Cobbers on the Brain – Page 32 – Student Commentary on the Neurological Sciences

Final Thoughts for the Semester

Posted on December 15, 2021 by / 0 Comment

What kinds of learning occurred for you during this semester?

Fall 2021 held many opportunities for learning—both in the academic sense and the personal sense. I learned all sorts of neurochemical pathways in class this semester, and many of them will stick with me for a long time. I have already shown off my knowledge about neurochemical pathways to my parents, and I will continue doing so for the rest of my life. Most of my learning this semester, however, took place in the personal sense. I learned what type of learner I am (yes, it took four years to figure this out). I learned that I am a visual learner, as writing out a pathway helped me really understand it and extrapolate on it. I also learned where I am most confident in terms of topics.

What does learning at a liberal arts institution mean to you?

Learning at a liberal arts college means that I learn the skills I need to be a well-rounded individual. Learning at a liberal arts institution means that I learn the skills I need to be successful in my field, but I also learn the skills that I need to become responsibly engaged in the world. I tried to come up with a better phrase for it, but Concordia hit the nail on the head with that phrase. Learning at a liberal arts college means that you explore disciplines that are different from yours and, by doing that, you are able to bring the skills you learned from one class into the other. For example, I am a science major, but I had to take a few courses in the humanities area of study. I chose to take a class called Culture, Identity, and Dialogue. Going into the class, I was prepared to be bored out of my mind. My favorite subject to learn was science, and this class was the complete opposite of science. However, the global studies course ended up being one of my favorites that I have ever taken at Concordia. This class was completely different than one I have ever taken, and it challenged me to think differently about the world around me. Learning at a liberal arts college means that you challenge yourself to take on new perspectives through the lens of different disciplines and investigate how you might be able to use those perspectives in your specific field of study. Learning at a liberal arts college is all about exploring other perspectives and integrating them into other fields of study.

If you were to highlight on your resume a skill or competency that you improved upon this semester, what would you be sure to include?

If I were to highlight particular skills on my resume that I improved upon in this semester, I would highlight team-work. I would make it a fancier term on my resume, but I would highlight this skill for sure. In this course, we worked together on a project where half of the people had a different background than we did. I honed my skill of being able to work with others in a setting where the team members have different knowledge and different skills. I also would highlight the “clear communicator” skill. Some of this skill was improved upon through my job, but this course also taught me a lot about how to communicate complex topics to people who are not at the same understanding as I am. I learned how to describe complex processes in simple terms (most often in the form of metaphors). I also learned how to communicate my thoughts more effectively with someone who has a similar background to me. I am often intimidated by other’s knowledge, but I learned how to accept that I won’t know everything and just communicate what I do know.

Final Thoughts?

I grew a lot this semester—both in my academic and my personal life. These two pieces of me also influenced each other, which led to even more learning. I discovered my inner self-confidence, and I learned how to put myself first. I learned that being imperfect is okay, and I learned to not underestimate myself. I know and understand more than I think I do, and sometimes it just takes a little bit of work for me to see that. This class (along with physical chemistry) taught me a lot about the world. I learned that there is always more learning to be done, and I learned to think critically about issues within the field. But I also learned more about myself through these courses. I am truly grateful for all of the things I have learned through this course and throughout the semester.

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How Sleep and Memory are Interconnected

Posted on December 14, 2021 by / 0 Comment

Wildest Dreams (not the song by Taylor Swift)

Before you begin to read the rest of this post, I ask that you watch this video.

Fig. 1. An image of the little boy in the video mentioned above. Retrieved from : https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/have-you-ever-had-a-dream-like-this

What you just watched is one of my favorite videos on the internet. Whenever I see this video on a platform, I watch the whole thing and just smile the whole time. In case you didn’t feel like watching the video, I will also describe it. The video is just twenty seconds long and consists of a little boy attempting to ask the audience if they were had a dream similar to one of his. However, the audience is unable to recall a similar dream, due to the child’s inability actually ask the question. He tries to ask but cannot form a complete sentence until the very end of the video and, even then, the question still doesn’t make sense. I had you watch this video for two reasons: 1) I was hoping to put a smile on your face and make your day a little bit better and 2) I wanted to pose a similar (?) question to my audience (you).

