August 08, 2005
Trippy neuroscience videos:
Waaaay back in the early 90's, trippy videos were part and parcel of rave culture. Now with the Multimedia Neuroscience Education Project, you can relive the days of shiny rendered graphics and techno soundtracks - with a neurobiology twist!
The site, created by a collaborative team based at Williams College, explains synaptic neurotransmission - the process by which chemical signals are passed between neurons.
Four stages are described in detail: the synthesis and storage of neurotransmitters, neurotransmitter release, the role of postsynaptic receptors and the inactivation of neurotransmitters.
As well as outlining the basics of these four stages, specific examples are given to show how particular drugs use these mechanisms to take effect.
Every description has a realaudio-streamed animation to accompany the text, so you can see the process in action. And each video has a home-brew old skool soundtrack.
The videos explaining the effect of anti-anxiety drugs on GABA transmission and the mechanism of action for antipsychotic medication are two particularly fine examples.
Anyone got any veras ?
Link to the Multimedia Neuroscience Education Project.
