December break flew by. I went home (to Senegal) and spent
quality time with family and friends. I was not ready to come back…which
explains why getting back into the swing of things has proven to be quite
challenging. This semester is shorter
and busier than last, and a little bit more stressful.
Fortunately, trials and tribulations from last semester have
helped me prioritize better and establish a decent study routine that will make this semester
manageable. The key is to study everyday (even if it is just for 2-3 hours). I realized that by seeing a little bit of the same
material everyday, memorization becomes easier.
We are currently studying neurologic and psychiatric disorders and their treatments, a topic I find particularly fascinating. From learning about the science behind addiction, to having a deeper understanding of the hormones and neurotransmitters involved in disorders like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, and to seeing how mis-wiring of the brain causes some people to experience the world differently, I have a greater appreciation for the complexity of the brain. Just the physical talent of the brain is mesmerizing!
Everything relates to it. A fascinating thing I’ve learned in my “Environmental pharmacology and medicine” class is how lead exposure causes irreversible damage to the brain: it decreases cognitive abilities and lowers intelligence, and impairs one’s ability to make decisions by damaging parts of the brain responsible for impulse control and reasoning. Dr McLachlan and Dr Mielke showed us the correlation between crime and lead exposures in cities (and depending on how much lead exposure a city had, one can predict the number of prison cells to be built!)...ok I'm done talking about the brain...for now
Until next month!
