Uniquely Hari: Neuroscience

Showing posts with label Neuroscience. Show all posts

The Neurotransmitter Showdown: GABA v Glutamate in the Courtroom.

The Neurotransmitter Showdown: GABA v Glutamate in the Courtroom.

GABA: Good day, Glutamate. How do you plead today?

Glutamate: Not guilty Your Honor. My actions were justified.

GABA: Oh, please. You know that you always overexcite the receptors and cause chaos in the brain.

Glutamate: That's simply untrue. I only activate the NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors as needed.

GABA: Needed?

Your excessive activation of those receptors leads to seizures and neurotoxicity and not to mention hyperactivity, mood swings, social communication challenges, and sensory dysfunction in autistics.

You are totally implicated in the Excitatory-Inhibition Imbalance theory in autism.

Hari: You Said It, GABA!! Tell it like it is.

Judge (pounding table with mallet): Order in the court! The audience is not allowed to speak.

Hari: Your Honor, I was not speaking out loud. It was all in my mind.

Judge: But we are in your mind so everyone here can hear you.

Hari: Oh, Ok. Then I'll go off and take a nap.

Judge. Thank you Hari.

(Pounding with mallet) Order! Order!I call order in the courtroom!

Cellular Neuroscience

Last semester was systems neuroscience, this semester is cellular neuroscience.

What's interesting is the way the course is organized. It's very different from what I'm used to. Every week we get a different professor teaching the class on a different topic followed by a Friday quiz on that topic. Of course the other parts are there like a midterm, final and a class presentation. While the class feels a bit disjointed with a new professor this week (autism & change are not the best of bedfellows), its also kinda cool to be taught a topic by a someone researching that area specifically. They know the topic absolutely inside out. But the quizzes are tough!!

Wk 5: Synaptic Plasticity with Prof Roger Colbran (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics)

Wk4: Voltage Gated Ion Channels and Presynaptic Calcium Channels. If last week was glutamate receptors, this week its GABA receptors with Prof David Jacobson (Molecular Physiology & Biophysics).

Wk2-3 Presynaptic & Postsynaptic specialization: Prof Ege Kavalali (Pharmacology) and Prof Teru Nakagawa (Molecular Physiology and Biophysics)

Wk1: Electrophysiology : This week was Bioelectricity of Neurons with Jerod Denton (Anesthesiology). After all, electrophysiology forms the basis of how the nervous system works, it determines how we interact with our environment, how we process that information in the nervous system and how we respond (hopefully appropriately?). And I loved how he said we should be so comfortable with it that we can strike up a casual conversation on the topic at the next VBI (Vanderbilt Brain Institute) meet.

A lot of material is covered in each class. Interesting, a maze and tough all at once.

Some poems being inspired by the neuroscience I'm learning.

Local vs Distributed Information

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Class Discussion in my Multisensory Processing seminar class, see details of paper here.

Implications for autism. Application and interventions is my big thought always.

I think by now it is pretty established that there are glitches in multisensory processing in autistics.

Past studies indicate TBW (Temporal Binding Window) larger in autistics - individual cortical columns were strong, but not talking to columns in other domains.

I want to highlight that this paper says that this balance between distributed vs local information can be a tool to explore differences in multisensory processing. The paper also goes on to say that this can be used to develop effective interventions aimed at improving performance on tasks requiring coordination between different sensory modalities.

So how exactly can we start to do this. What kind of experiment design can we set up so that we get to big goal of interventions. Do we first check for what regions of the brain are involved in autistics, while we do a task.

Grad School - Sem 2

All of Three Inches Wide

Picked up the Principles of Neural Science textbook for my cellular neuroscience course this semester. 3 inches thick, which I could barely lift.

Just 1 of 3 textbooks for this course. OMG!

And wrote a poem to go with it.

All of Three Inches Wide

A thick neuroscience textbook, oh my
It's all of three inches wide
I try to lift it, with all my might
I pull and tug, and give a yank
But mighty it holds, no matter my tries

I finally give up, and accept my fate
This thick neuroscience textbook, it's simply great

So thick and deep, I could dive in

Swim with neurotransmitters while dendrites wave at me
The brain and it's quirks so fascinate me

So bring on the textbooks, I'll read them all

Filled with facts, and sumptuous theories

I'll pull and tug, and give a yank as I read

Pull, tug and yank, apt analogies.

