Here are some of my biggest takeaways from my time of observing the intricacies of spine health up close.

1. Diagnostics Are Like Solving a Puzzle

One of the biggest eye openers of my experience was seeing how a specialist connects a patients symptoms to their actual diagnosis. A patient might come in with numbness in the toes or a sharp pain running down the sides of their legs, but the root cause is farther away from where they actually feel it.

Observing how a specialist looks at all different types of physical exams such as MRI’s and CT Scans was a masterclass. Seeing an L4-L5 disk herniation on a computer is one thing; understanding how that specific anatomical detail decides someones everyday movement and quality of life is truly another.

2. Surgery is Never the 1st Option

Before I started shadowing, I believed that a surgical specialty revolved only around operating. However I realized very soon that most of the crucial decisions that take place happen long before even stepping near an OR.

I watched the specialist spend a significant amount of time walking their patients through extremely non-invasive options, physical therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and epidural shots were some of the frequent options disscused. To put things into perspective, in the 2.5 month’s that I shadowed, I only ever experienced one case where surgery was given as the first option. Surgery is reserved for times where any conservative options truly have no measurable impact or when more sever neurological deficits are at play.

3. Communication Is Key

Dealing with spinal conditions on a daily basis also means dealing with a significant amount of anxiety in patients. Patients tend to arrive in sever chronic pain, worried about mobility or having to face complex surgeries.

Watching an expert translate those complicated anatomical terms-explaining disk herniation, stenosis, radiculopathy in a way that felt understandable- showed me that being a good communicator is just as important as being a good diagnoser.

4. Precision Requires Tremendous Discipline

Whether walking through preoperative surgical planning or disussing nerve conduction studies, spine care demands an incredible level of detail. The margin of error when working near the spinal cord is measured in milimeters. That level of focus demands learning, preperation, and a lifelong commitment to patient safety.

The Takeaway

Shadowing in this field showed to me once again exactly why I am so draw to medicine. It showed me that being a great specialist isnt just about understanding the wiring of the spine- it’s about using that complex knowledge to give someone their life back.

Some photos from my experience:

This is the haunting reality of someone with Cotard’s Syndrome, also referred to as “Walking Corpse Syndrome”. This condition doesn’t just stand as one of the rarest conditions in the world, but is also one of the most interesting neurobehavioral disorders in all of medicine.

What is Cotard’s Syndrome?

Cotard’s Syndrome is a rare neuropsychiatric condition that is characterized entirely by nihilistic delusion. A nihilistic delusion is a unshakeable false belief regarding nonexistence of oneself or ones organs, etc.

Unlike a standalone disease that can be diagnosed with manuals like the DSM-5, Cotard’s is classified as a clinical disease or a symptom. It manifests itself in that are experiencing psychotic depression, schizophrenia, or any other form of neurological trauma.

The syndrome progresses through these distinct phases as shown in this image below.

The Neurology: What Really Happens in the Brain?

To fully understand Cotard’s, it will be helpful to look at a disease closely related : Copgras Delusion- the belief that ones loved ones have passed away and have been replaced by identical imposters)

A healthy brain passes sensory information through recognition and hook right into the amygdala, the emotions of the brain. This then creates a feeling of recognition when you see a loved one, or even when you percieve your own body.

In patients with Cotard’s, it has been hypothesized that the connection between facial/corporeal recognition and emotional resonance has been completely uprooted. When the brain tries to process itself, it is met with zero emotional feedback. The brain then tries to resolve this puzzling paradox by telling itself “I see myself/feel my body, but I feel absolutely nothing”. This then concludes that the only explanation poossible is that the self no longer exists or is dead.

Clinical Reality and Behavior Challenges

Patients living with Cotard’s are often met with several clinical challenges. Due to the patients believing that they are already dead, the experience a complete loss for self preservation, and some examples of that are:

• Refusal to eat: Patients starve themselves, arguing that a dead body has no need of nutrients or food.

• Analgesia: A significantly different perception of pain, which often leads to self harm or failure to get help for physical injuries.

• Extreme Isolation: Patients start to go to extremely isolated areas, and look for places where htey feel a corpse actually belongs, and also completely draw from any form of social interaction.

