Neuroimmunology and Israeli Idol

On Sunday I went to a really interesting lecture in my introductory neuroscience class. It was all about the relationship between the nervous system and the immune system, a field which is called neuroimmunology and which is still in its very early stages. Among some of the experiments that the professor described was one which showed how injecting monocytes (a cell type of the immune system) into an area of nerve damage, you can greatly increase the rate of recovery. In mice with injured spinal cords, those which were artificially injected with monocytes regained function whereas those that weren't injected became paralyzed. The professor also discussed why women tend to have mental lapses and think less clearly when they're pregnant (something which I was entirely unaware of – the only pregnant people I know tend to always be a bit loopy irregardless of whether they have a baby in their tummy). When a woman is pregnant, her immune system decreases its activity to prevent her body from attacking the fetus. The researchers found that when the immune system is less responsive, there is less new neural growth in the brain—suggesting that the decrease in immune activity has adverse effects on memory!

Other than attending this one lecture, I've been eagerly working on my computer making all sorts of fun bar-graphs and tables. I continue to go to San Martin with the other summer students for lunch, and have been to the gym every night this week. At the gym on Sunday they were playing the Israeli version of American Idol on TV. Not to sound culturally ignorant, but it was quite funny to see all of the competitors singing in Hebrew…I'm rather doubtful that the winner's Hebrew rendition of the song "A Whole New World" from Disney's Aladdin is going to soar to the top of the US charts. Then again, I might be wrong! The lyrics just don't have the same ring to them: "Bo’ii are’e lach olam. Or niflah menatznetz bo." Rather like saying "ooga booga wooga."

After the gym Monday evening, Zvonimer, Tanmay, some other guys, and I went to a pub on Herzl Street, right outside of the Weizmann Institute. After one pint of Carlsberg, I was beginning to feel a tad tipsy! Two beers later, and Tanmay and I suddenly found each other incredibly hilarious. I kept sliding off my chair and he kept slurring his words. If I may say so myself, all three of us are pretty fun drunks!

Last night we played another game of Settlers of Catan accompanied with chocolate, cake, crackers, and Pringles. We're all getting mighty good at bartering for wheat and sheep, a talent which may come in handy at the markets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Must sign off now and get some more work done—only two and a half weeks left!

Old photo of some of us playing Settlers in Galilee

(Tanmay, Iris, Roni, Ari, Martin)