Cobbers on the Brain – Page 194 – Student Commentary on the Neurological Sciences

Does Sheldon Cooper Have Autism?

Posted on December 14, 2011 by / 9 Comments

“Knock! Knock! Knock! Penny? Knock! Knock! Knock! Penny? Knock! Knock! Knock! Penny?” All you fans out there who watch our beloved Shelly on the CBS sit-com Big Bang Theory should know this line by heart. But why is this a reoccurring event in Sheldon’s life? He does have an IQ of 187 and a photographic memory. But seriously why does he have to have HIS spot? And what’s up with all the kooky mannerisms and rituals and rules? Well here’s one theory: Sheldon Cooper has a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome.

Image From: http://humordistrict.com/tag/leonard-hofstadter/

This week our neurochemistry class explored the possible causes of autism, which included heavy metal intake, internal methylation, and other external factors such as environment in the womb and other wise unspecified causes. Researchers don’t know what is causing this supposed spike of autism disorders that we are seeing in the younger generations. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 9 in 1000 children are diagnosed with autism in the US. For those of you who don’t know, autism is an overused term to describe a spectrum of autistic-like illnesses under the term autism spectrum disorder. There are varying degrees of severity for autism and five categories have been created for the sake of diagnosis: autistic disorder (classic autism), Asperger’s disorder (Asperger syndrome), pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), Rett’s disorder (Rett syndrome), and childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). Each of these disorders has its own set of symptoms. However each of the disorders include sosme sort of social disability as a symptom in which individuals demonstrate social awkwardness and abnormal social behaviors.
The reason I bring up the question about Sheldon Cooper is that he displays many of the symptoms that individuals with Asperger syndrome appear to exhibit. Unlike children with classic autism (who tend to show signs of intellectual disability), people with Asperger’s tend to have a normal or higher than normal cognitive ability. Other symptoms or tendencies of individuals with Asperger’s include obsessive or repetitive routines and rituals, motor-skill problems, such as clumsy or uncoordinated movements and delays in motor skills, social-skill problems, especially related to communicating with others, sensitivity to sensory information, such as light, sound, texture, and taste. Sheldon doesn’t demonstrate all of these severely however his serious obsessive compulsive tendencies such as sitting in HIS spot on the couch or his strict weekly schedule of events such as what he eats on each day of the week or having a different set of pajamas for each night of the week do demonstrate tendencies of a person with Asperger’s. We can also note that Sheldon struggles to pick up sarcasm in conversation and most non-verbal cues. And most importantly Sheldon has a way-above-average intelligence which is a common characteristic of individuals with Asperger’s. His capacity to hold information such as vocabulary and solve mathematical problems that a computer struggles to do, as well as his photographic memory all point to Asperger’s. It’s also important to note that Sheldon Cooper is actually a successful theoretical physicist as well. This means that many of these individuals with milder forms of autism are able to maintain jobs and live their lives as normally as possible.
It’s important that the media is incorporating characters with syndromes such as autism. It brings awareness of its prevalence in our society today.
Bazinga!
For more information about Autism or Asperger’s please visit:
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asperger_syndrome.cfm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/autism-spectrum-disorders

Community/Uncategorized

Neurochemistry and the Importance of Communicating Science to the World

Posted on December 13, 2011 by / 4 Comments

I ended up taking neurochemistry as a class not because I necessarily wanted to, but because I needed the course in order to graduate. During the course I was amazed at how much I learned and how much this class has benefited me. Not only was I able to gain insight on the inter-workings of the brain and nervous system, I was also able to responsibly engage myself into the world around me. It’s exciting when you know that people outside your classroom are reading your opinions and your work. It’s a satisfying feeling to know that you are actually impacting the lives of the people that come across what you publish online.

