Booze and brains: does alcohol really kill brain cells?

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Whether we like to admit it or not, most of us are guilty of having had a little bit too much to drink at one time or another. You might have drowned your sorrows and stress after a hard week at work, or been caught up in celebrations and indulged in a few too many at a wedding. Or maybe, it was by complete accident that you suddenly found yourself lit up like a Christmas tree, and arrived at work on Monday morning claiming fewer brain cells than you went home with on Friday afternoon.

But what do we actually know about the effects of alcohol on the brain? Does it really ‘kill’ our brain cells, or is it a little more complicated than that?

The physiology

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. In other words, it has a ‘slowing down’ effect on brain function. This might seem a little strange; alcohol is commonly seen as a ‘pick-me-up’, because in the initial stages of consumption, we become more animated and less reserved. However, the opposite of this occurs when we continue to drink and more alcohol enters the brain.

In the brain, alcohol easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, an important membrane separating the blood from the fluid surrounding our brains. The purpose of the blood-brain barrier is to protect the brain from harmful substances. When it crosses this barrier, alcohol directly affects our neurotransmitters and receptors of neurons, and therefore interrupts the successful transmission of signals from the brain to the body, and the body to the brain.

Our neurotransmitters (NTs) can either be excitatory (causing an increase in activity) or inhibitory (causing a decrease in activity). Alcohol promotes the effects of our inhibitory NTs, while simultaneously reducing the effects of our excitatory NTs; hence its depressant effect on our nervous system. Alcohol also increases the amount of dopamine (one of our ‘feel-good’ chemicals) in the brain’s reward system, creating the feeling of pleasure that occurs when we drink.

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Binge drinking and the brain

The short-term effects of alcohol consumption are well known, and have likely been experienced by many of us. A pattern of drinking is considered ‘binge drinking’ after 4 or more drinks are consumed on one occasion for women, and 5 or more drinks for men. But what's actually happening in the brain after we've thrown back those four or five drinks?

Slowed reaction times, lowered inhibitions, difficulty concentrating, slurred speech; these commonly experienced side effects of alcohol consumption are a direct result of misfiring brain signals being unable to get from A to B as easily as they should. Alcohol simply reduces the efficiency and effectiveness of the brain signals that allow us to function normally, both physically and mentally.

Ever wondered why memories of the night before are never quite as good as we hope they would be? That’s because when we drown our cells in alcohol, our poor hippocampi can’t do their thing and consolidate these memories while we sleep.

While sessions of binge drinking in the short-term don’t necessarily ‘kill’ our brain cells, they certainly get in the way of our brain’s ability to function optimally.

Long-term use or abuse

We know that many of the immediate effects of alcohol consumption resolve when we sober up. However, when a person drinks heavily over a prolonged period of time, some of these impairments may persist long after sobriety is achieved.

Long-term drinking can lead to brain atrophy (shrinkage), and permanent damage of the fibres that transmit signals and carry information from one neuron to the next. Many long-term alcoholics also develop a neuropsychological condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS), which is caused by a thiamin deficiency (a B vitamin). People with WKS experience vision changes (nystagmus), problems with walking and coordination (ataxia), and significant cognitive disturbance (dementia). Fortunately, some of the acute symptoms of WKS can resolve when an individual’s thiamin returns to a healthy level.

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The hungover brain
Dehydration is the known culprit for that shocking hangover we’ve all woken up with. But what many don’t know is that our brains are actually to blame for causing this dehydration in the first place.

When alcohol crosses the blood brain barrier, it causes our pituitary gland to block the creation of vasopressin, the antidiuretic hormone. Without vasopressin, the brain tells the kidneys to send water directly to the bladder without letting it reabsorb back into the body. And that headache we all know and dread? That’s our organs making up for their lack of water by stealing water from the brain. This causes our brains to shrink a little, and pull on the membranes connecting the brain to the skull. Hello headache!

Are our brain cells safe?

The odd night out drinking or accidental over-indulging in the alcohol stakes aren’t quite enough to ‘kill’ our precious brain cells. However, long-term serious alcohol use (or addiction) can certainly lead to permanent damage to the cells in our brain, and associated physical and neuropsychological symptoms.

