Cobbers on the Brain

I took Neurochemistry kind of as an afterthought. I took it even after I swore to myself I was done with taking chemistry courses after I finished biochemistry in the fall of 2018. But Neurochemistry is different from other chemistry courses, and quickly came to be one of my favorite courses I had taken throughout my years at Concordia. Below I will be giving my Top 10 reasons YOU should take neurochemistry at Concordia. Many of these reasons involve the courses dedication to the goals of liberal learning through the Pivotal Experience in Applied Knowledge (PEAK) program at Concordia College. These goals are:

• Instill a love for learning
• Develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities
• Develop an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives and their connections
• Cultivate an examined cultural, ethical, physical and spiritual self-understanding
• Encourage responsible participation in the world

1. NEUROCHEMISTRY IS A PEAK – At Concordia, you need two PEAK’s in order to graduate. Many times it is hard to find a PEAK that directly ties to your major and what you want to do in life. If you are majoring in anything science related, I strongly encourage taking Neurochemistry as one of your PEAKs. Same goes if you are interested in going into a health profession. As a neuroscience major with future plans of attending medical school, I found the topics we covered in class interesting and relevant every week. It made me look forward to waking up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday even though it was at 8 AM! This course taught me material that I loved to learn

2. SMALL CLASS SIZE – Concordia College is known for their small class sizes. It was one of the main reasons why I chose to come to Concordia in the first place. In my Neurochemistry class, there were 16 students and Dr. Mach. This small class size allowed myself to be more comfortable in asking questions, adding input, and discussing with my peers.

3. INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY – The Community Action Project is a project that relates directly to the goals of the PEAK program. For this project four neurochemistry students, including myself, joined two social work students to address a problem in the community. We addressed mental health in the Fargo-Moorhead area. We reached out to many mental health facilities and found information about anxiety and depression. We made brochures that were distributed addressing common symptoms of anxiety and depression, and how to access the resources available in the community. We discovered the importance of mental health education and the impact this education can have in both the short and long term. The presentation of our work and findings at the end of the year showed the potential impact of mental health education. It encouraged myself and others to continue to responsibly participate in community action.

4. STUDENT LED DISCUSSION – As mentioned earlier, Neurochemistry is unlike any other chemistry course I have taken at Concordia. There are no PowerPoint slides that go over the textbook topic for that day every class period. In fact, there is no textbook that you need to buy and we, as a class, practically made our own through collaborating on topics we thought should be explained more thoroughly. The way the class worked was Monday, we would read a scientific article before class and come with questions. We would discuss our questions and try to uncover what we knew and did not know. From what we did not know, we were assigned a topic from the article to research for the next class period. Wednesday, we would bring our research on the topic we were assigned and share it with the class. Friday, we took all the information we knew and had a class discussion on the entire paper. Many times this led to discussions of major societal concerns.

5. INTERPRETING SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES – Articles! Articles! Articles! Every week we read a new scientific article that concerned Alzheimer’s Disease, Anxiety, Mental Illness, Addiction, Obesity, Endocannabinoids, Concussion, Autism, and Cognitive Reserve. Before we started reading those articles, we read articles about neural pathways. This allowed us to have a better understanding of how neurochemistry plays such a major role in brain disorders. From reading these articles, I was able to develop strategies that enhanced my understanding. I took notes on every section of the paper. This allowed me to come to class with questions and areas where the material was unclear.

6. COMMUNICATING SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION – From reading the weekly scientific articles, the small class sizes, and the discussion based structure of the course, we got to become pretty comfortable with communicating scientific information. Many times, as we noticed in a few articles, scientific information is communicated in a way that is boring to read and difficult to understand. In Neurochemistry, we learned techniques such as the “And, But, Therefore” (ABT) strategy to communicate information in a way that is easily understood. One way this was practiced was during our written and oral exams. Yes, I said oral exams, but there is nothing to fear! For the exams, we were given excerpts of a scientific article that contained the key points. From the key points, we were asked to develop a hypothesis based on the neurochemistry we knew. After we completed that, we were given the full article. We were able to read the article and then we would go and have a discussion with Dr. Mach about the article. I enjoyed this setup very much and it prepared me for my future as well as allow me to become a better scientific communicator.