Image from:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/04/cooperation-brain-work-together_n_1076233.html

During this semester I gained knowledge about all types of drug addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, autism spectrum disorders, bi-polar, etc., and learned about possible causes, possible treatments, as well as what more needs to be researched to find cures for these problems. As a class we tried to fit the pieces together of each disorder and figure out the chemical and environmental causes and suggest the best targets for treatments. It’s amazing how tightly the chemistry of the brain is linked with habits and behaviors as well as environment. The environment someone is living in affects the brain just as much as genetics does. All these disorders are not even slightly straight forward. There is no exact determination that if you have this gene you will get this disease or, if you live in this environment you will get this disorder. All the disorders we studied had multiple hypotheses of how each came to be a disorder. And each individual case tends be different from the next. Common links of these diseases are often difficult to pin point and can change as more research is conducted. This class opened my eyes to see the complexities of the brain and brain disorders and gave me a new outlook on research.
In addition to the science I learned, this course also gave me the opportunity to give my personal, educated opinion to the public and bring awareness to the issues we discussed in class. The course “Neurochemistry 475” integrated complex science with communication and allowed my peers and I to communicate to the public in English about science through the World Wide Web. Technology has allowed this class to expand its possibilities. Communicating to the public about science is a very difficult and sometimes daunting task, because science is so easy to miscommunicate. For those of you who don’t know, scientists in almost all fields tend to struggle in the communication of their work to people who are not scientific fields. And we as undergraduate students have been introduced early to real public communication which does both us and our audience a world of good. We were given the opportunity to learn how to communicate science while our audience gets to hear, learn, and understand varying opinions on scientific issues.
Becoming Responsibly Engaged in the World or B.R.E.W. has become a pillar of Concordia College’s education program. This course is the epitome of B.R.E.W. What better at Concordia than to have a class that takes the best of science and the best of communication and put them together into one? My peers and I have not only gained insightful scientific knowledge but also groomed our speech skills, writing skills and technological skills. These skills will make us all better employees, better students, and better people in general. With these skills we can improve society and maybe even improve life as we know it, because we are learning to communicate with the public about hard topics to discuss.

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Im bored… Lets eat!

Posted on December 13, 2011 by / 0 Comment

Obesity has become quite a problem in America in the last decade. In fact, obesity is the leading preventable cause of death in America, and is stigmatized as a serious public health problem. Obesity is a MEDICAL CONDITION in which excess fat on the body accumulates eventually causing health complications; the list of complications is very extensive. Our nation is becoming known for our poor, excessive eating habits. Should we be disappointed about that fact? Or should we celebrate? It seems that whenever either situation arises, sadness or cheer, we indulge ourselves and eat whatever we want. The satisfaction of having that comfort food or celebratory meal is what we as humans are adapt to achieve. Some individuals don’t achieve the feeling of satisfaction and result in eating more.
The feeling of satisfaction is achieved when we eat enough food. But when do we know we have had enough? Our stomach releases chemicals when food is being eaten and is partially responsible for telling us that we are full. The other signals that are functioning in our bodies are the release of insulin and leptin. Leptin and Insulin are of concern when talking about the regulation of food intake. The amount of fat a person harbors determines the amount of leptin and insulin signaling to the brain. What is understood about these chemical signals is that when they are increased, food intake is decreased and energy expenditure is increased. And when leptin and insulin signaling are decreased food intake is increased and energy expenditure in decreased.
Obese individuals show a developed resistance to leptin due to an overabundance of adipose tissue that secretes leptin in the body. The highly sustained concentrations of leptin from the adipose tissue cause the leptin desensitization in the body. Leptin acts in the hypothalamus of the brain to reduce intake and increase energy. The problem, as mentioned before, is that these individuals don’t receive the feeling of fullness that is supposed to follow eating. Hence, if the effects of leptin are desensitized in the hypothalamus, feeding will continue without the feeling of getting full and increase fat stores even more.
I had capitalized the words “medical condition” in the beginning because I would have never thought that being overweight is now being stigmatized and classified as a medical condition. It turns out that throughout history obesity has had mixed interpretations. The Greeks were the first to recognize obesity as a negative attribute, followed by the Native Americans who had recommended physical labor to cure the obese ailment. During the Middle Ages and renaissance obesity was seen as a sign of common wealth. And now, in 2011 Obesity is at the top of the charts for preventable deaths. As a young individual in America I suggest staying away from fast food restaurants. Instead, exert some energy preparing a meal that will appropriately satisfy your stomach and brain.

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Neurochemistry: It's all over the place!