What is the most memorable dream you’ve ever had? I’ve had many memorable dreams, but there is one set of recurring dreams I had that I will probably remember forever. I call them recurring because, though the actual plot of the dreams had nothing to do with the other, the ending was always the same. The first one took place at a river near my childhood home, one which had a strong current. The second dream took place in the ocean on the boat from Suite Life on Deck (shout out if you remember that show). TRIGGER WARNING. In both dreams, my brother’s death was the end of the story. In both dreams, he died due to drowning. I had these dreams probably in middle school, but I still remember them like I dreamt about them last night. You’ve probably had equally impactful dreams—ones that make you forget you’re dreaming, ones that you could retell with astounding accuracy. Now, researchers aren’t exactly sure why we dream when we sleep, but many dream theories have to do with memory consolidation.

(Also, just so you don’t think I’m a psychopath for dreaming about my brother’s death, he had a dream where I was mauled by a pack of wild dogs, so we are even).

Sleep and Memory Consolidation

Memory consolidation in the hippocampus follows a pretty distinct pathway, starting with the NMDA receptor. The NMDA receptors are most commonly known for their role in learning and memory, so it is no surprise that these receptors are the starting point for memory consolidation. Once the NMDA receptor is activated by glutamate, this triggers a cellular influx of calcium. The influx of calcium into the cell activates adenylyl cyclase, which then increases the production of cAMP. The increased production of cAMP activates PKA, which then activates Ras and the rest of the MAPK pathway (Raf, MEK, and ERK). Then, MSK-1 is activated, which phosphorylates CREB and triggers the transcription and translation of the CRE gene. To break it into chunks, and maybe help with the understanding, the first part of the pathway is G-protein signaling. The middle piece of the pathway is the usual MAPK pathway, followed by activation of a transcription factor. The figure below outlines this pathway.

Fig. 2. An image of the memory consolidation pathway in the hippocampus. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neures.2017.04.011

Now, you may be wondering how the memory consolidation pathway in the hippocampus relates to sleep. This is a very good question, and I will answer it for you. The memory consolidation pathway is active during REM sleep. In addition, many of pieces of the CRE transcriptional pathway are modulated by the PER1 protein. The PER1 protein is an essential protein in the circadian cycle, and this protein oscillates cAMP, Ras, MAPK, and CREB. The circadian cycle refers to the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Circadian cycles are primarily stimulated by light input thus, it controls the sleep-wake cycle. During the circadian cycle, an individual’s proteins are expressed in various levels depending on what point in the cycle an individual is on, which is referred to the circadian oscillations of the protein. So, PER1, which is an essential clock protein, controls the circadian oscillations of cAMP, Ras, MAPK, and CREB. Thus, in REM sleep, PER1 is responsible for the strength of the expression of these proteins after the pathway has been activated.

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The system you did not know you needed

Posted on December 14, 2021 by / 0 Comment

The systems in the body are very well known in protecting it, with the immune system protecting against infection and the integumentary system protecting against debris. However, the endocannabinoid system is not a very well known system within the human body. This is a surprise as it has proven to have multiple helpful functions. It is described to play a key role during synaptic plasticity and homeostatic processes in the brain, making it a suitable spot for therapeutic treatments for disorders of the central nervous system [1]. It is involved in the use of Cannabis for your body as a therapeutic and treatment.

The endocannabinoid system is composed of two main receptors. The two main receptors of the endocannabinoid system are the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors, which determine the behavioral effects of the body when cannabis is consumed [2]. The CB-1 receptors are mainly located in the brain and other nerves throughout the body while the CB-2 receptors are mainly located in the immune and gastrointestinal systems [2]. The way these receptors work is that the CB1 is activated by arachnidonylethanolamine and 2-arachidnonylglycerol, coupling the CB-1 receptor to G proteins leading to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity leading to a decrease in levels of cAMP [1]. Locations and Targets for both receptors are shown on the diagram below.

The Cb1 receptors tend to bind to the central intoxicating component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol , making the Cb1 receptor play a major role in the euphoric effects of marijuana [3]. This means that when activating Cb1 receptors in your body this means that you have possibly smoked marijuana. Some of these symptoms that a person may experience in this situation includes the feeling of being on a high, pain relief, appetite, sedation and motor impairment, and cognitive and memory impairment [3].

The Cb2 receptors show another approach for brain disorder treatment by controlling synaptic functions involved in drug abuse and synaptic plasticity by inhibiting dopaminergic firing from the ventral tegmental area and reduced cocaine self-administration [1]. Based on the information gathered on both receptors, it is evident that the Cb1 receptor and Cb2 receptors are working around each other when exposed to cannabis.