7. BLOGGING – Another way I communicated scientific communication was through the weekly blog posts. Surprisingly, I had tons of fun with these posts even though I am definitely NOT a blogger. But I enjoyed sharing what I knew and attempting to grasp the reader’s attention with each blog I wrote. On three of my blogs, my artistic ability was put to the test as we made “artstracts” that tried to communicate the overall message of the blog post. These were… interesting. Even though I might not have won the best artist award, I had fun making the “artstracts”, communicating the scientific information, and relating it to the big picture on how these neurochemistry related disorders are important for societal awareness. Below are a few of my “artstracts”.

8. SPEED DATING – Another component of this course that I was a little iffy on to begin with was the “speed dating” that took place every Wednesday. We would come to class with research on a topic that was not fully explained in the weekly article. We then had five minute meetings with people in our class to communicate our research. I believe this technique was extremely effective as I made sure I always had plenty of research to talk about so I wouldn’t have to endure the awkward silence if there wasn’t any more research to be discussed. The “speed dating” allowed for me to meet my classmates and learn from them. All the students in the class brought something different and it was always interesting to hear the different perspectives my peers had of the article. It was great to learn from each and every one of them!

9. NO LAB – Need I say more? When you see there isn’t a three-hour lab attached to a chemistry course, why wouldn’t you sign up?!

10. LEARNING NEUROCHEMISTRY – Perhaps one of the most important takeaways you want from any course is to learn something. Well… I learned a lot! I learned not only about the neural pathways that play such a significant role in brain disorders, but I also learned a lot about myself. I learned that I can make a difference. From getting involved in the community to being able to communicate important scientific information to my peers in an easy to understand manner, I can say that this course has allowed me to become more responsibly engaged in the world. The skills that you learn in Neurochemistry will be transferable to our everyday lives, no matter where you see yourself in the future. You will also learn a lot from/about your peers during discussions because the topics that are covered can relate to many on a personal level. Finally, you will learn how to apply the knowledge to your everyday life. You will use this knowledge to inspire and encourage others to make an impact on the lives of so many people who are affected by brain disorders.

So take Neurochemistry and PEAK while doing it. But don’t just take it to cross off your PEAK requirement. Take Neurochemistry because you want to make a difference. Take it because you want to learn more about yourself. If you take Neurochemistry and do those things, I guarantee that you will have a similar experience to mine!

It has been quite the journey, and compared to when I first added my neuroscience minor during my sophomore year, I am in a very different place, after having actually taken neurochemistry. I had realized I would have to enroll in the class without having completed the prerequisite and I was very concerned. Concerned that I would not be able to understand the material. 

To a certain extent, this was true.

BUT, this was a good thing, and I have grown so much! First of all, the set up of class was very different from what I was used to. I expected to be taught so much neurochemistry that I would struggle to understand and memorize, but instead, we all brought our individual knowledge, research and personal experiences to the table and learned from each other, students and professor alike. We read a different article each week, tried to understand the topic as best we could, and sometimes we all couldn’t quite wrap our heads around how things worked (oftentimes because more research was necessary). To address some of our unanswered questions we each researched a related topic for our “speed dates” on Wednesdays and then ended the week with open ended discussions every Friday. These were the days we made the most connections with other areas of study. The paper on obesity connected to my Body Politics class, the paper on neural signaling in schizophrenia connected to Abnormal Psychology, the endocannabinoid paper was closely intertwined with politics and societal issues in our discussions, and the list goes on. This integrated learning was the true goal of the class, and I quickly realized that the neurochemical details of a disease or disorder were important, but we could all still learn and integrate different areas of study without them, while critically thinking about real world applications. 

Of course, we did have to memorize one or the other signaling pathway for our exams, but even the exams were nothing I had encountered before. In the written part, we had to hypothesize how a possible signaling pathway might work and contribute to a certain disease. Whether our hypothesized pathway was right or wrong did not matter as long as we had thought critically about the information and could back up our ideas with some of the facts we were given. After then reading the whole research article, which the facts were selected from, we would have an oral exam to discuss our hypotheses and determine ways in which we were correct or false. 