Knowledge essences in the textbook
Deciphering the autistic brain, an ultimate goal

Synesthesia and Autism

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Paper was for my Systems Neuroscience Class this semester was on Synesthesia and Autism.

(I got an A+ both for this essay and the final grade for the course.)

Instructor Feedback: you wrote an excellent essay! Your essay was engaging to read and provided compelling insight into synesthesia and autism. You succeeded to find intriguing papers at each level of understanding and used those references effectively. The concise way of writing reveals a true talent to distill the key messages from complex papers from (very) diverse fields and to use them for your argument. This was overall very impressive to see! you wrote an excellent essay ! Overall, we grade your essay with an A+ Keep up this good work.

Last Day of Class

And that's a wrap to my first semester in grad school

With my Systems Neuroscience class

And Prof Thilo Womelsdorf

#vanderbilt #graduate_school #neuroscience #redefine_the_table #hari_as_possibility #autism #disability

Neuroscience Retreat

Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program retreat.

Day started with Hippocampal Place Cells and included a walk by Percy Priest Lake

Autistic Mice

What is a Mouse Model

The goal of developing mouse models of autism is to gain a better understanding of its genetic and neurobiological basis, and to identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Mouse models of autism are developed using a variety of genetic engineering techniques; the goal of these modifications is to mimic the genetic alterations that have been associated with human autism, and to study the resulting effects on behavior, brain function, and development.

Knockout mice: insertion of specific gene or gene sequences eg: mouse that expresses a mutated version of the gene that causes alterations in protein function.
Knock-in mice: insertion of gene eg: mouse lacks particular gene that has been linked to human autism,.
Viral-vectors: introduce specific genetic modifications into the mouse brain. This allows researchers to study the effects of altering gene expression or protein function in specific brain regions or cell types.

Once the mouse model has been developed, researchers can use a variety of behavioral, physiological, and molecular techniques to study the effects of the genetic modifications on brain function and behavior. This might involve measuring social behavior, communication, repetitive behaviors, or other autism-like symptoms in the mice, as well as examining brain structure, gene expression, or neurotransmitter function.

Some examples of autism mouse models:

BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mice: These mice exhibit several behaviors seen in human autism, including repetitive behaviors, social deficits, and decreased communication.
Engrailed-2 (En2) knockout mice: The En2 gene has been linked to autism in some studies. They exhibit reduced social behavior, increased repetitive behaviors, and atypical brain development.
Neuroligin-3 (NLGN3) knockout mice: The NLGN3 gene, which has been associated with human autism. They exhibit deficits in social behavior and communication, as well as increased repetitive behaviors.
Fragile X 1 (Fmr1) knockout mice: Fmr1 gene is associated with fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that may co-occur with autism. They exhibit deficits in social behavior, communication, and learning.
Shank3 knockout mice: The Shank3 gene has been implicated in autism development. They exhibit deficits in social behavior, communication, and synaptic function.
16p11.2 deletion mouse model: This model is designed to mimic the human 16p11.2 microdeletion, a genetic variation that has been associated with a range of neurodevelopmental disabilites including autism. Mice with this deletion exhibit several autism-like behaviors, including reduced social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and altered vocalizations.
Tsc2 heterozygous knockout mouse model: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic condition associated with autism. This mouse model mimics a TSC-related mutation, in which one copy of the Tsc2 gene is deleted. These mice exhibit social deficits, increased repetitive behaviors, and altered brain connectivity.
Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) R306C knock-in mouse model: Mutations in the MECP2 gene have been linked to Rett syndrome, a genetic condition that shares some features with autism. This mouse model introduces a specific R306C mutation into the MeCP2 gene, leading to deficits in social interaction and communication.
Contactin-associated protein-like 2 (Cntnap2) knockout mouse model: CNTNAP2 is a gene that has been associated with autism and language challenges. This mouse model lacks the Cntnap2 gene and exhibits social and communication deficits, as well as alterations in brain development and function.
Oxtr -/- mouse model: Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a key role in social bonding and has been investigated as a potential treatment for autism. This mouse model lacks the gene for the oxytocin receptor and exhibits deficits in social behavior and communication.
CNTNAP2-deficient mouse model: CNTNAP2 is a gene that has been associated with human autism. Researchers have developed a mouse model in which the Cntnap2 gene is selectively deleted, resulting in autism-like behaviors, such as reduced social interaction, altered communication, and repetitive behaviors.
En2-deficient mouse model: En2 is a gene that is involved in the development of the cerebellum, a brain region that is known to be involved in motor coordination and cognitive processing. Mutations in the EN2 gene have been linked to human autism. Researchers have developed a mouse model in which the En2 gene is selectively deleted, resulting in autism-like behaviors, such as altered social interaction and communication.

