’s Disease is a very deadly condition with unknown origins, as scientists have been unable to pinpoint an exact explanation for its occurrence. Previous studies have shown that patients with Parkinson’s lack dopamine-producing cells, which causes attenuation of motor skills. Furthermore, it has been shown that mitochondrial toxicity causes mutations in PINK1 and PARKIN genes in patients with Parkinson’s. However, these … Continue reading A Step Forward in Parkinson’s Disease

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