Treatment Options:

Due to Cotard’s being deeply tied with underlying pyschiatric and neurological conditions, treatment also heavily focuses on treating the root cause. Because of the severe risks associated with refusal to eat, treatment requires immediate intervention. Treatments include:

• Pharmacotherapy: A combination of atypical antipsychotics (to target the delusional thoughts) and antidepressants (such as SSRIs or SNRIs to address the underlying psychotic depression) is the frontline approach.

• Neurological Management: If the syndrome was triggered by a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or encephalitis, managing the primary neurological insult is vital for recovery.

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Interestingly, medical literature consistently highlights ECT as remarkably effective for Cotard’s Syndrome. Rapid resolution of patients nihilistic delusions takes place after a course of ECT.

The Takeaway:

Cotard’s syndrome is a reminder of how fragile our perception of reality is. It also shows that our sense of self existance isn’t just baseline, it can always change and be deconstructed. Additionally, Pretty Dead (2013) is a horror movie based of a women diagnosed with Cotard’s Syndrome, so if anyone is interested in the horror aspect of this condition, I would highly recommend checking that out.

Our spines do an extraordinary amount of heavy lifting, but they are also extremely complex structures. When something inside goes wrong-like a disk herniation-your body immediately let’s you know. Lets take a look behind the curtain to see what’s actually happening inside of your spine, and look at some common reasons that your back might be bothering you.

1. Herniated Disks: A Jelly Donut Drama

To fully understand a herniated disk (sometimes referred to as a slipped or ruptured disk), it really helps to visualize a jelly filled donut.

Your spinal disks are the rubbery cushions that sit in between your vertebrae (spinal bones). They consist of a tough, rubbery exterior known as the annulus, and have a soft, jelly like center known as the nucleus pulposus.

A herniation happens when there is a tear in the annulus, or the tough outer shell, allowing some of the “jelly” to push outward. The disk doesn’t slide out of place, but rather, the leaking jelly presses directly against the super sensitive spinal nerves that run next to it.

• The Symptoms: Sharp pain that shoots down one leg (sciatica), tingling, numbness or weakness in the leg or foot

• The Cause: General wear and tear due to natural aging, but can be triggered instantly by lifting sheavy objects with improper form

2. Other Common Back Problems

A herniated disk isn’t neccesarily the only thing that can cause pain and trouble in the spine, here are 3 other similar conditions that might be a common diagnosis:

Bulging Disks:

People tend to confuse bulging disks with herniated ones, but they have a slight difference. In a bulging disk, the annulus swells outward, but does not tear, and the jelly is able to stay contained inside. We can think of bulging disks as underinflated car tires that sag and bubble out on the sides. It can can an ache usually, but it generally irritates nerve much less severly compared to a true herniation.

Spinal Stenosis:

This is a condition in which the spaces within our spines start to narrow down. We can imagine it as if our spinal cord and nerves started traveling through a very narrow and hallow tube; stenosis just means that tube is slowly tightening up. It’s usually caused by arthiritis and bone spurs over a long time. People with stenosis often feel fine while sitting down, but start to experience cramming or even pain in their legs when they are standing or even walking.

Degenerative Disk Disease (DDD):

Despite the really scary name, this isn’t exactly a disease-it’s more a natural part of aging. As we get older, our disks start to lose their water content and start to shrink, which leads to them absorbing shocks much less effectively. This narrowing of the space between our bones can lead to inflammation and also the loss of flexibility.

Understanding the symptoms:

This chart can give major clues to what type of pain you are truly dealing with

The Path to Feeling Better:

Here is some good news, an estimated 90% of people with herniated disks recover on their own within a few months without any surgery.

If you are however dealing with a flare up, the road to recovery usually follows this structured approach.

When to see a doctor immediately: If you ever suddenly experience a sudden loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in inner thighs, seeking emergy medical care is a must. This can indicate Clauda Equina Syndrome, a extremely serious condition that requires immediete medical attention.

