Naga G. 2023 | BASIS Independent McLean
- Project Title: Emotions: The Neural Basis Due to Sensory Perception, Drugs, and Diseases
- BASIS Independent Advisor: William Halliday
- Internship Location: George Mason University (Engineering and Neuroscience Department)
Have you ever wondered how we feel emotions? Neurons and neural pathways in the amygdala and other regions of the brain allow for the rise of differing emotions, such as happiness, fear, and anxiety. However, our emotions are not controlled by neurons and neurotransmitters alone but also by mental disorders and drugs. Drugs, such as antidepressants and SSRIs, and mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders, manipulate our emotions by reshaping the interaction between neurons and neurotransmitters to inhibit or encourage the activity of specific neural pathways. In the last few years, it has become more important to study mental disorders because more of the population faces anxiety disorders due to stress and pressure in their personal and professional lives. The impact of drugs and mental disorders on our neural pathways requires more research. By reading and analyzing literary articles and scientific papers, I can examine ways mental disorders can impact our neurons and determine ways to effectively resolve damage to neurons that can be resolved with more effective drugs. . Through this research, I can obtain a broader knowledge of how particular symptoms of drug overdose or mental disorder can occur on a molecular basis.