The important thing to remember is everything in moderation, and for the sake of future you, doing everything possible to prevent or alleviate that hangover when you have indulged. Drink plenty of water throughout the night (and the following day) to replenish the water lost in the brain and the body, and there’s certainly no harm in downing some vegemite toast before bedtime if you’re worried about those thiamin levels. 

Take 10: My 10-day meditation challenge

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“Meditation is surprisingly straightforward. It’s our expectations and preconceptions of it that make it complicated.” – Andy Puddicombe

I was recently chatting to a friend about wanting to get into meditation, but I was afraid that it was something I would never be any good at. He recommended I try Take 10 - an introductory series by Headspace that takes you through 10 minutes of meditation per day for 10 days. It sounded totally achievable, so I decided to give it a go and turn the challenge into my next blog topic.

Day One.

Well – here goes nothing. Mindfulness meditation 101.

I had a non-stop day (standard), I spent it running around in circles, all the while knowing I had this to come home to. 10 minutes set aside in the diary for an important meeting with myself. I changed into my comfies, whipped up a beautifully warming Turmeric latte (recipe here), took a quick pic for instagram and then I was on the couch and ready to roll.

The practice

I’m introduced to Andy – Headspace's resident meditation guru who'll be taking me through Take 10. As I’m brought through the practice, I’m instructed to become aware of my breath, the noises around me and the physical feelings of my body. It’s hard. Does my mind stay on track? Nope. A snapshot from day one's ten minutes looked a little something like this.

I can do this. What should I make for dinner? This couch is a bit creaky. We need a new couch. I wish my nose wasn’t still so blocked from last week’s cold. Breathe in – one; breathe out – two; breathe in – three; breathe out – four; turmeric latte. The Bachelorette’s on tonight. I wonder what time Tom will be home, I hope he doesn’t interrupt me – that’d be a fail of a first attempt; breathe in five, breathe out six – I feel fat sitting here – breathe in seven, breathe out eight – instagram, breathe in nine – turmeric latte again, breathe out eleven, breathe in twelve – I’ve lost count, I think I was supposed to start again when I got to ten... I’m terrible at this, hello attentional difficulties. I wonder when 10 minutes will be up – crap, breathe in one, breathe out two, breathe in three...

After 10 minutes, I’m brought back to awareness of my immediate environment. I feel floppy, floaty and definitely sleepy. But I feel good, comfortable, relaxed, my body feels gently supported by the couch. I’m not ready to get up and onto the next thing yet, so I just sit and enjoy the space.

Day two and three's practices are similar to day one. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to feel as though I’m ‘improving’, but in some way I guess I must be.

Day Four.

Today is Saturday, and I’ve let it get to 7.30pm having completely forgotten about today’s session. So I’m in the middle of making dinner and I think crap! Let’s go do it now. In my rush, I don’t think it through and plonk myself on the couch in the living room while Tom continues to potter around the kitchen putting our dinner together. It’s my first meditation in a noise-filled room.

I find myself distracted by this at first; onions being chopped, fridge door opening and closing, sizzling frying pans, but I try to pull myself back from the thoughts that lay any form of judgment about these noises being good or bad. My mind’s definitely jumpier tonight; plenty of trail offs, lots of thoughts rushing in about all sorts of different things, both routine and downright random.

I find the ‘body scan’ exercise hard. We’re instructed to pay attention to the physical sensations in the body, starting from the head and making your way all the way down to your toes. My head, neck and chest get scanned about seven different times, because each time I find myself trailing off and having to start all over again. But by now the 10-minute sessions are flying by.

Day Five – halfway!

Did I find greater balance today? Yes. Andy checks in with you at the end of each session, and today this was my overarching feeling. He talks about enjoying the feeling of pausing to catch your breath each day – and this analogy hits home for me.

Today when we’re told to let our mind go and allow it to do whatever it wants to do – mine goes blank. It doesn’t trail off into strange and bizarre somersaults as it has every other day; there are no thoughts whatsoever. This is something I would’ve thought impossible until now.

Days Six to Ten.

The second half of the challenge cruises along much the same as the first. Except it has now become part of my normal routine – I fit the sessions in around all my other commitments, and it’s surprisingly not difficult at all.

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Day Ten and beyond...

By the end of the 10 days I found that every day really is different. The thing I like most about the guided practice is that you learn there’s no such thing as being ‘good’ at meditation – some days I’m all over the place, and some days I get to the end of the 10 minutes and have no idea whether I’ve actually been awake the entire time. What I do know, is that every day is helpful, regardless of how those 10 minutes feel.

