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pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
@pennneuroknow.bsky.social
950 followers 88 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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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 1d
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...

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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.
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 7d
including for the brain where it might be able to reverse some of the bad that a high natural sugar diet can cause.

- Stephen (post author)

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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 7d
As a result, it isn’t commonly studied as an “artificial sweetener” and for simplicity of the post, I chose not to discuss it. But it is a unique sweetener that some studies suggest has several health benefits, ...

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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 7d
Thanks for the comment – stevia is a weird one that’s in a category of its own. It’s similar to artificial sweeteners since it doesn’t have any calories, but it’s also similar to sugar since it occurs naturally.
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pennneuroknow.bsky.social
Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 8d
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...

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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?
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 15d
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...

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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.
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 15d
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
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Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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MindCORE at the University of Pennsylvania @pennmindcore.bsky.social · 22d
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...
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 22d
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...

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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.
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · 29d
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...

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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…
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Sep 2
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...

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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…
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Aug 27
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...

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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…
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Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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MindCORE at the University of Pennsylvania @pennmindcore.bsky.social · Aug 19
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
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Aug 19
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...

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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
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Aug 14
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...

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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 …
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Aug 5
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...

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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?
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Aug 4
Give the article a read- you'll see the author does not agree that plants feel pain, but they do react to damage in pretty surprising ways.
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 29
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...

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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.
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 25
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...

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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 …
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Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 15
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…
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 15
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
7 9
Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 8
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...

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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?
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 8
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
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Reposted by Penn NeuroKnow 🧠
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 1
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...

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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?
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Penn NeuroKnow 🧠 @pennneuroknow.bsky.social · Jul 1
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
6 13