By Emily Haar Six years have passed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the initial COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, and daily life came to a screeching halt across the globe. Despite the return to normalcy in more recent years, many individuals are still living with long-term consequences of this disease, especially those who have … Continue reading Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): An Unexpected Consequence of Long COVID
Mental health
The Bittersweet Science of Missing Home
By Ceyda Yalcin Everyone has experienced that strange nostalgic feeling that shows up in small moments: hearing a familiar song, craving a hometown meal, or realizing no one around you recognizes the earlier version of you. Homesickness doesn’t hit all at once, but it lingers between excitement and uncertainty, often catching you off guard. What … Continue reading The Bittersweet Science of Missing Home
In the brain of the beholder: the neurocognitive basis of hallucinations
By: Zekiel Factor Humans, like all animals, instinctively rely on the assumption that the sensations we experience such as touch and sight reproduce reality. Touching a hot stove activates temperature sensors in the skin that convey pain and trigger reflexive hand withdrawal; an object moving quickly in our peripheral vision draws our gaze to enable … Continue reading In the brain of the beholder: the neurocognitive basis of hallucinations
How does music affect your brain? The neuroscience of your favorite tunes.
By Vanshika A. Patel Have you ever wondered how a favorite song can lift you up when you're down or transport you back in time? Music has a remarkable power to engage emotions, evoke memories, and even affect our well-being. Recent studies in neuroscience investigate the complex relationship between music and the brain, showing how … Continue reading How does music affect your brain? The neuroscience of your favorite tunes.
Misfolded proteins love company: the prion-like nature of neurodegenerative disease
By Makenzie Nolt While watching the news or reading about current events, you may have heard of Mad Cow or Chronic Wasting Disease in deer. Although these are two different conditions, they both result from misfolded proteins called prions1. Prion diseases are not exclusive to livestock; humans can also be affected by prion diseases such … Continue reading Misfolded proteins love company: the prion-like nature of neurodegenerative disease
Does springing forward hold us back? The debate surrounding Daylight Saving Time
By Victoria Vernail We are nearing the arrival of springtime. Flowers blooming, birds chirping, and – wait – one less hour of sleep? Thanks, Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the period from March to November where most of the United States turns the clocks forward one hour ahead of Standard Time (ST). … Continue reading Does springing forward hold us back? The debate surrounding Daylight Saving Time
OMG! What’s with all these OTCs?
By: Elise M. Rizzi We’ve all been there - you wake up with a pounding headache, stuffy nose, body aches, chills, the whole nine yards. You head to the store to see what meds you might be able to find to help. The pharmacy aisle (Figure 1) is so overwhelming, with bright labels and long … Continue reading OMG! What’s with all these OTCs?
Heartbeat: One Researcher’s Advocacy Journey from the Lab to Human Impact
By Zari McCullers At a forum I attended in early October, I sat in a room filled with fellow researchers – primarily in the basic and biomedical sciences – ready to hear about the power of patient advocacy. This event was meant to remind us not just why we do our work, but for whom. … Continue reading Heartbeat: One Researcher’s Advocacy Journey from the Lab to Human Impact
A Lullaby DOES Lead to a Good Night: The Effects of Music on Sleep in Adults
By Anthony Habib Rahawi Introduction Sleep is a dynamic process that is crucial for multidimensional health,1 as impaired sleep increases the risk of developing cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and psychological disorders. Insufficient sleep affects approximately one third of adults in the US, while approximately one fifth of the US population are diagnosed with sleep disorders.2 Due … Continue reading A Lullaby DOES Lead to a Good Night: The Effects of Music on Sleep in Adults
Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
By Zekiel Factor Setting the agenda Sensation is the bridge between the internal and external world. Examining the elements of processing that our senses have in common allows us to understand how the nervous system gives rise to sensory perception, which is a fundamental component of conscious experience. But what does it mean to go … Continue reading Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
Lions Talk Science 