Will I continue? Hells yes. The predominant take away from Take 10 for me is that I can meditate. I was always under the impression that it was something I could never be good at, even if I tried. But surprise surprise, it’s actually easy, totally enjoyable, and definitely achievable. I’m excited to see what the next 10 days have in store for me.

Some tips, tricks and things I learned.

• Andy suggests meditating first thing in the morning, before you do anything with your day. For me, the timing worked best if I did it when I got home from work, and sometimes before bed. But morning meditation is something I’ll definitely be giving a go in the future.
• Meditating in the same place each day can help form the habit – for me, it was the couch or the bedroom, depending on where I felt would work best on a given day. But really, it could be anywhere; the bus, the office, a park bench, whatever works.
• Reflection is important – taking the time to think back over the session, and notice how you feel. This helps concretise the benefits of the practice, and contributes to forming the habit.
• Don’t judge – this was a huge one for me. There’s no such thing as being good or bad at meditation, it’s a practice, not something you can ever perfect. 

Keen to know more? Head on over to Headspace to be introduced to Andy, and to find out all things Take 10, mindfulness and meditation.

PMS and the brain: is it all in our heads?

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Ladies.  We all know it, we all dread it, and we’ve all 100% been in the grips of our loathed monthly funk, otherwise known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). While most people (both women and men) live in fear of those three little letters, there’s a common belief that it’s actually all in our heads.

This debate resurfaced after a review was published concluding that there was no clear evidence of the existence of a “specific pre-menstrual negative mood syndrome” in the general population. Apparently, women are using their period as a biological license to be angry, moody and irrational for a number of days every month.

Now I’m happy to agree that PMS is all in our heads, but that doesn’t make it a myth or a made-up phenomenon. There is a whole lot of evidence out there demonstrating the powerful influence our reproductive hormones have on our brains. As we know, brain chemistry underpins our emotions, our thoughts, our mood, and our behaviour. In the days leading up to menstruation, our levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone jump on a roller-coaster ride that can wreak all kinds of havoc in the brain, the mind and the body.

What is PMS?

PMS refers to the wide range of physical and emotional symptoms that women experience in the lead-up to their period. Most women suffer from one or two symptoms of PMS, but the number and intensity of these symptoms varies a great deal from one woman to the next, and also from one cycle to the next.

Some common symptoms of PMS include:

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Lower coping ability
• Wanting to be alone
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings
• Fluid retention
• Bloating around the abdomen
• Sore boobs
• Skin breakouts
• Headaches and/or migraines
• Tiredness, lethargy and insomnia
• Food cravings

Hormones and mood

Recently, a lot has been discovered about the widespread effects our reproductive hormones have on brain function, structure and circuitry. These hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) are produced in response to signals and other precursor hormones that are triggered by the pituitary gland; an area of the brain that controls our growth, development and the functioning of the endocrine (hormone) system.

Oestrogen has actually been shown to be a ‘protective’ agent in the brain, through its impact on dopamine and serotonin; two brain chemicals that regulate our mood. This helps explain why some women report feeling mentally and emotionally worse in the low-oestrogen phase of their cycle, which you guessed it, is the few days leading up to your period.

A drop in levels of progesterone can also elicit lowered moods, as well as cravings for carbs and sugary foods, which many women experience. Women treated with bioidentical progesterone at this time of the month show reductions in food cravings, and more stable moods.

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One study recruited women who consistently experienced steady moods and little to no symptoms of PMS to investigate their brain function in the lead-up to their periods. They found that these women actually experienced a boost in activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex; a part of the brain underpinning emotional control. It was thought that a boost in this area of the brain might help regulate emotions while hormones surge, while for others; this boost in emotional control might not be present.

PMS and cognitive function

Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and distraction levels high? Poorer cognitive function is another symptom of PMS experienced by many women. This is also a symptom that often extends past the PMS phase, thanks to our old friend abdominal cramps.

A recent study demonstrated the negative effects of period pain on the ability to perform a range of complex tasks. Women suffering from period pain had greater difficulty with tasks requiring higher levels of attentional control, as well as slower completion times and lower accuracy.