Sources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16912-degenerative-disk-disease

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/d/degenerative-disc-disease.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-stenosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352961

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17499-spinal-stenosis

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/herniated-disk/symptoms-causes/syc-20354095

https://www.health.harvard.edu/bones-and-joints/herniated-disk-a-to-z

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12768-herniated-disk

https://www.cnsomd.com/blog/treatment-options-for-a-bulging-disc/

Stem cells are essentially the body’s raw materials. Unlike specialized cells like the red blood cells carrying oxygen, stem cells are unspecialized. Stem cells have 2 main defining characteristics.

• Self Renewal: Stem cells can divide and make infinite copies of itself, indefinitly

• Differentiation: Stem cells also have the ability to transform into cells with specific function (specialized)

The 2 Main Types:

1. Adult (Somatic) Stem Cells: Found in small numbers in areas like bone marrow or fat, they are multipotent. They are also limited, and generally repair the tissue that they live inside

2. Embryonic Stem Cells: These stem cells are pluripotent, meaning that they can turn into virtually any cell type in the body

How Do Stem Cells Actually Work?

Stem cells are the bodies internal maintenance crew. Whenever you get hurt, fall ill, or even in everyday life, the tissues in your body undergo much wear and tear, this is where stem cells come in. Stem cells are constantly triggered to divide and replace these damaged cells.

• Routine Maintenence: Inside of your gut or skin, stem cells are active 24/7, constantly replacing cells that are sloughed off every day.

• Emergency Response: If you ever suffer an injury, stem cells are immedietly recruited, moved to the site, and differentiate to help rebuild that damaged tissue.

Why Stem Cells Are a Medical Frontier:

Because of their ability to regenerate, medical experts and scientists believe stem cells are the key to treating conditions that were once thought to be permanent. Current research focuses on:

1. Regenerative Medicine

   Many scientists are currently working on “coaxing” stem cells into becoming special cell types, like insulin producing cells for people with type 1 diabetes, or nerve cells for people with spine injuries, to help replace damaged tissues.

2. Understanding Disease

   By truly understanding stem cells and observing how they mature into cells affected by alzheimers or cancer, researchers can pinpoint exactly when things start to go south, and develop targeted treatments

3. Drug Testing

   Instead of testing medication on humans and animals, researchers can instead use stem cells to grow specific tissues, and see how that drug affects humans cells, before standard clinical trials.

The Long Road Ahead:

While the potential with stem cells is immense, research in this field still remains extremely complex. Scientists are still perfecting unique ways to control how these cells differentiate to ensure they behave predictably, once placed inside a human body.

As we continue decoding the signals that tell stem cells to “heal this artery” or “Repair this tissue” we are slowly inching towards a future where we don’t just treat given symptoms, we treat the body from within.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/in-depth/stem-cells/art-20048117

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24892-stem-cells

https://www.cirm.ca.gov/stem-cell-and-genetic-research/

https://stemcells.nih.gov/

https://medlineplus.gov/stemcells.html

https://academic.oup.com/stmcls

When someone hears the word “Brain Tumor”, fear and uncertainty are natural to follow. For many it can feel like their life has been divided into 2 halves, a “before” and an “after”. However, behind all the scary clinical terminology and statistics, lies real patient experiences and unique himan stories that are solely defined by resilience, and the pursuit of a better quality of life.

Recognizing the Strict Warning Signs:

Brain tumors are extremely complex in nature, due to symptoms often manifesting differently depending on location and size of the tumor. While some common issues like headaches/migraines, are frequently caused by other issues, certain health patterns require professional attention. Medical experts sugggest consulting a doctor if you start to experience any of these symtoms:

1. Unexplained Nausea/Vomiting: Specially when it does not resolve as expected.

2. Neurological Changes: Difficulty speaking, trouble comprehending simple matters, significant vision changes, or tumbness/tingliness in face or limbs.

3. Overall Physical Weakness: Significant weakness on one side of the body or difficult coordinating yourself.

4. Persistent Headaches: Specially ones that are often worse in the morning, wake you from sleep, or get more intense as you lie flat

An Important Note: These symptoms are not solely exclusive to brain tumors, and can also be linked to many other health conditions. If you or your loved one are concerned, the very first step is to seek a medical evaluation to get proper clarity.

Beyond the Diagnosis: A Resiliant Journey

For people who are diagnosed with a brain tumor, the journey is quite the opposite of a straight line. Following the initial diagnosis of a brain tumor, treatment plans, surgery, radiation (depends on cancerous vs. non cancerous), finally followed by rehabilitation.