Posted on December 13, 2011 by / 0 Comment

What is a capstone? Maybe a more appropriate question would be what should a capstone course be? In my opinion, a capstone course should be an integration of many fields into a single course. But also, a capstone must involve the community, for that is part of Concordia’s motto. For me, neurochemistry has provided just such an experience.
By reading articles weekly, I have become a more thoughtful and informed citizen. In addition to that, I have also learned so much! Our articles were very interdisciplinary. Not only were they biochemistry intensive, but we also managed to get philosophy and ethics in the discussion almost every Friday. This class has taught me to think deeply about course material, and what our culture is really about. For example, when we discussed aging and how it can be stopped, ethical issues arose. Would it be okay to synthetically raise the life expectancy of everyone? What would that do to our retirement plans? How would that change ages at which we mature? There are so many things to think about besides the in-depth biochemistry.
But this was not the only thing I enjoyed from our excursion into neurochemistry. I also enjoyed the blogging. This has really been a fun way to reach out to the community with our knowledge. Plus it was a fun way to think about our audience and learn how to communicate science to the community. This is an invaluable tool for me since I will be going into chemistry research. If you cannot explain your research to those around you outside your specific field, then what is the point? This is a great way to get involved with the community. I hope many people read our blogs. I know at least somebody did since a psychologist commented on one of my blogs on bipolar.
This class has taught me many things, and improved my scientific reading skills. This class is a capstone, and most definitely should be continued to be offered as one here at Concordia College. As you can see from the above picture, my brain was activated all over while taking the class!

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Knowledge is Power

Posted on December 12, 2011 by / 0 Comment

This last semester in Neurochemistry has been filled with interesting topics about alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, concussions, bipolar disorder and so much more. Few, if any of us could say that we haven’t been affected in some way by at least one of these topics. At some point in our lives either we or someone close to us will be diagnosed with one of these disorders that we discussed in depth over the course of the year. Through discussing these topics I have gained a further understanding of the different possible causes for Alzheimer’s and long term effects of concussion, and much more. I may never be a neurosurgeon or participate in break through research to find the cure for autism or bipolar disorder. But nevertheless I have gained a further appreciation for neuroscience and along with that appreciation I can hopefully have a greater understanding when talking to medical professionals when either I or a loved one is diagnosed with a various disorder. Even if one of the disorders is not one that we discussed in class I feel confident in my ability to research and understand it on my own and would also feel comfortable enough to ask the doctors for further information. The quote by Sir Francis Bacon, “Knowledge is Power,” is especially applicable now. Because of this class I now have the power to understand and ask for more information in the field of neuroscience.

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Neurochemistry: Integrating Many Scientific Fields

Posted on December 12, 2011 by / 0 Comment

A capstone is a culmination or peak of achievement. My experience in Neurochemistry this semester fit this label well, as it integrated several scientific fields into one, encompassing field with exciting applications.
I was nervous for this class at first. I was very interested in Neurochemistry, but I lacked a through background in biochemistry or neuroscience or even rudimentary biology before the semester began. Assuming I would have to play some serious catch up, I went into the class with trepidation, but with a significant interest in this burgeoning field. The first few weeks were a little rough. Besides knowing (generally) what a neuron looked like and being able to distinguish a brain from a potato, I was completely devoid of any advanced neuroscience knowledge, and it took a decent amount of out-of-class reading to get up to where I wanted to be. However, once a sufficient background was present from out of class and in class review, it became easier to draw connections both within the field of neurochemistry and between previous fields of study. My neurochemistry course not only improved my understanding of neuroscience; it improved my understanding of cellular biology, biochemistry, and even psychology. Neurochemistry is the epitome of intellectual integration; the issues it presents can be approached from a plethora of angles, something that certainly wasn’t lost on someone who hadn’t taken the suggested coursework as a foundation.
Not only has my Neurochemistry course provided me with a greater understanding of the brain and the possible problems that can arise due to dysfunctory signaling pathways, it provided a potential research path I may want to pursue in graduate school. The articles we were provided with approached many different neurological diseases and disorders, each article containing new pathways while reiterating common themes we had discovered throughout the semester. The beautiful complexity of the brain, and the applications chemistry has in understanding it, drew me in, and it is certainly a field you wouldn’t be hard pressed to find the meaning of your research in. It has had a sizable effect on how I have approached my other chemistry courses this semester, lending extra meaning to some of their techniques and topics. This class was not only a “culmination” of my undergraduate career, but also may serve as a potent link to my future.
In conclusion, this course has been a fulfilling, encompassing experience that enabled me to draw knowledge from several fields to delve further into the subjects at hand. In this way, this course was a good simulation of a liberal arts education; a multi-faceted background can really propel your understanding of an area beyond what a narrow focus could provide.

