SPRING 2021 | VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2
FEATURES 12 Space Between the Ears Our author, former chief scientist for the NASA Human Research Program, examines what spaceflight can teach us about cognitive performance and mental abilities. By Mark Shelhamer, Sc.D. 20 Eye of the Needle A clinician and professor of ophthalmology and neuroscience advises a retired attorney about strategies to treat macular degeneration, a condition that affects 200 million people worldwide. By Peter Campochiaro, M.D. 26 Losing Face Newborns and toddlers, as well as K-12 students, have spent the past year living in a world where mask-wearing is the new normal. Is it affecting their brain development and mental health? By Kayt Sukel 30 The Brain and Covid: Strides and Speculations A little more than a year into the pandemic, scientists around the globe continue to learn how Covid-19 affects the brain and mental health—and how patients can overcome
POINTS OF INTEREST NOTABLE FACTS IN THIS ISSUE 4 A common observation among astronauts refers to a phenomenon known as “space fog” or “space stupids”—a sense of cognitive slowing and the need for increased mental effort to perform routine tasks. Space Between the Ears , Page 12 4 With people living longer and longer, it is estimated that by 2040, there will be 300 million individuals with macular degeneration throughout the world. Eye of the Needle , Page 20 4 There are a lot of things that are really important for human communication. And human faces are definitely one of the most important of them. Losing Face , Page 26 4 The National Institutes of Health is allocating more than $1 billion to research investigating Long Covid in all its multi- organ complexity—causes, manifestations, natural history, and treatments. The Brain and Covid , Page 30 4 Microetching, which consists of creating animated images by precisely controlling light’s reflection off of surfaces, was invented by Dunn and collaborator Brian Edwards, Ph.D. Between Thought and Expression , Page 36
nagging symptoms. By Carl Sherman 36 Between Thought and Expression
A sampling of work by Greg Dunn, who was on his way to a Ph.D. in neuroscience when he realized that bringing the brain's beauty to life was a more suitable role for him than lab work. By Bill Glovin
SECTIONS 5 Briefly Noted • By the Numbers, Brain in the News, In Memoriam 6 Advances • Notable brain science findings 7 Bookshelf • A few brain science books that have recently caught our eye 8 Awards • Brain Prize Winners 9 Clinical Corner • Following Your Instincts, By Angela M. Reiersen, M.D. 10 Neuroethics • Big Data, Big Concerns, By Philip M. Boffey
2 Contributors | 4 From the Editor | 44 Advisory Board | 46 Cerebrum Staff
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