![[ ]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/09/Cat-Concussion-meme-1.jpg)
Currently, there are no effective treatments for concussions. People typically heal over time. Doctors treat the symptoms (e.g.. headaches, concentration problems, trouble sleeping, memory), but do not tackle the actual problem (i.e., how the injury affects certain functions of the brain). This is due to the inability to see what is happening to the brain as it receives a concussion. Because of that, researchers use animal models (e.g., lab rats, mice, etc.) to assess how the brain is affected by concussions.
Tag: neuroscience
Potluck of neuroscience: Physics and charge
The more I learn about the discipline of neuroscience, the more I come to see it as the great scientific potluck of our day. While the actual meal at a potluck often seems disjointed, it allows guests to sample a wide variety of tasty foods brought by people from different culinary backgrounds. This post is… Read more »
Expanding ‘The Matrix’ of science: The Newman lab inside and out
![[Eight people standing around a table full of science experiments]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/01/fairview4-26.jpg)
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) assistant professor Dr. Ehren Newman studies circuitry in the brain, particularly the circuitry that is associated with the making of stories and the retrieval of memories. Newman’s background as a computational neuroscientist enables him to bring a plethora of new insight into his current field of systems cognitive psychology. Memory is a complex process with multiple facets. “We don’t remember everything that happens to us with equal probability,” he observes. “Instead, we have fragmented memories of things of varying lengths.” So, how do we choose which memories to store and later recall?
The human brain can control a robotic arm
![[A man grasps a metal prosthetic arm.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/01/engineer-4702083_640.jpg)
Robotics are typically portrayed as complex mechanical systems that function according to a fixed code. Yet, that is quickly changing; certain robotic parts are now able to update their code in real time. By incorporating engineering and neuroscience research, scientists and physicians have found a way to make robotic pieces function “naturally” like any limb on the human body…
This is your DNA on drugs
In the 80’s and 90’s, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America released several public service announcement commercials, which aimed to inform the public about the dangers of drugs of abuse. The commercials, which have made a lasting impact on society and pop culture, featured a shot sequence and narration of your brain (an uncracked egg),… Read more »
Brain technology in Black Mirror: Technological myths or real possibilities? Part III
In the third part of this blog series, we will finish looking into human consciousness by thinking about what happens to it after death. If you have not seen the episodes, do not worry, spoilers are kept at a minimum! You can read parts 1 and 2 here. San Junipero is a virtual afterlife into… Read more »
Brain technology in Black Mirror: Technological myths or real possibilities? Part II
In the second part of this blog series, we will look at three episodes where proposed technologies involve human consciousness. We will see if these technologies can become real possibilities in the near future. If you have not seen the episodes, do not worry, spoilers are kept at a minimum! You can also read part… Read more »
Brain technology in Black Mirror: Technological myths or real possibilities? Part I
If you happen to watch Black Mirror, it is quite likely that you have been scared by the brain implant technologies depicted in the show. In fact, almost a quarter of this show—at least five episodes of the current 22— illustrate the dangers of brain implants. The horror stories range widely, from transferring someone’s consciousness into… Read more »
How neuroscientists and engineers make good collaborative partners
To treat a knee scrape, people often put a band-aid on it. Or, to relieve back pain, people may use an ice pack. While these examples involve anatomical regions that people can easily locate and treat, this is not always the case with all aspects of anatomy. For instance, to observe the brain, which is… Read more »
A psychology commencement speech
The author of this post is guest contributor Josiah Leong, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington. He recently moved to Bloomington after finishing his graduate studies at Stanford University. He is excited to share insights from psychological science with his new community. Below is an unconventional… Read more »