Community/Disease/Health

So, what's the take-home message from our Neurochemistry class?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by / 1 Comment

Have you ever wondered? ——–Why do we become forgetful as we get older? How do pain killers magically alleviate our physical pain and why are some of us addicted to them? Why is eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C, E, Flavonoids and Carotenoids good for reducing the chances of having Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases? What are the anti-oxidants and what role do they play in the body? How do athletes know they are safe to get back to play after having a concussion? Why do bipolar patients have episodes of severe mood swings? Why are a lot of us obese and how can we fight obesity from a young age? What is ‘good’ about alcohol and why is alcoholism and alcohol-related incidents causing a big concern for our society? How can we understand autism and help the autistic people?

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=funny+brain+and+neurochemistry&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=888&tbm=isch&tbnid=M8kSCR3izhTzNM:&imgrefurl=http://neurowhoa.blogspot.com/&docid=PmVKmfEFoSQl3M&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sD3hjcw1N6o/Tbo-mF0Kb3I/AAAAAAAAATk/9Eb52I8I0Ks/s1600/brain_question.jpg&w=340&h=352&ei=ilTkTuyOJ4fEgAek0b1W&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=406&vpy=341&dur=2285&hovh=228&hovw=221&tx=101&ty=99&sig=108824149011033825502&page=4&tbnh=154&tbnw=154&start=70&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:70

Those are some of the basic questions and topics that we discussed in our neurochemistry class. We discussed about biochemical, physiological and social aspects of these neurological and behavioral disorders which are the leading medical issues that we are facing today. These issues cost billions of dollars on our health care system in the United States and more or less in other parts of the world. In addition to learning about the neural mechanisms behind these disorders, we discussed about possible therapeutic targets, behavioral therapy, importance of diet, etc. and impact of each disorder on our society today. Hence, we were not only learning according to the book but we were also engaging the information we learned from the research papers into the real world applications. Most of us in class would know someone who is suffering from one of the disorders that we covered and we would relate the information of this real person with what we have learned from the literature.
From this Neurochemistry class, I not only learned about the fascinating neural mechanisms behind some of the most important neurological and psychological disorders, but I also learned about the prevalence of each disorder, the magnitude of impact it has on the lives of the patients and the society as a whole. Critically thinking and discussing about possible therapeutic targets also leads to better understanding of the symptoms and paves the way for continued studies on a certain topic of interest at the graduate level. One of the significant parts about this class is having the opportunity to share what we have learned in class with the rest of the community via these blogs on the internet. We have the opportunity to communicate with the people outside of our class or even outside of our college or town as these blogs spread the awareness of the some of the common disorders. As a neuroscience student and as a cobber, I feel rewarded and engaged after learning some of the most interesting topics and sharing what I have learned in this Neurochemistry class. I feel that this class serves its purpose of a core class at Concordia College by engaging the students into becoming responsibly engaged in the affairs of the world.

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Neurochemistry as a Capstone

Posted on December 11, 2011 by / 0 Comment

Neuroscience is a fairly new frontier in the scientific world. It combines biology, chemistry, psychology and other fields at the specific point of the nervous system. These interactions and their implications in the human mind are fascinating. I became so interested in neuroscience specifically for the reason that it encompassed my diverse interest in various fields of science.
Neurochemistry has been one of the most intriguing courses I have taken at Concordia. It has pushed me deeper into the world of neuroscience and into a more specific and concentrated area of it. Understanding how all of the things I learned in general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry apply to our brains has been very rewarding – it is always nice to realize that what you learn in class really does apply to the real world.
The articles we read were hot topics in the world of health and diseases such as Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Cancer, Alcoholism, etc. They are huge issues currently affecting our society and currently unresolved. The articles make us evaluate what researchers have found and the validity of their conclusions based on other literature; they make us really think about what is happening in our brains and how all of these diseases are affecting that specific, and vitally important, part of our body.
I think that one of my favorite aspects of this capstone course is Friday discussions. Although we may get off topic from time to time, these discussions truly make us evaluate the issues our society is facing. It makes us apply the research to the real world and understand how it affects us and what it can lead us towards in the future. Is social media affecting multiple aspects of our life? Can you really cure alcoholism? Would everyone form cancer if they lived long enough? It makes us face questions such as these and evaluate our own lives as well.
I have also learned many valuable skills in this course related to reading scientific literature. We learn to carefully read the articles and organize them to initially understand the message the author is trying to send. We then tear through the paper and research items that we still do not understand. This teaches us how to search for credible sources and evaluate the validity of all of the information that is available to us. We then put all of this together to best understand the article and all that it can teach us. Finally, we use this information to discuss the ‘bigger picture’ and the implications it has in our lives and society in general.
Overall, neurochemistry was a great capstone course. I feel that it was a wonderful way to bring together all of the material I have learned in the chemistry field thus far at Concordia and to develop my skill sets as a scientist.

