An Unfiltered Mind: Why an Overload of Irrelevant Information Causes Hallucinations

Author: Tiffany Ang, Class of 2025 Figure 1: A visual representation of how perception overload amplifies the complexities of cognitive processing. Hallucinations are disruptions in perception that lead to incorrect interpretations of environmental stimuli. Dr. Larsen and colleagues from the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University are exploring the relationship between hallucination-proneness and the weighting of information, particularly how a diminished responsivity to variations … Continue reading An Unfiltered Mind: Why an Overload of Irrelevant Information Causes Hallucinations

Surgery Unlocked: Revolutionizing Surgical Training Through Gaming

Author: Tiffany Ang, Class of 2025 Figure 1: Healthcare professionals use virtual reality simulations to practice dexterity and visual-spatial skills for medical procedures to boost confidence and mitigate knowledge gaps.  Gaming science is increasingly integrated into medical education to enhance learning and skill development. Games inherently include gamification elements, such as point systems, that foster active learning and have the potential to improve knowledge retention … Continue reading Surgery Unlocked: Revolutionizing Surgical Training Through Gaming

Parasocial Relationships: One-Sided, Yet Significant

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1. Woman wearing headphones while scrolling through YouTube Parasocial relationships (PSRs) are one-sided relationships that one develops with media personae, such as celebrities, fictional characters, or social media influencers, who are incapable of returning sentiment. Recent studies suggest that one-sided relationships may serve as valuable social resources, fulfilling many of the same needs as two-sided relationships with close … Continue reading Parasocial Relationships: One-Sided, Yet Significant

Can Exercise Improve Chemotherapy Side-Effects?

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1. Woman lifting two dumbbells at the gym Certain types of chemotherapy, a widely used treatment for cancers, can lead to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a side-effect that causes pain, numbness, tingling, balance difficulties, and an increased risk of falls. Up to 68% of patients undergoing chemotherapy develop CIPN during or immediately after treatment, and 30-40% of patients … Continue reading Can Exercise Improve Chemotherapy Side-Effects?

Amyloid-beta Deposition: A Cause or Byproduct of Alzheimer’s?

Author: Farzad Hoque, Class of 2028 The relationship between neurovascular coupling and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression has been a focal point of neurological research. While vascular dysfunction in AD is well-documented, questions remain about whether these abnormalities emerge before amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition or arise as a consequence. Recent research has shed light on the early neurovascular changes in mouse models of AD, suggesting new mechanisms … Continue reading Amyloid-beta Deposition: A Cause or Byproduct of Alzheimer’s?

An Interesting Twist to the Long Video Game Debate

Author: Farzad Hoque, Class of 2028 The relationship between video games and behavior has long sparked debate within psychology and education. Investigations on how different game genres may influence levels of aggression and social intelligence among regular gamers have been conducted for decades, and recent research shines a new light on the matter. Similar to what has been commonly believed, researchers hypothesized that distinct game … Continue reading An Interesting Twist to the Long Video Game Debate

The Effects of Video Game Addiction on Children’s Cognitive and Learning Skills

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1: A couple of young kids playing video games. Video games have become an increasingly popular source of entertainment among children, with over 90% of children between 2 and 17 years old actively playing video games. Although video games allow children to socialize and have leisure time, they can also lead to addiction. Excessive gaming can negatively impact … Continue reading The Effects of Video Game Addiction on Children’s Cognitive and Learning Skills

FOXO1: A Memory Upgrader for T-cells!

Author: Farzad Hoque, Class of 2028 The persistence and effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies depend significantly on the ability of these cells to maintain memory-like states while avoiding exhaustion. Recent research has identified the transcription factor FOXO1 as a critical regulator of memory programming in CAR T cells, offering transformative insights into improving therapeutic outcomes. Alexander E. Doan and colleagues conducted a … Continue reading FOXO1: A Memory Upgrader for T-cells!

Disease Rarity Doesn’t Cause Increased Loneliness

Author: Farzad Hoque, Class of 2028 Loneliness is something all have experienced, but it is especially present for people living with chronic illnesses. One might think that individuals with rare chronic conditions would feel lonelier than those with more common diseases, but when looked into it, the reality was surprising.  Dr. Lobel and Dr. Nicoloro-SantaBarbara at Stony Brook University gathered data via an anonymous online … Continue reading Disease Rarity Doesn’t Cause Increased Loneliness

Efforts To Prevent Students from “Gaming” the System

Author: Ishmam, Class of 2025 Figure: “Gaming” the system has become a rising phenomenon of technology-based learning programs in education Educational systems have started using new technology to keep up with the evolution of our learning spaces and culture. The surge in Computer-Based Learning Platforms (CBLPs) has also resulted in a rise in students “gaming the system”, a phenomenon that exploits system mechanics to progress … Continue reading Efforts To Prevent Students from “Gaming” the System

EEG Wave Value Differentiation Explaining Different Stages of Parkinson’s Disease

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure: Parkinson’s is a detrimental neurodegenerative disease that affects patients at varying degrees of severity As neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease (PD) progress, insights into brain changes become crucial for early diagnoses and effective interventions. In a recent study, Pappalettera et al. at Stony Brook University utilized Approximate Entropy (ApEn) analysis to compare the complex brain signals that occur … Continue reading EEG Wave Value Differentiation Explaining Different Stages of Parkinson’s Disease

Virtual Reality: An Effective Tool for Safety Training

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1: A man using a virtual reality headset. Safety training is an important tool that helps prevent accidents by enhancing one’s ability to identify and analyze risks while performing dangerous tasks. Typically delivered through safety manuals, videos, lectures, slideshows, and drills, safety training methods have several limitations: they do not provide feedback to participants, have difficulties illustrating realistic … Continue reading Virtual Reality: An Effective Tool for Safety Training