Many brain tumor survivers often emphasize that the “hidden” challenges, are sometimes harder to naviage than the physical ones. Recovery often focuses more on relearning how to naviage through daily life, managing strong emotional shifts, and finding a “new normal”. Surviors share that finding a community to connect with can often be a powerful tool for healing.

The Age of Innovation:

We are currently in an era of extremely significant medical progress. From recent advancements in nanoparticle therapies, to the development of new clinical trials, the medical community is constantly working on trying to improve both the quality and quantity of life for their patients.

Strong initiatives led by organizations like the National Brain Tumor Society and multiple Glioblastoma Research organizations continue to drive new innovation. Whether it’s through fundraisers, education reports, these efforts are helping to bridge the gap between the current limitations and future breakthroughs.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brain-tumor/symptoms-causes/syc-20350084

https://braintumor.org/

https://www.mdanderson.org/cancer-types/brain-tumor.html

https://www.gbmresearch.org/blog/symptoms-of-brain-cancer-tumor

https://glioblastomafoundation.org/news/malignant-brain-tumor/

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/brain-spinal-cord-tumors-adults.html

The Effects of Parkinson’s on the Brain:

To say in simple words,Parkinson’s Disease is essentially a loss of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger, allowing the body to communicate with our muscles and make smooth, coordinated movements.

When these dopamine-producing cells become impaired or even die, the brain is not able to regulate movements. Many scientists also like to point out that Lewy bodies or clumps of a protein knows as alpha-synuclein, as a characteristic of PD, although modern research is still taking place to fully understand how these exactly contriubute to cell death.

Common Symptoms:

PD symptoms often take years to develop, when they do develop they are categorized into 2 different groups:

1. Motor Symptoms (Movement)

• Bradykinesia: Overall slowness of movement, making simple tasks often very difficult.

• Rigidity: Muscle stiffness that can take place in any part of the body, often causing immense pain and making range of motion extremely limited.

• Tremors: Involuntary movements, that often start of in the fingers.

• Postural Instability: Lack of balance and coordination, leading to increased risk of falls.

2. Non-Motor Symptoms

• Sleep Disorders and fatigue

• loss of smell

• difficulty with memory and planning

• anxiety, depression, and many mood changes

Current Treatment Options:

As of 2026, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, however there are several strategies that can help manage and even improve the quality of life:

1. Medication: Levadopa/Carbidopa (the gold standard for replenishing dopamine levels).

2. Surgery: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), where electrodes are implanted to regulate brain activity.

3. Lifestyle: Aerobic exercise and strength training have shown significant benefits in slowing progression.

4. General Therapy: Physical and occupational therapy to maintain mobility and independence.

The Way Forward:

Brain research and advancements have been moving forward at an extremely rapid pace. Current studies are investigating gene therapy, biomarkers for early detection, and the important role of the gut-brain axis to fully understand how to cure and eventually prevent Parkinson’s.

Understanding Parkinson’s is one of the first steps that we as a society can take to support and advocate for those living with PD. By keeping our knowledge refreshed on latest clinical trials and new neurological breakthroughs, we will be able to navigate the challenges that Parkinson’s Disease presents.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/parkinsons-disease

https://medlineplus.gov/parkinsonsdisease.html

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8525-parkinsons-disease-an-overview

https://www.ohsu.edu/brain-institute/understanding-parkinsons-disease

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1831191-overview

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2401857

What Is the Exact Role of the Thyroid?

The thyroids main job in our body is to produce hormones, specifically T3 (triiodothyronine) & T4 (thyroxine). These are the main hormones that travel through our blood stream to help regulate:

• Metabolism: How quickly our body’s burn calories

• Heart Rate: Ensures that our heart beats at a healthy pace

• Growth & Development: Is especially important for brain development in children

• Body Temperature: A general “thermostat” for our body

Our brain is the one monitoring the levels of these different hormones. If they even dip too low, the pituitary gland in our brain releases TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) to alert the thyroid & tell it to get back to work.

What Are Some Common Thyroid Conditions?

Generally thyroid conditions fall into 2 seperate categories; either overactive or underactive.

