Our brain produces four important happy hormones, namely dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. Out of these, Serotonin, otherwise known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is responsible for a variety of functions in the body and plays a vital role in regulating mood, sleep, and hunger. It is a neurotransmitter produced mainly in the brain and gut, supporting functions like metabolism, bowel movements, stomach secretions, respiration, blood clotting, and sensory functions

Source: Intimina.com Many people who menstruate notice headaches around their period, but menstrual migraines are a specific, more intense pattern linked to hormonal shifts. In this case, being able to understand the cause and various relief options can make a real difference. What Are Menstrual Migraines? Menstrual migraines are migraine attacks that happen anywhere from two days before to three days after a period starts. They are mostly triggered by the drop in estrogen th

When one thinks of retirement today, one thinks of a transition to a whole new life as opposed to a continuation of the old one. “‘Positive aging’ tends to dissociate aging from disease; present activity as a key to health and happiness in later life; and emphasize the possibility of expanding mid-life and postponing old age” (Rudman 2). This idea of positive aging has changed the way that we evaluate the retirement years. They are no longer gloomy and sad but have now been r

Written by Olivia Orr, RN, BSN How would you like to feel hungover without the fun? Many people with migraine experience this phenomenon, termed brain fog or cog fog. Brain fog is a combination of symptoms that cause difficulty making decisions, holding attention, understanding language, speaking, remembering, and completing familiar, everyday tasks. Migraine Brain Fog The difficulty you have during a migraine is real but often misunderstood by people who are unaffected by

Procrastination - defined as the voluntary delay of an intended action despite anticipating the negative consequences - is a common self-regulatory failure which affects ones academic, occupational, and personal functioning. Although often dismissed as laziness, psychological research reveals that procrastination is driven by emotional avoidance, cognitive biases, and neural mechanisms that prioritize instant mood repair. Understanding the psychology behind procrastination n

If you think this sounds ridiculous, you would be correct! Radiculopathy, also commonly referred to as a pinched nerve, refers to a set of conditions in which one or more nerves do not work properly. The result is pain, numbness and muscle weakness. There are three main types of radiculopathy and they depend on where in your back the pinched nerve is. Cervical (neck), Thoracic (upper middle back), and Lumbar (lower back) But for this article, I will be focusing on a fourth, l

Introdution For decades, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been a relentless neurodegenerative challenge. We've long understood its twin pathological hallmarks: the extracellular amyloid-beta plaques and the intracellular neurofibrillary tau tangles that disrupt and destroy neural pathways. Now, a new class of therapies, monoclonal antibodies, is offering the first real promise of slowing the disease, and donanemab is one of its most significant new players. This article, based on

For most of the twentieth century, scientists believed that once the brain matured, its structure was set for life. Learning and memory were thought to depend only on existing neurons and fixed pathways. However, decades of research have revealed a very different picture. The adult brain is not static but capable of profound structural and functional change in response to experience, environment, and behavior. From fixed to flexible The concept of neuroplasticity, or the brai

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal brain disorder caused by misfolded prion proteins. These prions destroy brain cells, causing rapid dementia, coordination issues, and muscle spasms. With no cure, care focuses on symptom relief and comfort for patients and their families.

Recently, a group of neuroscientists at the Scripps Research Institute was rewarded $14.2 million in NIH award to map the body's "hidden sixth sense." Led by a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Dr. Ardem Patapoutian, a group of scientists will investigate this sixth sense also known as " Interoception ." Here are the scientists who will work collaboratively to investigate interoception : Dr. Ardem Patapoutian, Professor in neuroscience at Scripps Research Institute and Howar

If you peered into the brain of someone living with depression, what would you see?    In a depressive state, someone may feel hopeless or worthless. Daily tasks become burdensome, and thoughts of death may cloud their headspace. Depression is a serious mood disorder, and impacts 280 million people globally.   To unearth the mental cogs that keep depression turning, scientists have studied how the condition drives physical changes in the brain that disturb its normal function

By Olivia Orr, RN, BSN If you have ever dealt with migraine, then you probably understand that bright lights hurt. Light sensitivity, also called photophobia, is a common migraine symptom. Bright, fluorescent lighting, screens, and sunlight all contribute to this sensitivity. In this article, we will explore why migraine brains are sensitive to light and steps you can take to reduce the pain. The Science Behind Light Sensitivity People with migraine have an overly respon

a person dressed in red, rushing by a wall of clocks; photo courtesy of Unsplash Daylight saving time begins in March and ends in November; learn how to protect your health and well-being despite the twice-yearly time change.   What is daylight savings time? The first Sunday in November traditionally marks the end of daylight-saving time. In the United States, clocks are turned back one hour to standard time. This change results in a gain of an hour of daylight at the start o

This Photo  by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA   By Jennifer Navarro MSN, RN, NPD-BC Introduction A concussion is a type of brain injury that happens when your head or body gets hit or shaken so hard that your brain moves inside your skull. This can happen if you fall, get hurt playing sports, are in a car accident, or are attacked. People sometimes call a concussion a "mild traumatic brain injury," but it can range from mild to more serious. You don't always have t

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often recognized for its social communication challenges, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests (Peterson et al., 2019). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), on the other hand, develops after someone experiences trauma and can cause intrusive memories, hyperarousal, and avoidance behaviors (Haruvi-Lamdan et al., 2018). While these conditions are usually considered separately, research increasingly shows that they can overlap. Peopl

A quick take for clinicians and  curious readers A new class of health devices delivers gentle electrical pulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve at the outer ear: so-called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS). Early trials in psychiatry-adjacent outcomes (insomnia, depressive symptoms, autonomic dysregulation) are promising, while safety appears favorable. But effects vary by device settings and population, and larger, multisite trials are stil

We've all watched a TV scene where a character has a seizure. They fall to the ground, shaking violently. A crowd gathers, and the hero shouts for someone to call 911, STAT!  Understanding Seizures Far from looking like a moment on your favorite medical drama, seizures take many forms, and they don’t always mean you need to call an ambulance. A seizure happens when a person's brain experiences a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity. This can affect their movement, sen

So, you find out you have diabetes! You get prescribed all the right medications, speak to a dietician, throw away all the sugary foods in your house, buy healthy groceries and maybe even get a gym membership. You are determined to do everything right and get your A1C below 7. But, did you know that lowering your blood sugar too quickly can lead to debilitating nerve pain and autonomic dysfunction? Treatment induced Neuropathy of diabetes - Autonomic Neuroscience Basic and Cl

Blood traveling through the blood-brain barrier. Image credit: Edward Neuwelt, M.D.., Oregon Health & Science University. Introduction Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. This chronic condition presents with a complex array of symptoms, such as fatigue, joint pain and stiffness, skin rashes, fever, and hair loss, as well as the characteristic butterfly rash (malar rash). The most

Cluster headaches are a rare but severely painful neurological condition, characterized by intense, burning attacks that occur in cyclical patterns. Often striking like "clockwork" at night, they cause one-sided eye pain, restlessness, and autonomic symptoms. While their cause is unknown, effective treatments like oxygen therapy and prescription injections can provide life-changing relief.