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Dr. Fried parlayed his interest in memory while an undergraduate student at Drexel into a deeper interest in sensory systems as he pursued his doctorate degree in neuroscience at Thomas Jefferson University.
“If memories represent ‘who we are as people,’ then our senses are the fundamental neurological conduit to ‘how we become who we are,’ since these systems allow us to experience and interpret the world around us,” Dr. Fried said. “One of these sensory modalities is pain – a warning system that is vital to survival. Unlike other sensory modalities, however, very little is understood about pain. That is what led me, following research on Alzheimer’s disease, to the migraine field, where I developed a thesis that investigated the neurochemical mechanisms behind the ‘hangover headache,’ as alcohol is a very common trigger for migraine attacks.”
Dr. Fried shared staggering information on the number of people who are affected by migraines in the U.S. and the troubling effects of alcohol on the brain.
“Alcohol can be used to remove pain, but it also makes pain worse when a person is no longer under its influence.”
Colette Glatts, the manager of the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center’s business and research team, reviewed all of the components that are incorporated in the center – everything from physical, occupational and speech therapy, to neuro-optometry, neuropsychology, athletic training and sports medicine. The fields are wide and varied because the brain is wide and varied.
“You have over 100 billion neurons in your brain and over 100 trillion connections,” Glatts said. “That’s why when a person suffers a traumatic brain injury, susceptibility to injury is widespread. There is no blood test or brain scan that can determine a concussion diagnosis. We have learned that a concussion is not a brain bruise, but rather it is a tearing of the axons in the brain. It is very serious.”
As she explained, repetitive blows to the brain can cause decreased blood flow, changes at the cellular level and a build-up of proteins that can lead to depression, mood changes, lack of concentration, inability to focus, and motor and visual impairment. And these symptoms can linger.
“Concussions suck,” manager of training services Jessica Kempa said. “That’s why having all of these resources in one place is effective. Concussions can affect people different. Some can have psychiatric effects where a pre-existing diagnosis of anxiety or depression can be heightened following head trauma. Concussions can affect the vestibular systems (how brain and body work together) or ocular systems (brain’s ability to control eye alignment, teaming and movement) or cognitive health (memory, ability to focus).”
WTHS AP Students Learn About Brain Pain from Visiting Neuroscientist and Concussion Experts
As Washington Township High School AP psychology students recently learned, there are many people in the world who love pain, or rather love studying and seeking solutions for pain. Dr. Nate Fried, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Neuroscience, as well as representatives from the Thomas Jefferson University Comprehensive Concussion Center, presented an assembly at the school on January 19th, providing numerous examples of career paths for those interested in the brain and alleviating brain pain.
Dr. Fried parlayed his interest in memory while an undergraduate student at Drexel into a deeper interest in sensory systems as he pursued his doctorate degree in neuroscience at Thomas Jefferson University.
“If memories represent ‘who we are as people,’ then our senses are the fundamental neurological conduit to ‘how we become who we are,’ since these systems allow us to experience and interpret the world around us,” Dr. Fried said. “One of these sensory modalities is pain – a warning system that is vital to survival. Unlike other sensory modalities, however, very little is understood about pain. That is what led me, following research on Alzheimer’s disease, to the migraine field, where I developed a thesis that investigated the neurochemical mechanisms behind the ‘hangover headache,’ as alcohol is a very common trigger for migraine attacks.”
Dr. Fried shared staggering information on the number of people who are affected by migraines in the U.S. and the troubling effects of alcohol on the brain.
“Alcohol can be used to remove pain, but it also makes pain worse when a person is no longer under its influence.”
Colette Glatts, the manager of the Jefferson Comprehensive Concussion Center’s business and research team, reviewed all of the components that are incorporated in the center – everything from physical, occupational and speech therapy, to neuro-optometry, neuropsychology, athletic training and sports medicine. The fields are wide and varied because the brain is wide and varied.
“You have over 100 billion neurons in your brain and over 100 trillion connections,” Glatts said. “That’s why when a person suffers a traumatic brain injury, susceptibility to injury is widespread. There is no blood test or brain scan that can determine a concussion diagnosis. We have learned that a concussion is not a brain bruise, but rather it is a tearing of the axons in the brain. It is very serious.”
As she explained, repetitive blows to the brain can cause decreased blood flow, changes at the cellular level and a build-up of proteins that can lead to depression, mood changes, lack of concentration, inability to focus, and motor and visual impairment. And these symptoms can linger.
“Concussions suck,” manager of training services Jessica Kempa said. “That’s why having all of these resources in one place is effective. Concussions can affect people different. Some can have psychiatric effects where a pre-existing diagnosis of anxiety or depression can be heightened following head trauma. Concussions can affect the vestibular systems (how brain and body work together) or ocular systems (brain’s ability to control eye alignment, teaming and movement) or cognitive health (memory, ability to focus).”