1. Hypothyroidism (underactive):

   This type of thyroid occurs when the gland in cannot produce enough hormones, leading to body processes to slow down

• Common Symptoms: Weight gain, dry skin, slower heart rate, fatigue

• Common Cause: Hashimoto’s disease; a special autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the thyroid

2. Hyperthyroidism (overactive):

   This is the opposite, the thyroid is now working double and producing way too mucy hormone that essentially puts our body’s into “sports” mode.

• Common Symptoms: Weight loss, rapid heartbeat, tremors, heart sensitivity, anxiety

• Common Cause: Grave’s disease; another autoimmune disease that overstimulates the gland leading to to much hormone production

How to Keep the Thyroid Healthy?

Even though medical conditions require professional diagnosis & treatments, nutrition from our sides also play a very supportive role in keeping the thyroid healthy.

• Iodine: Our thyroid needs iodine to create T3 & T4. Iodine is found in iodized salt, dairy, & seaweed

• Selenium: This is a very important mineral that helps to "activate” the thyroid hormones so that our body can use them. Eggs and Brazil nuts are great foods to consume

• Zinc: Necessary for the production of hormones and to enure proper TSH levels are present

When To Take Action?

Most thyroid symptoms can be confused with stress or even aging. If you ever notice sudden changes in energy, weight loss or gain, or heart rate, a simple blood test that measures the TSH, T3, & T4, will usually be the first step into seeing how well the thyroid is working. In general maintaining thryoid health is a very vital part of our overall wellness, and ensures that our body continues to stay balanced and energized.

Sources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23188-thyroid

https://medlineplus.gov/thyroiddiseases.html

https://www.thyroid.org/

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-does-thyroid-do

https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/surgery/endocrine-surgery/conditions-treated/thyroid/normal-thyroid-hormone-levels

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/thyroid-problems

https://womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/thyroid-disease

https://www.btf-thyroid.org/what-is-thyroid-disorder

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/underactive-thyroid-hypothyroidism/

https://www.nyp.org/healthmatters/what-are-the-signs-and-symptoms-of-thyroid-disease

https://www.aace.com/disease-and-conditions/thyroid/all-about-thyroid

Rabies, is classified as a zoonotic viral disease (a disease that can jump from animals to humans) that attacks the Central Nervous System in our body. The Rabies virus travels from the infected site (usually a bite or scratch) and moves up along our peripheral nerves, until it reaches the brain. The journey to the brain is known as the incubation period, and can last from a few weeks to 3-4 months. It is important to understand that once the virus has reached the brain and symptoms start to kick in, there is no cure discovered yet, which is why it is important to act with urgency.

Important Symptoms to Watch For:

What makes rabies so deadly is the symptoms. Rabies symptoms often start of looking like a common flu, and are often ignored by most people.

1. Early Stage Symptoms: Headache, tingling at site of bite, general weakness in body.

2. Advanced Stage Symptoms: Confusion, hallucinations, general anxiety, & most importantly Hydrophobia (fear of water) due to throat spasms when trying to swallow liquids.

3. Ultimate Stage: Coma, full body paralysis, and in the end, respiratory failure.

Dogs Aren’t the Only Culprits:

While most rabies deaths in the world (mostly Asia & Africa) are due to domestic dogs, in North America & Europe, common wildlike is also a major concern.

• Foxes: High wildlife population

• Domestic Pets: Dogs, Cats, & Cattle can all carry rabies if they are not vaccinated

• Raccoons, Badgers, & Skunks: Often present in suburban areas, & are known rabies carriers.

• Bats: The most common cause of rabies in America. Their bites are so minute, that they often go unnoticed.

What to Do If You’re at Risk:

If you are ever bitten, scratched, licked on an open wound by any animal that you might suspect to have rabies, its important to follow these steps ASAP.

1. Clean the Wound: Use soap and water and wash the wound for atleast 15 minutes. It may sound like common sense, but this simple act can significantly reduce the load of the virus.

2. Get Medical Attention: No other options.

3. The PEP: When you go to a doctor, they will 99% of the time adminsiter Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). This procedure consists of 4 rabies vaccines & a human rabies immune globuulin (HRIG), over the course of 2 weeks. Modern medicine rabies shots are given like flu shots in the arm, and are not even comparable to an old-school stomach injection.

