Hey all! This blog started out as an outlet that I used to cope with life’s stresses and it slowly turned into a means of sharing what I was doing at school (mostly because I was too busy doing homework to share anything personal!). One of these days I’ll get back to writing regularly, but […]
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Genes & Addiction

While the relationship between genes and addiction is a complicated one, there is a clear link between genetics and addiction.

Originally posted on My Aria:
I first want to acknowledge my limited experience and knowledge-base regarding LGBT rights and history. This is not meant to be my opinion on LGBT individuals. This is what I learned this week on my journey to becoming a behavioral neuroscientist; I found it enlightening, interesting, and valuable information. I…
Are High-Protein Diets Safe?

High protein diets are likely popular because they do cause weight loss and allow us to eat all of those meats and cheeses that we love. Some examples of these diets include Atkins, Zone, and South Beach Diet.
What Kind of Fat is Good Fat?
A calorie is a unit, based on the measurement of energy provided by food. While we all need a certain number of calories per day, it is certain that all calories were not created equal.
In studying neurobiology, we learn that our behavior and perception stem from neurotransmitters, hormones, receptors, and synapses that constantly create senses and perceptions from information in our environment.
What is Recombinant DNA Technology?
To understand recombinant DNA technology and genetic modification, we must first understand DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA, our genetic material, is a double helix made of nitrogenous bases, held together by hydrogen bonds and a sugar-phosphate backbone. This double helix, with antip

An advantage of this recombinant DNA technology is the ability to produce these life-saving treatments for worrisome genetic disorders. A diagnosis of type-1 diabetes once came with an expiration date, now individuals with type-1 diabetes can live long, healthy, lives.
Who’s reading?

I was pleasantly surprised when I found that I have had readers from over 61 countries! It’s wonderful that people around the world are reading about mental health!

Past research shows risky behavior and impulsivity as a hallmark trait of bipolar disorders and many other, often comorbid, disorders. Impulsivity in this context is defined by the tendency to make decisions based on hedonic, pleasure-driven behaviors even when this behavior contradicts long-term optimal outcome and the lack of the self-control associated with delayed-gratification. Past research has shown specific br

Addiction can occur to many different substances, even when they have no similarities in structure. The common denominator in addiction is sudden increase of the neurotransmitter dopamine and how it affects the mesolimbic pathway (often referred to as the reward pathway).