Trivia Night at Neuronal Junction……what’s your function….. February 27, 2009

A month ago, I went to trivia night with my roommates from college. Though our trivia questions were limited to geography (using alphabetical order, name the last ten states of the United States; Tennessee, Texas, South carolina, South dakota, Washington, West virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Utah, and Vermont), sports (what college did Larry Byrd graduate from; Indiana University), and entertainment (what is the only movie Linda Blair starred in; The Exorcist), I wish we had the following questions instead.

I present Neuroscience Trivia . It will be incorporated into Kent State’s Brain Awareness Week (or month).

Best of luck , and I apologize for not providing popcorn and drink specials.

One, Two Step…dah, dah, dah February 26, 2009

No, this entry is not a critique of Ciara’s song “One, Two Step,” but rather is a homage to myself and others who more commonly trip ascending vs. descending steps. I’m certain my cousin would have benefited from this current study years ago when she fell walking up the escalator of Macy’s, cut her knee, had stitches, and now has a scar as proof. Enough of the suspense.

This week in PLOS One, a group of researchers from the United Kingdom have discovered a mechanism to mediate the perception of step height and depth. As illustrated in the picture below, simply using vertical rather than horizontal grading on steps increases step height and depth several fold. Perhaps, engineers of escalators discovered this fact years prior, but were too skeptic to believe it really was an important scientific discovery (yes, escalators already have vertical grading). Obviously, we now know that my cousin would not have benefited from this current study, but I do imagine this research will benefit elderly individuals with fragile bones and impaired vision.

Dry Ice Fun February 24, 2009

Today, Boy Jessie’s antibody arrived in the mail. We decided to use the leftovers to “clean” the glassware. It certainly mitigated the frustration at the time from unsuccessful microdialysis surgeries……

Dry Ice Fun

Somewhere Over the Brainbow… February 23, 2009

This picture initially appears to be a Magic Eye visual illusion, but it is actually a neuronal staining characterized as the Brainbow; fluorescent proteins were utilized to label individual neurons in a section of the dentate gyrus, an area of the hippocampus mediating learning acquisition and memory consolidation. As reported in the March edition of Scientific American (“Saving New Brain Cells”, exercise, antidepressants, and blueberries have been found to facilitate the survival of neurons within the dentate gyrus, while alcohol and nicotine facilitate neuronal death. The article did not mention whether or not the neurotransmitter serotonin is responsible for meditating neurogenesis (neuronal proliferation and survival) and ultimately, learning acquisition and memory consolidation, but I imagine it does critically influence the process; both exercise and antidepressants increase serotonin expression. I am currently trying to understand the connection between scrupulous blueberries freshly picked from a bog and enhanced learning and memory, however. In the meantime, I will reconsider my reluctance to purchase a 3.50 dollar a pint of blueberries at the grocery store.

Selfish “Traffic”-ing February 19, 2009

In February’s Scientific American, you will be astonished to learn that closing streets and removing traffic lights expedites urban travel (see “Detours by Design”).  According to Michael Gastner who is a computer scientist at the Santa Fe Institute, traffic congestion is facilitated by “selfish drivers;” those individuals who seek the shortest route by means of utilizing side streets. Such selfishness is taxing on drivers who act unselfishlly, that is, they coordinate their driving stategy in a manner that benefits the entire group (i.e. by tailing each other [but no rubbernecking, please!]). Hence, selfish drivers antagonize this strategic coordination, and increase what Gastner refers to as the “price of anarchy.”

Moreover, closing roads and removing traffic lights will prevent selfish drivers from choosing alternative traffic routes, and will ultimately reduce the “price of anarchy.” This experimental design has already been instituted in Seoul, and has tremendously improved traffic flow.