While the endocannabinoid system has been linked to having roles in neurological diseases, there is some evidence of the receptors involved in treating people infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Hypotensive effects have been shown to be caused by activation of Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and mediation by ACE inhibition [4]. These effects have been linked to direct vasorelaxation effects that were induced by CB1 activation or ANG (II) vasoactive agonists [4]. Along with CB1 receptors, CB2 receptors are known to exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatine effects when stimulated [4]. This is present in the human lungs making it possible to use CB2 as a target for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections by reducing inflammatory responses.

This information shows that while the use of marijuana can have severe side effects on people who use it to the highest extent, there is a possibility that it can be used for treatment purposes through activation of the Cb1 and Cb2 receptors leading to the reduction of COVID-19 symptoms and infections. This is why it can be very useful to learn more on how the endocannabinoid system can have possible therapeutic and treatment effects on the person’s body.

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What Goes On When You Sleep

Posted on December 14, 2021 by / 0 Comment

It is a well known fact around eight hours of sleep is required to function in everyday activities. However, people will still have less hours of sleep due to a number of activities. Some of these activities would include college assignments having to do with completing term papers and studying for exams. While students believe that this would not be an issue, it has been studied that sleep is important for consolidation of memories. Memory consolidation is defined as a time-dependent process by which recent learned experiences are transformed into long-term memory, presumably by structural and chemical changes in the nervous system [1]. This essentially means that while we sleep after studying for an exam, our brains are processing the information that we reviewed so that the information can be accessed in the morning. While some people may have an understanding what memory consolidation is, it is still important to understand the molecular pathway for the role in sleep as well as how important processing the information is before sending it off to storage (long-term memory).

It was established that the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memory depends on the activation of the Erk1,2 MAP kinase (MAPK) pathway [2]. Activation of the MAPK pathway is done by having the NMDA receptors signal generate calcium ions to activate the cAMP, leading to the activation of MAPK [2]. From there, the MAPK pathway is able to stimulate protein synthesis and CREB/CRE-mediated transcription, two events required for memory consolidation and formation [2]. This is the pathway that happens each time we experience a new memory.

Another interesting concept on memory consolidation is the fact that it is also linked to the feeling of déjà vu. Déjà vu is the feeling somebody gets when they feel that they have experienced the present situation before in vivid detail and exactly what has happened. While this has been labeled as precognitions or prophecies, science has excluded these facts and states that the memory illusions experienced from a déjà vu episode are because of the frontal regions of the brain attempting to correct an inaccurate memory [3]. This would involve your brain trying to create a perception of as much of the world around you from the little amount of information it may be provided with.

Discrepancies in the memory system of the brain can also cause déjà vu by leading sensory information obtained from the outside world to by-pass short-term memory entirely and reach long-term memory instead [3]. This means that since your body doesn’t necessarily process the information, and since it is already stored in your memory, this leads you to have a feeling of experiencing a brand new moment already. This is something I found to be very interesting when learning about memory consolidation. While it is quite harmless, it has sometimes been linked to focal seizures after somebody experiences a strong, intense feeling of déjà vu [3]. This makes processing information first before storage an important factor to consider with all the other mechanisms happening in your head to avoid any serious damage. The research found on sleep and memory consolidation give detailed information on how important memory consolidation is when it comes to recalling information during an exam and processing information on a regular basis.

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My Capstone Experience

Posted on December 13, 2021 by / 0 Comment

Throughout this course, I have fostered all five aspects of liberal learning and been able to apply all of the skills I have gathered while learning here at Concordia.

Instill a love for learning.

I have found myself immersed in group discussions and building off my classmates throughout this course. What helped me instill a love for learning was the open nature of the course layout that allowed for our own interpretations of the material discussed in class. During Friday group meetings, as students and young neuroscientists, we built off one another and grew together as one rather than alone. Learning was made enjoyable. Learning was viewed as a time to socialize and share our findings, rather than sitting in a chair for a few hours, taking in regurgitated information from someone leading the class.

Develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities.

Throughout my time enrolled in neurochemistry. I have developed strong communication and cooperation skills with fellow peers. These are skills that I can apply to almost any discipline and day-to-day life. some examples are post-undergraduate research, future employment, this, and this coming semester of classes.

Develop an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and intercultural perspectives and their connections.

