What Is Depression? Studies show that one in five people will experience depression at some point in their life. So what is the reality of living with depression? It’s not just about feeling ‘sad’ or ‘down’ – everyone gets that at some point. Depression is a lot deeper and more insidious. It disrupts your every…
When Characters Take Control What happens when characters take control of your narrative? This is a familiar situation for many writers. It can be frustrating when the characters just walk all over your carefully planned outline. Our plans and early drafts are how we really get to know our characters and that means that things…
There are many physical effects of our mental health. Neurotransmitters play a huge role in mental and cognitive functions. A lot of people separate mental and physical health issues, and mental health still carries a lot of stigma. “It’s all in your head!” Except, that doesn’t make it any less real. Mental health problems are…
The body needs energy to function. This energy must be obtained from food, processed and metabolised so it is ready for the cells to use. Glucose, a sugar molecule, makes up the most important energy source. The brain alone uses 20% of the glucose produced by the body. Like many other factors, blood glucose must…
Rodents for writers: squirrels. The final part of the series on common rodents, to help writers better understand them. This time we’re covering the other major class of rodents, the squirrel family of rodents. This family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (chipmunks and prairie dogs) and flying squirrels. The focus of this article is the…
The RAAS system and thyroid hormones play an essential role in managing metabolism, blood pressure and fluid balance. These hormones regulate electrolytes, water retention and metabolic rate. RAAS The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system involves several organs and plays an essential role in maintaining blood pressure. A drop in blood flow to the kidneys activates the RAAS to…
Rodents for writers: guinea pigs. Today we’re going to be discussing my favourite rodent species, guinea pigs. Cavia porcellus – the domestic guinea pig, sometimes known as ‘cavy’ as well. The name is misleading, they don’t come from Guinea and are not related to pigs. Guinea pigs originate from the Andes region of South America….
This endocrine system involves the gonads and sex hormones, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis or HPG axis. The HPG axis holds high importance for the survival of the species, without it extinction would be inevitable. The HPG axis controls development, the reproduction system and aging in animals. It also regulates the immune system and has…
Biology of Mice Welcome to Rodents for Writers: Mice. The next part of my creature features series focusing on rodents for March. Mice, like rats, are in the order Rodentia and the family Muridae. Lots of different species exist in the world but the most relevant to us is the house mouse Mus musculus. They…
The ‘stress hormone’ cortisol is extremely important for managing and regulating the body’s response to stress. Cortisol regulates metabolism, the response to stress and the immune system. The adrenal glands release cortisol, regulated by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in the brain. Adrenal Glands The paired adrenal glands live just above each kidney and…