One study compared women during different phases of their menstrual cycle, and found that those in the mid-luteal phase (the week leading up to your period) were more reactive to negative stimuli, compared to women in other phases of their cycle. It was suggested that increased negative reactivity might explain the lower stress tolerance that many women experience during PMS.

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It's only temporary! 

Different phases of the menstrual cycle affect a woman’s brain in a number of ways. Unfortunately, those few pesky days leading up to your period are where we do it the toughest; thanks to the widespread effects our hormones have on our brain circuitry, and therefore our mood, emotions, cognition and behaviour.

So if you find yourself in those dreaded few days where you’re crying over a jellybean, and realise that Aunt Flo’s visit is fast approaching, remember there’s a lot going in that brain of yours that is very much out of your control. Be kind to yourself, listen to your body, go for a walk, or eat the pretzel (but try not to kill anyone), because your brain’s doing the best it can to deal with the onslaught of hormonal fluctuation. 

And to the men out there (thanks for sticking with me here), just remember it’s only temporary. In a few days your wife/girlfriend/sister/mother/friend will be back to her normal self, and that brain of hers will be firing at its best again. In the meantime, try to avoid telling her it’s all in her head – you’ll probably live to regret it, regardless of how right you are.

For some women, PMS can bring on extreme mood disturbance called PMDD (Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder). Consult your doctor if you feel your symptoms are more serious. 

Food for thought: how our diet affects our brain

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The brain is always ‘on’ – it controls our movements, thoughts, feelings and actions, our heartbeat and breathing, our sleep, and our senses. As a result, our brains need a constant supply of fuel, which it sources from the food that we eat.  The brain is the most metabolically active organ in the body. It comprises only 2% of our body weight, but this metabolic powerhouse manages to consume 25% of all the glucose in our blood.

The effects of some foods on how we think, act, and feel are well known; sugar gives us a ‘high’, caffeine stimulates the brain, and chocolate makes us happy. More recently, the idea that nutrition can elicit non-observable effects on the brain has emerged. A growing body of evidence now exists to demonstrate the effects of nutrition on brain development, mood, cognition, and ageing.

How our food affects our mood.

Our mood is the product of chemicals in the brain, including various neurotransmitters. Serotonin, known as the ‘happy hormone’, is produced in the brainstem, but has widespread effects on the brain and the body. Serotonin helps control our mood (feeling happy as well as sad), our sleep, appetite, and our memory.

Serotonin is made from tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid. Essential amino acids cannot be produced by the body, so we need to get them from the foods that we eat. Foods like chicken, fish, red meat, cheese, nuts and seeds are high in tryptophan, so their consumption allows the production of serotonin in the brain and the body.

Whilst eating a diet rich in tryptophan doesn’t necessarily increase the amount of serotonin in the brain, the inverse can have dramatic effects. The brain can’t cope with a tryptophan-free diet, and levels of serotonin will quickly decrease, resulting in irritability, anger, lowered mood, and poor memory.  

Interestingly, about 90% of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, not the brain. Recently, the gut has become known for a lot more than simply digesting our food. Now dubbed the ‘mini-brain’, the gut has been shown to play a role in regulating our mood, appetite, and cravings for particular foods via the brain-gut-axis. Studies have also shown that when people supplement their diets with probiotics, or ‘good’ bacteria for the gut, they experience decreased anxiety, and improved mental outlook.

The typical ‘Western’ diet consists of highly processed food, which is high in refined sugar and saturated fats. Research has shown that this type of diet can actually affect the gut-brain signals about internal states like hunger and satiety, making it more difficult for our brain to recognise when we are full. 

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Nutrition and neuropsychology.

Nutrition can alter brain function in the short-term, by altering levels of neurotransmitters and subsequent firing of neurons, but it can also alter brain structure and function in the long-term.

The importance of proper nutrition during brain development in infants and children is well established; in babies, around 87% of their daily energy intake supplies the brain. Throughout infancy to early childhood, the growth of neurons and neuronal connectivity is at its greatest, and therefore glucose requirements are high. Poor nutrition has been shown to put children at a greater risk for mental illness, and behavioural problems like aggression and attention deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD). 

The food we eat has a direct effect on our cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, concentration and cognitive control. The effects of poor diet on sleep, energy and mood can also indirectly affect our daily cognitive function. Those who eat diets high in processed food, saturated fats and refined sugars have been shown to have poorer memory than those adopting a healthy, balanced diet.