Your Best Defense; Prevention:

If you don’t want to ever have to deal with Rabies follow these steps.

• Making Sure your Pets are Properly Vaccinated: This protects your pets, and ensures that they can’t harm you in anyway.

• ALWAYS keep your distance: Never try to feed or handle any wild animals, no matter how cute or lost they look.

• Ensure your Home is Bat-Proof: It is important that your house has proper window screen & the chimneys are capped, so that nothing can enter from above.

• Travel Intelligently: If you know that you will be going to a region with high risk of rabies, it will be beneficial to consider a Pre-Rabies Exposure vaccine.

In Conclusion:

Rabies is a virus of the past, that has still not left us. Rabies lives on the “wait & see” personality, & if acted fast enough when infected, you can turn death into a much more manageable medical event!

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/about/index.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rabies/symptoms-causes/syc-20351821

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6842493/

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-topics/rabies-infections-and-prevention

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/hcp/clinical-care/post-exposure-prophylaxis.html

https://www.santacruzhealth.org/Portals/7/Pdfs/PH%20Reporting/16-Rabies_Guide.pdf

The Procedure:

• The Baseline: The students took a simple 10 question assesment after taking a sip of water.

• The “Cognitive Enhancer”: The students were given another cup of water, this time however, they were told that it was a “cognitive enhancer” that would sharpen their speed and focus.

• The Second Assesment: The students now took another test, thinking they were “enhanced” in some way.

The Results:

After I had finished grading assesment 1 & 2, I had expected everyones scores to go up by atleast a little for the second test. Instead, I watched the Nocebo Effect become the star of the show. Once the students thought that they were boosted cognitivly, that leaded to pressure kicking in. The entire room had gotten much quieter, people had started to overthink much more than they needed to, and I had even received a couple reports about some students feeling much anxiety/drowsiness.

While running the data through the Paired T-Test dashboard, the numbers honestly suprised me:

• Accuracy Drop Off: Students had gotten 3 more questions incorrect on average after taking the enhancer.

• Speed Slowed Greatly: The students took an average of 20 seconds longer to finish the second assesment that was the same dificulty as the first one.

My Findings:

After finishing this experiment, I have become sure of one thing. The stress of expecting to do better, caused a great dip in cognitive performance, and instead created more stress & anxiety.

Even though the “Cognitive Enhancer” was just plain water, it was interesting to see the psychological weight of it, and see how it affected students. This experiment gave me a fascinating look at how the narrative that we can create inside our head, the preasure that we give ourselves unneccesarily, can often interfere with our brain’s ability to process information.

This experiment has taught me a great life lesson. Sometimes in life the way to perform best is often staying out of your own head, and not putting unnecesary preasure on yourself.

What Really Happens in the Brain?

Inside our brain, there are two rebellious troublemakers that cause the most damage, Plaques and Tangles.

• Amyloud-Beta Plaques: These plaques are essentially just sticky clups of protein, that build up in the spaces between our neurons. In a normal healthy brain, these protein clumps are broken down and seperated, allowing them to not effect our neurons. However in Alzheimers, these protein clumps harden into strong plaques that block our synapses (tiny gaps where our brain cells communicate with each other) leading to our memories and thoughts not being able to process.

• Tau Tangles: Inside every single one of our neurons is a type of transport system, that is made up of long straight tracks that carry nutrients. A certain protein knows as tau is usually there to help keep these roads/tracks straight. However in Alzheimer’s, the tau collapeses and turns into long twisted strands knows as tangles. The abscence of the tau leads to the tracks to eventually fall apart, and leads to the cell starving until it dies.

What is Neuroinflammation?

As these plaques and tangles spread, the brain decides to get involved. Cells knows as microglia start to act as janitors, and try to get rid of the protein clumps that build up in our synapses. In the start, the brains immune system is strong, and it helps for a while, however the microglia slowly get overwhelmed and eventually end up staying “on” indefinitly. This process slowly starts to release strong chemicals that end up damaging neurons nearby. This slowly leads to an ouroboros (a cycle of life, death, and revival), which means that the more the brain tries to “fix” itself, the more it will actually harm the cells, leading to the brain eventually shrinking.

