Issue 12 Teaching Machines Using machine learning techniques, today’s computer algorithms are capable of solving problems previously thought to be exclusively within the capabilities of human beings. Modern machine learning algorithms have shown
Issue 12 Crossing the Blood Brain Barrier Over a century ago, Paul Ehrlich injected blue dye into the bloodstream of mice to view their biological structures. After dissecting the mice, he was surprised to find that all
Issue 12 An Exploration of Acupuncture Cultures and traditions continue to transcend borders as our world becomes more connected. With an increasing flow of novel practices, alternative medical treatments have become a popular choice for many
Issue 12 Walking Away from Parkinson’s Transporting ourselves from one place to another can seem rather simple to the majority of individuals. We whiz from one class to the next without much conscious regard for our
Issue 11 Motor Neuron Disease Our nervous system, generally speaking, is composed of three types of neurons: sensory, motor, and interneurons. Together, these neurons create pathways that transmit signals from all across our bodies via
Issue 11 Criminal Minds On November 7, 1974, an attractive dark-haired man in his late twenties approached a young woman in a Utah mall. He flashed a police badge and calmly informed her that
Issue 11 Losing Yourself: Alzheimer’s and Identity Alzheimer’s and Identity It’s easy to take ourselves for granted. Identity is something we rely on for our entire lives, whether it is used to express and describe
Issue 11 Cutting for the Competition: How Dehydration Affects the Brain Modern athletes do everything in their power to improve their performance. They follow intense training regimens, adhere to strict diets, and always look for an additional edge over their competition,
Issue 11 Rest Assured Sleep sets people back. Every night, people stop and doze off; they don’t eat, work, or learn. Evolutionarily, it should be a recessive trait—after all, non-sleepers could get
Featured Article A Royal Pain The Concussion that Caused a Commotion: A Look at King Henry II of France Clad in armor and lances at hand, two jousters mounted their steeds. The competitors aimed their
Cover Article Finding Your Way: The Neuroscience Behind Mental Maps Think back to the most memorable place you’ve been. Whether it be the alleys and roads that bisect to make up your childhood neighborhood or a distant country you
Issue 11 Power Play Introduction Many people are familiar with phrases like “top dog” and “alpha male,” whether in reference to a pack of wolves or a competitive workplace environment. These are colloquial portrayals
Issue 11 Ketamine: A Novel Treatment For Major Depression Finding New Ways of Thinking About Depression Within the last decade, a new agent has appeared in the spotlight of psychiatric research: ketamine. This drug, also known as “Calypsol,” is
Issue 11 Moving Toward Motion Introduction One of the major functions of the nervous system is to control muscles and coordinate their activity to generate movement. Most motions we execute are a product of sensory
Issue 11 Brain Machine Interfaces Not long ago, the idea that the brain could directly control external devices only existed in the world of science fiction novels. However, with the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)
Issue 9 Brain-Ethics Neuroscience research has advanced over the last few decades at an unprecedented pace: the U.S. government even declared the 1990s to be the “Decade of the Brain,” a shout-out
Issue 9 Astrocytes and Epilepsy In the 1800s, neuroscientist Ramon y Cajal researched the cellular composition of the brain, leading to an idea known as the “neuron doctrine.” In essence, it is the idea that
Issue 9 Food for Thought There’s a problem in our society of which most people are blissfully unaware: we aren’t feeding our brains. One of the most important nutrients for proper brain development
Issue 9 The Cochlear Implant Explained The cochlear implant is an electronic device that restores auditory perception in a person with partial to severe deafness. The first cochlear implants date back to the 1970s [1]. During
Issue 9 The Immune Brain Historically, scientists believed the brain was “immune privileged,” meaning the immune system has little to no direct access to the central nervous system (CNS). The vessels necessary for immune cell
Issue 9 Through the Eyes of the Mantis Shrimp Crawling on the bottom of the Indian and Pacific Ocean are many species of colorful stomatopod crustaceans, commonly known as mantis shrimp. For a species to occupy such a bustling
Issue 9 Neuroscience and Public Health: A Look at the Zika Virus Although the World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the end of the international public health emergency for the Zika virus (ZIKV), ZIKV remains a public health challenge requiring effective action
Issue 9 A Changing Tolerance for Alcohol Alcohol has been a major factor in decision-making throughout history and often gives rise to our most (and sometimes least) memorable stories. With a multifaceted influence on society, health, and
Issue 9 Caffeine Genes: The Genetics of a Coffee Habit Living in the city where the original Starbucks opened, Seattleites are no strangers to drinking coffee. During the hustle and bustle of everyday life, a cup of coffee can offer
Issue 9 Proprioception: The Sixth Sense Touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing: many believe these are the limits of the nervous system’s sensory capabilities. However, the complexity of the brain and its interaction with the
