Talks from the Bio lab desk

  You’re about to step on stage. Or enter an exam room. Or walk into a first date. Suddenly, your stomach flips. Your heart pounds. Your palms sweat. What is it? Aren't you prepared? Didn't you go over everything? Well good news is, you’re not sick. Bad news is you’re nervous. This shouldn't worry you though, but well you are worried. That fluttery, uneasy sensation in your gut? It’s not just “in your head.” If there is a news flash about this, it’s probably your nervous system and your digestive system having a conversation, and they’re not whispering. Let’s explore the biology behind those butterflies in your stomach. Meet the Gut-Brain Connection Your brain and your gut are deeply linked through what’s called the gut-brain axis , a two-way communication system. Just like you and whoever texts you faster than you blink. The connections involves: -  The central nervous system (CNS) — your brain and spinal cord -  The enteric nervous system (ENS) — the ...

Why You Flinch Before You Think Ever had something fly toward your face and felt your body jerk away before you even realized what was happening?  That instant reaction, often known as the flinch, is one of the most impressive tricks your nervous system pulls off every single day. But here’s the cool and interesting part: You didn’t "decide" to move. Your brain didn’t even have to think. Your body reacted automatically, in milliseconds, all thanks to something called a reflex arc . Let’s break it down. What is a Reflex? A reflex is an involuntary , almost instant response to a stimulus. It bypasses the brain entirely, not because your brain is lazy, but because reflexes are designed to protect you as fast as possible. Reflexes are your nervous system’s emergency response team. The Reflex Arc: Your Fastest Nervous System Pathway Here’s the basic route of a reflex arc : Receptor (senses the danger) A stimulus (like heat, pain, or a sudden motion) activates senso...

What Happens in Your Brain When You Dance? Maybe you may say your rhythm starts to flow, you feel like your troubles are away, and the world is like an oasis. Well, that's good for your social media caption under your reel. But what happens behind the scenes before you get to feel how automatic the dancing becomes? Picture this, you’re at a party, the bass drops, and suddenly your feet are tapping, your body’s swaying, and somehow you’re in sync with the music, and maybe even with other people around you.  You didn’t plan the moves, but they happened. Your well practiced skills in the room with your playlist of music. You’re not just dancing, you’re showing off the incredible power of your nervous system in motion. So what’s actually going on in your brain and body while you dance? Let's get into it Step 1: Your Senses Set the Stage Everything begins with sensory input . This means: - Your ears pick up the sound vibrations of the music, and these signals travel to t...

How our brains, hormones, and genes shape how we feel Mental health often feels like an invisible part of our lives. It's our mood, our thoughts, our ability to cope with stress, but did you know that much of our mental well-being is deeply rooted in biology? Behind every emotion, every burst of motivation (or lack of it), and every mental health challenge, there's a symphony of biological processes playing out.  From hormones, neurotransmitters, brain structures, and even gut microbes all contribute to our mental states. Let's have a kick off to this. Biology and Mental Health: How Are They Connected? Mental health is not just a product of mindset or life experiences, it's also a result of physical processes. Our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are influenced by: The structure and chemistry of our brain The messages sent by neurotransmitters The balance of hormones The function of our nervous and endocrine systems The orientation of our genes a...

The Power of Sleep Sleep. Something we want more as adults, and less of when we are children or rowdy teens. The irony, right?  But Biology seems to make you sleep and make you realize that isn’t just something we do to rest after a long day.  It’s a vital biological process that is essential for our health and well-being. We spend about a third of our lives asleep, yet many of us often neglect the importance of sleep, prioritizing work, socializing, or entertainment over rest. But what happens while we sleep, and why is it so important? What Happens When We Sleep? Sleep is a complex, active process that involves changes in brain activity, hormone levels, and bodily functions. It is broken down into two primary stages, which include,  Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep . 1. NREM Sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) NREM sleep is divided into three stages, each progressively deeper: Stage 1 (Light Sleep): This is the transit...