We have explored many topics during this course and approached them from various angles. These at times included viewing the topics at hand through the lenses of nutritional, psychological, pharmacological, and anatomical viewpoints. The differing perspectives allowed me to develop a greater understanding of the true nature and the complexity of the subjects studied. Had we only focused on neurochemistry, I believe we would ultimately only be receiving and trying to make sense of a single piece of the puzzle. While this would have helped us indeed become more well-versed in the course material, it would bar us off from thinking “outside of the box” and exploring while using neurochemistry as a guide to help us formulate our own opinions and answers.

Cultivate an examined cultural, ethical, physical, and spiritual self-understanding.

The course helped me realize a science culture that praises data and numerical language. While this can help provide evidence and support arguments when it comes to other scientists, what is failed to be considered is what a broader and less well-versed audience can take away from it. To others not in a scientific discipline, all of the numbers and data entries can be overwhelming and be seen as just a bunch of chicken scratches or numbers thrown onto a page. Scientific literature needs to be more relaxed to attract larger audiences and inform them of our findings. Ethically, this change is also a great thing to consider. It no longer will “bar off” non-scientific disciplines from learning, questioning, and providing input on our work. It would allow for equality in terms of legibility.

Encourage responsible participation in the world.

The diversity of approaches to the topics discussed in class helped me realize how complex some of them are, as mentioned before. Suppose we are to one day tackle the disorders mentioned in class. In that case, we will have to rely on working together as peers and as members of a large scientific community to formulate different approaches and methods of attack for treatments. We simply can not begin to treat or aid in treating these disorders if we choose not to take responsible participation in a larger community that grows off of the bright minds within it.

Final Remarks

My experience gained throughout this semester will help contribute to my future goals in neuroscience research. Being someone conducting the research, it is critical that I understand how to work in a group and not only communicate amongst those in my group, but with my audience as well. Being enrolled in a liberal arts institution allows me to better understand my field of study not only on its own but with an interdisciplinary understanding and a sense of social responsibility.

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The Genetics of Obesity and Beyond

Posted on December 13, 2021 by / 0 Comment

For all intents and purposes, the genes of a person determine who they are. There are lots of important factors that make up your genes, the most commonly understood factor is the genes of your parents. The combination of your parent’s genes is enough alone to create a completely new set of genetic information, but that factor only scratches the surface of what is possible regarding genetics and how it impacts a person. In order to truly understand genetics and how they work, it is important to first understand what impacts your genetics outside of just your parents.

Genetics Throughout the History of Humanity

While genetics of an individual are primarily developed by their parents, there are many more direct factors that impact the genetics of an individual or even a population. The diagram below is an excellent demonstration of the various factors. For example, the average person can be exposed to radiation that completely changes them on a genetic level, hence why proper care is advised in the sun. But even after that happens, there are still many factors that influence the genetics of a population. This includes general gene flow, cultures becoming isolated, and certain cultural or mating practices. An example of this phenomenon would be if a community that was largely obese were to be cut off from the outside world, the prevalence of genetic obesity in that community would rise greatly throughout the generations. Therefore, genetics are much more than what comes from the parents. However, this is not the full story of genetics.

Genetics come from so much more than just a person’s parents, as seen in the chart above

Epigenetics: A Rapidly Growing Field of Study

Epigenetics, simply put, describes all of the factors that impact how a gene functions outside of the classical understanding of genetics. The section above scratched the surface of epigenetics, but there are so many more things that impact exactly how the genes in our body function from day to day. The diagram below lists some examples of epigenetics in the classical sense as well as other important epigenetic factors that act on genes. Some of the highlights from this section are general epigenetics, cultural understandings of obesity, population history, and even direct benefits of obesity. A bit more on classical epigenetics, these are often changes that happen to our genes after they are created. One of them most common factors for epigenetic changes is exposure to the environment. For example, breathing in large amounts of toxins from the air can cause notable changes in how certain genes are expressed throughout the body.

Studies of epigenetics, or outside factors that influence a person’s genes have grown exponentially in recent years. This web for example, shows many common epigenetic factors that impact genetic obesity.