Researchers often use multiple models to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex genetics and neurobiology of autism.

Be intentional with your interactions

Good tip at Diversity and Inclusion talk today at Vandy

Image shows lecture hall screen with words "Be intentional with your interactions" which inspired a poem.

Be intentional with your interactions,

word, gesture, every reaction,

in these small moments... connections are made

impact on others, never understated.

Choose your words with care,

filled with kindness and empathy,

power of words can hurt or heal,

And can shape the way others see you.

Be present in every interaction,

Listen with an open heart and mind,

For in truly hearing others,

We can learn, grow, and be kind.

Let your interactions be intentional,

Watch them ripple out,

Making a positive impact,

On all those around about.

Simple Beginnings

Got my own personalized Labcoat at the Simple Beginnings Ceremony today for incoming PhD students.

The term Simple Beginnings is taken from the end of Darwin's epic work as he has had such an impact on scientific thinking in the last 150 years.

This labcoat is so beyond cool. A labcoat for me symbolizes access to mainstream education.

Grad school is intense which super exciting and metaphorical fingers crossed I can succeed and get to do meaningful, ethical and impactful research (metaphorical as fingers crossed is not an easy motor-planning movement for me)

Image 1: Program head Dr Bruce Carter at podium announcing each student and their research interests. Kate Stuart, (Director of strategic affairs and events with Biomedical Research Education and Training) putting on my personalized lab coat. putting on my personalized lab coat. Audience and other students lined up in foreground.

Image 2/3. Sitting in audience before/after I got lab coat. Close up.of labcoat with my name embroidered. Other side of coat says Vanderbilt school.of medicine.

Neuroscience Retreat

The Lab Coat - A Simple Drop of Joy

Through much of my special education years, I had yearned to be given the opportunity to learn science and math like my non-disabled peers. And a lab coat was one symbol I associated with this access to mainstream education and mainstream science. After all only the students in mainstream education got to wear lab coats - the rest of us got to wear aprons, at best, for what seemed like kindergarten activities on repeat.

I finally did get that opportunity of access to mainstream curriculum in high school and got to wear that lab coat. It was a simple drop of joy.

The physical part of science lab has not been easy for me whether it was the delicate equipment /materials (which call for a great deal of fine motor skills and coordination) or the gear I was asked to wear. For instance, the lab googles given out to students with the heavy rubber straps at the back felt too tight and constraining on my head and the sensation of disposable gloves never felt good on my hands and the impulse was just to take them off. It took time and effort to figure out that there were slip on lab goggles much like sunglasses. Wearing those disposable gloves for any length of time took a lot of effort and practice. Doing labs required a lot of planning and teamwork from students around me.

At least the lab coat itself did not present challenges. That was totally doable.

It was rather serendipitous to receive this email today about the upcoming "Lab Coat ceremony" in September for incoming students where I will get my own personalized lab coat.

I started with simple beginnings, now going to an event titled Simple Beginnings. A simple drop of joy for me.

Dear incoming 1st-year PhD graduate students,

On behalf of the Biomedical Research Education and Training office at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, I want to share my excitement in having you on campus very soon! We want to celebrate you at our annual Simple Beginnings ceremony where we recognize you and your research interests while awarding each of you a personally embroidered lab coat. .....

Grad School News - Student Spotlight

https://wp0.vanderbilt.edu/gradschool-blog/2022/05/17/may-2022-student-spotlights/

Hari Srinivasan; an incoming Ph.D. student in neuroscience– , has been named to the 2022 cohort of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship Program for New Americans. This merit-based graduate award for immigrants and children of immigrants provides 30 fellows annually with up to $90,000 in funding to support their graduate studies. The 2022 cohort was chosen from a pool of more than 1,800 applicants on the basis of their potential to make significant contributions to the United States. Congratulations Hari!

Last Column

My LAST COLUMN for the Daily Cal

Full article: https://www.dailycal.org/2022/05/13/a-golden-bear-song/

I realized what defined my undergrad experience was not only recognizing some of these opportunities but that it was the support and encouragement at Berkeley that gave me the confidence to pursue them.