Overall, the neurochemistry we discussed in the classroom really grew my critical thinking abilities and demonstrated that it is alright (and sometimes simply not possible) to not know all of the information, but that we nevertheless have to ask questions, be open minded, investigate what we don’t know and think critically to try our best. 

However, the class did not end there. For the PEAK or Capstone aspect, we directly integrated neurochemistry with different areas of study for real life applications, just as we were discussing in the classroom. We partnered with students majoring in social work and completed different projects in our Fargo-Moorhead community. One of the things this allowed me to do, is make direct connections between not only Neurochemistry and Social Work, but also integrate both of my majors of Psychology and Spanish. We did so by partnering with a Hispanic church, where we presented information about Alzheimer’s disease in both English and Spanish and provided some potential care options and financial resources for anyone who may at some point encounter the disease in their lives, whether that is personally or through someone they know. 

When considering all the different aspects of this course, it easily fulfilled Concordia’s five goals for liberal learning…

1. Instill a love for learning
2. Develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities
3. Develop an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives and their connections
4. Cultivate an examined cultural, ethical, physical and spiritual self-understanding
5. Encourage responsible participation in the world

… and demonstrated to me again the significant impact a liberal arts education can have.

How many of us enjoy sitting down on the couch after a long day, whipping out some chips and watching our favorite Netflix show? I would argue that it is fairly common and that we do it much more often than maybe going for a run, eating healthy foods or reading a book instead. I get it though. It’s hard sometimes. But what if doing that could grow our brains? Like actually cause new brain cells (aka neurons) to develop? Well, read on for some interesting information.

Brain Reserve and Cognitive Reserve

To start off, we need to establish that some cognitive functions can decline through brain injury, aging, or other events. However, brain reserve and cognitive reserve have been found to play a role in preserving functioning in these circumstances. They may do so independently or interactively. But what exactly are they? Brain reserve is defined by molecular and supramolecular biological factors as well as the simple headcount of neurons and synapses, whereas cognitive reserve is determined by flexibly and efficiently making use of available brain reserve to successfully perform tasks. These concepts are important because three lifestyle choices in early and adult life have been associated with protection against cognitive decline, which may facilitate cognitive and brain reserve:

1. Social factors (marital status, parenthood, friendship, social engagements), 
2. Mental factors (education level, work complexity, mentally demanding activities), and
3. Physical factors (physical activity and healthy diets).

While these studies with humans were correlational, researchers have made interesting findings among mice that were provided with a similarly enriched environment, potentially indicating a causal relationship as well. 

Effects on Brain Reserve

When applying some of the factors named above to mice, numerous benefits were found. To increase environmental enrichment, mice were housed in groups and provided with extra items to explore. For physical activity, mice received wheels to voluntarily run in, and for the dietary factors certain nutrients seemed to be important as well as meal frequency, texture and content. Some of the outcomes that followed included:

• Neurogenesis (the generation of new neurons),
• Gliogenesis (the new development of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia),
• Angiogenesis (the enhancement of the vascular system for increased nutrient and oxygen transport), and 
• Synaptogenesis (changing neural connections by enlarging dendritic surfaces or by increasing the number of dendritic spines the neuron has. 

Aside from these cellular changes, molecular bases of brain reserve have been found as well. Some of them include:

• Alteration of early and late gene expression in the neocortex,
• Alteration of expression of proteins
• Alterations in the neurotransmitter and neurotrophin systems
  • Neurotransmitters: possible increases in serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine
  • Neurotrophins: possibly increased levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3

These findings all indicate that environmental enrichment and physical factors truly can be protective mechanisms against cognitive decline, and while much of this is based off of animal studies, it doesn’t mean that going on a run, eating healthy, reading a book or socializing won’t benefit us. It’s always worth a try.

What are those???

All these seemingly random letters have in common that they are compounds called cannabinoids that affect our endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS extends its reach throughout most of our body and has receptors in peripheral tissues and in the peripheral nervous system, as well as in the central nervous system (our brain and spinal cord). Some of the differences between them are that THC and CBD are both compounds found in marijuana, meaning that they are cannabinoids external to our bodies, whereas AEA (or anandamide) and 2-AG are endocannabinoids, meaning they are naturally produced within our bodies. Both types can bind to CB1Rs and CB2Rs, which are currently the most studied types of cannabinoid receptors in the ECS. 

