When I joined the Open Thinkers program, I didn’t expect it to fundamentally reshape how I approach my research and communication. As a PhD student focused on neurovascular function and traumatic brain injury, I was used to diving into the minutiae of experiments and data. But Open Thinkers pushed me to step back and think differently. It wasn’t just about writing for a wider audience—it was about understanding how the pieces of my work fit into the bigger picture. That shift made me reconsider not just how I share my findings, but why they matter.
From the very beginning, reflecting on “brain tsunamis,” demonstrate the dual and highly context dependent nature of the brain function. The waves of “brain tsunami” could either help the brain recover or make things worse, especially in traumatic brain injury (TBI), where they often lead to more damage. The same process can have very different effects depending on the situation. With TBI, the effects of an injury aren’t always immediate—small hits can add up over time. This is why one of the main directions of the modern computational neuroscience is to predict and prevent the long-term complications of brain injury.
This challenge of predicting outcomes connected to the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in brain research. AI helps us analyze large amounts of data to find patterns, making it easier to predict how brain diseases develop and what they course of progression is. While AI tools can be incredibly useful, they also raise questions about how safe they are for everyone who needs them. The nature of neurotechnology has been a topic of contention since the emergence of the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a treatment for conditions like Parkinson’s disease. DBS works by sending electrical signals to the brain, and newer versions can adjust automatically based on the brain’s activity. DBS is a prime example of how modulating brain function can alter behavior, minimizing disease symptoms, but it also raises valid discussions on safe data storage, evidence of long-term safety and wide applicability of the technology.
In fact, modulating the brain on its own may not address the entire complexity of the pathological processes underlying disease. The gut-brain axis, for example, shows how bacteria in the gut can affect mood or recovery from illness. The brain doesn’t work alone—it’s part of a much larger system, and understanding the connections between all parts of the body is key to finding holistic ways to improve health.
Writing about these select topics as an Open Thinker helped me see the interconnectedness of all aspects of neuroscience. Small changes or patterns in each of the body systems can have a big impact on behavior. Open Thinkers encouraged me to think about these links and how different areas of research can build on each other. It also taught me that science isn’t just about finding answers—it’s about connecting ideas to make a real difference.
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