I never felt impostor syndrome at UC Berkeley. Rather it was whether I, as a disabled student, would even be allowed access to the opportunities college offers. ....
For much of my life, my disability has meant significant gatekeeping of opportunities. Would I be allowed to thrive here?

....

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel,” said Socrates.

Most importantly, my UC Berkeley education kindled the Socratic flame, inspiring me to study what I am passionate about along with new kinds of experiences and knowledge. (Speaking of new experiences, I even got to model for the Cal Student Store. Who would have thought of “Model Hari”?)

“Life is full of change and uncertainty and that’s what makes it a great adventure,” Filippenko said at the lecture.

I am both nervous and excited about what’s ahead. As the Bhagavad Gita explains, change is the only constant in our lives, and one is better off focusing on the action (the sure) and not the results (the unsure). Inaction is not an option.

The Gita also points out that results do not solely depend on my actions. I hope the next stage of my educational journey will be one filled with kindness, compassion, patience and empathy from others and one of personal, endless curiosity and positive action so I can continue to learn and add those pebbles that widen the ripples in the pond of knowledge and change.

I got covered by Berkeley Grad Diversity

I got covered by Grad Diversity

Full article: https://grad.berkeley.edu/news/announcements/a-thirst-for-education-and-autism-advocacy/

“Though it was a sense of duty that initially drew me to participate in GiGS as a mentor, it has been my absolute privilege to know Hari and be a small support in his journey to graduate school. I am positive he will accomplish wonderful things at Vanderbilt and beyond.” Lindsey Burnside. Hari's GiGs mentor

...

Hari is very clear about what drives his passion for higher education. “A college degree and above is what gets you a seat at the table, where you get to be part of the conversion about who gets access to spaces, funding, and resources. If we want to see change, belonging, acceptance, and other solutions for autistics, we need to see more autistics in higher ed. And we need to see all profiles of autistics, including the most marginalized autistics, for this change to be meaningful.”

But for Hari, just having a seat at the table is not enough. “I want to be able to redefine the table itself, whether it’s academically or in advocacy. A fair and inclusive world does not just have to be a myth. We need to work actively to make the possibility a reality. Everyone deserves the same opportunity of education, inclusion, and belonging.”

Daily Cal covers me

In an about turn, I'm being written about by someone else at the Daily Cal.

Daily Californian: UC Berkeley wins Soros Fellowship to pursue PhD.

Full article: https://www.dailycal.org/2022/04/25/uc-berkeley-senior-hari-srinivasan-wins-soros-fellowship-to-pursue-ph-d/

At Berkeley, Srinivasan has already been conducting undergraduate research in the area of autism as a Haas scholar, according to Haas Scholars program manager and advisor Leah Caroll. Caroll said Srinivasan has looked specifically at how those with autism process emotions differently from non-autistics. In doing so, he has broken down common stereotypes about those with the disability, she added.

“It’s interesting that his scholarship is in itself a form of activism,” Caroll said.

In addition to writing more than 50 articles for The Daily Californian, Srinivasan is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi, leads a DeCal dedicated to educating peers about autism and serves as a national activist for policy reform surrounding disabilities, according to Caroll.

Caroll added that despite his commitments, Srinivasan goes out of his way to help his peers in the Haas Scholars program.

“He’s been extraordinarily generous with his time and expertise,” Caroll said. “He’s taught everyone about different ways of communicating.”

==========

https://flipboard.com/@thedailycal/news-0brl6vv8z/uc-berkeley-senior-hari-srinivasan-wins-soros-fellowship-to-pursue-ph-d/a-A5xuoZcdTBi5nARLAlHynw%3Aa%3A2444082641-b8f0e80a36%2Fdailycal.org

Stoked to join the ranks of PD Soros Fellows

#redefinethetable #redefine_the_table #autism #disability

image 2
There are likely to be additional roadblocks to higher education when you are a new american and a disabled new american at that. Know that your life too has worth!! Instead of an unmapped path, think of it as a journey of discovery. The opportunity of higher education means not just the chance to get a seat at the table and make contributions to the table, but perhaps to redefine the table itself where you can be part of the change in who all get included in access to spaces and resources. Let's get in there and help redefine the table.

image 3
Disabled or not, ALL of us new Americans deserve to be, and get to be part of the possibility and opportunity that is America.image 4

image 4
Beyond the color of your skin, race, ethnicity and religion, there also exists a range of (dis)ability in New Americans, who face not just the challenges of assimilating themselves in a new country while maintaining their cultural identity, but also navigating unfamiliar systems around disability. It is triple stigma for not just the disabled new american, but families too, who are excluded by association (“courtesy stigma”), not just from the mainstream community but from their own immigrant community as well. We need not just understanding but also importantly, belonging for all.

