Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
@pennneuroknow.bsky.social
970 followers 90 following 130 posts
Weekly neuroscience blog written by PhD students at the University of Pennsylvania breaking down the brain for everyone to understand.

Visit our blog: https://pennneuroknow.com/
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brainsinbriefs.bsky.social
Sophie Rogers of the Corder @flybottleescape.bsky.social lab studies how a psychedelic drug with growing therapeutic promise can alter the brain in ways that help overcome traumatic fear memories. Read more in this brief by fellow NGG student Jafar Bhatti! www.upennglia.com/briefs/bib-p...
How psychedelics remap the brain to help overcome traumatic fear — GLIA
or technically, Psilocybin-enhanced fear extinction linked to bidirectional modulation of cortical ensembles [See original abstract on Pubmed]
www.upennglia.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Why is it so hard to turn good climate intentions into real habits?

Read @pennngg.bsky.social student Margaret Gardner’s post to learn how neuroscience could help bridge the gap between our values and our actions. pennneuroknow.com/2025/11/04/h...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦🧪
How to make a guy compost in 10 days
How can we use neuroscience to encourage environmentally-friendly decisions?
pennneuroknow.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
The billions of neurons in our brain work together like an orchestra. Now tools let scientists listen to the whole performance across different parts of the brain.

Read @pennngg.bsky.social student Abby Lieberman’s post to learn how: pennneuroknow.com/2025/10/28/r...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Recording everything everywhere all at once
Neuroscientists can now record from many parts of the mouse brain at once, helping us see how millions of neurons work together to guide behavior.
pennneuroknow.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:46 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Your brain is more than a thinking machine. Even when you rest, your brain is busy monitoring, adjusting, and fine-tuning your existence.

Read @pennngg.bsky.social student Serena Chen’s post to learn how your brain keeps you balanced pennneuroknow.com/2025/10/21/t...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
The brain behind the balance
Your brain is more than a thinking machine. Even when you rest, your brain is constantly monitoring, adjusting, and fine-tuning every heartbeat, breath, and chemical signal – keeping your body bala…
pennneuroknow.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:37 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Mitochondria, the “powerhouse of the cell,” fuel your brain’s energy-hungry neurons. But that's not all they do!

Read @pennngg.bsky.social student Julia Riley's post to learn how mitochondria safeguard neurons and earn their moniker.
pennneuroknow.com/2025/10/14/m...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Mighty mitochondria, the powerhouses of your nervous system
Neurons require a lot of energy to keep your brain functioning, and this energy is overwhelmingly generated by certain cellular components: the mitochondria. Here, we discuss how mitochondria actua…
pennneuroknow.com
October 14, 2025 at 8:20 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Ever wonder why conspiracy theories seem to spread faster than facts?

In our latest article, @pennngg.bsky.social student Emma Noel explains how our brain’s reward systems and social nature fuel belief in conspiracy theories. pennneuroknow.com/2025/10/07/w...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Why our brains find conspiracy theories appealing
Discover why conspiracy theories grab our attention, and how the brain’s reward systems and social instincts make them so hard to resist.
pennneuroknow.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Artificial sweeteners are supposed to be a guilt-free way to get your sweet fix, but are they?

This week Stephen Wisser explores a recent study suggesting that artificial sweeteners are associated with faster cognitive decline: pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/30/s...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Sweet but not innocent: Artificial sweeteners and brain health
A recent study suggests artificial sweeteners are associated with a faster cognitive decline. How might that be happening?
pennneuroknow.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
That urge to pee? It’s not so simple. Behind it is a complex brain-bladder conversation that decides when to hold and when to go.

Learn how your brain controls your bladder in this week's post by Andrew Nguyen: pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/23/t...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
To pee or not to pee: How the brain controls the bladder
That urge to pee? It’s not so simple. Behind it is a complex brain-bladder conversation that decides when to hold and when to go.
pennneuroknow.com
September 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
That urge to pee? It’s not so simple. Behind it is a complex brain-bladder conversation that decides when to hold and when to go.

Learn how your brain controls your bladder in this week's post by Andrew Nguyen: pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/23/t...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
To pee or not to pee: How the brain controls the bladder
That urge to pee? It’s not so simple. Behind it is a complex brain-bladder conversation that decides when to hold and when to go.
pennneuroknow.com
September 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennmindcore.bsky.social
Is That Right?!
Dr. Prateekshit "Kanu" Pandey & Cara Hammer
Friday, Sept 19 show features Penn Biology Prof Marc Schmidt!

Is That Right?! is a science comedy show hosted at CSz Philly at 2030 Sansom St. Show starts at 7 PM.

Tickets start at $5 buy here or on site: phillyfringe.org/events/is-th...
September 16, 2025 at 4:19 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Viruses are experts at getting new DNA into cells. Every day, neuroscientists take advantage of this ability to help us understand the brain.

Learn how neuroscientists go viral in this week's post by Omer Zeliger: pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/16/g...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Going viral: How scientists use viruses in research every day
Viruses are experts at getting new DNA into cells. Every day, neuroscientists take advantage of this ability to help us understand the brain.
pennneuroknow.com
September 16, 2025 at 1:45 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Did you know that our eyes spontaneously move 3–5 times per second? While seemingly simple and mostly unconscious, these eye movements can tell us a lot about how our brains work.

Dig into the fascinating world of eye movements!
pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/09/e...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Eye movements: A window into cognition, disease, and individuality
id you know that our eyes spontaneously move about 3 – 5 times per second? These eye movements, while seemingly simple and mostly unconscious, can tell us a lot about how our brains work. In this P…
pennneuroknow.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:27 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Even though it is a myth that people are either “left-brained” or “right-brained,” certain complex functions, such as spoken language, are primarily found on one side of the human brain.