So what is this system involved in? 

It has been found to affect numerous aspects of bodily functions, including but not limited to the secretion of hormones related to stress and reproductive functioning, food intake, certain types of metabolism, and more. Endocannabinoids are important regulators in all these instances, but external cannabinoids can be too. Some of the therapeutic uses of medical marijuana can be found in these areas:

• Anti-nociception (pain blocker)
• Anticonvulsant (to counter seizures)
• Anti-inflammation (reduction of swelling or inflammation) and 
• Antiemetic (to counter nausea and vomiting).

* Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that lots of THC use (the psychoactive ingredient of marijuana) could be connected to long-term negative psychiatric effects, and many states have legalized medical marijuana that contains THC.

THC vs CBD

While CBD and THC have a number of similar medical benefits, CBD does not have the side effect of the euphoria people tend to experience with THC. Nevertheless, differences do exist:

What is so controversial about marijuana?

While the recreational use of marijuana is widespread throughout much of society, it is illegal by federal law and, interestingly, categorized as a Schedule 1 drug, indicating there is a high potential for abuse and no medical use. Schedule 5 is the lowest categorization, indicating there are medical uses and less potential for abuse. One of the consequences arising from marijuana’s high categorization is that research into its therapeutic potential becomes more difficult, which in turn makes it more challenging to determine and confirm its medical uses through research studies. Only increasing some of the mixed signals we receive surrounding this drug is that many state laws regulate programs that allow for different types of marijuana uses. For more information on the state laws click here.  

I was completely horrified at the prospect of taking another chemistry class, much less a senior-level chemistry class. Chemistry is not my friend and as a result I was very worried about taking Neurochemistry. Even the name sounds a little scary. However, I was pleasantly surprised and it has been a good experience for me. The purpose of this post is to outline how this class has applied to the goals for liberal learning.

Instill a Love of Learning

This is the goal that I think has been featured the most prominently in this class. We did not understand all of the information that was presented in the articles we read and it was our job to come and say what we didn’t understand and needed help with. We were then assigned a topic to research for the following class. This presented an opportunity for us to dig into the literature and do research that would be helpful to the whole class. I have also found that there is a difference between reading something for your own benefit of understanding and reading so that you can explain the content to someone else. Selecting topics also allowed us to decide what we were comfortable with. My background is in psychology and neuroscience so the topics that were connected to that felt safe to me, however, there were times that I tried to stretch myself and take topics that were not exactly in the areas that I was comfortable with.

Develop Foundational Skills and Transferable Intellectual Capacities 

Throughout this class we were challenged to utilize a storytelling format. This made me think about how to explain the science in a way that would make sense to more than just me. This happened on Wednesdays when we were challenged to explain to each other what we had learned in our research. This was difficult but many of the people in the class had some background knowledge. The challenge was doing this in our blogs. We had to work under the assumption that most people would have very little knowledge about the science behind the topics that we were focused on. This can be very difficult to do and I realize that I am guilty of not taking other people’s background knowledge into account. This comes to my attention when someone I am talking to speaks up about needing a little more information. However, I can only imagine how many people have not wanted to speak up. It is important for scientists to be able to explain the science because we do the research we do because it is important to the general public and everyone should be able to understand it if they want to.

Another big component of his class was our community action projects (CAP). My group’s project was based around PTSD in he Fargo-Moorhead refugee community. This project went through a lot of changes and was a very time intensive project. I think this was a good lesson for me that not everything goes according to plan and it is important to adjust to those changes. This project was also my first experience working on a project that was going to truly impact the community. It was a very meaningful experience and a reminder that I am in college so that I can make a positive impact on the world.

This course also fostered a sense of cooperation that is not seen in many classes. Typically there is not much communication among students about the course content. In Neurochemistry we had to rely on others in the class to help us understand aspects of the articles and discussions on Friday allowed us to see the perspectives of our classmates. Cooperation is an important skill throughout life and some of the best ideas come from cooperation.

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

The focus of my group’s CAP was one that required an understanding of cultural differences. The goal of our project was to develop a program for students to meet with refugees and we had to think of how to do this in a way that would allow for an understanding of the refugees’ cultures and a sensitivity towards their life circumstances.