PD Soros Fellow at Vanderbilt PhD Neuroscience

Can a person feel stunned+super excited AND nervous+disoriented all at the same time.

It's a veritable sea of emotions swirling inside me.

The news is rather surreal as I am in the final weeks of undergrad at Berkeley.

Two pieces of news actually.

I’m heading to a PhD Neuroscience at Vanderbilt in fall 2022.

# neuroscience #vanderbilt #PhD #Berkeley #Psychology

I join the prestigious ranks of the PD Soros Fellows, 2022.

@PDSoros

https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows/hari-srinivasan

Who would have imagined this back in 7th grade middle school - special ed classroom where they still were teaching how to spell basic words like c-a-t. The school district had no intention of allowing me anywhere close to any sort of mainstream curriculum or a mainstream classroom. Their nod to mainstreaming was my being allowed to exist in the same school playground with non disabled kids at recess and lunch. Somehow we were expected to pick up skills, perhaps by osmosis, in that crazy noisy environment of screaming running kids

I lost count of the number of special ed classrooms I’ve been moved around during my elementary and middle school years - tossed from one unwilling special ed teacher to another. Imagine the psychological trauma inflicted on a very young child when educators, the ones who are supposed to support and nurture you, themselves don’t want you. Children don't get to attend their IEP meetings, but sometimes these meetings are held in the classroom after school with a classroom aide babysitting me at one end. I remember one such meeting with the special ed teacher loudly insisting I be moved out of her classroom. In kindergarten alone, I was moved 4 classrooms.

I also remember being in this classroom for sometime in between which was simply called Room 20 at Dilworth Elementary, which was a placeholder for all the special ed kids the district didn’t know what to do with. So the day was mostly walks, story time, circle time - like kindergarten on Groundhog Day repeat day after day, even at age 10. Anyway, by middle school I had been moved to a segregated special ed only school where I never got even that glimpse of any non disabled peers.

For much of my schooling years, education was like the candy in the candy store with me staring longingly at it through the store window.

It’s surreal, It’s like I’m now making up for all those years and years and years of sheer longing for education, years and years and years of missed education with compounded interest thrown in. It’s the sheer contrast of Room 20 to Berkeley.

I am incredibly amazed at what quality education can look like at UC Berkeley. The experience gels perfectly with my inherent curiosity and thirst for knowledge; I am continually reflecting on what is taught in my classes and on its multidisciplinary applications. Berkeley is giving me an amazing experience academically with 4.0 GPA, Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, my own research, research labs and also other opportunities like writing for the Daily Cal and teaching an Autism Class. (And yes, it ok to brag some, at times like this)

My 7th grade special ed did not lead to a high school diploma let alone college. Today I stand on the cusp of a PhD program. Just imagine me in a doctoral program!

More than anything, it was really really really really really really really (can I add a few more "really's") a balm to the soul to hear PhD programs say they “wanted me” and that I was an unanimous selection by the departments.

(I think back on all the special education teachers who did not want me in their classrooms).

The PD Soros fellowship is this extra unexpected icing, a validation - that my life too has worth and I too can be a contributing member of society. That I am thought to be amongst those, “poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture, or their academic field.” That I too can rank amongst the best of the best.

Getting my picture in the New York Times, is kinda cool too.

The road ahead is still fraught with uncertainties and transitions and there will be many things to navigate and trouble shoot in the next few years of grad school. It is going to be a harder journey given all challenges around my motor apraxia, communication/ behavioral /sensory challenges & anxiety. Fingers crossed for continued patience and understanding from others around me.

Today is a day to celebrate, to stop, admire and smell the roses of today. I don't think I am that flexible to actually reach my back so I will give myself that imaginary pat on the back and say,

PD Soros Fellow @ Vanderbilt PhD Neuroscience from fall. Way to Go Hari!!

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News Coverage of Award (link)

Social Media

So nice of Dr Josh Gordon (NIMH Director) to announce news of Vanderbilt and PD Soros at the beginning of the IACC meeting.

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I should frame this tweet as inspiration and aspiration.

Words of praise from the legendary Judy Heumann.

Thank you Judy for your words of praise. We all learn from you and strive to add those additional tiny pebbles that contribute to widening the ripples in the pond of change.

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