The lack of sufficient nutrients can also have a toxic effect on the brain (neurotoxicity), particularly for older individuals, which predisposes the brain to atrophy (shrinkage) and premature neuronal loss. A longitudinal study found that low intake of nutritious foods, and high intake of unhealthy foods were each associated with smaller hippocampal volume; the memory centre of the brain. Recent research has focused on specific nutrients that may confer neuroprotective effects in later life, which may ameliorate neuronal loss in particular brain regions, and slow cognitive decline.

Food for thought, and healthy brain function.

A number of specific foods and nutrients have been identified to positively influence brain health, and protect against the effects of ageing on the brain.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Known as the “good fats”, Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish, avocado and flaxseed.

Image via lingvistov.com

B vitamins and Folate

Folate has been shown to reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline, and enhance the effect of antidepressant medications when used concurrently, while B vitamins are essential for a number of cellular and metabolic processes. High concentrations of folate can be found in green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, yeast, and wholegrains. Nuts and wholegrains are also rich in B vitamins, as are unprocessed meats, cheese, and eggs.  

Plant-based antioxidants

Various plant-based micronutrients have antioxidant properties, which can prevent oxidisation and cell damage in the brain and body. Some examples of these micronutrients include:

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are predominantly found in fruits and vegetables, especially blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and goji berries; mangoes, grapes, garlic, onions and kale. They are also found in green and black tea, as well as coffee and dark chocolate (yay!).

Curcumin

Curcumin is found in turmeric, and has been shown to promote healthy brain ageing via its anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant that has been shown to promote healthy function in the ageing brain. You will find it in green leafy vegetables, nuts and some plant-based oils like grapeseed, sunflower, and olive oil.

Minerals

Minerals like zinc, iron and magnesium all play important roles in promoting optimal brain health and neurological function. Zinc is abundant in lean meats, seeds, nuts and oysters, while iron is found predominantly in red meats, as well as grains, nuts, and spinach. Nuts, legumes and leafy greens are also rich in magnesium.

Thankfully, there are plenty of foods on offer that are rich in nutrients that promote neurological function and healthy brain ageing. Whilst it doesn't mean we should go out and gorge on good fats until the cows come home, the next time you accidentally eat a little too much dark chocolate, or one (seven?) too many almonds, you can rest assured that your brain might actually thank you for it in the long term.

No pain, no brain: the neuropsychology of exercise

#brainspo

Most people are well acquainted with the positive effects of exercise on the body and the cardiovascular system. But how does exercise affect the brain and its cerebrovascular system; the workhorse that carries blood from the body to the brain?

There’s plenty of evidence out there telling us that what’s good for the heart is good for the brain, and that so much more is going on during exercise than that post workout high alone.

The short-term effects.

As your heart rate climbs during periods of voluntary movement and exercise, there’s an immediate and parallel increase in the production of various neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) that can have both temporary and long lasting positive effects on the brain, the mind, and the body.

Exercise is associated with increased production and release of neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors (proteins that support the growth and survival of neurons) in the brain. There is also evidence to suggest that increases in both of these things can promote neuronal growth and neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections). So in much the same way as consistent exercise promotes muscle strength and growth in the body, it also creates a parallel growth and strengthening of neural connections within the brain.

Consistent with the ‘brain-as-a-muscle’ analogy, many studies have suggested that the areas of the brain that underpin higher-order thinking skills (the pre-frontal cortex) and memory abilities (the medial temporal lobes and hippocampi) are larger in individuals who exercise regularly.

While endorphins get most of the credit for the post-exercise rush, these pain-fighting, mood-enhancing peptides actually only play a minor part. Increases in other types of neurotransmitters have various and combined effects on the brain, and in turn, our mood. For example, dopamine and norepinephrine work together as the ‘feel-good’ combo that results in ‘runners-high’, while GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) acts as a ‘calming’ or inhibitory chemical that can increase relaxation and help build immunity to stress.

While all of these positive chemicals are increasing in concentration in the brain during exercise, our stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) decrease after regular exercise, further enhancing the stress-relieving, neuroprotective benefits we reap in the aftermath.

The longer-term bonuses.

