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Biology 202 Web Paper 1

hamsterjacky's picture

The Disorder in ADHD Prevalence

ADHD is a disorder that has “a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequently displayed and more severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development”(1). Symptoms are usually seen before the age of 7, and the patient has to show disruption of functioning in 2 environments (eg. Home and school), and have disruption in educational, social or occupational settings. As children are the ones that are usually diagnosed, they can appear fidgety, distracted, hyper and confused. One odd thing about the appearance of the disorder is that at one point or another, children usually look and feel this way. This has led to a hypothesis of over-diagnosing this disorder.
Anna Dela Cruz's picture

Malleability of the Mind

Imagine you are age sixty-five. You are supposed to be relishing your golden years when suddenly, out of nowhere, you suffer a debilitating stroke. Rather than surrender to the illness and become a prison of your own body you decide to rebel. Even though you have severely limited mobility and little coordination, you force yourself to accomplish mundane tasks such as sweeping a porch. Slowly but surely you regain a firm grasp on your faculties. You are even able to return to teaching for another five years. Each day you up the ante on physical challenges and by the age of seventy-three, you are able to fulfill another test—climb the mountains of Colombia.

bpyenson's picture

The Evolutionary Development of the Neocortex and its Implications for Evolutionary Cognition

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is understandable for one to overlook the privileged cognitive abilities that he or she bears as a human being in comparison to other species.  In particular, humans, as mammals and apes, are seen as cognitively more advanced than other life forms, such as reptiles, mollusks, and microbes because they can process the greatest amount of information of their social and physical surroundings.
kdillard's picture

The Chemicals Underlying Physical Attraction

“It was love at first sight.”  Society would have us believe that true love can, indeed, be found upon first laying eyes upon someone.  It has been seen countless times in literature, most notably with Romeo and Juliet. Maybe thislove at first sight is possible but is beyond our conscious control.

Max86's picture

Science without Purpose: Suppressing the Teleological Instinct

There is a striking tendency among scientists to call attention to their humility. That is, they acknowledge their endeavor as fundamentally humble: the scope of their research is focused, their prose wholly transparent. Confronted with such statements, one might ask: Why is humility integral to science? The answer is that science recognizes the imperative of every Why? as the supreme human conceit, and much abashed, it is always paradoxically seeking to limit the very indulgence it imperatively hinges upon. In other words, science is embarrassed by the insolence of all imperatives, for it duly comprehends the artificiality of must and should in every observation of nature.
SandraGandarez's picture

Brain Dead is Dead?

Sandra Gandarez
Neurobiology and Behavior
February 24, 2009

It is a moral obligation of hospitals protocol and physicians to remove a "brain-dead" individual from life support since they are already technically dead.

Before discussing the moral issues some basic information and view points are necessary to understand certain stances. Brain death is defined in several articles as the complete and irreversible loss of brain stem function. In brain death, all the brain stem functions, including those that maintain breathing, stop working. (1, 2) There is an absence of blood flow to the entire brain which in turn causes the deprivation that enables brain death. (3)

fquadri's picture

Music to My Brain

Music is known as a universal language. It has existed for centuries around the world, and over the many years of its life, it has expanded its diversity from classical Bach to eastern Ravi Shankar to rock and roll Santana. With so many types of music available, everyone can pick and enjoy something they will like. Music is used in weddings, funerals, parties, call holds, elevators and much more; it is an integral part of the American culture and other cultures throughout the world. However, have you ever wondered what happens in our brains when we stick our earphones in and press play on our ipods?

ddl's picture

The Role of Neuronal Activity In Affecting Physical and Mental Function

The brain and nervous system as a whole exist as the gateways to consciousness, existence, and the ability to perceive, rationalize, and develop the world around oneself. The brain with its vast capabilities allows an individual to experience things both physically and mentally. It possesses the unique ability to generate intangible notions, (such as love, justice, and peace) without an individual ever needing to physically experience these concepts in his or her reality. However, what might occur if an individual had the ability to utilize the brain to its fullest potential? Is there, in fact, more that a person can

redmink's picture

Instinct to Die

Instinct to Die

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