Culture and Population History:

The culture and history of the people we live with can directly change how the genes in our body work. Some cultures believe that an obese body is more desirable than others, which would lead for that to become a more popular gene when considering a mating partner. Another interesting factor to consider about cultures is that some cultures practice polygamy, which would further spread genes from people that are powerful. Populations in general have a variety of ways they can spread genes. For example, if there were a disease that targeted non-obese people, then obesity would become a desirable and necessary gene to spread to populations impacted by the disease. It has even been noted that oppression of certain populations led to an increase of obesity, which opens a whole new door to targeted minorities experiencing negative health effects. These are a few examples of the many ways that identity can shape genetics before a person is even born. In conclusion, while each individual has their own genes, there are many different factors that influence the genetics of a person before a baby is even conceived. For the image source and to learn more about genetics and obesity, click here

Featured image taken from here

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What Does it Mean to Have Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Posted on December 13, 2021 by / 0 Comment

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has seen a rise in diagnosis, but unfortunately it is still not well understood due to how broadly it impacts any given individual. This article will break down how we currently understand ASD and some common misunderstanding about the disease.

What is ASD?

Autism Spectrum Disorder has taken on a different meaning than what was traditionally consider autism in the past. In the past it has been referred to by many names: autism, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder. These terms have all been consolidated under ASD to designate that the concept of autism is both unique to each individual and falls on a spectrum of levels, although Asperger’s syndrome is still used occasionally to describe mild ASD. The official standard definition of ASD according to the Mayo Clinic is “… a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interactions and communication.

Early Signs of ASD

There are two major categories to identify autism that take into account how different each case is, social communication and behavioral patterns. Social communications indicators are as follows:

Fails to respond to name

Resists physical contact and prefers solitude

Poor eye contact and facial expression

Doesn’t speak or speaks slow, missing vocabulary

Won’t participate in conversation

Speaks with abnormal rhythm or tone (Singing or robot-like)

Repeats phrases without understanding them

Doesn’t understand questions/directions

Doesn’t express or understand emotions

Behaves abnormally in social interactions (passive, aggressive, or disruptive)

Doesn’t understand nonverbal cues

Indicators that are patterns of behavior may include:

Performing repetitive movements (rocking, spinning)

Performing self-harming activities (biting, headbanging)

Problems with coordination or odd movement patterns, stiff or exaggerated body motions

Is fascinated with details but ignores the overall purpose or function of objects

Is sensitive to light, sound, or touch while ignoring pain or temperature

Doesn’t engage in make believe play

Fixates on objects or activities with abnormal intensity

Has hyper specific food preferences

Autism is normally found early in development, talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns. The diagram below provides a more simplified guide to generic autism symptoms.

A diagram demonstrating early signs of autism in children. More info on image

What Causes ASD?

The short answer is that there are many potential causes, and few certain causes are known for sure:

Genetics- Syndromes such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome can be indicators of ASD. There is a chance of genetic mutations or non-typical expression of brain related genes that can cause ASD. Some of these changes are heritable, while others are random.

Environmental factors- it is currently unknown if factors such as viruses, medications, pregnancy complications, or air pollutants impact ASD

Please note that vaccines DO NOT cause autism, this information was gathered from a faulty study.

It is also important to note certain risk factors:

Males are four times more likely to have ASD

Families with an ASD case will be more likely to have another child with ASD

Babies born before 26 weeks of gestation may be at higher risk

There is a potential connection between parents that are older and ASD

Below is an important image about autism and its cause

It’s important to remember that autism is not a parent’s fault! More about the image

ASD Diagnosis and Treatment

ASD is challenging to diagnose, these are the most likely steps a physician will take:

Observe the child and learn about how their social interaction, communication skills, and behaviors have changed

Give tests covering hearing, speech, language, developmental level, and social/behavioral issues

Present structured social and communicative interactions to be evaluated

Use the DSM-5 as a guideline (a tool used in diagnosing mental issues that are not visible to the eye)

Work closely with specialists

Perform genetic testing based on the above info

While there is no direct cure, there are ways to help make sure people with ASD can live a “more normal” life to the best of their abilities:

Behavioral and Communication Therapy- designed to help teach children with ASD to interact with the world and people around them

Educational Therapy- highly structured education is very helpful for children with ASD

Family therapy- families can learn how to best support their children with ASD

Other therapies- depending on needs, children with ASD can benefit from speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and working with a psychologist.

Medications- certain medications can aid in managing symptoms, such as controlling hyperactivity, anti psychotics for behavioral issues, and antidepressants to control anxiety.

Doctors can also help manage medical and mental health issues such as: epilepsy, sleep disorders, limited food preference, stomach issues, anxiety and depression. Hopefully this information helps dispel some myths about ASD and provides useful information for anyone who may need it. For more information

Feature art created by me

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Cancer and Endocannabinoids: More Than Just Palliative Care?