Disease/Health

Is there a single cause of autism?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by / 0 Comment

This week’s article discussed a new hypothesis for the cause of autism. It is called a redox/methylation hypothesis and suggests that environmental issues activate autism in individuals who are genetically predisposed to the condition. The hypothesis points a finger at heavy metals and xenobiotics (potentially harmful chemicals). However, it seems that if this were the case, autism levels should be lower now than they were in the past, which is not the case. National and worldwide government agencies have set increasingly more strict restrictions on the amount of heavy metals introduced to our environment. The hypothesis also mentions vaccines containing ethylmercury as a cause however, ethylmercury has been removed from vaccines and autism levels have only risen.
It seems that something else is playing a role in causing autism. The mother-child interactions both in-utero and once the child is born seem to be very important. It has been suggested that the mother’s attitude towards the fetus could be related. If the mother did not want the pregnancy or is unsure about her feelings towards the fetus, the fetus is not talked to as much and does not experience the same in-utero environment as a fetus whose mother truly desired the pregnancy.
Once a child is born their interactions with their mother are also crucial. If a child is not stimulated and given attention they may be at risk for difficulty with social interactions later in life. A child frequently left alone may become more independent and not desire interactions with others or not know how to properly interact with others. This seems to better trend with time and autism incident increase because mothers are more frequently going to work earlier and earlier after a child is born. A fairly average maternity leave may be as little as four weeks. After this point the child is likely taken to a child care facility of varying quality. With only a few adults per multiple children, a child is not getting as much attention as they would have say 75 years ago when many mothers did not work and stayed home with their children throughout their entire childhood.
Clearly the cause of autism still remains under investigation as no hypothesis seems to fully explain the disease. It is possible that many of the suggested hypotheses are working together as opposed to there being one single, easy answer.

Disease/Health

Is a pharmacological cure for alcoholism in our future?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by / 0 Comment

One of our recent articles discussed the effects of ethanol, or alcohol as it is more commonly referred to. Multiple signaling pathways in the brain are affected by alcohol either directly or indirectly. These affects change depending on the brain region and whether the ethanol exposure is acute or chronic. Based on the varying information provided by the article it seems that a pharmacological cure for alcoholism is far in our future. However, it raises many questions about the possibility of a drug to reverse the behavioral effects of alcohol or the possibility of an alcoholism drug.
What would be the advantage of creating a drug that would reverse the behavioral effects of acute alcohol use? What first comes to mind is use in emergency rooms for individuals who come in with alcohol poisoning. A drug could be created to reverse the effects of the alcohol and ‘sober them up’. However, if individuals experience this they may begin to think that they can drink as much alcohol as they want and all they have to do is go to the hospital and the doctor will reverse the effects with a simple injection or pill. Especially in the case of teenagers or young adults who do not yet understand the extent of the negative effects of alcohol on their bodies may abuse the creation of this drug.
Second, what aspect of alcoholism would a drug for chronic alcohol use target? Would it target the reward of the alcohol or the behavioral effects or tolerance or the drug-seeking behavior? Alcoholism is not a simple condition; there are many aspects. It seems that there would need to be a drug to encompass all of these aspects which may be unreasonable. Although, it seems that the single best area to target would be the desire to seek out alcohol. If the desire can be decreased then, in theory, the alcoholic would cease to seek out the alcohol and therefore no longer drink.
However, with the information from this article it seems that too many structures are involved with different effects from alcohol exposure to really create a successful drug. It is most likely that pharmacological ‘cures’ are a long way down the road and other options should be considered. For example, teaching children and teens about the extensive negative effects of alcohol use to prevent binge drinking and alcohol poisoning. Also, therapies or support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous may be more helpful to chronic alcohol abusers. Individuals must have the desire to face their alcohol overuse and overcome the obstacles even though it may be a more grueling process.