All Articles by Waynekid Kam
Mr. Kam is a Duke University student. He has worked for the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Two Wrongs Make a Right – Abnormal Brain Circuitry May Stop Abnormal Movement
A solution to an abnormal neurological movement problem can perhaps be abnormal as well. The irregular wiring of the brain may actually eliminate dystonia -- repetitive movements and atypical postures. According to the Journal of Neuroscience, changes in brain pathways may actually counteract the genetic mutations for the movement disorder. This idea can explain why a few individuals with the inherited mutation are able to live normal lives.Researchers at the Feinstein Institute identified two specific brain pathways that influence the severity of dystonia symptoms. All individuals who carry the mutations and symptoms for dystonia have an abnormal pathway between the cerebellum and the thalamus, but a normal second pathway between the thalamus and the cortex.
The Science of Brain Freeze
Have you ever experienced a freezing sensation after eating an ice cream cone? You're with a group of friends eating the dessert, and suddenly you have a severe headache that lasts for a brief amount of time. You're not alone because billions of individuals have endured this common reaction called sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. It's also known as brain freeze or ice cream evoked headache. Why does even the simplest discomfort get a scientific name? But in all seriousness, what exactly happens to the body when one experiences a brain freeze?
Brain Prosthesis: Coming to a Hospital Near You?
The possibility of fusing a mechanical device with the human brain becomes a reality.Ladies and gentleman, I would like to introduce you to a new piece of technology. Lo and behold, the brain prosthesis. Wait. Did I just say brain prosthesis, as in an artificial replacement of the mind? Yes, that's right; the brain prosthesis is going to be used to replace the damaged parts of our brain.Hundreds of individuals who have lost their body parts due to traumatic injuries or congenital defects have already chosen to get artificial replacements.
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