Posted on December 13, 2021 by / 0 Comment

Medical marijuana has been a hot debate topic for years now, but one of the undeniable and notable effects that has been seen is that medical marijuana has a good effect on people with terminal cancer. It is used to manage pain and symptoms effectively, but research has discovered that it can do so much more than that. Research has discovered that not only does cancer have palliative properties, it can also work to treat tumors.

How Marijuana and Other Endocannabinoid Activators Interact with Tumors:

Marijuana is part of a class of drugs called cannabinoids, which interact with the endocannabinoid system of our body. Marijuana, and more specifically THC have been studied for their medicinal purposes for years, but recently there have been breakthroughs in understanding how it interacts with cancer. When a patient with a glioma was exposed to THC, it was found that the tumor began to kill itself on the cellular level. This is because THC activated the CB1 and CB2 receptors that are naturally present in the body, and stimulated various aspects of the body that focus on autophagy, or consuming the cancerous cells. The diagram below paints a detailed picture of what goes on after THC activates the receptors, but in short THC enables the body to naturally kill off cancerous cells while also leaving healthy cells untouched. Through this signaling, THC and other cannabinoids can effectively treat cancer as well as providing relief from the major symptoms of cancer. There is also notable benefits of cannabinoids in other research, these include the ability to stop cancerous growth and even interfere with a tumor’s ability to resist traditional medicinal treatments. However, research has just begun to scratch the surface of the benefits and issues with cannabinoid treatments.

What Needs to Be Explored About Cannabinoids and Treatment?

While studying the cannabinoid’s ability to treat cancers, it was found that some cannabinoid resistant cancers existed, which led to a new challenge when facing said tumors. This resistance is related to a growth factor called growth factor midkine MDK, which activates something called the anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK). As shown in the diagram below, there is a way to counter this resistance by combining cannabinoids with classical cancer treatment methods such as chemotherapeutic drugs to get around this resistance. This research also opened the doors to combining classical cancer drugs with cannabinoids to enhance the power of both and to target difficult tumors. This being said, there is another major issue that is hindering all of this research, and that is the stigma surrounding marijuana. This combined with the fact that it is illegal in much of the US strongly prevents much of the additional research needed to get this treatment option into the hands of patients with cancer. There have been studies done with CBD and cancer, which is less stigmatized and works differently than a traditional cannabinoid, but the end results could still be removed by researching in conjunction with THC and the already known benefits it provides. In conclusion, THC and other cannabinoids have remarkable potential to treat cancer, but need to be given more research in order to best assess their usage and begin getting the treatment to the people that need it. The image source and more information about the topic can be found here

Featured image created by me

A potential way to subvert a tumor’s THC resistance

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Neurochemistry: Integrating and Applying Liberal Arts Education Goals

Posted on December 12, 2021 by / 0 Comment

Neurochemistry has allowed me to integrate and apply the skills and competencies that a liberal arts education at Concordia College strives all students to meet. Learning at a liberal arts college means that the education I receive is holistic and it focuses around many areas of study in conjunction with forcing students to get out into the community to make a difference. In my well-rounded education, I was emmerssed in topics that I never would have studied before coming to college, but I am able to look at a signal topic with various lenses that my other causes have instilled in me that makes me a more intuitive person when going into the dental profession. The learning outcomes at Concordia College for the liberal education are outlined below.

Instill a love of learning:

Neurochemistry has expanded upon how much knowledge within my major of neuroscience can be applied to various disease states in order to understand what is physiologically happening in the body in atypical circumstances. In many of my neurochemistry courses, we discuss what typical biochemical processes occur. Neurochemistry threw our knowledge into an application stage by applying our previous knowledge to disease states to understand what is happening within the body and what mechanisms are effected when diseases take place. By reading current research and asking questions about disease states, I have been better able to learn from my curiosity and questions about neurological diseases that many people have no idea about to understand the pathology of a disease, as well as how to prevent and ultimately treat disease states. As many of my classmates and myself are going into the sciences, I think it is important to acknowledge that we are learning to take previous knowledge to help treat or solve diseases that affect our population in order to improve the quality of life of many individuals. Not only did I improve my problem solving skills and how to better ask questions to solve, but I also learned to better communicate in writing and verbally through blog posts and our “speed” information sessions. The speed information sessions with other classmates helped me to pair down my question of interest and the information to answer the question in a few sentences, which will help me as a dental professional explaining to my patients what is happening.

Develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities:

At the start of neurochemistry, the first seven class periods were on setting the foundation of common pathways in the brain that we would later cover in disease state papers. Understanding the common neurological pathways allowed me to better understand where in a pathway a disease state is dysregulated and how it impacts the rest of the typical pathway. These skills will allow me to look at current dental disease states and better understand where in the pathway select disease states the dysfunction happens. I also learned how to break down academic articles, which is necessary in the dental profession as technology and biomaterials are always changing. I would highlight the skill of making dense information understandable to my classmates and non-science individuals as a core competency on my resume. I think that this knowledge will allow me to more quickly process academic papers as a dental professional to augment my own knowledge and how to ensure that I change how I practice to support my patients and their health.

Develop an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and intercultural perspectives and their connections:

Beyond taking courses to support my knowledge of neuroscience courses, I have also supplemented my disciplinary knowledge with interdisciplinary learning through my minors of chemistry and food/nutrition/dietetics. My knowledge of chemistry and nutrition have given be a broader view of neurological disease states. I bring my passion for nutrition into the course by wanting to better understand what the role of nutrition is in the progression or treatment of neurological disease. One example of problem solving using my science perspectives includes how maternal nutrition can impact the risk of having offspring with autism. I found that increasing omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin D, iron, and folate consumption in pregnant women can significantly decrease the risk of having a child with autism through various pathways to promote healthy offspring. The intercultural component of the puzzle can be found in looking at what other countries do to promote or prevent diseases along with speaking to my classmates to learn about how their experience shapes their knowledge and overall perspective that they bring to class. Having discussion days in class better allows me to ask students why they believe what they do and learn from their experience to have a better knowledge base and become a more well-rounded individual.

Cultivate an examined cultural, ethical, physical and spiritual self-understanding:

During discussion days, I learned from my classmates about their own culture, ethical, physical, and spititual knowledge and believes when ethical questions were posed about how to combat and treat disease, as well as the best options on how to help people with disease states. By just listening, I acknowledged how my beliefs and perspectives also shaped my own beliefs while making room for others to share their understanding. I did not quite understand how my beliefs and attitudes could slightly change by just having a conversation with others weekly.

Encourage responsible participation in the world:

I did not do the PEAK project this year, but I think that learning about disease states and helping others who are neurologically different can raise awareness and even understanding about the human condition. I think this skill can help me as a dental professional when I see clients who are neurologically diverse to treat everyone the same, with respect and kindness.

Conclusion:

Being able to use my liberal arts education to make me a more well-rounded student has been amplified in my neurochemistry course as I have brought many of the components together throughout the course this semester. I am so excited to use this knowledge in dental school next year and in my career as a dentist.

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Final Blog Post

Posted on December 12, 2021 by / 0 Comment

This class pushed me in ways I did not anticipate. I had to adjust my learning style to be more independent. I expected this class to be like every other science course I have taken at Concordia: lecture based, textbook notes, many quizzes, and exams. The format of this class was strange to me at first, but now at the end of the semester I really enjoyed it.

I learned how to read scientific articles and journal efficiently to obtain the information I needed. I developed skills to decipher complicated language and schematics in order to understand chemical signaling. I maintained organized notes that I could return to as the information accumulated. I grew to be okay that not everything will make sense, answers will not always obvious, and some answers have not even been found by professional scientists.

This class connected to topics in my other courses past and present. The aspect I enjoyed most of the knowledge this course gave me was calling my mom to tell her all about it. I was able to relay in common language how addiction changes a brain, what abnormalities are seen in Alzheimer’s disease, and how obesity can be a disease of the brain. I believe the skill of explaining complex topics to someone with no previous knowledge is very important for my future. With a patient, I will need the ability to communicate to them professionally and simply. And this class has provided me experience with this.

Neurochemistry has reminded me of how grateful I am to be attending a liberal arts institution. The emphasis on developing a love of learning and transferable intellectual capacities reigns true in this course. I integrated a variety of information from previous courses to fully understand the material in neurochemistry. I developed a love for finding the answers and a great sense of pride when I discovered the full story for myself.

I finish this course with improved problem-solving skills, a new addition to my love of learning, and knowledge on many important brain diseases. For anyone interested in the brain I highly recommend this course.