Category: General Neuroscience

2022-23, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience, Psychology

Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

By: Jessica George, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Global frontal brain activity may be a biomarker for non-planned or impulsive suicide attempts Suicide is a serious public health concern and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. One of the major challenges in preventing suicide is the frequent non-planned or impulsive nature of suicidal behavior, leaving little opportunity for intervention. Therefore, it is essential … Continue reading Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

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2022-23, General Neuroscience

Intrinsic Biases in Maternal EEG/ERP Research Undermine Racial Representation

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 The use of electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) – two methods of recording brain waves to measure continuous and stimulus-based electrical activity, respectively – is most common in the diagnosis of brain disorders. However, EEG/ERP methodology is also used to monitor the timing of cognitive functions during periods of stress or development. EEG’s high temporal resolution allows for the observation of … Continue reading Intrinsic Biases in Maternal EEG/ERP Research Undermine Racial Representation

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2022-23, Brain, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience

EEG Analysis Reveals Association Between Parkinson’s Disease with Visual Hallucinations and Epileptic Discharges

Jessica George ’24 Psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by visual hallucinations (VHs). These VHs have a significant impact on patient’s lives and serve as a reliable predictor for future nursing home institutionalization. Several disorders such as Charles Bonnet syndrome and temporal lobe epilepsy have similar features to those of PD VHs. In the aforementioned disorders, EEG analysis revealed epileptiform discharges, which led researchers … Continue reading EEG Analysis Reveals Association Between Parkinson’s Disease with Visual Hallucinations and Epileptic Discharges

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2022-23, Brain, Degenerative Disease, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Exercise Was Successfully Able to Restore Brain Insulin Responsiveness in Overweight and Obese Individuals Living a Sedentary Life

Jessica George ’24 When the brain is resistant to insulin, the body tends to gain weight and distribute fat unfavorably. Resistance to insulin is one of the main characteristics of disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Today, it is unknown whether it is possible to completely reverse insulin resistance in the brain. Researchers at the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of … Continue reading Exercise Was Successfully Able to Restore Brain Insulin Responsiveness in Overweight and Obese Individuals Living a Sedentary Life

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2022-23, Brain, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Novel Form of Noninvasive Neurosurgery Selectively Lesions Faulty Neural Circuitry

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 A number of movement disorders and motor neuron diseases, including focal epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy, and multiple sclerosis, are recognized as medically intractable or capable of becoming so. Intractable conditions lack known etiologies and have no established courses of treatment, with those in the neurological sphere often characterized by resistance to neural activity-suppressing medications (e.g. muscle relaxants, … Continue reading Novel Form of Noninvasive Neurosurgery Selectively Lesions Faulty Neural Circuitry

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2022-23, Neuroscience, Uncategorized

Case Study Suggests Possible Link Between Hepatitis B Vaccine and Multiple Sclerosis

Jessica George ’24 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune system disorder in which the myelin sheath surrounding axons degenerates, causing system-wide brain-body disruptions. The cause of MS is unknown, but several triggers have been identified. A case study of a patient who developed MS symptoms a day after being vaccinated with hepatitis B inspired researchers from the Bassett Medical center to explore whether the hepatitis … Continue reading Case Study Suggests Possible Link Between Hepatitis B Vaccine and Multiple Sclerosis

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2022-23, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

World Trade Center Responders with Cognitive Impairment Found to Have Decreased Cerebellar Cortical Thickness

Jessica George ’24 There is no doubt that the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) left devastating effects on the community. WTC-affected individuals, including survivors, first responders, and those involved in the clean up/recovery operation were exposed to a multitude of physical and psychological stressors. Prior neuroimaging studies demonstrate that WTC responders with cognitive impairment experienced connectivity changes in the white matter … Continue reading World Trade Center Responders with Cognitive Impairment Found to Have Decreased Cerebellar Cortical Thickness

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2022-23, Brain

Targeted Treatment to the Thalamus Can Have Successful Results in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Melanie Karniewich ’25 Brain injuries are becoming more common, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions that are asked in the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). One issue researchers are trying to resolve is whether a patient will awaken after a TBI, and if so, how long awakening takes. Assistant professors Sima Mofakham (Department of Surgery and the Department of Electrical … Continue reading Targeted Treatment to the Thalamus Can Have Successful Results in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries

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2022-23, Brain, General Neuroscience, Neuroscience

Neuronal Firing in Thalamus is Key to Restoring Post-TBI Consciousness

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of acquired brain disability caused by an external force exerted against the head. The causative trauma is typically severe enough to result in loss of consciousness and the conditions under which consciousness returns remain unclear. Clinical practice uses complex electroencephalography (EEG) activity to predict its return and level, predicated on the assumption that neuronal firing … Continue reading Neuronal Firing in Thalamus is Key to Restoring Post-TBI Consciousness

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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

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2022-23, Brain, Cognition, General Psychology, Psychology

Uncovering the Nuances of Mental Disorders and their Impact on the Brain

Lydia Wang ’26 When referencing common medical conditions, heart disease and high blood pressure are often grouped together, as one usually implies the other. Such groupings—the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions—are known as comorbidities. Comorbidities in mental health are common; more than half of individuals with mental disorders have more than one. Their occurrence has been dismissed as coincidence and ignored in … Continue reading Uncovering the Nuances of Mental Disorders and their Impact on the Brain

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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

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