A Strong Reason for Hope!

While scientists and doctors have not yet figured out a way for the disease to completely halt, and reset, many advancements have been made into a new modern era of disease-modifying therapies. Modern scientists are now using specialized blood tests or PET scans, to see these protein clumps upto 15-20 years before a sympton even appears! New treatments are also being designed to help scrape out the laques that build up in the brain. The goal however isn’t to just treat Alzheimers, it’s to completely stop it from forming.

How to Support your loved ones:

Having a family member with Alzheiners can sometimes be very complicated and hectic. However it is important to understand that their brain is working much harder to understand information, that your brain does. You can help them out by making sure they take as little “brain” load as possible. Some helpful ways to show empathy are:

1. Never treat them like children. Always speak loud and clear, and allow them extra time to take that cognitive load.

2. Location matters. Loud parties, clubs, or even a loud televsion, can hinder them physically and also confuse them. Keep things calm and make sure that there focus is always on you.

3. Don’t force corrections. If your affected one sometimes believe that they are in the right place, or time, there is nothing they can do about that. Their brain is giving them full validation. Correcting them can often cause unnecesarry stress and lead them to be overwhelmed. It is also important to understand the true emotion behind what they are saying. If they are often worried about doing the dishes, or going to work, that can often mean that they are just feeling productive, and want to help.

Sources:

https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350447

https://medlineplus.gov/alzheimersdisease.html

https://alzfdn.org/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9164-alzheimers-disease

1. The CBC: The Blood Cells

   The Complete Blood Count or CBC is the most common test. It checks the different types of cells living in your blood.

   • White Blood Cells (WBC): These are your “soldier” cells. They fight germs. If this number is high, you might have an infection (like a cold).

   • Red Blood Cells (RBC): These carry oxygen around your body. If this is low, you might feel very tired or weak. This is often called Anemia.

   • Platelets: These help your blood “stick together” to stop bleeding if you get a cut.

2. The CMP: The organ check

   The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) is a “status report” for your internal organs, like your liver and kidneys. It also checks your “fuel” levels.

   • Glucose: This is your blood sugar. It shows how much energy is waiting to be used by your body.

   • Creatinine & BUN: These are waste products. If they are high, it usually just means your kidneys need a little help filtering things out (or you might just be dehydrated!).

   • Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium): These are minerals that keep your electricity running. They help your heart beat and your brain send signals.

3. The Lipid Panel: Checking your Fat

   This part of the test looks at the different types of fat (cholesterol) in your blood. It’s all about balance here.

   • LDL (The “Bad” Kind): You want this number to stay low. Think of LDL as “trash” that can clutter up your hallways (arteries).

   • HDL (The “Good” Kind): You want this number to stay high. Think of HDL as the “garbage truck” that comes by to pick up the LDL and take it away.

   • Triglycerides: This is unused energy stored as fat. If you’ve been eating a lot of treats or drinking soda lately, this number might jump up.

How to Read the Page

When you get your results, make sure you take a look at the “Reference Range”. This is essentially the “Normal Zone”.

• The Result: The number given to you

• The Range: The “Normal Zone”, Ex:(70-100)

• The Flag: If your result/number, that is given to you is outside the normal zone, there paper will most likely have either an “H” or a “L” (High/Low)

Important Note: Sometimes an “H” or an “L” doesn’t always mean that you are sick. It can mean that you did not drink enough water that morning, or that you might have ate something different the night before.

Summary:

It is important that your blood tests are taken on an empty stomach if your doctor tells you to, as food can often change your sugar and fat numbers. It is also recommended to keep your past reports, to keep track of your health over time and see improvements.

If you ever see something that confuses you, always remember, you can always ask your doctor!

The Effects of Cold Water on your body:

Although drinking cold water is proven to not cause the flu or any other viruses. It does still affect your body in other ways.

• Congestion: Some studies have been conducted, and shown that cold water can slightly thicken your mucus in your nose. If you already have a stuffy nose, cold water can actually make it harder to breathe through your nose for a short amount of time.

• Blood Flow: Cold water has been known for making the blood vessels in your throat to start to narrow. Some people believe that this makes it easier for germs to take over, however there isn’t much proof to support this argument.