While reading this article, I thought about my own driving experiences in New York City and Boston. In New York, it takes 20 min to drive 30 blocks on Broadway uptown. In the outbounds of Boston, a drive of a comparable distance is 4 times as long. Perhaps this disparity is explained through the fact that New York City has four main roads of travel (Amsterdam, Broadway, Park, and Fifth) while Boston has Boylston, Charles, Park, Summer, Berkeley, Massachusetts Ave…etc etc…

Dement Rules! February 18, 2009

Today, I had a case of the “larks,” or terribly missed the larks, the owls, and the kiwis from the William C. Dement Summer Behavioral Apprenticeship 2006 [Each shift of sleep researchers–morning, afternoon, and night– was named after a bird. Well, actually, only the afternoon shift, the kiwis, were permitted to choose a bird] Dr. William C. Dement is in the center of this photo. He is considered the pioneer of sleep medicine along with Nathaniel Kleitman (author of Sleep and Wakefulness, mentioned in “How Not to Do Stats”) and Eugene Aserinsky. The three of them discovered the phenomenon of REM sleep in 1953. At this particular event, SLEEP 2006, Dr. Dement was given an excellence in teaching award named in honor of Dr. Dement’s graduate student and my undergraduate mentor, Dr. Mary A. Carskadon. This, perhaps, is a rare case in history where a mentor is given an award named in honor of a mentee. Upon receiving his award, the Dement Fellows, as we were referred to all summer, made signs the previous night that spelled DEMENT RULES! Sadly, we got cold feet.

Sleep Smheep February 17, 2009

This past weekend of love, passion, and romance, I expressed my endearment for Battlestar Galactica by watching the newest episode. In this particular episode titled “No Exit,” I was not appalled by the forebodance of mutiny and betrayal, but by the opinion of the cylon, John. He speaks, “Sleep! That is the perfect example of a seemingly unproductive human attribute.”

Fearfully enough, most Americans adopt such an irrational viewpoint. According to the National Sleep Foundation, Americans spend more of their waking day watching television (about 8 hours) than their sleeping night sleeping (about 6-7 hours). As mentioned in a previous blog, “25 Random Facts About Sleep,” 36 percent of Americans also have or almost have fallen asleep while driving!

I ask, what would happen if you were an advocate of Weird John’s orthodoxy, and actually rebelled against this “seemingly unproductive human attribute”? First, you would have difficulty remembering, retaining, and recalling information, and learning new tasks (read REM Illumination). Using the jargon of neuroscience, you would have deficits of both declarative [informational] and procedural [motor] memory. You would also have muscle atrophy and poor management over weight and body temperature. In severe cases, you would become psychotic and eventually die [note: already studied in laboratories, seriously].

Battlestar fanatics much remember that John is a machine. Americans must remember to not to believe that television is credible…..HEY! TURN OFF THAT TELEVISION AND GO TO SLEEP!!

The SCN February 14, 2009

The other day I came across this beautiful staining of the SCN (the suprachiasmic nucleus located within the anterior portion of the hypothalamus). Even if you are not familiar with its critical role of regulating sleep and wake cycles, reproductive behaviors, core body temperature, hormone and neuropeptide secretion, or any other circadian rhythm, at least appreciate the aesthetics of immunostaining.

or suprachiasmic nucleus

Felix Natalis Tibi, Charles Darwin! February 12, 2009

Thousands of universities and other institutions promoting science will be celebrating the birthday of the great Charles Darwin today. The Biology Graduate Student Council at Kent State University has hosted events throughout the week in celebration of Charles Darwin’s life and magnificent accomplishments. My admiration for Charles Darwin was highlighted in a podcast interview on Tuesday;

What is the most random fact [you know] about Charles Darwin?

Darwin’s role model was Sir John Frederick Herschel whom he met in Cape Town during his voyages on the HMS Beagle. Herschel was an ingenious mathematician, engineer, and chemist.

What is the strangest fact [you know] about Charles Darwin?

Darwin married his first cousin, Emma Wedgewood

What [do you think] about Darwin’s theories?

Darwin’s theories are brillant because he was able to take a very complicated and perplexing idea, and define it into a simpler framework. His works are the epitome of Ockam’s razor.

