Why I'm Interested in the Brain: A Personal Exploration

I was clearing out my desk drawer and I stumbled upon a black sketchbook buried underneath numerous papers. Can you guess what was in it? It was a sketch of the brain, with all its different cortexes colored in lightly with colored pencils. I used this sketchbook a few years ago, so it's reasonable to say that I've loved the brain for quite a long time. 

The page which reminded me how far my love for the brain goes back

Even though I've been fascinated by the brain for some time, I never really wanted to learn more about it until I took AP Psychology my sophomore year. I dipped my toes into the field of neuroscience and it was like a new awakening for me. I couldn’t get enough of a subject that analyzed the functions of a human’s most important organ. However, just as quickly as my teacher introduced the brain, we moved on to other units to prepare for the impending AP exam. 

I wasn’t satisfied with my knowledge and I yearned for a more hands-on application into the brain. So, where else would I learn about the brain than in a place that treats them? In the summer before my junior year of high school, I worked at a hospital, shadowing doctors and getting to interact with patients. This was where I was exposed to the rapid progression of neurodegenerative diseases up front. This sparked my journey into researching the processes of developing treatments for these illnesses. I did so much research on different neurological disorders that my brain went dizzy. It hooked me and I honestly couldn't get enough of researching. 

I consider the brain to be somewhat like the depths of the sea regarding the fact that we only know the surface level. There are so many unknowns to the organ that humans use continuously. Its complexities are what drives me to learn more about it and write about what I find interesting about it. I hope you find my blog interesting and feel free to comment about what you love about the brain!