Asthma. We’ve all heard of it. Whether it be your friend who carries an inhaler in their backpack or the student in the back of the lecture hall who can’t stop coughing during flu season, almost everyone is familiar with this chronic respiratory condition. Characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways accompanied by acute […]
Breathe in, zone out: How hypnosis could help your asthma Read More »
The enigma of memory has long captured the attention of scientists and thinkers alike. The Greek philosopher Plato once theorized that our brain and memories function like a wax tablet, where impressions are engraved and later read. Though outdated, Plato’s metaphor remains useful to illustrate how our memories are created, stored, and retrieved. You may
The mystery of memory: Where our memories are stored and how they are retrieved Read More »
Can I hypnotize you in 500 words? Probably not — this isn’t a movie or Vegas stage show — but a professional may be able to in just one. Hypnosis is a trance-like state during which the brain experiences a noticeable change in theta wave activity. Theta waves are brain waves synonymous with the subconscious mind, and
Tapping into a trance: The neuroscience of hypnosis Read More »
Think of your brain as a busy city – constantly working, processing “events”, and producing waste. What if there was an essential system in the brain that helped clear out these “toxins” and prevent harmful buildup? This is exactly what the glymphatic system does. The glymphatic system is a network that utilizes perivascular channels to
Get some sleep, and clear your mind Read More »
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia. It affects an estimated 6.9 million Americans and remains the fifth-leading cause of death among Americans aged 65 and older. Unlike other major causes of death, such as HIV, heart disease, and stroke, AD rates continue to rise. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms behind disease development
Higher levels of leptin suggest brain protection against late-life dementia Read More »
Dismissed and criminalized for decades, psychedelics were thought to offer nothing beyond mind-bending hallucinations. However, as times change, scientists are beginning to re-explore the medicinal benefits of psychedelics for treatment-resistant mental health conditions. Research has shown that drugs such as psilocybin and MDMA can be effective for treating a range of psychiatric conditions, including depression,
It’s finals week, and you’re staring at a mountain of assignments and study guides. Getting some sleep feels impossible as your mind races and your stomach churns. This feeling of anxiety is a part of your body’s natural stress response, driven by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This neuroendocrine system is an evolutionary response that is
How the HPA axis manages your stress levels Read More »
Addiction: a disease that millions battle with and countless watch their loved ones fall victim to. But is it really a disease? Scientists have been debating this question for years. Diagnostic criteria for something to be classified as a disease include a set of signs, symptoms, and tests used to create a diagnosis. However, some
Addiction: disease or disorder? Read More »
According to the CDC, about 456,000 people in the US under the age of 17 have epilepsy. This equates to approximately one in 160 children who suffer from seizures. Some individuals can be treated with medication, but others may be drug–resistant, in which case doctors can recommend a hemispheric surgery. This type of operation stops
Plasticity during recovery: How young brains adapt to hemispheric surgeries Read More »