Learning the Brain, Living the Reality

In my sophomore spring at Wesleyan University, I took a course titled The Neurobiology of Basic Survival. The final for the course was freeform, allowing us to  choose any brain-body connection and present our research to the class. I immediately thought of my grandfather, Pop, who has a severe form of Alzheimer’s. I interviewed my Pop to share with  my classmates a different perspective of a disease we  have been learning  about since our freshman year

Working on my project led  me to reflect on my motivations for pursuing neuroscience. I realized I chose this field of study because of lived experience with neurological diseases. 

My personal experiences made the research papers I was studying for the course feel basic and (maybe) impersonal. I focused on the neurobiological side of Alzheimer’s, digging into meta analysis of the Tau protein dysfunction and neurofibrillary tangles that occur. I did not need to learn about the outward symptoms of confusion. I shared with  my classmates a personal glimpse on the  impact  of Alzheimer’s.  My project begins with a video clip of Pop shaking my hand and saying to me, “you must be Ed McCauley”… he is Ed McCualey. 

No research paper or lecture can capture the full impact of a disease like Alzheimer’sI believe my  firsthand perspective gives me a unique understanding and empathy for the emotional (maybe) side of neuroscience. 

My work for this course showed me that my experiences with my Pop are not just personal challenges, but strengths that shape the way I approach neuroscience. The course helped me recognize that my perspective, grounded in firsthand caregiving and observation, gives me insight that goes beyond textbooks and lectures. It’s a perspective I carry into every class, project, and future opportunity, and drives my passion for understanding the brain and helping others.