Neuroplasticity is a relatively new concept for researchers. Up until the 1970s, scientists held firm to the belief that once we exit childhood, our neurons are fixed and we are unable to grow any new ones, except for very select areas of the brain such as the hippocampus where memory is processed. Since that time, new research and tools such as functional MRI have suggested that our brains are constantly being molded and shaped by our experiences, and maintain some degree of plasticity throughout life. Indeed, the works of such pivotal researchers as Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. and William Jenkins, Ph.D. have demonstrated that our brains wish to conserve real estate, and will remap unused portions of the brain lost due to injury so that they can process different information. As an example, if a patient lost their eye due to a traumatic accident, over time the area of the visual cortex responsible for processing that eye would convert and begin processing information for the remaining eye. Read more →

One of the most contested questions in history is a seemingly simple one: When does life begin? Different cultures and societies have battled to answer this question, and to date no consensus has been reached. Of course, the answer to this question has profound ethical, legal, moral, and philosophical implications. As the United States debates the merits and pitfalls of topics like embryonic stem cell research and abortion, the arguments for the beginnings of life have found themselves renewed. Along the timeline from preconception through birth and beyond, there are several stops where one group or another has drawn a line in the sand and proclaimed that life has officially begun. In the interest of providing some clarity on this issue, let us examine the rationale behind why these groups picked their points. As a reference, a textbook on developmental biology will provide some framework. Read more →

With the reign of the Bush administration at an end, one issue that has plagued his legacy is the government-sanctioned acts of torture. The United States government was involved with several controversial actions ranging from the indefinite detention of so-called enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, to the outright abuses and torture at Abu Ghraib. The almost universal response of the purveyors of torture was, “I was just following orders.” Most citizens have difficulty accepting this argument as legitimate, and demand that the torturer be held accountable for their actions as criminal accomplices. We are quick to demonize these individuals as horrible outliers of our society, an unsavory fringe who are clearly well out-of-bounds with the norms of human behavior. However, research into the psychology of torture and obedience tells quite a different story. Read more →

Over the past few decades, the emergence of India as an international superpower has been slow and steady. In the United States, this has translated into a simmering public awareness of Indian culture and an ever-increasing importation of Indian products, whether it be Bollywood movies or Indian cuisine. One of the main staples of Indian cooking, turmeric, has been getting a lot of press recently not for its flavoring prowess, but rather for its health benefits. Presented here is some of the current research regarding this amazing yellow spice. Read more →

Lithium is an elemental chemical found naturally as an alkali metal. The ionic form can be used to form salts which are readily available for medicinal purposes. Although the exact mechanism of action for lithium is unknown, it is believed to function by simultaneously raising serotonin levels and lowering norepinephrine levels. Lithium is used primarily as a mood stabilizer, as it has the unique ability to treat both mania and depression. Unfortunately, the downside of lithium is that it has a very narrow therapeutic window, meaning the blood levels which provide benefits are very close to the blood levels which cause side effects and toxicity. Because of the need for such close monitoring of blood levels, the medication has largely fallen out of favor except for certain diseases like bipolar disorder. Read more →

I recently attended a lecture by Wise Young, MD, PhD, who is a prolific researcher in the fields of spinal cord injury and stem cells. The lecture was fascinating, and part of the discussion was the current model for stem cell research. Currently we have two types of stem cells which are available for study: embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). As is well known, embryonic stem cells are derived from fertilized embryos that are allowed to multiply briefly before the cells are harvested. iPSCs are precursor cells found in adults, which are then chemically treated to revert them back to a stem cell. Read more →