The neurogenesis and neuroplasticity that exercise promotes are not limited to short-term effects. Neuronal growth, strengthening and reorganisation can increase stress tolerance and enhance cognitive function (e.g. memory, attention, concentration, mental flexibility, and inhibitory control) long after you’ve finished your run. As a result, evidence has shown that exercise promotes improved cognition and academic performance in children, increased productivity in adults, and delays cognitive decline in older individuals.

Exercise also reduces your cardiovascular risk factors; it helps lower blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol. This reduces the chance of stroke and heart disease, while preserving cognitive function and quality of life across the lifespan.

In an interesting recent study, researchers found exercise to increase levels of GABA and glutamate (another neurotransmitter), both of which are known to be depleted in the brains of individuals with mood and anxiety disorders. Using MR spectroscopy, they demonstrated increased concentrations of GABA and glutamate after exercise in areas of the brain that underpin processing of visual information, emotions, and specific cognitive functions.

Improved mood and lowered anxiety have also been shown to promote adherence to regular exercise programs, showing us that it’s not just an empty motivational spiel, but working out does actually get easier the more you do it!  

Finally, regular exercise can also increase your pain tolerance, and who wouldn’t say yes to that? A recent meta-analysis demonstrated that while athletes experience pain similarly to other active adults, their ability to withstand pain was significantly greater. Another study showed that in a group of healthy adults following a 6-week structured training schedule, pain tolerance increased significantly at the completion of the program.

The verdict's in...

The brain, the mind and the body all reap countless benefits from regular exercise, and there’s no shortage of evidence to prove the case. The best part is, even 20 to 30 minute bursts of regular exercise are all you need to get your brain and body pumping to their maximum potential.

Welcome!

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Hello!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my new brainchild that is the Brain, Mind & Body blog. This is just a quick post to say hello and to introduce myself, and a little of the inspiration behind BM&B.

My name is Cynthia and I’m a clinical neuropsychology registrar currently working in clinical research into Frontotemporal dementia and related disorders (among other things). I live in Sydney with my partner, but Melbourne has my heart and will always be ‘home’ for me.

So why blog?

There are a couple of reasons I decided to start this blog, the first of which is my revived love of writing. Throughout university and since graduating, the only writing I’ve been required to do has been ‘scientifically’ oriented, which imposes certain restrictions on creativity and flair. Whilst scientific writing obviously has its place in academic journals, theses and the like, it doesn’t flow quite as freely, nor is it quite as accessible for everyone.

I was recently lucky enough to write an article for The Conversation (I’ve since posted it here), who are an online source of news and reviews written by those in the research community delivered in plain language direct to the public. Their byline is “academic rigour, journalistic flair”. It wasn’t until I sat down to write the article that my enjoyment of writing in this style was properly realised.

The second reason for this blog is my love and passion for all things brain. Having dedicated my studies and career so far to the inner and outer workings of the brain, I’m yet to learn something about it that doesn’t interest and inspire me. The mind and body are inherently and reciprocally connected to the brain; you can’t have one without the other. It’s this reciprocal relationship between the three that inspired me to combine my knowledge and passion for writing and start communicating what I know.

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So much of what is discovered via research is hidden away in academic and scientific journals, making it difficult to access for anyone other than those in an academic institution. I want this blog to serve as a gateway, from research to practice, and from science to real-life knowledge and application of what is known about the brain, mind and body.

What will you find here?

Variety! From memory, sleep, exercise, food and brain health, to neuroplasticity, mindfulness, hardwiring happiness, brain training, dementia, to the effects of depression, anxiety and stress on the brain and body; the possibilities are endless! My goal is to translate this knowledge into meaningful real-world application to promote healthy brains, minds and bodies.

So stay tuned, I plan on making my way through a whole range of different and diverse topics that I hope will be relevant to all of you.

I hope this little intro has been helpful, and that it has given you some insight into who I am, and what makes me tick. Please feel free to leave questions, comments and thoughts on any or all of the topics I touch on.

Happy discovering!

Cynthia xx

P.S. Creating this blog was in part inspired by a friend and colleague who gave me the encouragement I needed to follow the ‘YESes’ and do something that excites me. She has created a phenomenal mind, body, soul coaching business and you can find her website here.

Special mention also goes to another friend, colleague and fellow researcher whose own experience of having a blog inspired me to start my own. I love reading her posts, and you can find her blog over here.