What would [you] ask Darwin if he was alive today?

How or would you modify your theories?

25 Random Facts About Sleep. February 11, 2009

It appears the science community is bonanza about 25 Random Facts about [Me] as well. I attach 25 Random Facts About Sleep published by the National Sleep Foundation yesterday. I was very intrigued by random fact #1 and #2, and random fact #21 is just $%*^#$@ insane!. Basically, Sleep rules!

1. Man is the only mammal that willingly delays sleep.
2. The higher the altitude, the greater the sleep disruption. Generally, sleep disturbance becomes greater at altitudes of 13,200 feet or more. The disturbance is thought to be caused by diminished oxygen levels and accompanying changes in respiration. Most people adjust to new altitudes in approximately two to three weeks — from Jet Lag and Sleep.
3. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult — from Sleep Tips.
4. Divorced, widowed and separated people report more insomnia — from Sleep Aids and Insomnia.
5. Six in ten healthcare professionals do not feel that they have enough time to have a discussion with their patients about insomnia during regular office visits — from the Sleeping Smart Sleep Report Card.
6. More than eight in ten survey respondents think that people often or sometimes misuse prescription sleep aids — from the Sleeping Smart Sleep Report Card.
7. Caffeine has been called the most popular drug in the world. All over the world people consume caffeine on a daily basis in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, some soft drinks, and some drugs — from Caffeine and Sleep.
8. In general, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. However, some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep. Others can’t perform at their peak unless they’ve slept ten hours — from ABC’s of ZZZZs — When You Can’t Sleep.
9. We naturally feel tired at two different times of the day: about 2:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It is this natural dip in alertness that is primarily responsible for the post-lunch dip — from Ingredients for Slumber: How Food and Beverages May Affect Your Sleep.
10. Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise.
11. According to the International Classifications of Sleep Disorders, shift workers are at increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.
12. Newborns sleep a total of 10.5 to 18 hours a day on an irregular schedule with periods of one to three hours spent awake — from Children and Sleep.
13. When infants are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become “self- soothers,” which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night — from Children and Sleep.
14. Eighty-two percent of healthcare professionals believe that it is the responsibility of both the patient and the healthcare professional to bring up symptoms of insomnia during an appointment — from the Sleeping Smart Sleep Report Card.
15. The body never adjusts to shift work!
16. There are individual differences in the need to nap. Some adults and children need to nap. However, the majority of teenagers probably nap in the afternoon because they are not sleeping enough at night — Daniel Lewin, PhD, Ask the Sleep Expert: Sleep and Teens.
17. Snoring is the primary cause of sleep disruption for approximately 90 million American adults; 37 million on a regular basis — from Aging and Sleep.
18. Scientists still don’t know — and probably never will — if animals dream during REM sleep, as humans do — from Dreams and Sleep.
19. Some studies show promise for the use of melatonin in shortening the time it takes to fall asleep and reducing the number of awakenings, but not necessarily total sleep time. Other studies show no benefit at all with melatonin — from Melatonin and Sleep.
20. One of the primary causes of excessive sleepiness among Americans is self-imposed sleep deprivation — from Excessive Sleepiness and Sleep.
21. According to the results of NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll, 36 percent of American drive drowsy or fall asleep while driving.
22. According to the results of NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll, a surprising 34 percent of respondents reported their employer allows them to nap during breaks and 16 percent provide a place to do so.
23. People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have bigger appetites due to the fact that their leptin levels (leptin is an appetite-regulating hormone) fall, promoting appetite increase — from Diet, Exercise and Sleep.
24. Rates of insomnia increase as a function of age, but most often the sleep disturbance is attributable to some other medical condition — from the Sleeping Smart Study Hall.
25. And in case you missed our post on Tips for Beating the Winter Blues, did you know seasonal affective disorder is believed to be influenced by the changing patterns of light and darkness that occur with the approach of winter?