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Neuroscience PhD candidate Eliza Ali speaks to CBC’s All in a Day about what rats can teach us about empathy.

Great Grads 2021: Neha Khanna Finds Future Path Through Neuroscience Research and Carleton Mental Health Student Supports

Neha Khanna was still in high school when she began asking questions about mental health. “I noticed that my peers and I were afraid to speak up about mental health issues, and I really wanted to understand why,” Khanna recalls. “But I was also curious to know what was driving mental health challenges at the molecular level in the brain. I wanted to know what makes each person unique and why some people are more susceptible to developing mental illness.” Neha Khanna She joined her school’s student mental health committee, helping arrange a school-wide conference that promoted mental health literacy. For Khanna, it was a game changer. “These amazing speakers came in and spoke about their journeys, and I realized…

Carleton Neuroscience Researchers Help Demystify Major Depression

Among its many impacts, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased awareness about mental health concerns and limited access to labs for scientists. But Carleton University Neuroscience Prof. Argel Aguilar-Valles and his collaborators continue to chip away at experiments in the Health Sciences Building — and they have discovered a key piece of the puzzle that explains why an emerging treatment for major depression shows promising results. Prof. Argel Aguilar-Valles Roughly one-third of patients diagnosed with debilitating mood disorders don’t respond to conventional pharmaceuticals such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), more commonly known by brand names like Prozac and Zoloft. But when the same patients are given the drug ketamine — which earlier this year was approved for use in supervised clinical…

Carleton Neuroscience Professor Kim Hellemans Wins Prestigious Provincial Teaching Award

Carleton University’s Kim Hellemans, professor in the Department of Neuroscience, has won a 2020 Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) Teaching Award - the highest honour an educator can receive in the province. The OCUFA Teaching Awards recognize individuals with exceptional contributions to the higher education community – and Hellemans has made many. She has built a reputation as a dedicated, inspiring and caring professor who strives to ensure her students not only learn the course material but experience personal growth in the process. “Kim has a gift for teaching,” said David Hornsby, associate vice-president (Teaching and Learning). “Her leadership, dedication to student success and passion for teaching are second to none. This award speaks volumes to the many…

Spring Convocation: Neuroscience and Mental Health Student Makes Waves with Brain Research

When Kayla Schumacker first applied to Carleton University’s Neuroscience and Mental Health program, she couldn’t know that one day she would present at the renowned Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, D.C., never mind win a Viewer’s Choice Award. “I was just looking through brochures and I came across Carleton’s neuroscience program. It really resonated with me because I would be able to study the brain while maintaining the science aspect of it as well, instead of just a general psychology program,” she says. Kayla Schumacker Later, that data would be the stepping stone to an impressive thesis, especially for an undergraduate. Schumacker was a student in Prof. Melissa Chee’s lab when she uncovered her research topic. She started by…

Society for Neuroscience Ottawa Chapter to Host Brain and Mental Health Art Show

The Society for Neuroscience, Ottawa Chapter, which includes researchers and students from Carleton University, will host the Brain and Mental Health Art Show. The annual event connects the scientific and mental health communities of Ottawa while raising awareness and funds in support of local charities. When: Friday, April 5, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: Horticulture Building, Lansdowne Park, 1525 Princess Patricia, Ottawa Info: Admission is $10 at the door; please note admission is cash only. Media are invited to attend the event. The show will feature a diverse range of artistic work, including sculptures, mixed media, photographs and paintings created by researchers, students, community members and individuals living with mental illness. The show allows artists and guests to…

Carleton Neuroscience Students and Ottawa Neuroscience Chapter Celebrate Brain Awareness Week

Carleton University neuroscience students and the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Ottawa chapter will host multi-day Brain Awareness Week activities. During March break, students can have fun learning with Backyard Brains kits. Visitors will get the opportunity to control a robotic claw with signals sent from their brain, see their brainwaves onscreen and view electrical signals that are sent to muscles on a computer. When: March 12 to 15, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Canada Science and Technology Museum, 1867 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa Info: Regular museum admission fees apply. All ages are welcome. Media are invited to attend the event. The Ottawa SfN chapter is supported and sponsored by Carleton’s Department of Neuroscience and is run by…

Neuroscience Chapter Wins International Award for Unique Public Outreach

The Society for Neuroscience Ottawa Chapter, comprised mostly of Carleton University volunteers, has won the Society for Neuroscience’s 2018 Chapter of the Year (COY) Award—a prestigious recognition of its unique outreach in teaching people about the brain. Neuroscience Prof. Alfonso Abizaid and students with SfN Ottawa accepted the honour at the SfN annual meeting in San Diego, California on Nov. 5, 2018, billed as the world’s largest neuroscience conference with about 30,000 scientists attending. Ottawa is only the second Canadian chapter to have won the award. Abizaid has been involved with SfN Ottawa for 10 years. It’s run by volunteer staff and students, mostly from Carleton, and he was elated by the win. “I was extremely happy and proud for…

Carleton Neuroscience Students Showcase Power of Human Brain

Natalie Prowse gently attaches three electromyography (EMG) electrodes to the arm of Eliza Ali, both Neuroscience PhD students at Carleton University. The tiny red and black cables run from Ali’s arm into a pocket-sized battery powered box where another set of cables branch out, sticking to Prowse’s arm. With the clutch of her fist and the bend of her elbow, Prowse sends minute electrical currents from her brain down the nerves of her arm, through the wires and into Ali’s arm muscles, causing her arm to twitch and flex uncontrollably. “It feels so weird,” Ali says. “The kids love doing this to their parents,” Natalie responds. The demonstration was part of a showcase of the human brain, presented by Carleton’s…

Back-to-School Transitions Can Trigger Stress and Anxiety — These 5 Books Can Help

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. All photos provided by The Conversation from various sources. Joanna Pozzulo is a Chancellor's Professor and professor of psychology at Carleton University. As the end of summer approaches, many will find themselves preparing to usher in a new school year. This transition period can be difficult, leading to a significant increase in stress and anxiety. Bibliotherapy — the use of books and literature to support mental health and well-being — may be helpful. The term bibliotherapy was coined in 1916, but the notion of using books or reading to support health and well-being was around well before then. In recent years, bibliotherapy has been experiencing a resurgence to…