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Brain Blog Articles

COVID-19 and The Brain

By |2020-05-04T21:36:02+00:00April 29th, 2020|

While uncommon, viral infections of the brain “can lead to transient or permanent neurologic or psychiatric dysfunction” (van den Pol, 2009). The effects of COVID-19 on the human brain is yet to be thoroughly researched. Research has found that “patients with COVID-19 often suffer from severe hypoxia and viremia, which has the [...]

COVID-19 and Mental Health

By |2020-05-04T21:37:34+00:00April 23rd, 2020|

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many secondary effects on society. While the immediate risks and effects of the disease are not to be taken lightly, being aware of mental health is an important part of responding to COVID-19. While it is too early to have significant research on how COVID-19 directly affects [...]

Computers and the Human Brain

By |2020-03-30T18:29:25+00:00March 30th, 2020|

The human brain is commonly described in terms of computing. One might think computers outperform humans due to the speed and ease with which they handle large quantities of data. However, examples such as Shakuntala Devi and Gary Kasparov illustrate that even incredibly optimized artificial intelligence can still be outperformed by the human [...]

Phineas Gage

By |2020-03-19T00:54:08+00:00March 19th, 2020|

The wonders of day to day brain functions are not to be taken lightly. Amongst other functions, daily brain function includes prioritizing information from the five senses, managing autonomic systems, and maintaining working memory. While this is already impressive, the brain is also capable of healing itself and undergoing significant functional and [...]

Neuroplasticity

By |2020-03-13T16:54:59+00:00March 13th, 2020|

One of the brain’s many superpowers is to change itself over time. Brain plasticity, or neural plasticity, refers to the concept of the brain’s ability to change both structurally and functionally (Kolb & Whishaw, 1998). Although some research showed evidence for plasticity, it was largely believed until the nineteen seventies that the [...]

The Power of the Brain

By |2020-03-06T18:15:34+00:00March 6th, 2020|

The human brain is an unparalleled organ, but we have only recently begun to learn its mysteries and function. The brain is the core of who we are as both a species and an individual. It is “the seat of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator of bodily movement, and controller of [...]

Neuroimaging and Pain

By |2020-02-20T00:50:41+00:00February 20th, 2020|

While self-reported pain scales are low cost and non-invasive, they lack the reproducibility and objectivity of neuroimaging. Objective measures of pain are useful for both clinicians and patients as “chronic pain patients are defined as ‘difficult patients’”(Borsook, Moulton, Schmidt, Becerra, 2007). Pain is difficult to consistently communicate due to neuropsychological factors, and [...]

What is Pain?

By |2020-02-12T19:08:30+00:00February 12th, 2020|

For the month of February, the Brain Blog we will be covering the topic of pain. One in five adults suffer from pain globally, and approximately 1 and 5 American adults suffered from pain in 2016 (Goldberg and McGee, 2011; Dahlhamer et al., 2018). As of 2019, this translated to at least [...]