The Real Importance of Hydration:

Being hydrated is one of the best ways to take control of your immune system. It doesn’t matter whether your water is boiling or freezing, your body will use it to flush out your waste and make sure that your cells are working as intended.

Water also helps keep your nose and throat nice and moist, which helps create a better barrier against germs. Being hydrated as a student and athlete is also particularly important. Studies have shown that being hydrated results in greater cognitive ability, and as an athelete imporves muscle growth.

The Verdict:

If you feel a tickle in your throat, I would reccomend switching to lukewarm water as it can be much more comforting. However hydration on a day to day basis, is dependent solely on personal preference, whether hot water, cold water, or lukewarm.

You don’t need to skip ice cold water to stay healthy. It is more important to focus on proper hygene and getting plenty of rest to ensure your physical wellness.

Sources:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/common-cold

https://www.cdc.gov/rhinoviruses/about/index.html

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/1-16mayo-clinic-minute-can-cold-weather-cause-a-cold/

https://www.cleveland13news.com/story/cold-weather-doesn-t-cause-colds-cleveland-clinic-doctor-says

https://www.jencaremed.com/articles/cold-weather-health-myths-sorting-fact-fiction

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-makes-colds-worse

This phenomena isn’t just “in your head” but instead, a complex biological response that proves that our brain is greatly involved in our physical healing.

What is the Placebo Effect?

In simple terms, a “Placebo” is just an inert and harmless substance, often medication, that has zero pharmacological effects. The Placebo Effect however occurrs when a patient taking placebo medication, starts showing signs of physical improvement, because they are expecting the “medication” to work.

The Science Behind This:

Whenever you receive any type of medication, the brain will trigger a series of internal responses. Research shows that placebos can help release:

• Dopamine: A powerful chemical that is present in helping humans feel pleasure, often a sign of the brain rewarding you.

• Endorphins: The human bodies natural painkiller, that is released by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in response to pain or stress.

• Physical changes: Other than effecting just brain chemicals, the placebo effect is also shown to make measurable shifts in certain blood tests, heart rate, and blood preasure.

The other side: the Nocebo Effect

Our mind is just like a double edged sword, just as some of our positive hopes, and expectations can lead to healing and relief, some of our negative expectations can hurt our healing, this is called the Nocebo Effect. An example of this is when a doctor prescribes medicine, and tells the patient the side effects of that medication, the patient is much more likely to experience those side effects. This is especially interesting as, if the mediciation is a placebo, the “side effects” still show up in some patients, even when they are really taking sugar pills.

The Importance of these effects:

Gaining an understanding of the Placebo Effect isn’t all about just erasing all modern medicine, and replacing them with placebos, but instead realizing that the importance of this lies in the fact that our healthcare is holistic. This means that the relationships you form with your doctors, the enviorments you get treated in, and your own personal point of views are an extremely vital part of getting healthy both physcially and mentally.

Sources:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-placebo-effect-amazing-and-real-201511028544

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/endorphins-the-brains-natural-pain-reliever

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure

I founded BioLink Moorpark to help cut down that gap as much as possible.

As a 10th grader, naviagting my own hardships of dual enrollment and high-level sciences, I have come to a realization. Many exciting breakthroughs in medicine often stay hidden and unrevealed in complex medical journals, and elite lab settings. My mission is to bring these discoveries to our community, slowly but surely, and making sure to translate them into a language that we all can understand.

What to expect

This blog isn’t just some “daily diary” of a high schooler, but really a strong commitment to community driven curiosity. Throughout these blogs, I will be making sure to include:

1. Deep Dives: Providing valuable information on a broad variety of medical advancements such as cancer immunotherapy, non-opiod drugs, and more.

2. Student Perspectives: Sharing mine as well as peer personal experiences into the journey through medical leadership and programs that can help students get into top universities.

3. Local Connections: Podcasts, interviews, and blog collaborations with healthcare professionals in our own area, to understand the effect of some medical trends in our own community.

Last Words

The medical field is a field of dedicated service, and lifelong learning. Whether you are a doctor, a high school student, or just someone that wishes to gain an understanding on the medical field, the journey that we will take together is going to be a beautifull one.