Learn when and why the brain picks a side: pennneuroknow.com/2025/09/02/t...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Two sides of the matter: The human brain may be symmetric in form, but not in function
Even though it is a myth that people are either “left-brained” or “right-brained,” certain complex functions, such as spoken language, are primarily found on one side of the human brain. How and wh…
pennneuroknow.com
September 2, 2025 at 1:33 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Have you ever wondered why some people need total silence and darkness to fall asleep, while others prefer to listen to white noise or watch their favorite TV show? Is there a “best” way to fall asleep?

Learn more in this week's post: pennneuroknow.com/2025/08/26/c...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Counting sheep: How should we fall asleep?
Have you ever wondered why some people need total silence and darkness to fall asleep, while others prefer to listen to white noise or watch their favorite TV show? Is there a “best” way to fall as…
pennneuroknow.com
August 27, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennmindcore.bsky.social
THIS Thursday, Aug 21, 5:30-7:30 PM
Be a Brain and Language Scientist for an Evening

Pennovation
3401 Grays Ferry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146 US
Free for ages 12+

Registration required: actionnetwork.org/events/be-a-...

Please share.

@standupforscience.bsky.social @ninaahmadphl.bsky.social
August 19, 2025 at 6:11 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
This week, Joseph Stucynski dives into the exciting world of a new and powerful treatment for neurological diseases: electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve.

Learn more: pennneuroknow.com/2025/08/19/v...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Vagus nerve stimulation: A new frontier
Electrical stimulation is proving to be a powerful treatment for neurological diseases – especially when it comes to the vagus nerve
pennneuroknow.com
August 19, 2025 at 12:56 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
What do worms, mice, and leafcutter ants have in common? They're helping to uncover the power of neuropeptides — brain messengers that shape behavior and may hold the key to future drug discovery.

@kara-mcgaughey.bsky.social explains: pennneuroknow.com/2025/08/12/y...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪
Your brain’s behavioral blueprint: The chemicals behind how we eat, sleep, feel, and socialize
What do worms, mice, and leafcutter ants have in common? They’re helping scientists uncover the power of neuropeptides — chemical messengers in the brain that shape behavior and may hold the …
pennneuroknow.com
August 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Whether it’s on paper, screen or audio, there are more ways than ever to enjoy a good book. But do different formats engage the brain in the same way?

Co-editor @catrinahacker.bsky.social explores in this week's post: pennneuroknow.com/2025/08/05/t...

#PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧠🟦 🧪 📖
Turning pages, swiping screens, and hitting play: Is reading always the same to our brain?
Whether it’s on paper, screen or audio, there are more ways than ever to enjoy a good book. But do different formats engage the brain in the same way?
pennneuroknow.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:41 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
From doing the dishes to playing an instrument, a special connection between your brain and the muscles is key to keep us moving the way we want.

Learn more in this week's post by Carris Borland: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/29/m...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Mind-muscle connection: How does your brain tell your muscles to move?
From doing the dishes to playing an instrument, a special connection between your brain and the muscles is key to keep us moving the way we want.
pennneuroknow.com
July 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Do plants feel pain? From Venus flytraps snapping shut to stressed plants releasing ultrasonic "screams," @neuromelody.bsky.social explains how plants react to touch and damage in surprisingly similar ways to us.

pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/22/d...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Do plants feel pain?
It may sound like a ridiculous question— but it’s worth asking. From Venus flytraps snapping shut to stressed plants releasing ultrasonic “screams,” plants react to touch and damage in …
pennneuroknow.com
July 25, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
We may think our memory is set in stone, but it’s more like wet clay.

From false childhood memories to wrongful convictions, explore the science behind how our memories can deceive us: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/15/c...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Can we trust our memory?
We may think our memory is set in stone, but it’s more like wet clay. From false childhood memories to wrongful convictions, explore the science behind how our memories can deceive us — and how the…
pennneuroknow.com
July 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
We may think our memory is set in stone, but it’s more like wet clay.

From false childhood memories to wrongful convictions, explore the science behind how our memories can deceive us: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/15/c...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Can we trust our memory?
We may think our memory is set in stone, but it’s more like wet clay. From false childhood memories to wrongful convictions, explore the science behind how our memories can deceive us — and how the…
pennneuroknow.com
July 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Many pet owners will tell you that time with their pets improves their mental health. How?

Learn how emotional support animals help manage symptoms of mental illnesses and and how the brain reacts to this connection: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/08/e...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Emotional support animals: A life- (and brain-) changing bond
Connections with a pet support mental health. How do emotional support animals help manage symptoms of mental illnesses and how does the brain react to this connection?
pennneuroknow.com
July 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Many pet owners will tell you that time with their pets improves their mental health. How?

Learn how emotional support animals help manage symptoms of mental illnesses and and how the brain reacts to this connection: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/08/e...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
Emotional support animals: A life- (and brain-) changing bond
Connections with a pet support mental health. How do emotional support animals help manage symptoms of mental illnesses and how does the brain react to this connection?
pennneuroknow.com
July 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Humans are the only species that display tearful, emotional crying. Does it benefit us? And if so, why don’t we cry more?

Learn about the unique human ability to cry in this week's post: pennneuroknow.com/2025/07/01/t...

#neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #SciComm 🧪
The unique human ability to cry
Humans are the only species that display tearful, emotional crying. Why have we evolved this behavior? Does it benefit us? And if so, why don’t we cry more?
pennneuroknow.com
July 1, 2025 at 2:29 PM