Friday discussions were a good way for me to think about what I knew from my background in psychology and neuroscience and how it could relate to the topic of the week. I could also hear the perspectives of students who had a different educational background than myself. There was also the opportunity to hear the perspectives of other students that were based on their own personal experiences.

Cultivate and Examined Cultural, Ethical, Physical and Spiritual Self-Understanding

The CAP project was an opportunity for me to examine how different my life is than the life of refugees. A big part of my Concordia experience has been focused around examining the privilege we have in the world and how to utilize that privilege to make the world better. I think the CAP project was a good experience in how to do that to make the lives of others better.

Encourage Responsible Participation in the World

The first part of the CAP was to examine what need as seen in the community. There is a tendency to do projects that we find interesting without critically examining the needs of people who are living in the community. The hope is that the project we worked on becomes something sustainable and continues to positively impact the lives of people in the community and Concordia students.

The air of cooperation that was found in this class was also much more responsible than the typically sense of indifference or competition that can be found in many courses. We should be willing to help facilitate the learning of our fellow students.

I am grateful for the experience I have had in Neurochemistry and my experience at Concordia in general. We have been encouraged to Become Responsibly Engaged in the World and our education is designed to prepare us for this. Liberal Arts comes from Latin and the literal translation is the skills needed to be free. It is not enough to have a lot of knowledge about neuroscience. Responsible participation means a well-rounded background designed to show the importance of all subject areas.

Concordia College is known for many things, including the Concordia Choir, the Christmas Concert, and of course, Kernel Cobb. However, the institution is also renowned for its high academic standard and liberal arts education, which emphasizes students being responsibly engaged in the world.

The chemistry department is not exempt from this academic standard. It provides students a strong foundation in chemistry while simultaneously demonstrating how chemistry is used in the world. No class exemplifies this more than Neurochemistry 475. The course not only allowed me to investigate the neurochemistry of prominent diseases and disorders but also forced me to use this knowledge and help the people of my community.  These experiences outside of the classroom helped me learn things you can’t learn from a book. Not only have I been able to learn about the chemistry of debilitating diseases such as obesity, addiction, and Alzheimer’s, but I have also been able to positively impact my community. This is the emphasis of being responsibly engaged in the world and encompasses the five goals for liberal learning.

The first goal of liberal learning is to instill a love for learning. Since I have been a small child, I have always loved to learn. My mother would often set a timer to put a limit on the number of questions I could ask. This course fostered my natural inquisitiveness. Attempting to understand the chemical problems of the brain as well as discussing potential cures for these diseases hooked me from the first week of class. However, the PEAK aspect of the course opened my eyes to a new style of learning. The hands-on education I experienced by working with Lutheran Social Services to help the refugee population of Fargo-Moorhead not only fueled my love of knowledge but has given me a thirst to see the ways Concordia can benefit the surrounding community.

This course also helped me develop foundational skills and transferable intellectual capacities, the second goal for liberal learning. The ability to communicate with other individuals was essential for this course. The Wednesday speed dating class and the Friday discussions enhanced my ability to discuss complex scientific topics in ways that most people could understand. Imperative to this was the “and, but, therefore,” format which was drilled into us. Once again, the PEAK aspect was vital to the refinement of my communication skills. Constant communication between the group members of our project was imperative for its success, but more importantly, effectively communicating with LSS has set the foundation for our refugee mentorship program.

The third goal of liberal learning is developing an understanding of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and intercultural perspectives and their connections. The research associated with our PEAK project required an understanding of chemistry and psychology as well as social work. Examining the impact of PTSD on the refugee population of Fargo required in-depth knowledge of chemistry as well as psychology. However, when working with the community, it is imperative to look past the chemistry and sciences and look at what is truly important, the people. The refugees come from a variety of areas, and as such, being aware of their culture is imperative to understand how the symptoms of PTSD will manifest. Working within the chemistry department and social work departments, as well as LSS, has allowed me to know of the importance of interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives.

