An overview of celiac disease
This is the fourth blog in a new series discussing pathologies that can be found in seniors. The fourth blog will focus on celiac disease. Celiac disease, also called celiac sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the small intestine. It is a multifactorial disorder characterized by genetic susceptibility, particularly involving the […]
An overview of breast cancer
This is the third blog in a new series discussing pathologies that can be found in seniors. The third blog will focus on breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer, with nearly 30,000 people being diagnosed each year. It can be classified into three categories: non-proliferative/proliferative changes, in situ breast carcinoma, […]
An overview of osteosarcoma
This is the second blog in a new series discussing pathologies that can be found in seniors. The second blog will focus on osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that often starts in the long bones of the arms or legs. It is associated with mutations in the retinoblastoma gene, and deletions of […]
An overview of drug-induced gingival enlargement
This is the first blog in a new series discussing pathologies that can be found in seniors. The first blog will focus on drug-induced gingival enlargement. Drug-induced gingival enlargement (DIGE) is a condition caused by calcium channel-modifying drugs such as cyclosporin-A, nifedipine, and phenytoin. It usually becomes evident within 3 months of taking the medications. […]
The science behind touch
This is the fifth and final blog in a new series discussing the 5 senses. This blog will focus on touch. Mechanoception is our sense of pressure. It allows organisms to detect and respond to touch, sound, and changes in pressure in their environment. Mechanical stress, changes in pressure, sound waves, and gravity can stimulate […]
The science behind smell
This is the fourth blog in a new series discussing the 5 senses. This blog will focus on smell. Olfaction is our sense of smell. It is a complex sense involving specialized receptors found in the nose and brain. The olfactory epithelium, which contains olfactory sensory cells, is located in the nostril. Separating it from […]
The science behind vision
This is the third blog in a new series discussing the 5 senses. This blog will focus on vision. Vision is our sense of sight. It is a complex process that involves numerous parts of the eye and brain working together to process information from the external environment. Vision begins with light hitting a thick, […]
The science behind taste
This is the second blog in a new series discussing the 5 senses. This blog will focus on taste, also known as gustation. There are 5 main tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (the ability to taste glutamate). Each one depends on a specific receptor located on the tongue. The gustatory system consists of […]
The science behind hearing
This is the first blog in a new series discussing the 5 senses. This blog will focus on hearing. Audition is our sense of sound, which often gradually declines with age. Presbycusis results from changes in the inner ear’s ability to transmit sound to the brain. Sound requires a pressurized sound wave and hair cells. […]
The science of sleep
Sleep is a state of unconsciousness when you’re not aware of yourself or the world around you. It can reduce stress, improve mood, and lower your risk for a variety of health problems. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact information processing, emotion regulation, and memory. Four stages of sleep occur in 90-minute cycles. […]