Neurochemistry has also expanded my cultural, ethnic, physical, and spiritual self-understanding. Examining the role of chemistry in several neurogenerative diseases developed my physical understanding of the brain. Discussions around preventing several of these diseases also crossed into ethical opinions. For example, using CRISPER to alter human genes is a moral question, the near future will have to address. The PEAK project also expanded my cultural and ethical understandings of the world. Being able to talk with LSS and understanding the cultural backgrounds of the refugee populations in Fargo broadened my cultural perspectives.

The final goal for liberal learning is to encourage responsible participation in the world. The proposed program with LSS is a prime example of how this course has helped inspire us to participate in the world. By using our knowledge of chemistry as well as the other skills that are given to us by Concordia, we can directly help those of us in the community.

Concordia College has shaped me into the man I am today. The high-quality education offered by the chemistry department has allowed me better to understand the role of chemistry in nature. The faculty have shown me the importance of further education and how this education can benefit society. For these reasons, I have decided to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry. Concordia College and the liberal arts education has given me the tools, both in and outside of the classroom, to benefit society. A quote from Dr. Jensen demonstrates the importance of liberal arts education. “People come to Concordia for several reasons; however, no one ever comes here for the thing that could be most important. The liberal arts education is the most important gift this institution can give its students.” The liberal arts education of Concordia has expanded my knowledge, cultural and spiritual understandings, and allowed me to look past my own desires to how I can impact those around me. I owe all my future endeavors to Concordia College. Thanks for everything and I hope to make you all proud.

Throughout the last four years, through the grit and the grind of earning an undergraduate degree, it was easy to forget the significance of continued learning. We often accumulate and take in information to pass exams and hopefully, retain that information. It is too easily forgotten why we are studying what we are studying. For me, I was periodically reminded why exactly I was pursuing a college degree and what specifically I was gaining. It was in the moments where I realized I was drawing connections between things I had learned semesters ago to the material I was currently studying. I was reminded specifically that what I was gaining was a love for learning, and this was from day one at Concordia. This happened time and again while studying neurochemistry. Politics, history, and current events-they were all discussed in the class, and I could draw on my knowledge of the chemistry, religion, psychology and more that I’ve learned here to give educated opinions and ideas. This, the knowledge I’ve gained, I truly love.

I gained skills like being able to effectively explain complex ideas to those unfamiliar with the material through writing blog posts on scientific journals and explaining specific topics during weekly “speed dating.” I was encouraged to develop my ideas and perspectives in areas outside of the sciences in weekly article discussions related to real-world problems that affect different cultures, disciplines and more. Additionally, in these weekly discussions, tt was imperative that I encourage others to share their opinions without casting judgement, because in a judgement-free environment people feel comfortable having difficult discussions when they might have differing ideas and thought processes. However, this did not come without disagreement, which I believe is also important in growing responsible participation. Through respectful disagreement, I learned how to navigate respectfully in civil conversations, which is extremely important in being able to responsible engage with others in real-world settings in my future.

Though my future career is still undecided, the skills and knowledge gained in this class will allow me to examine situations with perspective. As we saw in the many articles we read, the brain and what causes humans to make certain decisions and act certain ways is often extremely complicated. With this understanding, I will be slow to judge and quick to ask questions. This is invaluable as my future goals lie in helping those in foreign countries who are less fortunate. Often times, there are connections between health, economic standing, and behavior. So, with my goal being to aide in purifying drinking water in Spanish-speaking countries, an understanding of the economic and health burdens that come with the reality of a lack of access to clean water will be crucial in being able to effectively help. This understanding includes drawing on the neurochemistry that is affected by unclean water. Helping the whole person, not the isolated problem, is possible by having this perspective. If I were to highlight a skill on my resume, it would be this improved ability to examine problems with perspective and draw connections between many disciplines.

Through this journey of the last four years, the personal aspect most amplified was my improved ability to understand myself. In all things-my faith, health, ethical and moral standards, perspective on culture-I’ve grown in appreciation. I’ve better discerned who I am, what I believe and why, and I am better able to defend these things eloquently. To me, this is what a liberal arts institution has to offer. A liberal arts institution like Concordia pushes students to ask tough questions, and mostly importantly, fight and struggle to answer those questions. A liberal arts institution represents an open invitation to grow, gain understanding, and go into the world better for it.